Belgium rejects German demands

At 7 a.m. on 3 August 1914, the moment the time limit expired, the Foreign Minister of Belgium, Julien Davignon, handed the German Minister, Claus von Below-Saleske, the reply to the ultimatum of the previous evening. It was a firm refusal. Belgium would not allow German troops to pass through and declared that it would repel every attack upon its rights.

The night council

The decision was taken during the night at the royal palace in Brussels. On the evening of 2 August the government met there with senior officers, and the Ministers of State, the country’s most experienced politicians, joined them later. According to the Belgian historian Lode Wils, the dispute was not over whether to reject the demands but over how far to go in resisting. Except for one officer, no one wanted to throw the whole army into the fight to stop the passage. The chief of staff proposed that the garrisons of Liège and Namur should delay the enemy while the field army withdrew to Antwerp. The Minister of State Charles Woeste advised: “We must try, while resisting, not to set Germany against us.” Another minister later recalled the words: “We will have to fire the cannon, but after this demonstration we must withdraw to Antwerp and let things take their course.” Most found such a way of putting it too blunt. After a long debate the council unanimously decided to reject the ultimatum.

At 1.30 a.m. Below asked to see the Secretary-General of the ministry, Baron van der Elst. He stated that French dirigibles had dropped bombs and that a French cavalry patrol had crossed the frontier although war had not been declared. Asked where this had happened, he replied: in Germany. Van der Elst observed that in that case he could not understand the object of the visit. Below explained that such acts led one to suppose that France would commit others.

“The honour of the nation”

The Belgian note summarised the German demands and then stated that they had made “a deep and painful impression” on the government. The intentions attributed to France contradicted the formal declarations the French government had made on 1 August. If, however, France were to violate the neutrality, Belgium would fulfil its obligations and its army would offer the most vigorous resistance. The government recalled that the country’s independence and neutrality were guaranteed by the powers, “and notably of the Government of His Majesty the King of Prussia”. The attack with which Germany threatened would be a flagrant violation of international law, and “no strategic interest” justified it.

The key sentences read: “The Belgian Government, if they were to accept the proposals submitted to them, would sacrifice the honour of the nation and betray their duty towards Europe. Conscious of the part which Belgium has played for more than eighty years in the civilisation of the world, they refuse to believe that the independence of Belgium can only be preserved at the price of the violation of her neutrality. If this hope is disappointed the Belgian Government are firmly resolved to repel, by all the means in their power, every attack upon their rights.” According to Wils, the French minister, aware of earlier doubts about Belgian resolve, published the text of the reply as soon as he learned of it.

No appeal to the guarantors yet

At noon Davignon informed the Belgian ministers abroad that, since no act of war had yet occurred, the government was not for the moment appealing to the guaranteeing powers. The French minister assured him that France would respond at once if Belgium appealed to it. Brussels wanted there to be no doubt about who would be the first to violate its frontier.

That day King Albert I turned to King George V: “Remembering the numerous proofs of your Majesty’s friendship and that of your predecessor, and the friendly attitude of England in 1870 and the proof of friendship you have just given us again, I make a supreme appeal to the diplomatic intervention of your Majesty’s Government to safeguard the integrity of Belgium.” The Belgian minister in London reported that the Foreign Secretary, Edward Grey, had laid the matter before the Cabinet and declared that a violation of Belgian neutrality would mean war with Germany.

The refusal did not stop Germany. On the morning of 4 August Below handed Davignon a note announcing that Germany would carry out its intentions, if necessary by force of arms, and two hours later German troops crossed the frontier.