Brest Peace

Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty *

Since Russia, on the one hand, and Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey, on the other, agreed to end the state of war and finish peace negotiations as soon as possible, they were appointed plenipotentiaries:

From the Russian Federative Soviet Republic:

Grigory Yakovlevich Sokolnikov, member of the Center. Executable Committee of Soviets Rab., Sold. and the Cross. Deputies,

Lev Mikhailovich Karakhan, member of the Center. Executable Committee of Soviets Rab., Sold. and the Cross. Deputies,

Georgy Vasilievich Chicherin, Assistant to the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs and

Grigory Ivanovich Petrovsky, People's Commissar for Internal Affairs.

From the Imperial German Government: Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Imperial Actual Privy Councilor, Richard von Kühlmann,

Imperial Envoy and Minister Plenipotentiary, Dr. von Rosenberg,

Royal Prussian Major General Hoffmann, Chief of the General Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on the Eastern Front and

captain of the 1st rank Horn.

From the imperial and royal general Austro-Hungarian governments:

Minister of the Imperial and Royal House and Foreign Affairs, His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty Privy Councilor Ottokar Count Czernin von and zu-Hudenitz, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty's Privy Councilor Mr. Kayetan Merey von Kapos Mere, General of Infantry, His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty, Privy Councilor Mr. Maximilian Chicherich von Bachani.

From the Royal Bulgarian Government:

Royal Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Minister in Vienna, Andrei Toshev, Colonel of the General Staff, Royal Bulgarian Military Commissioner under His Majesty the German Emperor and Adjutant Wing of His Majesty the King of Bulgaria, Peter Ganchev, Royal Bulgarian First Secretary of the Mission, Dr. Teodor Anastasov.

From the Imperial Ottoman Government:

His Highness Ibrahim Hakki Pasha, Former Grand Vizier, Member of the Ottoman Senate, Plenipotentiary Ambassador of His Majesty the Sultan in Berlin, His Excellency General of the Cavalry, Adjutant General of His Majesty the Sultan and Military Commissioner of His Majesty the Sultan under His Majesty the German Emperor, Zeki- Pasha.

The plenipotentiaries gathered in Brest-Litovsk for peace negotiations and, after presenting their powers, recognized as drawn up in a correct and proper form, came to an agreement on the following resolutions:

Russia, on the one hand, and Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey, on the other, declare that the state of war between them has ended; they decided to continue to live among themselves in peace and friendship.

The contracting parties will refrain from any agitation or propaganda against the government or government or military institutions of the other party. Since this obligation concerns Russia, it also extends to the areas occupied by the powers of the Quadruple Alliance.

Areas to the west of the line established by the contracting parties and formerly belonging to Russia will no longer be under her sovereignty; the established line is indicated on the attached map (Appendix 1) **, which is an essential part of this peace treaty. The exact definition of this line will be worked out by the Russian-German commission.

For the aforementioned regions, no obligations towards Russia will follow from their former belonging to Russia.

Russia refuses any interference in the internal affairs of these areas. Germany and Austria-Hungary intend to determine the future fate of these areas by demolishing their populations.

Germany is ready, as soon as a general peace is concluded and a completely Russian demobilization is carried out, to clear the territory lying east of that specified in paragraph 1 of Art. 3 lines, since Article 6 does not state otherwise. Russia will do everything in its power to ensure the speedy cleansing of the provinces of Eastern Anatolia and their orderly return to Turkey.

The districts of Ardahan, Kars and Batum are also immediately cleared of Russian troops. Russia will not interfere in the new organization of state-legal and international-legal relations of these districts, but will allow the population of these districts to establish a new system in agreement with neighboring states, especially Turkey.

Russia will immediately carry out a complete demobilization of its army, including the military units newly formed by the current government.

In addition, Russia will either transfer its warships to Russian ports and leave there until a general peace is concluded, or it will immediately disarm. The military courts of states that are still at war with the powers of the Quadruple Alliance, since these vessels are in the sphere of Russian power, are equated to Russian military courts.

The restricted area in the Arctic Ocean remains in force until the conclusion of a general peace. In the Baltic Sea and in the parts of the Black Sea subject to Russia, the removal of minefields should begin immediately. Merchant shipping in these maritime areas is free and immediately resumes. Mixed commissions will be set up to work out more precise regulations, especially for the publication of safe routes for merchant ships to the general public. Navigation routes must be kept free of floating mines at all times.

Russia undertakes to immediately conclude peace with the Ukrainian People's Republic and recognize the peace treaty between this state and the powers of the Quadruple Alliance. The territory of Ukraine is immediately cleared of Russian troops and the Russian Red Guard. Russia shall cease all agitation or propaganda against the government or public institutions of the Ukrainian People's Republic.

Estland and Livonia are also immediately cleared of Russian troops and the Russian Red Guard. The eastern border of Estonia runs, in general, along the river. Narove. The eastern border of Livonia runs, in general, through Lake Peipsi and Lake Pskov to its southwestern corner, then across Lake Luban in the direction of Livengof on the Western Dvina. Estland and Livonia will be occupied by the German police power until public safety is ensured there by the country's own institutions and state order is established there. Russia will immediately release all the arrested or taken away inhabitants of Estland and Livonia and will ensure the safe return of all the taken away Estonians and Livonians.

Finland and the Aland Islands will also be immediately cleared of Russian troops and the Russian Red Guard, and Finnish ports of the Russian fleet and Russian naval forces. While the ice makes it impossible for warships to move to Russian ports, only minor crews should be left behind. Russia stops all agitation or propaganda against the government or public institutions of Finland.

The fortifications erected on the Åland Islands should be demolished as soon as possible. As for the prohibition to erect further fortifications on these islands, as well as their general provisions in relation to military and navigation technology, a special agreement should be concluded regarding them between Germany, Finland, Russia and Sweden; The parties agree that other states adjacent to the Baltic Sea may be involved in this agreement at Germany's request.

Based on the fact that Persia and Afghanistan are free and independent states, the contracting parties undertake to respect the political and economic independence and territorial integrity of Persia and Afghanistan.

Prisoners of war on both sides will be released to their homeland. The settlement of related issues will be the subject of special agreements provided for in Art. 12.

The contracting parties mutually refuse to reimburse their military expenses, i.e. state costs of waging a war, as well as from compensation for military losses, that is, from the losses that were caused to them and their citizens in the zone of hostilities by military measures, including all requisitions made in the enemy country.

