The treaty of Rapallo was signed on the sixteenth day of April for Weimar Germany and the USSR in the margin of the agreements of GenoaThis treaty allows both parties to break the isolation to which they are subject after the First world War and the bolshevik revolution. It is negotiated by Walther Rathenau and Ago von Maltzan (de), German side, and by Christian Rakovski and Adolf Joffé, soviet side. By this treaty, Germany and the USSR give up the war reparations that they have a responsibility one to the other and re-establish diplomatic and trade relations (clause the most-favoured-nation). It also puts in place a collaborative military secret, which was to last until with the camps training German secrets to the USSR, including a school of a combat gas in Saratov, an aviation school near Lipetsk and a centre for research and training tanks in Kazan. The German government, represented by Walther Rathenau, minister of State, and the Government of the federative socialist Republic of soviet Russia, represented by Mr. Tchitcherine, the people's commissar, have agreed upon the following provisions. The two governments have agreed that the agreements between the German Reich and the Union of soviet socialist republics, with regard to questions dating from the period of the war between Germany and Russia, shall be definitely settled on the following basis: The German Reich and the Union of soviet socialist republics mutually agree to waive their claims for compensation for expenses incurred because of the war, and also for war damages, that is to say, all the damage that may have been suffered by them and by their nationals in war zones due to military measures, including all requisitions in enemy country. The two parties also agree to waive compensation for the civil damages, which may have been suffered by the nationals of one Party on the account of so-called exceptional measures of war, or for the account of emergency measures carried out by the other party. B the legal relations in public and private affairs arising out of a state of war, including the issue of the treatment of merchant ships, which fell in the hands of a party, must be settled on a basis of reciprocity. C Germany and Russia agree to waive their claims for compensation for the expenses incurred by each party in favour of prisoners of war. In addition, the German government agrees to waive the remuneration in respect of the expenditure incurred by it on behalf of the members of the red Army interned in Germany. The Russian Government agrees to waive the restitution of the proceeds of the sale in Germany of the army stores brought into Germany by the interned members of the red Army mentioned above. Germany waives all claims against Russia which might arise through the application, up to now, laws and measures of the Russian soviet federative socialist Republic to German nationals or their private rights and the rights of the German Reich and States, and also to requests that may have been born with all of the other measures taken by the federal Republic socialist soviet of Russia or by their agents against German nationals or the private rights, on condition that the government of the soviet Russia, the socialist federal Republic does not satisfy claims for compensation of a similar nature made by any third party. Relations diplomatic and consular between the German Reich and the federal Republic socialist soviet of Russia should be taken immediately. The conditions of admission of consuls of both parties shall be determined by means of a special agreement. The two governments have further agreed that the creation of the legal status of nationals of one party, which live on the territory of the other party, and the general regulation of mutual relations, trade and economic, must be made on the principle of the most favoured nation. This principle, however, does not apply to privileges and facilities which the federal Republic socialist soviet of Russia may grant to a soviet Republic or to any State which in the past has been part of the former Russian Empire. The two governments shall cooperate in a spirit of good mutual willingness to meet the economic needs of both countries. In the case of a regulation fundamental of the above question on an international basis, the exchange of views must first take place between the two Governments. The German government, after having been recently informed of the proposed agreements by private companies, says he is ready to give all possible support to these provisions and facilitating their entry into force. Articles a b and four of the present Agreement shall enter into force on the day of the ratification, and the remaining provisions will come into force immediately. The plenipotentiary of the German government, namely Freiherr von Maltzan, permanent under-secretary for foreign affairs, the plenipotentiary of the Ukrainian soviet socialist Republic, namely, Mr. Waldemar Außem, a member of the central executive Committee for all Ukraine, and also the plenipotentiary of the government of the byelorussian soviet socialist Republic, the socialist soviet Republic of Georgia, the socialist soviet Republic of Azerbaijan, of the Soviet socialist republic of Armenia, and the Republic of the Far East, namely Mr. Nikolaus Krestinski, plenipotentiary and ambassador of the Russian soviet socialist Republic to Berlin, after having communicated their full powers, found in good and due, are agreed upon the following provisions: The treaty signed at Rapallo, on the sixteenth day of April, between the German Reich and the Union of soviet socialist republics shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the relations between the German Reich, on the one hand, and the Ukrainian soviet socialist Republic to the soviet socialist Republic of Russia white, the soviet socialist Republic of Georgia of the soviet socialist Republic of Azerbaijan, the socialist soviet Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of the Far East, hereinafter referred to as the allied States of the USSR - on the other hand. As far as article two of the treaty of Rapallo, that must be valid for the app to the bottom at sixteen April, laws and measures are specified. The German government and the Government of the socialist soviet Republic of the Ukraine are agreed that the determination and settlement of claims as may have arisen in favour either of the German government or of the government of the Ukraine since the conclusion of the state of war between Germany and the Ukraine during the period of time during which German troops were present in Ukraine must be booked. All the nationals of a contracting party resident in the territory of the other party shall enjoy full legal protection of their persons in conformity with the international law and the general laws of the country of residence.
