This article examines the German reaction to the publication of the pamphlet ”My Mission to London 1912–1914” by Prince Karl Max von Lichnowsky. In 1916, the former ambassador to the United Kingdom had circulated the text among German decision makers and public persons. In March 1918, an unauthorized publication of the text appeared in neutral Sweden. The Allies’ war propaganda gratefully instrumentalized the pamphlet, which showed the author’s critical stance with regard to the German position during the July crisis of 1914. Based on documents from the German Federal Archives, this article analyses the sensitive content of the memorandum and describes the government’s attempts to bring about an indictment against Lichnowsky. It examines the use of the document in the Entente’s war propaganda during the last year of the Great War and the futile attempt of German counter-propaganda to minimize the effect of the publication on the German public, the soldiers and the public opinion in the neutral countries.
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Publicly AvailableWolfram von Richthofen, die Zerstörung Wieluńs und das KriegsvölkerrechtJune 27, 2012
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Publicly AvailableNachrichten aus der ForschungJune 27, 2012
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Publicly AvailableAllgemeines, Altertum, MittelalterJune 27, 2012
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Publicly AvailableFrühe Neuzeit, 1789–1870June 27, 2012
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Publicly Available1871–1918June 27, 2012
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Publicly Available1919–1945June 27, 2012
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Publicly AvailableNach 1945June 27, 2012