Baron Sidney Sonnino (1847-1922) was Italian Minister of Foreign Affiars, November 1914-June 1919.

Microfilms of Sonnino's papers as Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, The collection forms a unique record of World War I diplomacy, including Italy's months of neutrality from Sonnino's accession to office, the negotiations leading to the Treaty of London - including drafts of successive versions in Sonnino's own hand - as well as his papers relating to his conduct at Versailles. The 54 reels of microfilm divide into two sections:

• Italy's state telegrams from late 1914 through June 1919. These in turn break down into two sub-categories: "Telegrammi in arrivo", which were sent to Rome by Italian diplomatic missions abroad, including the delegation to Paris in 1919; and "Telegrammi in partenza", which were dispatched from the Ministry of Foreign Affiars.
• Papers, memoranda, maps and miscellaneous documents which Sonnino, in his position as Foreign Minister, retained in his personal files.

Sonnino's papers were discovered in August 1967, stored in several trunks in his country villa at Montespertoli near Florence. In association with University Microfilms the documents were filmed in 1968.

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card (for admissions procedures see http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/services/admissions/).

A guide to the microfilm series: The Sonnino Papers (University Microfilms).

Diplomatic and consular service, Italian

Foreign offices

Neutrality | Italy

Treaty of Versailles (1919)

World War, 1914-1918 | Italy

Sonnino | Sidney | 1847-1922 | Baron | Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs

Ministero degli affari esteri | Italy

Italy | History | 1914-1922