Article 10.

Diplomatic and consular relations between the contracting parties will resume immediately after the ratification of the peace treaty. With regard to the admission of the consuls, both parties reserve the right to enter into special agreements.

Article 11.

The economic relations between Russia and the powers of the Quadruple Alliance are determined by the regulations contained in Appendices 2-5, wherein Appendix 2 defines the relationship between Russia and Germany, Appendix 3 - between Russia and Austria-Hungary, Appendix 4 - between Russia and Bulgaria, Appendix 5 - between Russia and Turkey.

Article 12.

The restoration of public law and private law relations, the exchange of prisoners of war and civil prisoners, the issue of amnesty, as well as the issue of the attitude towards merchant courts that have fallen into the power of the enemy, are the subject of separate treaties with Russia, which constitute an essential part of this peace treaty and , as far as possible, take effect at the same time.

Article 13.

When interpreting this treaty, the authentic texts are for relations between Russia and Germany - Russian and German, between Russia and Austria-Hungary - Russian, German and Hungarian, between Russia and Bulgaria - Russian and Bulgarian, between Russia and Turkey - Russian and Turkish.

Article 14.

A peace treaty comes into force from the moment of its ratification, since otherwise does not follow from its articles, annexes to it or additional treaties.

In witness of this, the delegates have signed this agreement with their own hands.

Genuine in five copies.

Appendix 2

Peace terms proposed by Germany on February 21, 1918 in response to the message of the Soviet government about the agreement to sign the peace

"Germany is ready to resume negotiations and conclude peace with Russia on the following conditions:

1. Germany and Russia declare the end of the state of war. Both peoples are ready to continue to live in peace and friendship.

2. The areas lying to the west of the line communicated by the Russian plenipotentiary in Brest-Litovsk and formerly part of the Russian Empire are no longer subject to Russia's territorial sovereignty. In the Dvinsk region, this line extends to the eastern border of Courland. The fact of the former belonging of these regions to the Russian Empire does not give rise to any obligations for them in relation to Russia. Russia refuses any interference in the internal life of these areas. Germany and Austria-Hungary intend to determine the future fate of these regions in accordance with their populations. Germany is ready immediately, upon the conclusion of a general peace and the complete end of the Russian demobilization, to clear the area lying to the east of the specified line, since from Art. 3 does not mean anything else.

3. Livonia and Estonia are immediately cleared of Russian troops and the Red Guards and are occupied by the German police forces until the local authorities are able to guarantee peace and order is restored. All political prisoners from local citizens are immediately released.

4. Russia immediately concludes peace with the Ukrainian People's Republic. Ukraine and Finland are immediately cleared of Russian troops and the Red Guard.

5. Russia, by all means at its disposal, will contribute to the earliest and systematic return to Turkey of its Anatolian provinces and will recognize the abolition of Turkish capitulations.

6a). The complete demobilization of the Russian armies, including the units newly formed by the current government, must be carried out immediately.

6b). Russian warships in the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Arctic Ocean must either be transferred to Russian ports, where they must be interned until a general peace is concluded, or must be immediately disarmed. The military vessels of the Entente, which are in the sphere of influence of Russia, are considered as Russian.

6c). Merchant shipping in the Black and Baltic Seas is immediately restored, as provided for in the armistice agreement. The necessary cleaning of mines begins immediately. The blockade in the Arctic Ocean remains pending the conclusion of a general peace.

7. The German-Russian trade agreement of 1904 enters into force again, as provided for in article 7 (paragraph 2) of the peace treaty with Ukraine, and the special favored treatment provided for in article 11 (paragraph 3, paragraph 1) of the trade agreement is excluded in relation to eastern countries; further, the entire first part of the final protocol is restored. To this are added: guarantees of free export and the right of duty-free export of ore; early start of negotiations on the conclusion of a new trade agreement; the most favored nation guarantee, at least until the end of 1925, even in the event of a declaration of termination of the temporary agreement, and, finally, the conditions corresponding to Article 7, paragraphs 3 and 4 (paragraph 1) and paragraph 5 of the peace treaty with Ukraine.

8. Questions of a legal nature are regulated in accordance with the decisions of the Russian-German Legal Commission, adopted in the first reading; since no decisions were made, proposals from the German side regarding compensation for losses of individuals come into force, and the Russian proposal regarding compensation for the maintenance of prisoners of war. Russia will allow and will, to the best of its ability, support the activities of the German commissions, in the sense of caring for German prisoners of war, civilian prisoners of war and settlers.

9. Russia undertakes to stop any official or supported by official bodies agitation or propaganda against the allied governments and their state and military institutions, also in the regions occupied by the central powers.

10. The above conditions must be accepted within 48 hours. The Russian plenipotentiaries must immediately go to Brest-Litovsk and there to sign a peace treaty within three days, which is subject to ratification no later than two weeks later.

Brest Peace 1918

a peace treaty between Russia, on the one hand, and Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey, on the other, concluded in Brest-Litovsk (now Brest) on March 3, 1918, ratified by the Extraordinary 4th All-Russian Congress of Soviets on March 15, approved by the German Reichstag March 22 and ratified on March 26, 1918 by the German Emperor Wilhelm II. On the Soviet side, the treaty was signed by G. Ya. Sokolnikov (chairman of the delegation), G. V. Chicherin, G. I. Petrovsky and the secretary of the delegation L. M. Karakhan; on the other hand, the treaty was signed by delegations headed by: from Germany - State Secretary of the Foreign Office R. Kühlmann, Chief of the General Staff, Supreme Commander-in-Chief on the Eastern Front M. Hoffmann; on behalf of Austria-Hungary - Minister of Foreign Affairs O. Chernin; from Bulgaria - the envoy and minister plenipotentiary in Vienna A. Toshev; from Turkey - Ambassador to Berlin I. Hakki Pasha.

On October 26 (November 8), 1917, the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets adopted the Peace Decree, in which the Soviet government invited all belligerent states to conclude an immediate armistice and begin peace negotiations. The refusal of the Entente countries from this proposal forced the Soviet government on November 20 (December 3) to enter into separate peace negotiations with Germany.

