Austria-Hungary breaks off diplomatic relations with Serbia

On 25 July 1914 at 6 p.m. the Austro-Hungarian ultimatum to Serbia expired. Just a few minutes earlier Prime Minister Nikola Pašić had personally brought his government’s reply to the legation of Austria-Hungary in Belgrade. It was received by the minister, Baron Wladimir Giesl von Gieslingen, who already had instructions ready from Vienna: anything short of unconditional acceptance of all the demands meant a breach of relations.

Serbia’s reply was exceptionally conciliatory. Belgrade agreed to most of the points, although it accepted some of them conditionally or with reservations. It rejected, however, the participation of Austro-Hungarian officials in an investigation conducted on Serbian territory, regarding this as a violation of the constitution. Many contemporaries, including Kaiser Wilhelm II, who read the text a few days later, judged that it had removed the reason for war. For Giesl, however, all that mattered was that the acceptance was not complete.

The minister looked through the document and almost immediately sent the Serbian government a note announcing the breaking off of diplomatic relations. Everything had been prepared in advance: the legation’s archives had been packed or destroyed, and the luggage was waiting. About half an hour later Giesl and his staff left Belgrade by train. After crossing the bridge over the Sava he was in Zemun, already on Austro-Hungarian territory.

The breaking off of diplomatic relations was not yet a declaration of war, but in practice it closed the way to further talks. That same evening Emperor Franz Joseph, who was at Bad Ischl, signed the order for partial mobilisation against Serbia. Giesl’s departure from Belgrade meant that the further course of events would now be decided not by diplomatic notes but by military preparations.