Abstract

In 1925, Foreign Minister Stresemann had initiated an improvement in relations with the Western Allies with the Locarno Treaties, but this caused mistrust among the Soviet leadership. In order to allay their fears that Germany might join an anti-Soviet bloc, Germany and the USSR concluded the Berlin Treaty, which is reproduced here, and thus continued their course of rapprochement, which had begun in 1922 with the Treaty of Rapallo. The essential provision of the Treaty of Friendship was the assurance of neutrality should one of the two signatory states be attacked or sanctioned by a third power or coalition. This scenario alluded to a possible conflict with the Polish state, which had been re-established after the First World War and had concluded political, economic and military alliances with France to protect Poland from German and Soviet aggression.

Friendship Treaty between Germany and the Soviet Union (Berlin Treaty) (April 24, 1926)

Source

The German Government and the Government of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics, being desirous of doing all in their power to promote the maintenance of general peace, and being convinced that the interests of the German people and the peoples of the Government of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics demand constant and trustful cooperation, having agreed to strengthen the friendly relations existing between them by means of a special treaty […] have agreed upon the following provisions:

Article 1

The relations between Germany and the Government of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics shall continue to be based on the Treaty of Rapallo.

The German Government and the Government of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics will maintain friendly contact in order to promote an understanding with regard to all political and economic questions jointly affecting their two countries.

Article 2

Should one of the Contracting Parties, despite its peaceful attitude, be attacked by one or more third Powers, the other Contracting Party shall observe neutrality for the whole of the duration of the conflict.

Article 3

If on the occasion of a conflict of the nature mentioned in Article 2, or at a time when neither of the Contracting Parties is engaged in warlike operations, a coalition is formed between third Powers with a view to the economic or financial boycott of either of the Contracting Parties, the other Contracting Party undertakes not to adhere to such coalition.

Article 4

The present treaty shall be ratified and the instruments of ratification shall be exchanged at Berlin.

It shall enter into force on the date of the exchange of the instruments of ratification and shall remain in force for five years. The two Contracting Parties shall confer in good time before the expiration of this period with regard to the future development of their political relations.

In faith whereof the plenipotentiaries have signed the present treaty.

Original text done in duplicate at Berlin on April 24, 1926.

Signed: Herr Stresemann

Signed: M Krestinski

Source: Treaty of Berlin between the Soviet Union and Germany (April 24, 1926), in: The Avalon Project, Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy. Available online: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/berlin_001.asp.

Source of German version: Politisches Archiv des Auswärtigen Amtes, Bilaterale Verträge des Deutschen Reiches, Sowjetunion, Lagernr. 41. Original.

Recommended Citation

Friendship Treaty between Germany and the Soviet Union (Berlin Treaty) (April 24, 1926), published in: German History in Documents and Images, <https://germanhistorydocs.org/en/weimar-germany-1918-1933/ghdi:document-4338> [March 16, 2026].