The internal and external situation of Soviet Russia demanded the signing of a peace. The country was in a state of extreme economic devastation, the old army collapsed, and a new, combat-ready workers 'and peasants' army had not yet been created. The people demanded peace. On December 2 (15), an armistice agreement was signed in Brest-Litovsk, and on December 9 (22), peace negotiations began. The Soviet delegation put forward the principle of a democratic peace without annexations and indemnities as the basis for negotiations. On December 12 (25), Kühlmann, on behalf of the German-Austrian bloc, demagogically declared that he acceded to the main provisions of the Soviet declaration on peace without annexations and indemnities, provided that the governments of the Entente countries joined the Soviet formula for peace. The Soviet government again turned to the Entente countries with an invitation to take part in the peace negotiations. On December 27, 1917 (January 9, 1918), after a 10-day break in the meetings, Kuhlmann announced that since The Entente did not join the peace negotiations, then the German bloc considers itself free from the Soviet peace formula. The German imperialists considered the difficult situation that had arisen in Russia convenient for achieving their predatory goals. On January 5 (18), the German delegation demanded that more than 150 thousand territories be seized from Russia. km 2, including Poland, Lithuania, parts of Estonia and Latvia, as well as significant areas inhabited by Ukrainians and Belarusians. At the suggestion of the Soviet government, the negotiations were temporarily interrupted.

Despite the severity of the conditions of the German bloc, V.I.

The need to sign the B. m. Caused sharp internal party disagreements. At this time, a significant part of the party workers, regardless of the objective factors in the development of the revolutionary movement, counted (in connection with the growing revolutionary crisis in the belligerent countries) on a pan-European socialist revolution and therefore did not understand the harsh necessity of signing a peace treaty with Germany. The party formed a group of "left communists" headed by NI Bukharin, whose main assertion was that without an immediate West European revolution, the socialist revolution in Russia would perish. They did not allow any agreements with the imperialist states and demanded that a revolutionary war be declared on international imperialism. "Left communists" were even ready to "accept the possibility of losing Soviet power", allegedly in the name of "the interests of the international revolution." It was a demagogic, adventurous policy. No less adventurous and demagogic was the position of L. D. Trotsky (at that time the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the RSFSR), who proposed: declare the war ended, demobilize the army, but not sign peace.

Lenin headed the stubborn struggle against the adventurist policy of the "left communists" and Trotsky, proving to the party the necessity and inevitability of signing a peace treaty.

On January 17 (30), negotiations in Brest resumed. When the head of the Soviet delegation, Trotsky, left for Brest, it was agreed between him and the chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR Lenin: to drag out the negotiations in every possible way until Germany presented an ultimatum, and then immediately sign a peace. The atmosphere in the peace talks was heating up.

Germany rejected the offer to allow the delegation of Soviet Ukraine to negotiate and on January 27 (February 9) signed a separate treaty with representatives of the nationalist Ukrainian Central Rada (see Tsentralnaya Rada), according to which the latter pledged to supply Germany for military assistance to the Rada in the fight against Soviet power. bread and livestock. This treaty made it possible for German troops to occupy Ukraine.

On January 27-28 (February 9-10), the German side conducted negotiations in an ultimatum tone. However, an official ultimatum has not yet been presented. Therefore, the opportunity to carry out, in accordance with the decision [of January 11 (24), 1918] of the Party Central Committee, the tactics of delaying negotiations was not yet exhausted. Nevertheless, on January 28, Trotsky made an adventurous declaration that Soviet Russia was ending the war, demobilizing the army, but not signing peace. Kuhlmann responded by saying that "if Russia does not sign a peace treaty, it automatically leads to the termination of the ceasefire." Trotsky refused further negotiations, and the Soviet delegation left Brest-Litovsk.

Taking advantage of the break in the negotiations, the Austro-German troops on February 18 at 12 h days, they began an offensive along the entire Eastern Front. On the evening of February 18, at a meeting of the Central Committee of the party, after a bitter struggle with the "left communists", the majority (7 - for, 5 - against, 1 - abstained) spoke in favor of signing the peace. On the morning of February 19, the chairman of the Council of People's Commissars V. I. Lenin sent a telegram to the German government in Berlin expressing protest against the treacherous offensive and the consent of the Soviet government to sign the German conditions. However, German troops continued their offensive. On February 21, the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR adopted a decree - "The socialist fatherland is in danger!" The active formation of the Red Army began, which blocked the enemy's path to Petrograd. Only on February 23, a reply was received from the German government, which contained even more difficult conditions for peace. To accept the ultimatum was given 48 h... On February 23, a meeting of the Central Committee of the RSDLP (b) was held, at which 7 members of the Central Committee voted for the immediate signing of the German terms of peace, 4 abstained. fatherland. On the same day, Lenin spoke at a joint meeting of the factions of the Bolsheviks and Left SRs (See Left SRs) All-Russian Central Executive Committee, at the Bolshevik faction, and then at a meeting of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. In a fierce struggle against the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries (on February 23, 1918, at a meeting of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, they voted against the Bolsheviks), Mensheviks, Right-wing Socialist-Revolutionaries, and "Left Communists", he won the VTsIK's approval of the decision of the Party Central Committee.

On the night of February 24, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR accepted the German peace terms and immediately informed the German government about this and about the departure of the Soviet delegation to Brest-Litovsk. On March 3, the Soviet delegation signed the Brest Treaty. The 7th Congress of the RCP (b), urgently convened on March 6-8, approved Lenin's policy on the question of peace.

The agreement consisted of 14 articles and various annexes. Article 1 established the end of the state of war between the Soviet Republic and the countries of the Quadruple Alliance. Large territories were torn away from Russia (Poland, Lithuania, part of Belarus and Latvia). At the same time, Soviet Russia was supposed to withdraw its troops from Latvia and Estonia, where German troops were sent. Germany retained the Gulf of Riga and the Moonsund Islands. Soviet troops were to leave Ukraine, Finland, the Aland Islands, as well as the districts of Ardahan, Kars and Batum, which were transferred to Turkey. In total, Soviet Russia lost about 1 million. km 2 (including Ukraine). Under Article 5, Russia pledged to carry out a complete demobilization of the army and navy, including units of the Red Army, under Article 6 - to recognize the peace treaty of the Central Rada with Germany and its allies and, in turn, conclude a peace treaty with the Rada and determine the border between Russia and Ukraine. B. m. Restored the customs tariffs of 1904, which were extremely unfavorable for Soviet Russia, in favor of Germany. On August 27, 1918, a Russian-German financial agreement was signed in Berlin, according to which Soviet Russia was obliged to pay an indemnity of 6 billion marks to Germany in various forms.

