A month after the Sarajevo incident in which Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb extremist, assassinated Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, following the breakdown of negotiations and Austrian accusations of Serbian non-cooperation during the investigations.

In response, Russia declared war on Austria, confirming its intervention to support the Serbs and fulfilling the wish of Tsar Nicholas II, who had previously described himself as the protector of Slavic peoples. With Russia entering the war, the existing alliance system in Europe was activated, turning the Austro-Serbian conflict into a world war.

During the war, German scientists sought to support their country's moves, defending the policies of Emperor Wilhelm II, which were described as hostile towards several neutral countries. After the war ended, the stance of these scientists faced widespread condemnation and criticism.

Image of German troops during the invasion of Belgium

The attack on Belgium

At the beginning of World War I, Germany sought a way to achieve a swift and quick victory over the French. Accordingly, the German military command favored implementing the Schlieffen Plan, which had been previously drawn up by General Alfred von Schlieffen.

Through this plan, the Germans decided to militarily intervene in both Luxembourg and Belgium, which were neutral, and cross their territories to attack France and avoid the defenses along the Franco-German border.

The University of Leuven library after being burned by the Germans

On August 2, 1914, German forces militarily intervened against Luxembourg. Two days later, the Germans attacked Belgian territory, sparking international outrage. According to the 1839 agreement, European powers had pledged to guarantee Belgium's neutrality and respect its sovereignty in future wars. This German intervention violated the 1839 agreement and caused Britain to declare war on Germany.

For their part, the Belgians showed fierce resistance and launched several operations against German forces to push them to withdraw. Meanwhile, German forces responded by carrying out executions and destruction in Belgian cities and villages.

Image of Max Planck

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Image of Max Planck

Image of Gavrilo Princip

Manifesto of the 93

Hoping to support their country's war efforts, a number of German scientists, philosophers, thinkers, and doctors signed what became known as the Manifesto of the 93, also called the 'Appeal to the Civilized World.' This manifesto was named after the number of signatories, 93 people, including several Nobel laureates such as physicist Max Planck (Nobel Prize in Physics 1918), Wilhelm Ostwald (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1909), and Richard Willstätter (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1915).

In the Manifesto of the 93, the signatories stated that their country was waging a defensive war and had been subjected to a treacherous attack, forced into a war it did not wish to participate in. They also defended the invasion of Belgium, deeming it a military necessity, and denied that massacres had occurred against its inhabitants, asserting that the German army respected international and civilized laws. The manifesto also defended the policies of German Emperor Wilhelm II and strongly condemned what it described as propaganda and agitation waged by Britain and France against Germany, speaking of a broad attack on German civilization and culture.

International Condemnations

The Manifesto of the 93 sparked anger in international scientific circles, although many German scientists refused to sign it. Fearing the impact of this manifesto on public opinion, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs dispatched a specialized propaganda committee.

At the end of World War I, many German scientists rushed to defend themselves, claiming they were unaware of the content of the manifesto they had signed. French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau described it as a war crime.

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