Введение
Телеграмма Крюгера — послание, отправленное немецким кайзером Вильгельмом II Полу Крюгеру, президенту Трансваальской Республики, 3 января 1896 года. Кайзер поздравил президента с отражением рейда Джеймсона — вылазки 600 британских нерегулярных формирований из Кейпской колонии в Трансвааль под командованием Леандера Старра Джеймсона. Рейд был призван спровоцировать антиправительственное восстание, главным образом среди британских шахтеров-экспатриантов, но закончился провалом: 65 налетчиков были убиты, против одного погибшего бура, а остальные сдались в плен. Телеграмма вызвала огромное негодование в Великобритании и привела к дальнейшему усилению напряженности между Великобританией и Германией.
Телеграмма .
Получив известие о рейде Джеймсона 31 декабря 1895 года, кайзер отреагировал яростно, одобрив решение направить десантную группу из 50 морских пехотинцев в Преторию для защиты немцев и отправить крейсер в залив Делагоа. На встрече 1 января 1896 года его поведение по отношению к своему военному министру было настолько резким, что последнему с трудом удавалось сдержаться от "извлечения шпаг" и он усомнился в психической нормальности кайзера. В окончательном варианте говорилось:
I express to you my sincere congratulations that you and your people, without appealing to the help of friendly powers, have succeeded, by your own energetic action against the armed bands which invaded your country as disturbers of the peace, in restoring peace and in maintaining the independence of the country against attack from without. In his Memoirs, the Kaiser claimed that the Kruger telegram had been composed by Marschall. According to the Kaiser:
I objected to this and was supported by Admiral Hollmann. At first the Imperial Chancellor remained passive in the debate. In view of the fact that I knew how ignorant Freiherr Marschall and the Foreign Office were of English national psychology, I sought to make clear to Freiherr Marschall the consequences which such a step would have among the English; in this, likewise, Admiral Hollmann seconded me. But Marschall was not to be dissuaded. Then, finally, the Imperial Chancellor took a hand. He re
[ ]
Then I tried again to dissuade the ministers from their project; but the Imperial Chancellor and Marschall insisted that I should sign, reiterating that they would be responsible for the consequences. It seemed to me that I ought not to refuse after their presentation of the case. I signed. The Kaiser also asserted that there was a subsequent Russo French proposal for war against England. In February, 1900, I received news by telegraph that Russia and France had proposed to Germany to make a joint attack on England, now that she was involved elsewhere, and to cripple her sea traffic. I objected and ordered that the proposal should be declined. Since I assumed that Paris and St. Petersburg would present the matter at London in such a way as to make it appear that Berlin had made this proposal to both of them, I immediately telegraphed from Heligoland to Queen Victoria and to the Prince of Wales (Edward) the facts of the Russo French proposal, and its refusal by me. The Queen answered expressing her hearty thanks, the Prince of Wales with an expression of astonishment.
"Выражаю Вам мои искренние поздравления с тем, что Вы и Ваш народ, не прибегая к помощи дружественных держав, сумели, благодаря своим энергичным действиям против вооруженных банд, вторгшихся в Вашу страну как нарушители мира, восстановить мир и сохранить независимость страны от внешней агрессии". В своих мемуарах кайзер утверждал, что телеграмма Крюгеру была составлена Маршаллом. По словам кайзера:
I express to you my sincere congratulations that you and your people, without appealing to the help of friendly powers, have succeeded, by your own energetic action against the armed bands which invaded your country as disturbers of the peace, in restoring peace and in maintaining the independence of the country against attack from without. In his Memoirs, the Kaiser claimed that the Kruger telegram had been composed by Marschall. According to the Kaiser:
I objected to this and was supported by Admiral Hollmann. At first the Imperial Chancellor remained passive in the debate. In view of the fact that I knew how ignorant Freiherr Marschall and the Foreign Office were of English national psychology, I sought to make clear to Freiherr Marschall the consequences which such a step would have among the English; in this, likewise, Admiral Hollmann seconded me. But Marschall was not to be dissuaded. Then, finally, the Imperial Chancellor took a hand. He re
[ ]
Then I tried again to dissuade the ministers from their project; but the Imperial Chancellor and Marschall insisted that I should sign, reiterating that they would be responsible for the consequences. It seemed to me that I ought not to refuse after their presentation of the case. I signed. The Kaiser also asserted that there was a subsequent Russo French proposal for war against England. In February, 1900, I received news by telegraph that Russia and France had proposed to Germany to make a joint attack on England, now that she was involved elsewhere, and to cripple her sea traffic. I objected and ordered that the proposal should be declined. Since I assumed that Paris and St. Petersburg would present the matter at London in such a way as to make it appear that Berlin had made this proposal to both of them, I immediately telegraphed from Heligoland to Queen Victoria and to the Prince of Wales (Edward) the facts of the Russo French proposal, and its refusal by me. The Queen answered expressing her hearty thanks, the Prince of Wales with an expression of astonishment.
