- Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1918)
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Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
Herzogtum Kurland und Semgallen (de)
Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogiste (lv)Proposed Client state of the German Empire ← 
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1918 
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Flag Coat of arms Capital Riga Language(s) German, Latvian¹ Religion Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox Government Principality Historical era World War I - Treaty of Brest-Litovsk March 3, 1918 - Recognised by
Kaiser Wilhelm
March 8, 1918- Baltic Union est.² September 22, 1918 - Latvia established November 18, 1918 Currency Ostmark, Ostruble, Papiermark, Ruble 1. Also Livonian and Latgalian.
2. The Duchy of Courland was absorbed by the United Baltic Duchy[citation needed], however neither of the states were recognized universally, other than by the German Empire.The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia was a proposed Client state of the German Empire. It was proclaimed on March 8, 1918, in German-occupied Courland Governorate by a Landesrat composed of Baltic Germans, who offered the crown of the Duchy to Kaiser Wilhelm II, despite the existence of a former sovereign reigning family on that duchy. Although the German Reichstag supported the national self-determination for the Baltic peoples, the German High Command continued the policy of attaching the Baltic to the Reich by relying on Baltic Germans.[1]
In October 1918, the Chancellor of Germany Prince Maximilian of Baden proposed to have the military administration in the Baltic replaced by civilian authority. After the German Revolution on November 18, 1918, Latvia proclaimed independence and on December 7, 1918, the German military handed over authority to the Latvian national government headed by Kārlis Ulmanis [2]
Contents
Historical background
During World War I, German Armies had occupied the Courland Governorate of Russian Empire by the autumn of 1915. The front was settled along a line stretched between Riga, Daugavpils and Baranovitch.
The Latvian National Council was proclaimed on November 16, 1917. On November 30, 1917 the Latvian National Council proclaimed an autonomous Latvian province within ethnographic boundaries, and a formal independent Latvian republic was declared on January 15, 1918.[2]
After the Russian Revolution, German troops started advancing from Courland, and by the end of February 1918 the territories of the former Russian Governorate of Livonia and Autonomous Governorate of Estonia that had declared independence were also occupied and fell under the German military administration. With the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on March 3, 1918 Bolshevist Russia accepted the loss of the Courland Governorate and by agreements concluded in Berlin on August 27, 1918 the Autonomous Governorate of Estonia and the Governorate of Livonia were severed from Russia.[2]
As a parallel political movement under the German military administration, Baltic Germans began a process of forming provincial councils between September 1917 and March 1918. The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia was proclaimed on March 8, 1918 by Landesrat composed of Baltic Germans who offered the crown of the Duchy to Kaiser Wilhelm II
On October 1918 the Chancellor of Germany Prince Maximilian of Baden proposed to have the military administration in the Baltic replaced by civilian authority. The new policy was stated in a telegram from the German Foreign Office to the military administration of the Baltic: The government of the Reich is unanimous in respect of the fundamental change in our policy towards the Baltic countries, namely that in the first instance policy is to be made with the Baltic peoples.[2]
On November 18, 1918 Latvia proclaimed independence. On December 7, 1918 the German Military handed over authority to the Latvian national government headed by Kārlis Ulmanis [2]
Recognition
Kaiser Wilhelm recognised the creation of Courland, as a German vassal by writing to Courland's Landesrat on March 8, 1918 (in German):[citation needed]
- Wir Wilhelm, von Gottes Gnaden Deutscher Kaiser, König von Preußen etc. beauftragen hiermit Unseren Reichskanzler, den Grafen von Hertling, dem Kurländischen Landesrat zu erklären, daß Wir auf den Uns durch seine Vertreter übermittelten Wunsch und auf den Bericht Unseres Reichskanzlers im Namen des Deutschen Reiches das Herzogtum Kurland als freies und selbständiges Staatswesen anerkennen und bereit sind, im Namen des Deutschen Reiches diejenigen Staatsverträge mit Kurland abzuschließen, die eine enge wirtschaftliche und militärische Verbindung beider Länder gewährleisten. Gleichzeitig beauftragen Wir Unseren Reichskanzler, den Abschluß dieser Verträge vorzubereiten. Urkundlich haben Wir diesen Auftrag Allerhöchst Selbst vollzogen und mit Unserem Kaiserlichen Insiegel versehen lassen.
- Gegeben ................ , den 15. März 1918
- Wilchelm
- Graf von Hertling.
- We, Wilhelm, by the grace of God German Emperor, King of Prussia, etc., herewith command Our Chancellor, Count von Hertling, to inform the Government of Courland, that, upon the wish communicated to Us by its ambassador, and upon the report of Our Chancellor, in the name of the German Empire, We recognize the Duchy of Courland as a free and independent state; in the name of the German Empire, to negotiate such treaties with Courland as will guarantee a close economic and military union between both lands. At the same time, we command Our Chancellor to prepare for the negotiation of these treaties. Our Majesty has commanded that this order be documented, and affixed with Our Imperial Seal.
- Given at [unknown], the 15th of March 1918
- [signed] Wilchelm
- Count von Hertling
Disestablishment
The United Baltic Duchy was nominally recognized as a sovereign state[citation needed]by the Kaiser only on September 22, 1918, half a year after Soviet Russia had formally relinquished all authority over its former Imperial Baltic provinces to the German Empire in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. After World War I, Courland became a part of the newly formed nation of Latvia, November 18, 1918.
See also
- Aftermath of World War I
- Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1562–1795)
- Courland
- Estonia
- History of Estonia
- Latvian War of Independence
- Livonia
- Ober Ost
- Semigallia
- United Baltic Duchy
- Kingdom of Poland (1916–1918)
- Kingdom of Lithuania (1918)
- Kingdom of Finland (1918)
References
- ^ Kevin O'Connor, The History of the Baltic States, page 78, ISBN 0-313-32355-0
- ^ a b c d e John Hiden, The Baltic States and Weimar Ostpolitik
External links
Coordinates: 56°56′54″N 24°05′09″E / 56.94833°N 24.08583°E
Categories:- Former principalities
- Short-lived states of World War I
- Former countries in Europe
- Former client states
- States and territories established in 1918
- States and territories disestablished in 1918
- 1918 disestablishments
- Baltic countries
- Baltic region
- Courland
- History of Latvia
- History of Livonia
- Post–Russian Empire states
- 1918 in Latvia
- Wir Wilhelm, von Gottes Gnaden Deutscher Kaiser, König von Preußen etc. beauftragen hiermit Unseren Reichskanzler, den Grafen von Hertling, dem Kurländischen Landesrat zu erklären, daß Wir auf den Uns durch seine Vertreter übermittelten Wunsch und auf den Bericht Unseres Reichskanzlers im Namen des Deutschen Reiches das Herzogtum Kurland als freies und selbständiges Staatswesen anerkennen und bereit sind, im Namen des Deutschen Reiches diejenigen Staatsverträge mit Kurland abzuschließen, die eine enge wirtschaftliche und militärische Verbindung beider Länder gewährleisten. Gleichzeitig beauftragen Wir Unseren Reichskanzler, den Abschluß dieser Verträge vorzubereiten. Urkundlich haben Wir diesen Auftrag Allerhöchst Selbst vollzogen und mit Unserem Kaiserlichen Insiegel versehen lassen.
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