# Armistice of Villa Giusti

Source: United States Army in the World War 1917–1919: The Armistice Agreement and Related Documents, Volume 10, Part 1. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, United States Army. 1991.

## Armistice with Austria-Hungary
### I. Military Clauses

1. The immediate cessation of hostilities by land, sea and air.
2. Total demobilization of the Austro-Hungarian army and immediate withdrawal of all Austro-Hungarian forces operating on the front from the North Sea to Switzerland.
Within Austro-Hungarian territory, limited as in Clause 3 below, there shall only be maintained as an organized military force a [maximum of 20 divisions], reduced to prewar [peace] effectives.
Half the divisional, crops and army artillery and equipment shall be collected at points to be indicated by the Allies and United States of America for delivery to them, beginning with all such material as exists in the territories to be evacuated by the Austro-Hungarian forces.
3. Evacuation of all territories invaded by Austria-Hungary since the beginning of war. Withdrawal within such periods as shall be determined by the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied forces on each front of the Austro-Hungarian armies behind a lind fixed as follows: From Piz Umbrail to the north of the Stelvio it will follow the crest of the Rhetian Alps up to the sources of the Adige and the Eisach, passing thence by Mounts Reschen and Brenner and the heights of Otz and Ziller. The line thence turns south crossing Mount Toblach and meeting the present frontier [of the] Carnic Alps. It follows this frontier up to Mount Tarvis and after Mount Tarvis the watershed of the Julian Alps by the Col of Predil, Mount Mangart, the Tricorno (Terglou) and the watershed of the Cols di Podberdo, Podlanischam and Idria. From this point the line turns southeast towards the Schneeberg, excluding the whole basin of the Save and its tributaries; from the Schneeberg it goes down towards the coast in such a way as to include Castua, Mattuglie and Volosca in the evacuated territories.
It will also follow the administrative limits of the present province of Dalmatia, including to the north Lisarica and Trivania and, to the south, territory limited by a line from the [shore] of Cape Planca to the summits of the watershed eastwards so as to include in the evacuated area all the valleys and water courses flowing towards Sebenico such as the Cikola, Kerka, Butisnica and their tributaries. It will also include all the islands in the north and west of Dalmatia from Premude, Selve, Ulbo, Scherda, Maon, Pago and Puntadura in the north up to Melida in the south, embracing Sant' Andrea, Busi, Lissa, Lesina, Torcola, Curzola, Cazza and Lagosta, as well as the neighboring rocks and islets and [Pelagosa], only excepting the islands of Great and Small Zirona, Bua, Solta and Brazza.
All territory thus evacuated [will be occupied by the troops] of the Allies and of the United States of America.
All military and railway equipment of all kinds, including coal, belonging to or within those territories, to be left in situ and surrendered to the Allies according to special orders given by the Commanders-in-Chief of the forces of the Associated Powers on the different fronts. No new destruction, pillage or requisition to be done by enemy troops in the territories to be evacuated by them and occupied by the forces of the Associated Powers.
4. The Allies shall have the right of free movement over all road and rail and waterways in Austro-Hungarian territory and of the use of the necessary Austrian and Hungarian means of transportation.
The armies of the Associated Powers shall occupy such strategic points in Austria-Hungary at such times as they may deem necessary to enable them to conduct military operations or to maintain order.
They shall have the right of requisition on payment for the troops of the Associated Powers wherever they may be.
5. Complete evacuation of all German troops within 15 days, not only from the Italian and Balkan fronts, but from all Austro-Hungarian territory.
Internment of all German troops which have not left Austria-Hungary within that date.
6. The administration of the evacuated territories of Austria-Hungary will be entrusted to the local authorities under the control of the Allied and Associated armies of occupation.
7. The immediate repatriation without reciprocity of all Allied prisoners of war and interned subjects and of civil populations evacuated from their homes on conditions to be laid down by the Commanders-in-Chief of the Forces of the Associated Powers on the various fronts.
8. Sick and wounded who cannot be removed from evacuated territory will be cared for by Austro-Hungarian personnel who will be left on the spot with the medical material required.

