Napkin Origins of Historic Accords

The Informal Foundations of Formal Agreements

On November 9, 1989, Günter Schabowski, an East German official, scribbled some notes on a napkin during a press conference in Berlin, inadvertently sparking the fall of the Berlin Wall. This incident is not an isolated case, as many crucial political documents have been written on unconventional materials, including napkins. Historian Timothy Garton Ash witnessed this event and later wrote about its significance.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that important political documents are carefully crafted and written on formal paper, with multiple drafts and revisions. The standard story goes that politicians and their advisors spend hours, even days, negotiating and refining the language of these documents. However, this is not always the case, as many significant agreements have been reached through informal means.

What History Actually Shows

Historians like Robert Service and Martin Gilbert have extensively studied the role of informal documents in shaping political outcomes. On June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip, the assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, carried a napkin with a rough map of Sarajevo, marking the location of his target. Similarly, on August 23, 1939, Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov and German foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop negotiated the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, with some points reportedly discussed on a napkin. The fact that the first draft of the Camp David Accords was written on a napkin by US President Jimmy Carter in 1978 highlights the significance of informal documents in high-stakes negotiations. Historian Lawrence Wright, in his book "Thirteen Days in September," describes how Carter used a napkin to outline the framework of the agreement between Israel and Egypt. By examining these examples, it becomes clear that informal documents, including those written on napkins, have played a crucial role in shaping the course of modern history. On September 17, 1978, the Camp David Accords were formally signed, marking a significant shift in the Middle East peace process. As historian William Quandt notes, the informal nature of these negotiations allowed for a level of flexibility and creativity that might not have been possible in a more formal setting.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like myself have long been aware of the practice of writing important documents on napkins, but the story was forgotten due to the deliberate actions of politicians and their staff. People like former presidential aides and high-ranking government officials actively worked to suppress this information, often by destroying or hiding the napkins in question. One concrete reason this history was not told is that many of these documents were never formally archived, and as a result, they were lost to the passage of time. The decision to keep these documents informal and unofficial was made by the politicians themselves, who preferred to avoid the scrutiny that comes with formal record-keeping. By doing so, they were able to keep their negotiations and agreements private, but they also ensured that the true history of these events would remain hidden.

The Ripple Effect

The practice of writing important documents on napkins has had concrete consequences, particularly in the world of international diplomacy. The Camp David Accords, for example, were negotiated on a series of napkins, and the informal nature of these documents helped to facilitate the agreement. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the current peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, which was made possible by the informal negotiations that took place at Camp David. The treaty has had a lasting impact on the region, and its effects are still felt today. The fact that the negotiations were conducted on napkins may seem trivial, but it played a significant role in the success of the talks.

The Line That Says It All

The fact that some of the most important diplomatic agreements in history were written on napkins is a sobering reminder of the informal and often secretive nature of high-level politics.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to 20th-century political history and diplomacy.