B. m., Which was a complex of political, economic, financial, and legal conditions, was a heavy burden for the Soviet Republic. However, it did not touch upon the fundamental achievements of the Great October Socialist Revolution. The Soviet Republic retained its independence, withdrew from the imperialist war, receiving a peaceful respite necessary to restore the destroyed economy, create a regular Red Army, and consolidate the Soviet state. The November Revolution of 1918 in Germany overthrew the power of Emperor Wilhelm II, and the Soviet government on November 13, 1918 annulled the Treaty of Brest.

Lit .: Lenin V.I., On the history of the question of the unhappy world, Poln. collection cit., 5th ed., vol. 35; his, On the revolutionary phrase, in the same place; his, the Socialist Fatherland is in danger !, ibid; his, Peace or War ?, ibid; its the same. Report at a meeting of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee on February 23, 1918, ibid; his, Unhappy world, in the same place; its the same. A hard but necessary lesson, ibid; his, the Seventh Emergency Congress of the RCP (b). March 6-8, 1918, ibid., Vol. 36; his, the main task of our days, in the same place; his, IV Extraordinary All-Russian Congress of Soviets, March 14-16, 1918, ibid: USSR Foreign Policy Documents, vol. 1, Moscow, 1957; History of diplomacy, 2nd ed., Vol. 3, M., 1965, p. 74-106; Chubaryan A.O., Brest Peace, M., 1964; Nikolnikov GL, Outstanding victory of Lenin's strategy and tactics (Peace of Brest: from conclusion to rupture), M., 1968; Magnes J. Z., Russia and Germany at Brest-Litovsk. A documentary history of the peace negotiations, N. - Y., 1919.

A.O. Chubaryan.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk 1918

Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M .: Soviet encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

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1. According to V.I. Lenin, an indispensable condition for the victory of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia was the country's urgent withdrawal from the First World War. Russia's withdrawal from the war at the beginning of 1918 was possible only if allied relations with the Entente were severed and a separate peace was concluded with Germany - which actually meant the surrender of Russia with all the consequences. This decision was difficult, clearly unpopular and unpatriotic both from the point of view of Russia's authority in the world and from the point of view of its perception by the people. It was the first major political decision of the Bolshevik leadership after the proletarian dictatorship was proclaimed. Since the temporary truce with Germany, concluded after the October coup, expired, in January-February 1918, fierce discussions flared up in the Bolshevik leadership about Russia's withdrawal or non-withdrawal from the war. Three points of view prevailed:

- war to a victorious end, which should finally inflame the world revolution (NI Bukharin);

- an urgent end to the war on any terms (V.I. Lenin);

- not to conclude peace, but also not to wage a war ("no war, no peace"), relying on the class consciousness of the German workers in soldier's uniform (LD Trotsky).

2. Initially, the point of view of L.D. Trotsky, who was tasked with negotiating. However, this position failed - in February 1918, the German army, without showing any workers' solidarity, launched a massive offensive against the non-belligerent Russian army. There was a threat of the German offensive on Petrograd and Moscow and their capture. On February 23, 1918, units of the forming Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA) with great difficulty stopped the German offensive near Pskov. This day became the birthday of the new, initially Red, and then the Soviet Army - the Armed Forces of the RSFSR and the USSR.

3. At the beginning of March 1918 in the city of Brest-Litovsk negotiations were resumed between the Soviet government and the German command. The negotiations proceeded on the basis of Lenin's adopted plan - peace on any terms. On March 3, 1918, a peace treaty was signed between the RSFSR and Germany, which went down in history as the Peace of Brest. According to this agreement:

- Russia (RSFSR) withdrew from the First World War;

- withdrew from the Entente bloc and renounced allied obligations to it;

- transferred to Germany Ukraine, the western part of Belarus, the Baltic States;

- paid an indemnity in the amount of 3 billion rubles.

This treaty was one of the most humiliating Russia has ever signed in its entire history. However, the Bolsheviks took this step, paying special attention to the fact that Germany, with all its demands, agreed with the Bolshevik regime, and that the question was about saving the Bolshevik revolution, which the Bolsheviks put much above all other interests.

4. The Brest Treaty had a small short-term benefit for the Bolsheviks - for several months the Bolshevik leadership received a respite from the external war with Germany. Subsequently, the negative consequences of the Brest Peace significantly exceeded the positive ones.

- despite the actual surrender of Russia, the war ended after 9 months with the revolution in Germany and the victory of the Entente;

- Russia has lost all the economic and political advantages of the victorious state, which it could have received during the long-term hardships of the war;

- the release from the front of a large number of soldiers who were used to fighting, contributed to the growth of the civil war;

- The Brest-Litovsk Peace did not save Russia from an external war - in March 1918, in response to the signing of a separate peace by the Bolsheviks, the Entente Council decided to intervene in Russia;

- instead of a war with one weakened Germany, Russia had to wage a war with 14 states of the Entente, invading from several fronts at once.

5. The conclusion of the Brest-Litovsk Peace split the coalition between the Bolsheviks and the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries. The IV Extraordinary Congress of Soviets, held in March 1918, ratified the Brest Peace Treaty. In protest, the Left Social Revolutionaries withdrew from the government. After 4 months of the Bolshevik-Left SR government coalition, the RSFSR government again became completely Bolshevik.

The Brest Treaty of 1918 became the treaty that brought Russia out of the First World War. However, contrary to the promises of the Bolsheviks with whom they came to power, this treaty was concluded on the terms of Germany and her allies, which are extremely difficult for Russia. The question of whether it is possible to conclude such a peace with the imperialists caused fierce controversy, and the consequences of the treaty became one of the reasons for a large-scale civil war in the territory of the former Russian Empire.

The issue of withdrawing from the First World War was one of the key issues in Russian political life in 1917. Already the Minister of War of the Provisional Government, General A. Verkhovsky, publicly announced in October 1917 that Russia could not continue the war. The Bolsheviks advocated an early conclusion of peace without annexations (seizures) and indemnities (financial payments to the winners) with the right of nations to self-determination based on the results of plebiscites. At the same time, if the Entente states refuse to agree to general peace, the Bolsheviks were ready to begin peace negotiations separately. This position contributed to the growth of the popularity of the Bolsheviks and their rise to power. On October 26, the Second Congress of Soviets of Workers 'and Soldiers' Deputies adopted the Peace Decree, which consolidated these principles.