### II. Naval Conditions

1. Immediate cessation of all hostilities at sea, and definite information to be given as to the location and movements of all Austro-Hungarian ships.
Notification to be made to neutrals that freedom of navigation in all territorial waters is given to the naval and mercantile marines of the Allied and Associated Powers, all questions of neutrality being waived.
2. Surrender to the Allies and the United States of America of 15 Austro-Hungarian submarines, completed between the years 1910 and 1918, and of all German submarines which are in or may hereafter enter Austro-Hungarian territorial waters. All other Austro-Hungarian submarines to be paid off and completely disarmed, and to remain under the supervision of the Allies and United States of America.
3. Surrender to the Allies and United States of America with their complete armament and equipment of 3 battleships, 3 light cruisers, 9 destroyers, 12 torpedo boats, 1 mine layer, 6 Danube monitors, to be designated by the Allies and United States of America. All other surface warships, including river craft, are to be concentrated in Austro-Hungarian naval bases to be designated by the Allies and United States of America and are to be paid off and completely disarmed and placed under the supervision of the Allies and United States of America.
4. Freedom of navigation to all warships and merchant ships of the Allied and Associated Powers to be given in the Adriatic and up the River Danube and its tributaries in the territorial waters and territory of Austria-Hungary.
The Allied and Associated Powers shall have the right to sweep up all mine fields and obstructions and the positions of these are to be indicated.
In order to insure the freedom of navigation of the Danube, the Allies and the United States of America shall be empowered to occupy or to dismantle all fortifications or defense works.
5. The existing blockade conditions set up by the Allies and Associated Powers are to remain unchanged and all Austro-Hungarian merchant ships found at sea are to remain liable to capture, save exceptions which may be made by a commission nominated by the Allies and United States of America.
6. All naval aircraft are to be concentrated and immobilized in Austro-Hungarian bases to be designated by the Allies and United States of America.
7. Evacuation of all the Italian coasts and of all ports occupied by Austria-Hungary outside their national territory, and the abandonment of all floating craft, naval materials, equipment and materials for inland navigation of all kinds.
8. Occupation by the Allies and the United States of America of the land and sea fortifications and the islands which form the defenses and of the dockyards and arsenal at Pola.
9. All merchant vessels held by Austria-Hungary belonging to the Allies and Associated Powers to be returned.
10. No destruction of ships or of materials to be permitted before evacuation, surrender or restoration.
11. All naval and mercantile marine prisoners of war of the Allied and Associated Powers in Austro-Hungarian hands to be returned without reciprocity.

## Annexed Protocol to Armistice with Austria-Hungary

ANNEXED PROTOCOL CONCERNING THE DETAILS AND COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN CLAUSES OF THE TERMS OF THE ARMISTICE BETWEEN THE ALLIED AND ASSOCIATED POWERS AND AUSTRIA-HUNGARY

