Andorra and the mystery declaration of war
The small state between Spain and France allegedly took its time making peace with its European neighbours
The First World War had nations around the world lining up to fight against one another. Treaties and alliances dragged nations into the conflict, which would end up being the bloodiest the world had ever seen.
Germany, Austro-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire formed the Triple Alliance. Great Britain and its Empire, France, and Russia formed the Triple Entente. These were the main powerhouses of the war. Plenty of other nations declared war in 1914 as the battle lines were drawn across several fronts.
One nation that declared war against Germany was Andorra. A tiny independent principality located in the Pyrenees mountains on the border of Spain and France, Andorra was one of the first to make a move towards the conflict. Yet their role was almost non-existent for several reasons.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, Andorra didn’t have an army. It remains one of over a dozen nations around the world not to have any armed forces, and this was the case in 1914. As a result of this, it officially didn’t take part in any fighting. Andorran volunteers went over to be involved, but none fought under the colours of Andorra.
The war raged in neighbouring France, with hundreds of miles of trenches dug on the opposite border with Andorra and through Belgium. Around 40 million people died in four years, many of these in the mud of the Western Front. Germany surrendered in 1918 and the world rejoiced as the horrors came to an end, next on the agenda was the settlements.
Leaders gathered at the Palace of Versailles, located 11 miles away from Paris. It was here that Germany was punished for their role in the war, despite the fact the conflict was started elsewhere in Europe. The reparations dealt to Germany, which was at this point a republic following the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm, were brutal- so much so that many historians believe this played a huge role in Nazi Germany’s intent on taking over Europe 20 years later.
Andorra may have been one of the first nations to declare war on Germany, and due to a diplomatic technicality, they ended up being one of the last to make peace. Andorra was not included in the Treaty of Versailles, a document that countries signed to officially bring to an end their role in the war. Andorra didn’t take part in military action and also didn’t officially declare peace on Germany either.
With the documents signed, the victorious nations departed Versailles keen on maintaining peace across the world. Andorra was still a relatively unknown state by 1919, and it would grow into a cultural and tourist hotspot as the century wore on. Until the late 1950s, through the Second World War during which Andorra was neutral- the French Resistance used the geographical location of the state to smuggle downed Allied airmen out of France and into Spain.
The story goes that in 1958, 13 years after the fall of the Third Reich, North American newspapers wrote about Andorra and how the state had only signed a peace treaty with Germany that year.
These reports also outlined the declaration of war that was made in 1914, however, research has shown that this declaration of war might never have taken place- and as a result neither did the need to end their war with Germany. The mystery over whether or not Andorra was at war with Germany is, therefore, just that- a mystery.
Andorra has gone on to become a now not-so-hidden gem nestled between two of the big European nations. This ‘did they or did they not declare war’ chapter of Andorra’s history has perhaps gotten lost in the modern-day ski resorts that the country is known for, but it is one of the many bizarre diplomatic issues that contribute to the rich history of 20th-century Europe.
