Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 45. (1997)
AGSTNER, Rudolf: Von Chandos House zum Belgrave Square. Österreichs Botschaft in London 1815–1997
Rudolf Agstner XI. The embassy building during World War I During World War I, the United States Embassy in London took care of the Austro-Hungarian embassy, the consulates and interests in the United Kingdom. Mr. Poppauer, working under the auspices of the US embassy, was in charge of the dossier until he had to be recalled in 1916. He was replaced by a member of the Austro-Hungarian colony in London. When the United States declared War on Germany on April 6, 1917, Austria-Hungary, in an act of solidarity with Germany, broke off diplomatic relations with the US. This brought to an end US protection of the Austro-Hungarian embassy. From April 1917 to August 1920, the Royal Swedish Legation in London looked after the embassy building, the consulates and Austro- Hungarian interests. Protection by Sweden ended when Austria opened her legation in London on August 18, 1920. XII. 1919/20 — The Successor States of the Monarchy and the former embassy building After the dismemberment of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, victorious allies and successor states alike were often interested in taking over buildings hitherto used by Austro-Hungarian diplomacy. In 1919, the conference of plenipotentiaries charged with liquidating assets of the former Austro-Hungarian Monarchy abroad, had established the value of the lease of N° 18, Belgrave Square at 16 000 LSt. This sum did not take into account that in 1892 and 1911 an office wing of seven rooms had been added to the building at the expense of Austria-Hungary. Contrary to governments of other Allied Powers which rushed to confiscate former Austro-Hungarian embassy buildings, the British government’s attitude was most helpful to Austria. In October 1919, the French government sequestrated the Hőtel Matignon, former Austro-Hungarian embassy in Paris, on a very weak legal basis. In February 1920 the French ambassador in London was instructed to report on the UK position concerning the former Austro-Hungarian embassy building there. Jules Cambon replied „that the building is still entrusted to the protection of the Swedish Legation and no special measure has been taken with regard to it. The British Government has no intention to intervene on behalf of this hotel or its contents ...“It was thus left to the Austrian and the Hungarian government to settle this problem. Poppauer, who had returned to London, this time to the Swedish legation, to look after Austrian interests, pleaded strongly with Vienna to keep the magnificent building on Belgrave Square. On July 12, 1920, the Royal Hungarian Government informed the Austrian Foreign Ministry that „the Royal Hungarian Government agrees that the Austrian Government take possession of the building on condition that the Hungarian part of the value of the lease of the whole building ... is safeguarded. As far as the furniture is concerned, the Royal Hungarian Government wishes to receive her quota of 36,4 percent“. 54
