Nicholas Hartwig
Encyclopedia
Baron Nicholas Genrikhovich Hartwig (Russian: Николай Генрихович Гартвиг) (December 16, 1857 – July 10, 1914) was a Russia
n ambassador to Persia (1906–1908) and Serbia
(1909–1914). An ardent Pan-Slavist
, he was said to be "more Serbian than the Serbs" and in the period prior to World War I
was thought by many to practically control the policy of the Serbian government. He encouraged Serbia to stand up to Austria-Hungary
and may therefore be seen as one of the causes of the war.
, Georgia
, noted also for being the birthplace of Joseph Stalin. His intelligence and ambition brought him to the notice of the Foreign Ministry, and he began his diplomatic career in 1875, when he was attached to the Asiatic Department.
Hartwig also wrote for the highly nationalist and slavophile Novoye Vremya
during this time period. His articles criticized the then-direction of Russia's foreign policy, and particularly in regard to the Near East
, which Hartwig thought was too soft. His views earned him the admiration of the Russian general staff, which thought similarly, and also won him high-placed friends at the court of Alexander II
, which were to prove influential later in his career.
succeeded Mikhail Muraviev as Foreign Minister in June 1900, he promoted Hartwig to the Director of the Asiatic Department. Hartwig had previously served as the Vice-Director of the Asiatic Department and had established a close friendship with Lamsdorff. He was viewed by many as the Count's right-hand man, and when Lamsdorff left the ministry in 1906, Hartwig was one of several candidates thought to have a good chance to succeed him. However, he lost the post to Alexander Izvolski
, a hated rival.
. Izvolski did not want Hartwig in any position of importance however, and instead assigned him to be Russia's ambassador to Persia. Hartwig never forgave Izvolski for this slight, and viewed his appointment to Tehran
as a diplomatic exile.
Hartwig responded by sabotaging the promising negotiations then going on between Great Britain
and Russia with regards to Persia. He was also instrumental in suppressing an attempted revolution to overthrow Mohammad Ali Shah, ordering the Russian-officered Cossack Brigade
to surround the British legation and prevent anyone from gaining sanctuary there.
Many observers felt that Hartwig had overstepped his bounds, but his powerful friends enabled Hartwig to essentially pursue his own policy. He was not on speaking terms with the British ambassador, especially after the counterrevolution in Persia succeeded.
Hartwig was recalled in 1908, coinciding with the recall of the British ambassador; both countries wished to renew their discussions over the partition of Persia and their respective ministers were perceived as a liability.
annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina. Izvolski had engaged in private discussions prior to the annexation with Count Aehrenthal
, the Austrian foreign minister, and was therefore implicated. It was thought that Izvolski's nebulous promises of Russian support gave Austria the courage to proceed with the annexation. Izvolski therefore served as a perfect scapegoat for the failure of Russian diplomacy, and he was forcibly ousted. The court of Nicholas II
pressed for a more pro-Slavic foreign policy. Hartwig was once again considered for the post of foreign minister, but was thwarted by the intervention of Pyotr Stolypin
, the chairman of the Tsar's council of ministers. Stolypin wanted someone more controllable than the ambitious Hartwig, and it therefore represented a great success for him to have his son-in-law Sergei Sazonov appointed to the post.
Reflecting the more militant pro-Serbian element at court, Hartwig was assigned to the vacant Russian ministry in Belgrade
. He quickly followed the same pattern as he had in Persia, pursuing a course at many times independent of the direction of Sazonov. Hartwig felt that in addition to representing 'official' Russia, he also represented 'unofficial' Russia—the Pan-Slavists and more militantly pro-Serbian court party. The result of this was that he often gave the Serbian government the impression that they would get more support from Russia than the official line dictated. Unless given direct instructions by Sazonov to the contrary, Hartwig would frequently embellish or exaggerate the extent of Russian sympathy for Serbia in his communications to the Serbian government. Hartwig was also on excellent terms with the prime minister of Serbia, Nikola Pašić
.
Hartwig was a key figure in the formation of the system of alliances formed in 1912 between Serbia and Bulgaria
, Greece
, and Montenegro
(the Balkan League
). He was a violent opponent of Austria and, along with Sazonov, thought of the alliance system as being primarily oriented against Austria. As a Pan-Slavist, however, he was not opposed to territorial gains at the expense of Turkey after the conclusion of the Balkan Wars, and was one of the first to reject the territorial status quo line then pursued both by Sazonov and Count Berchtold
, the new Austrian foreign minister.
Hartwig backed the Serbian government's demands for a revision of the military agreement with Bulgaria, which were to include additional pieces of Macedonian
territory. This was to compensate Serbia for the loss of territory, and particularly an outlet on the Aegean Sea
, to the newly-created state of Albania
. Hartwig encouraged the resolution of the settlement through a direct meeting of the prime ministers of each of the four Balkan countries (Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Montenegro). Suspicions about Bulgarian territorial aspirations in Macedonia had already driven Greece and Serbia closer together, and Montenegro had followed the Serbian line from the start. Hartwig was aware that any conference between the four prime ministers would thus favor the Serbian territorial demands. By advocating this line with Sazonov, who was more ignorant of the complexities of Balkan politics, Hartwig appeared to be pressing for peace in the Balkans while in actuality directly contributing to the start of the Second Balkan War
and its resultant increases in Serbian territory and prestige.
