Austria-Hungary declares war on Belgium

(Austrian-Hungarian Red Book, see Belgian Gray Book, No.77, under date of reception August 28, 1914)

LXVII. Count Berchtold to Count Clary. Brussels.

Telegram

Vienna, Saturday 22 August 1914

I request you to inform the royal Belgian minister of foreign affairs without delay, as follows:

By order of my Government I have the honor to notify you, as follows:

In view of the fact that Belgium, having refused to accepted the proposition addressed to her on several occasions by Germany. Is now in military cooperation with France and Great Britain, both of which have declares war on Austria-Hungary; and view of the recently established fact that Austrian and Hungarian subjects residents in Belgium have, under the eyes of the royal authorities, been treated in a manner contrary to the most primitive laws of humanity, and inadimissible even toward subjects of a state, Austria-Hungary is necessarily compelled to break off diplomatic relations and considers herself from now on in the state of war on Belgium.

I leave the country with the staff of the legation and place the subjects of my country under the protection of the minister of the United States in Belgium.

The Imperial and Royal Government has hand his passports to Count Errembault de Dudzeele.