On November 22, 1917, an armistice was concluded at the front, and on December 9, 1917, separate peace negotiations began in Brest-Litovsk between representatives of the RSFSR on the one hand, and Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria (Central Powers) - with another. They quickly showed that the German side does not take seriously the slogans of peace without annexations and indemnities, perceives Russia's desire to conclude a separate peace as evidence of its defeat, and is ready to dictate terms that imply both annexations and indemnities. German and Austro-Hungarian diplomacy also took advantage of the fact that Soviet Russia granted the formal right to self-determination to Poland, Finland, Ukraine and Transcaucasia, while supporting the communist struggle for power in Finland, Transcaucasia and Ukraine. The countries of the Quadruple Alliance demanded non-interference in the affairs of these countries, hoping to use their resources necessary to win the war. But Russia also badly needed these resources to restore the economy. The humiliating agreement with the imperialists was unacceptable for the revolutionaries both from the point of view of the Bolshevik communists and from the point of view of their partners in the government of the Left Socialist Revolutionaries (Left Social Revolutionaries). As a result, the Council of People's Commissars and the Central Committee of the RSDLP (Bolsheviks) decided that the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs L. Trotsky would drag out the negotiations as long as possible, and after the Germans issued an ultimatum, he would leave for Petrograd for consultations.

The government of the Central Rada of Ukraine also joined these negotiations. In Ukraine, back in March 1917, a national political leadership emerged - the Central Rada, to which in November 1917 power passed in the central part of this country. The Central Rada did not recognize the right of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR to speak on behalf of the entire former Russian Empire. Defeated in December at the All-Ukrainian Congress of Soviets, the Bolsheviks formed the Soviet government of Ukraine in Kharkov. In January, supporters of the Soviet regime controlled the east and south of Ukraine. On December 4, the Soviet government of Russia recognized Ukraine's right to independence, but denied the Central Rada's right to represent the entire Ukrainian people. The Central Rada announced that it seeks the autonomy of Ukraine as part of the federal Russian state. But in the context of the escalating conflict on January 9 (22), 1918, it nevertheless proclaimed independence. A civil war broke out between the pro-Soviet east of Ukraine and supporters of the Central Rada, in which Kharkov received the support of Soviet Russia.

There was a rapprochement between the representatives of the Central Rada and the powers of the Quadruple Alliance, which weakened the position of Russia. On January 5, the German general M. Hoffmann, in an ultimatum, announced the German conditions for peace - Russia's renunciation of all territories occupied by Germany.

Concerning the acceptance of these conditions, a heated discussion erupted in the Council of People's Commissars and the Central Committee of the RSDLP (b). Lenin, recognizing that the world is difficult and shameful ("obscene"), demanded to accept the German ultimatum. He believed that the Bolshevik detachments and the decaying old army could not successfully resist the German offensive. The Left Social Revolutionaries and part of the Bolsheviks (left communists and supporters of the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Leon Trotsky) considered the conditions of the ultimatum too difficult for Russia and unacceptable from the standpoint of the interests of the world revolution, since such a peace meant a betrayal of the principles of world peace and provided Germany with additional resources to continue the war on West.

Delaying the signing of the peace, Trotsky hoped that Germany would transfer troops to the West. In this case, the signing of the shameful peace would become unnecessary. The left communists led by N. Bukharin and the majority of the left SRs believed that the oppressed peoples of the world should not be abandoned; they would have to wage a revolutionary, primarily partisan, war against German imperialism. A weary Germany will not stand such a war. They believed that the Germans, in any case, would continue to put pressure on Soviet Russia, trying to turn it into their vassal, and therefore war is inevitable, and peace is harmful, since it demoralizes the supporters of Soviet power.

The majority of the Central Committee initially supported Trotsky and Bukharin. The position of the left received the support of the Moscow and Petrograd party organizations, as well as about half of the country's party organizations.

On February 9 (New Style) 1918, representatives of the Central Rada signed an agreement with the powers of the Quadruple Alliance, which determined the western border of Ukraine. The Central Rada also pledged to provide food supplies to Germany and Austria-Hungary and invited their troops to Ukraine. At this time, the Rada itself fled from Kiev, since on February 8 Kiev was taken by Soviet troops.

Having concluded an agreement with Ukraine, the German side was preparing to demand from Russia the immediate signing of peace under the threat of a renewed war.

On February 10, 1918, Trotsky announced the end of the state of war, the demobilization of the army, but refused to sign the peace and left for Petrograd. He put forward the slogan: "No peace, no war, but disband the army." The Germans resumed their offensive on February 18, occupied Estonia, Pskov and threatened Petrograd. The Bolshevik detachments and the decaying old army were unable to successfully resist the German offensive. However, the Germans also did not have the opportunity to advance deep into Russia.

In the course of further discussions in the Central Committee of the Bolsheviks, Trotsky yielded to Lenin's pressure and began to abstain from voting on peace. This predetermined the victory of the Leninist point of view in the Central Committee and the Council of People's Commissars.

Thanks to the successes of its offensive, Germany put forward even more difficult peace conditions, demanding the transfer of the newly occupied territories under its control, as well as the evacuation of Soviet troops from the Ukraine.

On March 3, 1918, a Soviet delegation that left for Brest, which Trotsky did not join, signed a peace based on the demands of the German ultimatum. Under its terms, Russia renounced its rights to Finland, Ukraine, the Baltic States and part of the Transcaucasus (the Council of People's Commissars already recognized the independence of some of these countries in November-December 1917). Under a secret agreement, it was assumed that Russia would pay an indemnity of 6 billion marks (in fact, less than twenty of this amount was paid).

The possibility of ratifying the peace was discussed by the 7th Extraordinary Congress of the RSDLP (b), which ran on March 6-8, 1918. Lenin insisted that the world should be ratified. He argued that "we would have perished at the slightest German offensive, inevitably and inevitably." Bukharin made a co-report against the world, arguing that the world does not give a respite, that "the game is not worth the candle," and the positive consequences of the world are outweighed by the negative ones. An immediate "revolutionary war against German imperialism" is needed, which will begin in partisan forms, and as the new Red Army is created and Germany is weakened, which is also occupied on the Western Front, it will move on to regular war. This position was supported by supporters of the left wing of the party. The outcome of the congress was decided by the authority of Lenin: his resolution was adopted by 30 votes to 12, with 4 abstentions.

If the left communists left the Communist Party and united with the Left SRs, they could achieve a majority at the Congress of Soviets. But they did not dare to vote against their party, and the IV Congress of Soviets ratified the peace treaty on March 15, 1918.