, Hartwig encouraged a militant Serbian line against Austria. It is unclear what, if any, role Hartwig might have played in connection with the Black Hand
.
While visiting the Baron von Giesl, Austrian minister to Belgrade, Hartwig collapsed of a massive heart attack
on July 10, 1914. The Serbian press immediately published several inflammatory articles accusing the Austrians of poisoning Hartwig while he was a guest at their legation.
Hartwig was buried in Belgrade at the request of the Serbian government. Many notable Serbian officials, including Pašić, attended his funeral.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n ambassador to Persia (1906–1908) and Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
(1909–1914). An ardent Pan-Slavist
Pan-Slavism
Pan-Slavism was a movement in the mid-19th century aimed at unity of all the Slavic peoples. The main focus was in the Balkans where the South Slavs had been ruled for centuries by other empires, Byzantine Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Venice...
, he was said to be "more Serbian than the Serbs" and in the period prior to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
was thought by many to practically control the policy of the Serbian government. He encouraged Serbia to stand up to Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
and may therefore be seen as one of the causes of the war.
Early life and career
Hartwig was born into a noble family of German origin in GoriGori, Georgia
Gori is a city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and the centre of the homonymous administrative district. The name is from Georgian gora , that is, "heap", or "hill"...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, noted also for being the birthplace of Joseph Stalin. His intelligence and ambition brought him to the notice of the Foreign Ministry, and he began his diplomatic career in 1875, when he was attached to the Asiatic Department.
Hartwig also wrote for the highly nationalist and slavophile Novoye Vremya
Novoye Vremya (newspaper)
Novoye Vremya was a Russian newspaper published in St. Petersburg from 1868 to 1917. Until 1869 it came out five times a week; thereafter it came out every day, and from 1881 there were both morning and evening editions...
during this time period. His articles criticized the then-direction of Russia's foreign policy, and particularly in regard to the Near East
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
, which Hartwig thought was too soft. His views earned him the admiration of the Russian general staff, which thought similarly, and also won him high-placed friends at the court of Alexander II
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
, which were to prove influential later in his career.
Importance in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
When Count LamsdorffVladimir Lambsdorff
Count Vladimir Nikolayevich Lamsdorf was a Russian statesman of Baltic German descent who served as Foreign Minister of the Russian Empire from 1900 1906, a crucial period which included the Russo-Japanese War and the Russian Revolution of 1905.- Early career :Like so many other Russian diplomats,...
succeeded Mikhail Muraviev as Foreign Minister in June 1900, he promoted Hartwig to the Director of the Asiatic Department. Hartwig had previously served as the Vice-Director of the Asiatic Department and had established a close friendship with Lamsdorff. He was viewed by many as the Count's right-hand man, and when Lamsdorff left the ministry in 1906, Hartwig was one of several candidates thought to have a good chance to succeed him. However, he lost the post to Alexander Izvolski
Alexander Izvolski
Count Alexander Petrovich Izvolsky or Iswolsky was a Russian diplomat remembered as a major architect of Russia's alliance with the British Empire during the years leading to the outbreak of the First World War.Having graduated from the Alexander Lyceum with honours, Izvolsky married Countess von...
, a hated rival.
Exile in Tehran
Following his defeat by Izvolski, Hartwig then attempted to gain an influential embassy instead, preferably in ConstantinopleConstantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. Izvolski did not want Hartwig in any position of importance however, and instead assigned him to be Russia's ambassador to Persia. Hartwig never forgave Izvolski for this slight, and viewed his appointment to Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
as a diplomatic exile.
Hartwig responded by sabotaging the promising negotiations then going on between Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Russia with regards to Persia. He was also instrumental in suppressing an attempted revolution to overthrow Mohammad Ali Shah, ordering the Russian-officered Cossack Brigade
Cossack Brigade
Cossack Brigade can refer to:* a military brigade composed of Cossacks* Free Cossack Brigade of Vadim Yakovlev* Persian Cossack Brigade of Vsevolod Lyakhov...
to surround the British legation and prevent anyone from gaining sanctuary there.
Many observers felt that Hartwig had overstepped his bounds, but his powerful friends enabled Hartwig to essentially pursue his own policy. He was not on speaking terms with the British ambassador, especially after the counterrevolution in Persia succeeded.
Hartwig was recalled in 1908, coinciding with the recall of the British ambassador; both countries wished to renew their discussions over the partition of Persia and their respective ministers were perceived as a liability.
