Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 35. (1982)
WILSON, Keith: Isolating the Isolator. Cartwright, Grey and the seduction of Austria-Hungary 1908–1912
192 Keith Wilson little later by the announcement that a similar invitation had been sent to the King of Servia. These visits were to take place at the very moment when Austria-Hungary and Russia were negotiating for an understanding which was to be founded on the basis of the maintenance of the status quo in the Balkans. Russia’s action in trying to draw to herself the attention of the two most troublesome Balkan States aroused a feeling of disquietude in this country with which Count Aehrenthal had to reckon. The Austrian minister kept his press well in hand; there were no violent attacks on Russian duplicity, but, nevertheless, a great deal of grumbling was heard under the surface. In speaking to me at that time, Count Aehrenthal, though with great reserve, blamed the action of M. Isvolsky as likely to cause a disturbance of the public mind in the Near East; his Excellency remarked to me: “We, in Vienna, keep our finger on the pulse of the Balkan States; if a tremor passes through them we feel it at once; I can assure you that M. Isvolsky’s action in bringing the two kings to St Petersburg at this moment has aroused impossible expectations in various quarters, and it is likely to tend to disturb the tranquillity of the Near East”. It must be remembered that the King of Bulgaria then came to Vienna on his way to Russia; that he remained incognito in this city for several days without calling on the Emperor or on Count Aehrenthal; that he summoned his ministers from Sophia to meet him here; that these ministers avoided all contamination with the Ballplatz, so that they should arrive at St Petersburg pure and undefiled by any contact with Austro-Hungarian politicians; in short, the King and his ministers started for St Petersburg from the Austrian capital in a manner which the Balkan nationalities were sure to interpret as a demonstration against Austria-Hungary, and this demonstration was so palpable and evident to everybody that as soon as the kings reached the Russian capital M. Isvolsky found it necessary to turn on a jet of cold water on their aspirations. The mischief, however, had been done. Count Aehrenthal saw that the moment had not yet come for a real reconciliation with Russia, and he at once decided to bring the conversation with M. Isvolsky to as decent and rapid a close as possible. He mádé up his mind that he would not yield one step more to M. Isvolsky’s demands, as no practical good could come from doing so; he wanted a real reconciliation with Russia, and apparently M. Isvolsky was not ready to entertain such an idea; at least his actions tended to influence Count Aehrenthal’s opinion on that point. It seems to me, therefore, that Count Aehrenthal was acting on this occasion not from motives of personal vanity, as M. Cambon believes, but on the principles which he has often explained to me will always guide his policy; he once declared to me: “I am a ‘Realpolitiker’; I strive after real issues; I do not seek for phantom successes”. When Count Aehrenthal arrived in Vienna to take in hand the direction of Austria- Hungary’s foreign policy, he came here with the reputation of entertaining the most friendly sentiments towards Russia, and I still believe that in his heart he would rather look for support towards St Petersburg than towards Berlin. He was, comparatively speaking, an unknown man when he succeeded Count Goluchowski, whose weakness of character had reduced Austria-Hungary to a state of absolute subserviency to Germany. He had few friends in Vienna, and no high family connections to assist him; he had therefore to feel his way carefully at first, but from the start he began to show a vigour and an independence which aroused considerable astonishment in this country. A confidant of Count Aehrenthal once related to me a story which throws some light upon the former’s real sentiments. While Count Aehrenthal was ambassador at St Petersburg he had occasion one day to call on Count Witte on business; on entering the Russian minister’s room, Count Witte exclaimed: “I have already sounded the German government on this matter, and have received a reply; therefore we also know what are the views held in Vienna on this subject”. Count Aehrenthal, I am told, on that occasion lost his temper, and made use of very violent language at the idea of Count Witte’s that it was sufficient to consult Berlin to ascertain what were the views of the Vienna Cabinet. Count Aehrenthal’s confidant said to me - and this was more than a year ago - ‘You will see that Count Aehrenthal will take every oppor-
