Römische Protokolle

Protocols of Rome: Treaty concluded and signed by the leading statesmen of Italy (B. Mussolini), Hungary (G. Gömbös) and Austria (E. Dollfuß) at a conference held on March 17, 1934 in Rome. Under the treaty the three countries were to cooperate in political and economic matters, and the maintenance of Austrian independence was a declared objective. Secretly, military arrangements were agreed upon, such as a possible Italian military intervention in Austria in case of domestic unrest, or intervention in the event of a conflict between Italy and Yugoslavia. Accordingly, Italy mobilized its army along the Austrian border during the July Putsch of 1934; in return, Austria did not support the sanctions imposed against Italy by the League of Nations in October 1935. Three additional protocols were signed by the three heads of government (K. Schuschnigg for Austria) at another conference which took place from March 21 to March 23, 1936. The Protocols of Rome guaranteed limited Italian influence in the Danube region but lapsed with the Anschluss in 1938.

Literature: Geheimer Briefwechsel Mussolini - Dollfuß, 1949.