"Я возражал против этого, и меня поддержал адмирал Холлман. Поначалу императорский канцлер оставался пассивным в дискуссии. Учитывая мою осведомленность о незнании барона Маршалла и Министерства иностранных дел особенностей английской национальной психологии, я попытался объяснить барону Маршаллу последствия, к которым приведёт такой шаг для англичан; в этом меня также поддержал адмирал Холлман. Однако Маршалла не удалось переубедить. Наконец, императорский канцлер вмешался. Он…
I express to you my sincere congratulations that you and your people, without appealing to the help of friendly powers, have succeeded, by your own energetic action against the armed bands which invaded your country as disturbers of the peace, in restoring peace and in maintaining the independence of the country against attack from without. In his Memoirs, the Kaiser claimed that the Kruger telegram had been composed by Marschall. According to the Kaiser:
I objected to this and was supported by Admiral Hollmann. At first the Imperial Chancellor remained passive in the debate. In view of the fact that I knew how ignorant Freiherr Marschall and the Foreign Office were of English national psychology, I sought to make clear to Freiherr Marschall the consequences which such a step would have among the English; in this, likewise, Admiral Hollmann seconded me. But Marschall was not to be dissuaded. Then, finally, the Imperial Chancellor took a hand. He re
[ ]
Then I tried again to dissuade the ministers from their project; but the Imperial Chancellor and Marschall insisted that I should sign, reiterating that they would be responsible for the consequences. It seemed to me that I ought not to refuse after their presentation of the case. I signed. The Kaiser also asserted that there was a subsequent Russo French proposal for war against England. In February, 1900, I received news by telegraph that Russia and France had proposed to Germany to make a joint attack on England, now that she was involved elsewhere, and to cripple her sea traffic. I objected and ordered that the proposal should be declined. Since I assumed that Paris and St. Petersburg would present the matter at London in such a way as to make it appear that Berlin had made this proposal to both of them, I immediately telegraphed from Heligoland to Queen Victoria and to the Prince of Wales (Edward) the facts of the Russo French proposal, and its refusal by me. The Queen answered expressing her hearty thanks, the Prince of Wales with an expression of astonishment.
Тогда я снова попытался отговорить министров от их замысла, но императорский канцлер и Маршалл настаивали на том, чтобы я подписал, повторив, что они возьмут на себя ответственность за последствия. Мне показалось, что после их аргументации я не должен отказываться. Я подписал. Кайзер также утверждал, что впоследствии последовало русско-французское предложение о войне против Англии. В феврале 1900 года я получил по телеграфу известие о том, что Россия и Франция предложили Германии совместно напасть на Англию, теперь, когда она вовлечена в другие дела, и подорвать её морское сообщение. Я возразил и приказал отклонить предложение. Поскольку я предполагал, что Париж и Санкт-Петербург представят этот вопрос в Лондоне таким образом, чтобы создать впечатление, будто это предложение исходило от Берлина обоим, я немедленно телеграфировал с Хелиголанда королеве Виктории и принцу Уэльскому (Эдварду) о фактах русско-французского предложения и моём отказе. Королева ответила, выразив искреннюю благодарность, а принц Уэльский – удивление.
I express to you my sincere congratulations that you and your people, without appealing to the help of friendly powers, have succeeded, by your own energetic action against the armed bands which invaded your country as disturbers of the peace, in restoring peace and in maintaining the independence of the country against attack from without. In his Memoirs, the Kaiser claimed that the Kruger telegram had been composed by Marschall. According to the Kaiser:
I objected to this and was supported by Admiral Hollmann. At first the Imperial Chancellor remained passive in the debate. In view of the fact that I knew how ignorant Freiherr Marschall and the Foreign Office were of English national psychology, I sought to make clear to Freiherr Marschall the consequences which such a step would have among the English; in this, likewise, Admiral Hollmann seconded me. But Marschall was not to be dissuaded. Then, finally, the Imperial Chancellor took a hand. He re
[ ]
Then I tried again to dissuade the ministers from their project; but the Imperial Chancellor and Marschall insisted that I should sign, reiterating that they would be responsible for the consequences. It seemed to me that I ought not to refuse after their presentation of the case. I signed. The Kaiser also asserted that there was a subsequent Russo French proposal for war against England. In February, 1900, I received news by telegraph that Russia and France had proposed to Germany to make a joint attack on England, now that she was involved elsewhere, and to cripple her sea traffic. I objected and ordered that the proposal should be declined. Since I assumed that Paris and St. Petersburg would present the matter at London in such a way as to make it appear that Berlin had made this proposal to both of them, I immediately telegraphed from Heligoland to Queen Victoria and to the Prince of Wales (Edward) the facts of the Russo French proposal, and its refusal by me. The Queen answered expressing her hearty thanks, the Prince of Wales with an expression of astonishment.
Реакция
Телеграмма была одобрена консервативной немецкой прессой и раскритикована в либеральных газетах из-за возможного конфликта с Великобританией. Она вызвала огромное негодование в Великобритании и привела к дальнейшему ухудшению отношений между двумя странами. Телеграмму истолковали как одобрение кайзером независимости Трансвааля в сфере, которую британцы считали своей, а упоминание о "дружественных державах" они восприняли как обещание возможной помощи со стороны Германии, как в настоящем, так и в будущем. Газета "Таймс" провозгласила: "Англия не уступит угрозам и не потерпит оскорблений". Окна немецких магазинов были разбиты, а на немецких моряков напали в Лондоне. Немецкий дипломатический ответ был в основном смягчающим: кайзер ответил на письмо королевы Виктории (своей бабушки) словами: "Телеграмма никогда не предназначалась как шаг против Англии или вашего правительства".
Первичные источники
Мои мемуары: 1878–1918, Вильгельм II, Лондон: Cassell & Co. 1922.