German Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Gottlieb von Jagow held the position through the July Crisis in 1914 until November 21, 1916 when he was replaced by Zimmerman. He helped assure that British Foreign Secretary Grey's attempts to mediate between Austria-Hungary and Russia came to naught.
Gottlieb von JagowMinister of Foreign Affairs at the time war was declared until replaced by Zimmerman, Nov. 21, 1916.
"Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs says that conference you suggest would practically amount to a court of arbitration and could not, in his opinion, be called together except as the request of Austria and Russia. He could not therefore, desirous though he was to cooperate for the maintenance of peace, fall in with your suggestion."
Beginning of a telegram from British Ambassador to Berlin Goschen to Foreign Secretary Edward Grey on July 27, 1914. Grey has proposed a conference of the European powers to mediate the dangerous situation between Austria-Hungary, Serbia, and Russia, the danger being that an Austro-Hungarian invasion of Serbia will bring Russia to Serbia's defense, and turn a 'localized' into a European war. Grey's conference proposal was accepted the same day by the 'non-involved' powers France and Italy, but not by Germany.There are numerous diplomatic exchanges during the day concerning Grey's proposal. Other correspondence concerns mobilization, troop movements, and suspended military leave.
July, 1914; the Outbreak of the First World War; Selected Documents by Imanuel Geiss (Editor), page 253, copyright © 1967 Imanuel Geiss, publisher: Charles Scribner's Sons, publication date: 1967
Gottlieb von Jagow, von Jagow, Jagow
