Berlin, Congress of, was a meeting of European leaders in 1878 to decide the future of the Balkans, a region controlled by the Turkish-based Ottoman Empire. This region included present-day Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. Leaders from Germany, Austria, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Russia, and the Ottoman Empire attended the Congress of Berlin. Otto von Bismarck, the chancellor of Germany, served as chairman of the meeting.
The problems facing the meeting grew out of the Ottoman Empire’s defeat by Russia in the Russo-Turkish War, which had just ended with the signing of the Treaty of San Stefano. Under this treaty, the Ottomans would have to give up most of their land in the Balkans. The country of Bulgaria would be created, and Russia would have been chosen to protect the peace. The other important countries of Europe, however, did not want Russia to acquire a controlling influence in the Balkan region.
The decisions of the Congress of Berlin changed most of what Russia had put into the Treaty of San Stefano. Northern Bulgaria was made a self-governing Ottoman province. Southern Bulgaria, then called Eastern Rumelia, became a partially self-governing Ottoman province. Western Bulgaria, including much of Macedonia, was given back to the Ottoman Empire. Austria gained the right to rule Bosnia-Herzegovina. Montenegro, Serbia, and Romania were made independent. Cyprus was given to Britain to protect the Suez Canal and the sea lanes to India. Russia received a strip of Bessarabia and land in the Caucasus region.
The Congress of Berlin resulted in shifts in alliances. Germany and Austria became allies in 1879, and Russia joined them in 1881. The congress also left bitterness among some nations and failed to solve the Balkan problem, which led to the outbreak of World War I in 1914.