Ambassador to Serbia
In 1909 Izvolski was forced to resign following the humiliation of Russia after Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina. Izvolski had engaged in private discussions prior to the annexation with Count Aehrenthal
Alois Lexa von Aehrenthal
Count Alois Lexa von Ährenthal was an Austrian diplomat who engineered the Bosnian crisis of 1908.Born in Gross-Skal, Bohemia , he entered the diplomatic service of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, beginning as attaché in Paris . In 1906 he replaced Count Goluchowski as minister of foreign affairs...
, the Austrian foreign minister, and was therefore implicated. It was thought that Izvolski's nebulous promises of Russian support gave Austria the courage to proceed with the annexation. Izvolski therefore served as a perfect scapegoat for the failure of Russian diplomacy, and he was forcibly ousted. The court of Nicholas II
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
pressed for a more pro-Slavic foreign policy. Hartwig was once again considered for the post of foreign minister, but was thwarted by the intervention of Pyotr Stolypin
Pyotr Stolypin
Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin served as the leader of the 3rd DUMA—from 1906 to 1911. His tenure was marked by efforts to repress revolutionary groups, as well as for the institution of noteworthy agrarian reforms. Stolypin hoped, through his reforms, to stem peasant unrest by creating a class of...
, the chairman of the Tsar's council of ministers. Stolypin wanted someone more controllable than the ambitious Hartwig, and it therefore represented a great success for him to have his son-in-law Sergei Sazonov appointed to the post.
Reflecting the more militant pro-Serbian element at court, Hartwig was assigned to the vacant Russian ministry in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. He quickly followed the same pattern as he had in Persia, pursuing a course at many times independent of the direction of Sazonov. Hartwig felt that in addition to representing 'official' Russia, he also represented 'unofficial' Russia—the Pan-Slavists and more militantly pro-Serbian court party. The result of this was that he often gave the Serbian government the impression that they would get more support from Russia than the official line dictated. Unless given direct instructions by Sazonov to the contrary, Hartwig would frequently embellish or exaggerate the extent of Russian sympathy for Serbia in his communications to the Serbian government. Hartwig was also on excellent terms with the prime minister of Serbia, Nikola Pašić
Nikola Pašic
Nikola P. Pašić was a Serbian and Yugoslav politician and diplomat, the most important Serbian political figure for almost 40 years, leader of the People's Radical Party who, among other posts, was twice a mayor of Belgrade...
.
Hartwig was a key figure in the formation of the system of alliances formed in 1912 between Serbia and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, and Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
(the Balkan League
Balkan League
The Balkan League was an alliance formed by a series of bilateral treaties concluded in 1912 between the Balkan states of Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia, and directed against the Ottoman Empire, which at the time still controlled much of the Balkan peninsula...
). He was a violent opponent of Austria and, along with Sazonov, thought of the alliance system as being primarily oriented against Austria. As a Pan-Slavist, however, he was not opposed to territorial gains at the expense of Turkey after the conclusion of the Balkan Wars, and was one of the first to reject the territorial status quo line then pursued both by Sazonov and Count Berchtold
Leopold Graf Berchtold
Leopold Graf Berchtold von und zu Ungarschitz, Frättling und Püllütz , was an Austro-Hungarian politician, diplomat and statesman who served as Imperial Foreign Minister at the outbreak of World War I.- Career :Born in Vienna on 18 April 1863 into a wealthy noble family that owned lands in...
, the new Austrian foreign minister.
Hartwig backed the Serbian government's demands for a revision of the military agreement with Bulgaria, which were to include additional pieces of Macedonian
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
territory. This was to compensate Serbia for the loss of territory, and particularly an outlet on the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
, to the newly-created state of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. Hartwig encouraged the resolution of the settlement through a direct meeting of the prime ministers of each of the four Balkan countries (Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Montenegro). Suspicions about Bulgarian territorial aspirations in Macedonia had already driven Greece and Serbia closer together, and Montenegro had followed the Serbian line from the start. Hartwig was aware that any conference between the four prime ministers would thus favor the Serbian territorial demands. By advocating this line with Sazonov, who was more ignorant of the complexities of Balkan politics, Hartwig appeared to be pressing for peace in the Balkans while in actuality directly contributing to the start of the Second Balkan War
Second Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
and its resultant increases in Serbian territory and prestige.
Death
After the assassination of Franz FerdinandArchduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia...
, Hartwig encouraged a militant Serbian line against Austria. It is unclear what, if any, role Hartwig might have played in connection with the Black Hand
Black Hand
Unification or Death , unofficially known as the Black Hand , was a secret military society formed by members of the Serbian army in the Kingdom of Serbia, which was founded on September 6, 1901. It was intent on uniting all of the territories containing significant Serb populations annexed by...
.
While visiting the Baron von Giesl, Austrian minister to Belgrade, Hartwig collapsed of a massive heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on July 10, 1914. The Serbian press immediately published several inflammatory articles accusing the Austrians of poisoning Hartwig while he was a guest at their legation.
Hartwig was buried in Belgrade at the request of the Serbian government. Many notable Serbian officials, including Pašić, attended his funeral.