Berlin, Congress of

Berlin, Congress of, assembly of representatives of Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Great Britain, France, Italy, and the Ottoman Empire that met in Berlin from June 13 to July 13, 1878, to revise the terms of the Treaty of San Stefano, which had concluded the Russo-Turkish War in March 1878. After winning the war, Russia by this treaty had imposed extremely severe terms on the Ottoman Turks. Other European powers, notably Austria-Hungary and Great Britain, were alarmed at the growth of the power of Russia and of the independent states created in the Balkans by the treaty; concerned for their own interests in the Middle East, they insisted that the treaty be modified. Count Gyula Andrássy, foreign minister of Austria-Hungary, invited the European powers concerned to meet in Berlin. Prince Otto von Bismarck, chancellor of the German Empire, presided over the congress.

At the congress the Treaty of San Stefano was replaced by the Treaty of Berlin which contained conditions much less favourable to Russia. The new treaty reaffirmed the principle that the status of the Ottoman Empire was to be decided by the powers jointly and not unilaterally by any one of them. It also reaffirmed the principle of nationalism for the Balkan peoples. Serbia and Montenegro were given independence from Turkish rule, although the territory granted them by the Treaty of San Stefano was considerably reduced. Bulgaria was divided into three parts, two of which were placed under the Turks. Romania gained its independence from the Turks, but Russia acquired the region of Bessarabia (now the republic of Moldova) from Romania, for which Romania was compensated with the Dobruja (now Dobrogea, divided between Bulgaria and Romania), a former Turkish region. Russia also received the territories of Batum (now Batumi, Georgia), Kars (now in Turkey), and Ardahan (now in Turkey). The two Ottoman provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina were mandated to Austria-Hungary. Cyprus was placed under temporary occupation by Great Britain.

As a result of the Treaty of Berlin, the Turks lost most of their European territory, Russian influence was reduced in the Middle East, and the power of Austria-Hungary and Great Britain was increased. The Balkan countries and Russia were dissatisfied with what they had obtained by the treaty. The subsequent tensions that arose in the Balkans and the Middle East were among the causes of World War I. The claim of the British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli that the congress had achieved “peace with honour” thus proved unfounded.