### I. Military Clauses

1. Hostilities on land, on sea, and in the air will cease on all Austro-Hungarian fronts, 24 hours after the signature of the Armistice; namely at 15 h, November 4, 1918 (Central European time).
From said moment, the Italian and associated forces will refrain from advancing beyond the line attained at that time.
Austro-Hungarian troops and troops of countries allied to Austria-Hungary, will withdraw a distance of at least 3 kilometers, air-line, beyond the line attained by the Italian troops or by those of the Allied and Associated Powers. Inhabitants within the said three kilometers zone comprised between the two lines indicated above can apply to the authorities of their own national army or to those of the armies of the Associated Powers, to obtain necessary provisions.
Austro-Hungarian troops which happen to be behind the fighting line attained by the Italian troops at the hour when hostilities cease will be considered prisoners of war.
2. Concerning the clauses of Articles 2 and 3, pertaining to artillery materiel and equipment, as well as to war material, which is either to be collected at designated points or left in place within the territories which are to be evacuated by the Austro-Hungarian forces, the Italian plenipotentiaries announce that, acting as representatives for all of the Allied and Associated Powers, they will interpret said clauses; further, that such interpretation will include the details for the execution thereof.
(a) Any object which can serve for war purposes, or whose component parts can be converted thereto, will be turned over to the Allied and Associated Powers.
The Austro-Hungarian army and associated German forces will be authorized to retain and remove only such items as form part of the individual armament and equipment of the troops which are to evacuate the territory indicated in Article 3, including officers' mounts, the trains and the horses organically assigned to those units for the transportation of rations, kitchens, officers' baggage, and medical equipment. This clause applies to all branches and services of the armies concerned.
(b) With particular reference to artillery, it is established that the Austro-Hungarian army and associated German troops will leave all of their artillery materiel and equipment within said evacuated territory.
An accurate and complete check will be made at a later date to ascertain the total divisional corps, and army artillery available to the Austro-Hungarian army at the cessation of hostilities; half of which is to be turned over to the Associated Powers. This check to be made in such a manner as to permit determination, if necessary, of additional artillery materiel which the Austro-Hungarian army may be called upon to deliver to the Allies, as well as material which may eventually have to be returned to the Austro-Hungarian army by the Allied and Associated armies.
All organic divisional corps, and army artillery, without exceptions, is to be turned over to the Allies; however, it will not be necessary to count same.
(c) For the Italian front deliveries of divisional corps, and army artillery will be made at the following places: Trent, Bolzano [Bozen], Pieve di Cadore, Stations in Carniola, Tolmino, Gorizia and Triest.
3. The Commanders-in-Chief of the Allied and Associated Armies on the various Austro-Hungarian fronts will appoint special commissions which, accompanied by necessary escorts, are to proceed immediately to such points as may be considered most suitable to control execution of the foregoing.
4. It is hereby established that the terms M. Toblach, and M. Tarvis, as used herein, refer to the mountain ranges which dominate the Sella di Toblach and the Tarvis Basin.
5. Withdrawal of Austro-Hungarian forces and of troops allied to Austria-Hungary beyond the line indicated in Article 3 of the Protocol to the terms of the Armistice shall be completed insofar as the Italian front is concerned, within fifteen days after the day on which hostilities cease.
On the fifth day, insofar as the Italian front is concerned the Austro-Hungarian troops, or those of the Allies of Austria-Hungary, are to be beyond the line: Tonale [Pass]---Noce [Stream]---Lavis---Avizio [River]---Pordoi [Pass]---Livinallengo---Falzerego [Pass]---Pieve di Cadore---Mauria [Pass]---Upper Tagliamento [River]---Fella [River]---Raccolana---Sella di Nevea---Isenzo [River]. Moreover, they shall have completed their withdrawal from that portion of the Dalmatian territory which is indicated in the above mentioned article.
Austro-Hungarian land and sea forces, as well as those of the allies of Austria-Hungary, which have not effected their withdrawal from the territory in question within said fifteen-day period will be considered as prisoners of war.
6. Payment for requisitions which the armies of the Allied and Associated Powers may issue in Austro-Hungarian territory will be made in accordance with the regulations contained in Paragraph 1, page 227, of Servizio Guerra---Part II---1915 edition, now in force in the Italian army.
7. Concerning railroads and exercise of the rights accorded to the Associated Powers by Article 4 of the Protocol of the Armistice between the Allied Powers and Austria-Hungary, it is established that: Movements of troops, war materials, and supplies for the Allied and Associated Powers over the Austro-Hungarian railroad lines situated outside of the territory which is to be evacuated in conformity with the clauses of the Armistice, including the administration and operation of said railways, will be executed by employees of the Austro-Hungarian Railroad Administration under the control, however, of special commissions appointed by the Allied Powers and of Allied military railway station which will be established wherever deemed necessary.
The Austro-Hungarian authorities will give priority to all such Allied movements and will be held responsible for their safety.
8. In that territory which is to be evacuated at cessation of hostilities all mines, whether on highways or railroad lines, mine fields, and all other prearranged means designed to obstruct such highways and railroads are to be disarmed or rendered harmless.
9. Within 8 days after the suspension of hostilities, Italian prisoners of war and civilians interned in Austria-Hungary shall cease all work; and exception being made in the case of agricultural labor, insofar as this affects prisoners and internies who were already employed in agricultural pursuits previous to the day of the signature of the Armistice. All such persons should, however, be ready to leave immediately, upon request of the Commander-in-Chief of the Italian army.
10. Austria-Hungary is to provide for the protections, security, and subsistence (cost of which to be reimbursed) of the various commissions appointed by the Allied Governments to receive war materials and exercise controls, regardless of whether such commissions are located within the territory which is to be evacuated by Austro-Hungarian forces or whether they are within any other portion of the Austro-Hungarian territory.

