The Lapse of Reinsurance Treaties

• Dreikaiserbund was agreed by Germany, Russia and Austria in 1873
• The Dreikaiserbund treaty wasn’t renewed due to tension in the Balkans between Austria and Russia
• Bismarck didn’t, however, want Russia to become hostile to Germany so he organised the Reinsurance Treaty in 1887, promising that: ▪ Russia should be allowed to be the prevailing influence in the Balkans ▪ Both would remain neutral if the other entered war with another Great Power ▪ This didn’t apply if Germany attacked France or Russia attacked Austria-Hungry
• Kaiser Wilhelm II disagreed with this approach as he didn’t want to limit German-Austrian influence in the Balkan
• After Bismarck’s resignation in 1890 the Reinsurance Treaties were not renewed