The history of the Locarno treaties: a patchwork of agreements

The early postwar period

The 1919 Treaty of Versailles had imposed extremely harsh conditions on Germany. These included territorial losses – especially on the eastern front –, demilitarization, and heavy economic reparations. In addition, the clause in Article 231 of the Versailles Treaty, which exclusively blamed Germany for the conflict, was a particularly controversial point, thus continuing to fuel hatred and resentment among the German people and their political elites. Furthermore, France feared a resurgence of German power, thus blocking the way to harmonization on the European continent.

Although internationally efforts to build lasting peace were still met with strong resistance, beginning in 1924, a new desire for reconciliation emerged in Europe, fostered by changes in the French and British governments. The latter had begun to positively view the role of the League of Nations as the guarantor of international peace and security. Relations between great powers began to evolve, moving toward negotiation and the search for solutions. This process was aided by the appointment of Stresemann as German Chancellor, who chose to promote a policy of fulfillment, aimed at improving Germany's position. It was in this climate that the so-called Dawes Plan, formulated to ease Germany's burden of war reparations, was born. The plan, accepted without much pressure from Germany, involved reduced installment payments, supported by American private capital investment.

On this note, therefore, a path to the Locarno Trities had been formed, made possible by this climate of cooperation and diplomatic conflict resolution.

The reasons

The choice to hold the Conference in Locarno was motivated mainly by two factors: the neutrality of Switzerland and Locarno's proximity to Italy, facilitating Mussolini's participation (Italy was a permanent member of the League of Nations' Council).

In the context of the Locarno Treaties, the figure of Giovan Battista Rusca, a locarnese politician and mayor of Locarno, deserves special attention. The Federal Council, while present, played the role of host very discreetly and did not officially represent itself in Locarno, as the negotiations did not concern Switzerland.

The Cantonal authority also maintained a low profile. So it was the mayor of Locarno who welcomed the diplomats, having been given only about ten days to prepare the city, as Germany accepted the French proposal to hold the conference in Locarno only on September 26th, 1925.

Key figures

Negotiations were held in Locarno Oct. 5-16, 1925, with seven participating delegations from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, the UK, Italy, and Poland.

Key players included:

• Austen Chamberlain, Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom

• Gustav Stresemann, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany

• Hans Luther, Chancellor of Germany

• Aristide Briand, Minister of Foreign Affairs of France

• Vittorio Scialoja, representative of Italy

• Dino Grandi, Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs of Italy

• Eduard Benes, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Czechoslovakia

• Émil Vandervelde, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium

• Aleksander Skrzynski, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland

When the delegates arrived in Locarno, not all differences had yet been settled. First, France would have wanted the arbitration treaties, which Germany had proposed to enter into with Czechoslovakia and Poland, to be guaranteed, a point on which Germany was adamant. Moreover, France successfully opposed, in this case, any agreement on the withdrawal of troops from the Rhineland before the conclusion of the mutual guarantee treaty. For its part, Germany, before accepting the proposed membership in the League of Nations, wished to obtain guarantees that it would not be involved in any future sanctions, given its own state of disarmament.

What is surprising about the conference is that, despite serious differences between two of its main protagonists, the proceedings took place in an atmosphere of general goodwill and cordiality, without the rancor that had marked previous international conferences between conquered and victors.

In a nutshell

On October 16th, 1925, in Locarno, a total of 5 treaties and 2 conventions were signed. The treaties were ratified on December 1, 1925, in London and came into force when Germany joined the League of Nations in 1926.

The Treaty of Mutual Guarantee between Germany, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom and Italy. This treaty was intended to secure existing borders and promote peace. Its contents emphasize the mutual commitment to assist each other in case of violations, particularly regarding the borders between Germany and its neighbors, Belgium and France. In addition, the treaty reaffirms Germany's promise not to attack these countries and aims to consolidate the stability of the European continent after World War I. This treaty is known as the Rhineland Pact.

Arbitration agreements between Germany and Belgium, France, Poland and Czechoslovakia. These four acts - two conventions and two treaties - similar in structure and content, stipulated that any disputes between the Parties that could not be resolved through diplomatic means would be addressed, either through international arbitration, the Permanent Court of International Justice or a conciliation commission. The Parties also pledged to avoid unilateral actions that could escalate conflicts during the resolution stages.

The Treaties of Mutual Guarantee treaties between France and Poland, and between France and Czechoslovakia. These treaties provided for mutual support in the event of unprovoked aggression by Germany, in violation of commitments made at Locarno. The treaty stipulated that in the event that the League of Nations was unable to intervene, then France and Poland would intervene militarily in support.

L'esprit de Locarno

One of the most immediate and concrete consequences of the treaties was the withdrawal of occupation troops from the Rhineland in January 1926 and Germany's admission into the League of Nations in September 1926. For the first time since the end of World War I, the former Allied powers met with Germany on a plane of complete equality, a highly symbolic gesture that helped reduce post-war tensions.

In this sense, the Locarno Treaties can be read as an expression of the so-called "new diplomacy." It was an inclusive, internationalist and democratic approach that rejected war as a means of conflict resolution. The negotiation process and extensive media coverage of the event represented an important stepping point: public opinion was beginning to exert a tangible influence on foreign policy.

Another significant effect was that, as a result of the Locarno conference, a clear desire to avoid resorting to war emerged, favoring instead the diplomatic route to conflict resolution, marking a sharp discontinuity with the logic of the past. This quest for peace, which had positively impacted European politics at the time, also earned Chamberlain, Briand and Stresemann the 1925 and 1926 Nobel Peace Prizes.

Limitations of the Locarno Treaties

Despite the high hopes raised by the Conference, subsequent developments highlighted its structural and political limitations. The spirit of cooperation and trust that had characterised the 1920s was quickly undermined in the 1930s, a decade marked by economic depression, growing political instability and, above all, Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany in 1933.

In particular, the decisive moment came in March 1936, when Germany, in open violation of the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno treaties, ordered the remilitarization of the Rhineland, an area that should have remained demilitarized as a security guarantee for France and Belgium. The powers present at Locarno failed to respond effectively, as they did not intervene. Therefore, the transgression and denunciation of the Versailles and Locarno treaties worked in favor of Nazi Germany.

Locarno "Città della Pace"

The City of Locarno intends to worthily commemorate the centenary of the Conference. The commemorative project began in the spring and will run until December 2025, offering a wide range of cultural, academic and institutional events aimed at celebrating and reflecting on the Conference's importance on peace-building in Europe.

The initiative, promoted by the City of Locarno, is carried out in collaboration with numerous cultural and academic partners and a number of private individuals whose ideas stood out and were chosen by an ad hoc jury.