Page 45 - _21-0619 OK

The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand
Volume XII, 2020

Italy and the Weimar Republic (Germany) and Austria

One could describe the relations with Italy, Germany, and Austria as
very positive and without problems right from the start, not least because of the
personal meetings between King Chulalongkorn and members of the Italian,
German and Austrian courts during His Majesty's visits to Europe in 1897 and

1907. The ties to Emperor Wilhelm II and Emperor Franz Joseph II were especially
close, also to some German princes from Mecklenburg-Schwerin after the European
trip of 1897. Many sons of King Chulalongkorn were educated in Berlin, Flensburg,
Heidelberg or Tübingen.
The relations between Siam and Italy and Germany changed with World
War I. Siam's declaration of war against Germany apparently had little effect on
the good relations between the two nations. King Prajatibok had very friendly

ties with the Weimar Republic's head of state, President von Hindenburg,
who wrote to His Majesty several times and enquired about the state of his
health after the first eye operation in 1931 in the United States.
37

Their Majesty arrival at Lehrter Station, Berlin. Left of the Queen, State Secretary Lammers and
right of the King, Reichforeignminister, Freiherr von Neurath, 2 July 1934 (Bundesarchiv,
nd
Koblenz, Germany)

37 Bundesarchiv Lichterfelde, Office of the Reichpräsident, Ref.: Empfänge von ausländischen
Staatsoberhaupten, Topic: The visit of the Siamese King Prajatibok and the Queen of Siam,
in: Ref. B II.5.5, Bundesarchiv Lichterfelde, ref. B II.5.5, Bundesarchiv Lichterfelde, Berlin,
see also ref. RP 2740/34, B II 9.8 under “s”.

37
Pornsan Watanangura

5/1/2565 BE 09:03
_21-0619(019-054)3.indd 37
_21-0619(019-054)3.indd 37 5/1/2565 BE 09:03