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk had important consequences. The coalition with the Left SRs broke up, they left the government. The occupation of Ukraine by Germany (with subsequent expansion into southern Russian territory, since there was no clearly defined Russian-Ukrainian border) violated the ties between the center of the country and the grain and raw material regions. At the same time, the Entente countries began to intervene in Russia, seeking to reduce the possible costs associated with its surrender. The occupation of Ukraine and other regions aggravated the food problem and further exacerbated relations between the townspeople and the peasantry. Its representatives on the Soviets, the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries, now launched an agitation campaign against the Bolsheviks. In addition, the surrender to Germany became a challenge to the national feelings of the Russian people, turning millions of people against the Bolsheviks, regardless of their social origin.

German and Turkish troops continued their advance in the territories claimed by the newly independent states. The Germans occupied Rostov and the Crimea, moved along the Black Sea towards the fleet parking in Novorossiysk. It was decided to flood the Black Sea Fleet so that it would not go to Germany and Ukraine. German troops entered Georgia, and Turkish troops took Baku on September 14, 1918 and reached Port-Petrovsk (now Makhachkala). On the territories of the former Russian Empire occupied by the troops of the Central Powers, formally independent states were created, the governments of which were dependent on Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. However, the surrender of the Central Powers in World War I put an end to this expansion.

After the start of the revolution in Germany in November 1918 and its surrender, Russia denounced the Brest Peace on November 13. However, by this time, the consequences of the Brest Peace had already manifested themselves in full force, and the Civil War and the intervention of 1918-1922 unfolded on the territory of the former Russian Empire.

Peace treaty
between Germany, Austria-Hungary,
Bulgaria and Turkey on the one hand
and Russia on the other

Since Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey on the one hand and Russia on the other agreed to end the state of war and end peace negotiations as soon as possible, they were appointed plenipotentiaries:

from the Imperial German Government:

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Imperial Real Privy Councilor, Mr. Richard von Kühlmann,

Imperial Envoy and Minister Plenipotentiary, Dr. von Rosenberg,

Royal Prussian Major General Hoffmann,

Chief of the General Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on the Eastern Front, Captain I Rank Horn,

from the Imperial and Royal General Austro-Hungarian Government:

Minister of the Imperial and Royal House and Foreign Affairs, His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty's Privy Councilor Ottokar Count Czernin von and zu Hudenitz,

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty's Privy Counselor, Cayetan Merey von Kapos-Mere,

General of Infantry, His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty's Privy Counselor, Mr. Maximilian Chicherich von Bachani,

from the Royal Bulgarian Government:

Royal Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in Vienna, Andrey Toshev,

Colonel of the General Staff, Royal Bulgarian Military Commissioner under His Majesty the German Emperor and Adjutant Wing of His Majesty the King of Bolgar, Peter Ganchev,

Royal Bulgarian First Secretary of the Mission, Dr. Teodor Anastasov,

from the Imperial Ottoman Government:

His Highness Ibrahim Hakki Pasha, Former Grand Vizier, Member of the Ottoman Senate, Plenipotentiary Ambassador of His Majesty the Sultan in Berlin,

His Excellency, General of the Cavalry, Adjutant General of His Majesty the Sultan and Military Commissioner of His Majesty the Sultan under His Majesty the German Emperor, Zeki Pasha,

from the Russian Federative Soviet Republic:

Grigory Yakovlevich Sokolnikov, member of the Central Executive Committee of the Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies,

Lev Mikhailovich Karaxan, member of the Central Executive Committee of the Soviets of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies,

Georgy Vasilievich Chicherin; Assistant People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs and

Grigory Ivanovich Petrovsky, People's Commissar for Internal Affairs.

The plenipotentiaries gathered in Brest-Litovsk for peace negotiations and, after presenting their credentials, recognized as drawn up in a correct and proper form, came to an agreement on the following resolutions.

Article I

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey on the one hand and Russia on the other declare that the state of war between them has ended. They decided to continue to live among themselves in peace and friendship.

Article II

The contracting parties will refrain from any agitation or propaganda against the government or government and military institutions of the other party. Since this obligation concerns Russia, it also extends to the areas occupied by the powers of the quadruple alliance.

Article III

Areas to the west of the line established by the contracting parties and formerly belonging to Russia will no longer be under its supreme authority: the established line is indicated on the attached map (Appendix 1), which is an essential part of this peace treaty. The exact definition of this line will be worked out by the German-Russian commission.

For the aforementioned regions, no obligations towards Russia will follow from their former belonging to Russia.

Russia refuses any interference in the internal affairs of these areas. Germany and Austria-Hungary intend to determine the future fate of these areas by demolishing their populations.

Article IV

Germany is ready, as soon as a general peace is concluded and a completely Russian demobilization is carried out, to clear the territory lying to the east of the line indicated in paragraph 1 of Article III, since Article VI does not state otherwise.

Russia will do everything in its power to ensure the speedy cleansing of the provinces of Eastern Anatolia and their orderly return to Turkey.

Article V

Russia will immediately carry out a complete demobilization of its army, including the military units newly formed by the current government.

In addition, Russia will either transfer its warships to Russian ports and leave there until a general peace is concluded, or it will immediately disarm. The military courts of states that are still in a state of war with the powers of the quadruple alliance, since these vessels are in the sphere of power of Russia, are equated to Russian military courts.

The restricted area in the Arctic Ocean remains in force until the conclusion of a general peace. In the Baltic Sea and in the parts of the Black Sea subject to Russia, the removal of minefields should begin immediately. Merchant shipping in these maritime areas is free and immediately resumes. Mixed commissions will be set up to work out more precise regulations, especially for the publication of safe routes for merchant ships to the general public. Navigation lanes must be kept free of floating mines at all times.

Article VI

Russia undertakes to immediately conclude peace with the Ukrainian People's Republic and recognize the peace treaty between this state and the powers of the quadruple alliance. The territory of Ukraine is immediately cleared of Russian troops and Russian Red Guards. Russia shall cease all agitation or propaganda against the government or public institutions of the Ukrainian People's Republic.

Estland and Livonia are also immediately cleared of Russian troops and the Russian Red Guard. The eastern border of Estonia runs generally along the Narva River. The eastern border of Livonia generally runs through Lake Peipsi and Lake Pskov to its southwestern corner, then across Lake Luban in the direction of Livengof on the Western Dvina. Estland and Livonia will be occupied by the German police power until public safety is ensured there by the country's own institutions and state order is established there. Russia will immediately release all the arrested and taken away inhabitants of Estland and Livonia and will ensure the safe return of all the taken away Estonians and Livonians.