Nationals of the German Reich, who arrive on the territory of the States allied to the USSR in compliance with the regulations on passports, or who are currently resident, shall be granted in respect of the inviolability of all property taken with them and all the property acquired on the territory of the States allied to the USSR, provided that the acquisition and employment of this property is in compliance with the laws of the State of residence or specific agreements concluded with the competent authorities of that State.
The export of goods purchased in the State allied to the USSR, shall, unless otherwise provided for in special agreements, be governed by the laws and regulations of the State allied to the USSR.
The Governments of the States allied to the USSR is entitled to establish, at places in Germany where they have diplomatic representatives or one of their consular agents, offices national business who have the same legal status as the commercial delegation of the Russian in Germany.
In this case, they need to recognize as binding on themselves all the legal acts made by the director of their board of trade or by the officials invested by him with full powers, provided that they act in compliance with the responsible of the full powers which are granted to them.
In order to facilitate economic relations between the German Reich on the one hand, and the States allied to the USSR, on the other hand, the following principles have been laid down: All agreements concluded between nationals of the German Reich, the legal persons, or German firms on the one hand, and the governments of the States allied to the USSR, or their offices, national business mentioned in article, or individuals, legal or of companies belonging to those States, on the other hand, and also the economic effects of these agreements, should be treated according to the laws of the State in which they have been concluded and are subject to the jurisdiction of that State.
This provision does not apply to agreements which have been concluded before the entry into force of this treaty. The agreements listed below may contain an arbitration clause Arrangements can also be made in such agreements to bring them under the jurisdiction of one of the contracting States. The allies of the States with the USSR must allow persons who possessed German nationality but have since lost, and also for their wives and their children, to leave the country, provided that the evidence is not that they are, the transfer of their residence in Germany. The delegations of the two parties, and all persons employed must refrain from any agitation or propaganda against the government and the national institutions of the country in which they reside. The present treaty may, in respect of the above items three to, and also as regards the corresponding application of article four of the treaty of Rapallo, be denounced on three months notice is given.
The denunciation may be notified by Germany to the allies of the States with the USSR to take effect only for her relations with this State and, conversely, in any of these States, to Germany, to take effect only for relations between that single State and Germany.
If the treaty and denounced is not replaced by a commercial treaty, the governments involved have the right, at the expiration of the period of notice, to appoint a commission of five members for the purpose of winding up the business transactions such as have already been started. The members of the commission must be regarded as representatives of a non-diplomatic character and liquidate all transactions at the latest within six months following the expiry of this treaty. The present treaty shall be ratified Special instruments of ratification shall be exchanged between Germany on the one hand, and each of the States allied with the RSFSR on the other hand.
As soon as the exchange is done, the treaty will enter into force between the States participating in the exchange.
