1925

Sir Austen Chamberlain

for his crucial role in bringing about the Locarno Treaty

Charles G. Dawes

for his crucial role in bringing about the Dawes Plan

Sir Austen Chamberlain (1863 - 1937)

United Kingdom

For Reconciliation between Germany and France

Austen Chamberlain shared the Peace Prize for 1925 with the American Charles Dawes. They received it in 1926, together with the Laureates for that year, the Frenchman Aristide Briand and the German Gustav Stresemann. The four Prizes were awarded for work aimed at ensuring peace between the arch-rivals Germany and France. Austen Chamberlain grew up in a family of well-known British politicians. His father, Joseph, was a member of several Governments and an eager “empire builder”. His half-brother, Neville, was Prime Minister when Hitler started World War II in 1939. Austen Chamberlain studied in France and Germany before entering politics in the Conservative Party. He joined the Government in World War I, and took part in the peace negotiations at Versailles in 1919. Chamberlain became Foreign Secretary in 1924, and gave Britain's support when the German Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann initiated negotiations in the Swiss town of Locarno aimed at Franco-German reconciliation.

Charles G. Dawes (1865 - 1951)

USA

The Dawes Plan for Détente

Charles Dawes received the Peace Prize for 1925 for having contributed to reducing the tension between Germany and France after the First World War. Dawes' background was as a lawyer and businessman. He came into politics when he headed the presidential election campaign of the Republican candidate William McKinley in 1896. McKinley won but was shot in 1901, and Dawes returned to business life. Dawes did not return to public life until USA entered World War I in 1917. He was sent to Europe as an officer, and was put in charge of all supplies to the Allies at the front. After the war, the Germans resented France's occupation of parts of the country, intended to force them to pay reparations. Tension between the two countries rose. Dawes headed an international committee set up to assess Germany's situation. In 1924, the committee presented the Dawes Plan. Germany was granted American loans enabling it to pay indemnity. In return, France ceased its occupation.