### II. Naval Clauses

1. The hour for suspensions of hostilities on sea is the same as that for cessation of hostilities on land and in the air.
At that hour the Austro-Hungarian Government shall have furnished the Italian and Associated Governments, by means of the wireless station of Pola which, in turn, will transmit same to Venice, all necessary information concerning the location as well as the movements of Austro-Hungarian ships.
2. All naval units mentioned in Articles 2 and 3, which are to be turned over to the Associated Powers, are to proceed to Venice between 8 and 15 h. on November 6, 1918. They will take a pilot aboard 14 sea miles from the coast.
An exception is to be made in case of the Danube River monitors which are to proceed to a port to be designated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Associated Powers on the Balkan front, and under such conditions as that Commander-in-Chief may establish.
3. The following Austro-Hungarian naval units are to proceed to Venice: TEGHETHOFF---PRINZ EUGEN---FERDINAND MAX---SAIDA---NOVARA---HELGOLAND.
Nine torpedo boat destroyers of the TATRA type (of at least 800 tons) of most recent construction.
12 torpedo-boats of the type displacing 200 tons.
The mine-layer CAMALEON.
Fifteen submarines constructed between 1910 and 1918, and all German submarines which now in, or which may enter, Austro-Hungarian territorial waters.
Any damage whether prearranged or otherwise which may occur aboard ships which are to be turned over to the Allies will be deemed by the Associated Governments to constitute a grave infraction of the present Armistice.
The Lake Garda Flotilla will be turned over to the Associated Powers in the port of Riva.
All ships which are not to be turned over to the Associated Powers are to be assembled, within 48 hours after cessation of hostilities, in the ports of Buccari and Spalato.
4. In connection with the right of the Allies to sweep all the mine-fields and destroy all other obstacles to navigation the Austro-Hungarian Government gives its word of honor to turn over, within 48 hours after cessation of hostilities to the Commander of the Fortress of Venice and to the Commander of the naval forces at Brindisi, plans of the mine-fields and barriers in the ports of Pola, Cattaro and Fiume; and within 96 hours of that same event, plans of all mine-fields and barriers in the Mediterranean, in Italian rivers and lakes; moreover that it will also give information concerning all mine-fields or obstructions laid by order of the German Government of which it may have any knowledge.
Within this same period of 96 hours, a similar communication concerning navigational war hazards pertaining to the Danube and the Black Sea is to be addressed to the Commander of the Associated Forces on the Balkan Front.
5. Restitution of merchant ships belonging to the Associated Powers is to be effected within 96 hours after cessation of hostilities, in conformity with such conditions as may be set forth by each Associated Power concerned and which will be brought to the knowledge of the Austro-Hungarian Government in due time.
The Associated Powers reserve the right to establish the commission referred to in Article 5. and to advise the Austro-Hungarian Government concerning its functions and where it is to meet.
6. The naval base referred to in Article 6 is Spalato.
7. The evacuation referred to in Article 7 is to be executed within the delay established for withdrawal of the Austro-Hungarian troops beyond the line prescribed by the terms of the Armistice.
No damage must be done to stationary, mobile, or floating materiel, in the ports.
Evacuation may be effected through the canals of the Lagoon, by means of Austro-Hungarian craft brought in from outside.
8. The occupation referred to in Article 8 will take place within 48 hours after cessation of hostilities.
The Austro-Hungarian authorities are to guarantee the safety of ships transporting the Allied personnel destined to take possession of Pola, the islands, and other localities designated in the terms of the Armistice for the army.
The Austro-Hungarian Government will take the necessary measures to insure that ships of the Associated Nations proceeding to Pola will, when within 14 sea miles of said fortress, be able to secure pilots capable of indicating the safest route to follow.
9. All damage to persons and property of the Associated Powers will be considered a grave infraction of the present Armistice.
The undersigned, duly authorized, plenipotentiaries declare that they approve the above-indicated conditions.
November 3, 1918.
Representatives for the Supreme Command of the Austro-Hungarian army: Victor Weber Edler Von WEBENAU Karl SCHNELLER Y. Von LIECHTENSTEIN J. V. NYEKHEGYI ZWIERKOWSKI Victor Freiherr Von SEILLER Kamillo RUGGERA
Representatives for the Supreme Command of the Italian army: Lt. Gen. Pietro BADOGLIO Maj. Gen. Scipione SCIPIONI Col. Tullio MARCHETTI Col. Peitro GAZZERA Col. Pietro MARAVIGNA Col. Alberto PARIANI Naval Capt. Frencesco ACCINI
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).
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