Finland and the Aland Islands will also be immediately cleared of Russian troops and Russian Red Guards, and Finnish ports - of the Russian fleet and Russian naval forces. As long as the ice makes it impossible for warships to be transferred to Russian ports, only minor crews should be left behind. Russia stops all agitation or propaganda against the government or public institutions of Finland.

The fortifications erected on the Åland Islands should be demolished as soon as possible. As for the prohibition to erect fortifications on these islands in the future, as well as in general their provisions in relation to military and navigation technology, a special agreement should be concluded regarding them between Germany, Finland, Russia and Sweden; The parties agree that other states adjacent to the Baltic Sea may be involved in this agreement at Germany's request.

Article VII

Article VIII

Prisoners of war on both sides will be released to their homeland. The settlement of related issues will be the subject of special treaties provided for in Article XII.

Article IX

The contracting parties mutually refuse to reimburse their military expenses, i.e. government costs of waging a war, as well as from compensation for military losses, i.e. those losses that were caused to them and their citizens in the zone of hostilities by military measures, including all requisitions made in the enemy country.

Article X

Diplomatic and consular relations between the contracting parties are resumed immediately after the ratification of the peace treaty. With regard to the admission of the consuls, both sides reserve the right to enter into special agreements.

Article XI

Economic relations between the powers of the quadruple alliance and Russia are determined by the regulations contained in Appendices 2-5, with Appendix 2 defining relations between Germany and Russia, Appendix 3 - between Austria-Hungary and Russia, Appendix 4 - between Bulgaria and Russia, appendix 5 - between Turkey and Russia.

Article XII

The restoration of public law and private law relations, the exchange of prisoners of war and civil prisoners, the issue of amnesty, as well as the issue of the attitude towards merchant courts that have fallen into the power of the enemy, are the subject of separate treaties with Russia, which constitute an essential part of this peace treaty. and, as far as possible, take effect at the same time.

Article XIII

When interpreting this treaty, the authentic texts are for relations between Germany and Russia - German and Russian, between Austria-Hungary and Russia - German, Hungarian and Russian, between Bulgaria and Russia - Bulgarian and Russian, between Turkey and Russia - Turkish and Russian.

Article XIV

This peace treaty will be ratified. The exchange of the instruments of ratification should take place in Berlin as soon as possible. The Russian government undertakes to exchange the instruments of ratification at the request of one of the powers of the quadruple alliance within two weeks. A peace treaty comes into force from the moment of its ratification, since otherwise does not follow from its articles, annexes to it or additional treaties.

In witness of this, the delegates have signed this agreement with their own hands.

Ksenofontov I.N. The world they wanted and hated. M., 1991.

Peace negotiations in Brest-Litovsk from 9 (22) December 1917 to 3 (16) March 1918. Vol.1. M., 1920.

Mikhutina I. Ukrainian Brest Peace. M., 2007.

Felshtinsky Yu. The collapse of the world revolution. Peace of Brest. October 1917 - November 1918.Moscow, 1992.

Chernin O. In the days of the world war. Memoirs of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria-Hungary. SPb., 2005.

Chubaryan A.O. Peace of Brest. M., 1963.

Seventh emergency congress of the RCP (b). Verbatim record. M., 1962.

Why did the Bolsheviks begin separate peace negotiations without the participation of the Allies in the Entente?

What political force's participation in the Brest talks weakened the positions of the Russian delegation?

What positions were formed in the Bolshevik party on the conclusion of peace?

Which provisions of the agreement were respected and which were not?

What territories did Russia refuse under the terms of the treaty?

What are the consequences of the Brest Peace?

Brest Peace(1918) - the peace treaty of Soviet Russia with Germany and its allies in the world war 1914-1918: Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey.

On October 26 (November 8), 1917, the 2nd Congress of Soviets adopted a decree on peace, after which the Soviet government invited all the belligerent states to begin immediately negotiations on an armistice. None of the Entente countries (Russia's allies in the war) responded to these peace proposals, but the countries of the German-Austrian bloc agreed at the end of November to negotiate an armistice and peace with representatives of the Soviet Republic. Negotiations began in Brest-Litovsk on 9 (22 December) 1917.

The signing of the peace at that moment was insistently demanded by the internal and external situation in Soviet Russia. The country was in a state of extreme economic devastation, the old army actually disintegrated, and the new one was not created. But a significant part of the leadership of the Bolshevik Party advocated the continuation of the revolutionary war (a group of "left communists" under the leadership of NI Bukharin. to which Germany would annex the Baltic states, part of Belarus and Transcaucasia, and also receive indemnity.

Since by this time the German troops, without encountering serious resistance from the remnants of the Russian army, had already occupied the Ukraine, the Baltic states, most of Belarus, some western and southern regions of Russia and were already approaching Petrograd, Lenin's government signed a peace treaty on March 3, 1918. In the west, a territory of 1 million square meters was torn away from Russia. km, in the Caucasus, Kars, Ardahan, Batum retreated to Turkey. Russia pledged to demobilize the army and navy. According to an additional Russian-German financial agreement signed in Berlin, she was obliged to pay Germany an indemnity of 6 billion marks. The treaty was ratified on March 15, 1918 by the Extraordinary Fourth All-Russian Congress of Soviets.

On December 9, 1917, peace negotiations began in Brest-Litovsk, where the headquarters of the German command was located. The Soviet delegation tried to defend the idea of a "world without annexations and indemnities." On January 28, 1918, Germany presented an ultimatum to Russia. She demanded to sign an agreement under which Russia was losing Poland, Belarus and part of the Baltic states - only 150 thousand square kilometers.

This presented the Soviet delegation with a stern necessity between the proclaimed principles and the demands of life. In accordance with the principles, it was necessary to wage war, and not to conclude a shameful peace with Germany. But there was no strength to fight. The head of the Soviet delegation, Leon Trotsky, like other Bolsheviks, painfully tried to resolve this contradiction. Finally it seemed to him that he had found a brilliant way out of the situation. On January 28, he delivered his famous peace speech at the talks. In short, it boiled down to the well-known formula: "Don't sign peace, don't wage war, but dissolve the army."

