Austro-German Agreement of 1879

a treaty of alliance between Austria-Hungary and Germany, signed in Vienna on Oct. 7, 1879. Originally concluded for a period of five years, the Austro-German Agreement was subsequently renewed repeatedly. Article 1 of the agreement stipulated that in case one of the contracting parties should be attacked by Russia, both parties were obligated to come to each other’s aid. Article 2 provided that in case one of the contracting parties should be attacked by any other power, the other party pledged to preserve at least a benevolent neutrality. If, however, the attacking country should receive support from Russia, then article 1 would enter into force.

The Austro-German Agreement was directed primarily against Russia and France and was one of the agreements which led to the formation of the military bloc headed by Germany (the Triple Alliance of 1882) and to the division of the European countries into two hostile camps that subsequently fought one another in World War I.