Paul Hymans London Conference ADS Re: Dawes Plan Ruhr Evacuation, Deaccessioned from Malcolm Forbes Collection

A 2pp autograph document in French signed by Paul Hymans (1865-1941), Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister and former President of the Assembly of the League of Nations, as "Monsieur / Paul Hymans" near the top of the second page. N.d., n.p., but almost certainly ca. August 1924, in London, England. Written on both sides of a single leaf of cream stationery. The letterhead is blind embossed "10, Downing Street, / Whitehall, S.W.1." at upper right, and blind embossed with the British Prime Minister's seal at upper left. Expected light wear including flattened paper folds and a few minor water spots, as well as a mounting strip adhere along the left edge. Else near fine. 7.5" x 9.125." Ex-Malcolm Forbes Collection, accession number A85175. Accompanied by a labeled plastic sleeve.

The document relates to the staggering war reparations debt imposed on Germany following its defeat after World War I, and on the long-term consequences of the Versailles Treaty. Peace terms dictated that Germany owed France, Belgium, and other Allied nations billions of marks of war reparations debts. The subsequent default of these reparations--the hyper-inflated German economy was in shambles--caused some creditors to take drastic action. French and Belgian troops had invaded the Ruhr, part of northwestern Germany in the demilitarized Rhineland, in mid-January 1923 in order to seize assets after a series of German war reparations defaults.

The French and Belgian decision to occupy the Ruhr threatened the political and economic stability of Europe, and the Dawes Plan was set into motion to avert a crisis. Ultimately, the Dawes Plan revisited some of the more punitive terms of the Versailles Treaty by making German repayment over time easier.

In this document, which was probably penned during the London Conference, Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister Paul Hymans reiterates the French and Belgian pledge to evacuate the Ruhr before August 1925.

Translated in part, with punctuation silently added to enhance clarity:

"The French and Belgian governments, confirming their previous declarations to the terms from which the occupation of the Ruhr was carried out by them by virtue of the Treaty of Versailles, but resolved to respect the commitments made during the occupation, which only ever had the goal of obtaining from Germany guarantees for the execution of the obligations of war reparations, declare, that if the London agreement, freely consented to and with the aim of implementing the [Dawes Committee] Experts' plans, are applied in the [same] spirit of loyalty and pacification that inspired the deliberations of the [Versailles] Conference, that they will proceed with the military evacuation of the Ruhr territory with a delay of no more than one year from today…"

The London Conference directly preceded the ratification of the Dawes Plan on August 16, 1924. The London Conference was attended by representatives from both the former Allied and Central Powers, and convened over the course of 30 days in July and August 1924. London Conference delegates were tasked with reviewing the Dawes Report, submitted by ten international "experts" who had studied the war reparations problem over the last four months, from January to April 1924. The Dawes Report needed to be adopted by London Conference attendees as a whole or not at all. Delegates, therefore, carried the heavy responsibility of ensuring the success of the entire negotiations. Their mutually agreed upon measures were later codified as the Dawes Plan. The Dawes Plan stipulated that the French and Belgians would evacuate the Ruhr in a timely manner; extended a friendlier payment plan to the Germans; and also offered loans to the Germans to be repaid over time.

Paul Hymans served as Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister from 1918-1920, 1924-1925, and from 1927-1935. An experienced negotiator, Hymans was President of the Assembly of the League of Nations from 1920-1921 and from 1932-1933.

Provenance: Ex-Forbes Collection. Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990), the American owner-publisher of Forbes magazine and a consummate collector, amassed one of the most substantial autograph collections of such breadth and depth that it filled a half-dozen residences on three continents. Many of his manuscripts were sold in a series of multi-million dollar sales by Christie's in the early 2000s. The Forbes name is considered to be the apex of provenance, especially when attached to an item like the above. We are honored to have been chosen by the family to sell at auction the substantial balance of the collection.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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