Leon Trotsky said: "We are withdrawing our army and our people from the war. Our soldier-plowman must return to his arable land in order to cultivate the land peacefully this spring, which the revolution has transferred from the hands of the landowners to the hands of the peasant. We are withdrawing from the war. We refuse to authorize the conditions that German and Austro-Hungarian imperialism writes with a sword on the bodies of living peoples. We cannot sign the Russian revolution under the conditions that bring oppression, grief and misfortune with them to millions of human beings. The governments of Germany and Austria-Hungary want to own lands and the peoples by the right of military seizure. Let them do their job openly. We cannot sanctify violence. We withdraw from the war, but we are forced to refuse to sign a peace treaty. "After that, he read out an official statement of the Soviet delegation:" Refusing to sign the annexationist treaty , Russia, for its part, declares a state of war ended. I am about complete demobilization along the entire front. "

German and Austrian diplomats were initially really shocked by this incredible statement. There was complete silence in the room for several minutes. Then the German general M. Hoffmann exclaimed: "Unheard of!" The head of the German delegation, R. Kühlmann, immediately concluded: "Consequently, the state of war continues." "Empty threats!" - said L. Trotsky, leaving the conference room.

However, contrary to the expectations of the Soviet leadership, on February 18, Austro-Hungarian troops launched an offensive along the entire front. Almost no one opposed them: only bad roads hindered the advance of the armies. On the evening of February 23, they occupied Pskov, and on March 3, Narva. This city was left without a fight by the Red Guard detachment of the sailor Pavel Dybenko. General Mikhail Bonch-Bruevich wrote about him: “Dybenko's detachment did not inspire confidence in me; it was enough to look at this sailor freelancer with mother-of-pearl buttons sewn onto wide flares, with swaggering manners, to understand that they would not be able to fight regular German units. fears were justified ... "On February 25, Vladimir Lenin wrote with bitterness in the newspaper Pravda:" Painfully shameful reports about the refusal of the regiments to maintain their positions, about the refusal to defend even the Narva line, about the failure to comply with the order to destroy everything and everyone during the retreat; let alone about flight, chaos, handlessness, helplessness, slovenliness. "

On February 19, the Soviet leadership agreed to accept the German peace terms. But now Germany has already put forward much more difficult conditions, demanding five times more territory. About 50 million people lived on these lands; over 70% of iron ore and about 90% of coal in the country were mined here. In addition, Russia had to pay a huge indemnity.

Soviet Russia was forced to accept these very difficult conditions. The head of the new Soviet delegation, Grigory Sokolnikov, read out her statement: “Under the current conditions, Russia has no choice. the international proletarian revolution will turn out to be only temporary and coming. " After these words, General Hoffmann exclaimed indignantly: "Again the same nonsense!" "We are ready," concluded G. Sokolnikov, "to immediately sign a peace treaty, refusing to discuss it as completely useless under the current conditions."

On March 3, the Brest Peace Treaty was signed. From the Soviet side, the contract was signed by the deputy. People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs G.Ya. Sokolnikov, deputy. People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs G.V. Chicherin, People's Commissar of Internal Affairs G.I. Petrovsky and secretary of the delegation L.M. Karakhan. Russia has lost Poland, the Baltic States, Ukraine, part of Belarus ... In addition, under the agreement, Russia transferred more than 90 tons of gold to Germany. The Brest-Litovsk Treaty did not last long in November, after the revolution in Germany, Soviet Russia annulled it.

Soon after the conclusion of the peace, on March 11, V.I.Lenin wrote an article. The epigraph to it was the lines of N. Nekrasov: You are poor, You are abundant, You are powerful, You are powerless, Mother Russia!

The head of the Council of People's Commissars wrote: “No need for self-deception. .. our unshakable determination to achieve, at all costs, so that Russia ceases to be wretched and powerless, so that it becomes in the full sense of the word mighty and abundant. "

On the same day, fearing that the Germans, despite the concluded peace, would occupy Petrograd, the Soviet government moved to Moscow. Thus, more than two centuries later, Moscow again became the capital of the Russian state.

The Brest Treaty remained in force for 3 months. After the revolution in Germany of 1918-1919, the Soviet government on November 13, 1918 unilaterally annulled it.

Brest Treaty

PEACE TREATY

BETWEEN SOVIET RUSSIA, ON THE ONE SIDE, AND GERMANY, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, BULGARIA AND TURKEY, ON THE OTHER SIDE

("BREST WORLD")

Article I

Russia, on the one hand, and Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey, on the other, declare that the state of war between them has ended. They decided to continue to live among themselves in peace and friendship.

Article II

The contracting parties will refrain from any agitation or propaganda against the government or government and military institutions of the other party. Since this commitment concerns Russia, it also extends to the areas occupied by the powers of the Quadruple Alliance.

Article III

Areas to the west of the line established by the contracting parties and formerly belonging to Russia will no longer be under her sovereignty: the established line is indicated on the attached map ... *, which is an essential part of this peace treaty. The exact definition of this line will be worked out by the Russian-German commission.

For the aforementioned regions, no obligations towards Russia will follow from their former belonging to Russia.

Russia refuses any interference in the internal affairs of these areas. Germany and Austria-Hungary intend to determine the future fate of these areas by demolishing their populations.

Article IV

Russia will do everything in its power to ensure the speedy cleansing of the provinces of Eastern Anatolia and their orderly return to Turkey.

Article V

Russia will immediately carry out a complete demobilization of its army, including the military units newly formed by the current government.

Article VI

Estland and Livonia are also immediately cleared of Russian troops and the Russian Red Guard. The eastern border of Estlavdia generally runs along the Narva River. The eastern border of Liflyavdia runs generally through Lake Peipsi and Lake Pskov to its southwestern corner, then across Lake Luban in the direction of Livengof on the Western Dvina. Estlavdia and Livonia will be occupied by the German police power until public safety there is ensured by the country's own institutions.

Finland and the Aland Islands will also be immediately cleared of Russian troops and the Russian Red Guards, and the Finnish ports of the Russian fleet and Russian naval forces.

Article IX

Article X

Diplomatic and consular relations between the contracting parties are resumed immediately after the ratification of the peace treaty (...)

Article XIV

This peace treaty will be ratified (...) a peace treaty enters into force from the moment of its ratification.

USSR Foreign Policy Documents, vol. 1.M., 1957
Vygodsky S. Lenin's decree on peace. M., 1958
Mayorov S.M. The struggle of Soviet Russia for a way out of the imperialist war. M., 1959