This was a defensive pact, designed to protect Germany against the French, who aspired to recover the alsace-Lorraine provinces lost in1871, and also to protect Austria-hungary against the Russians, with whom they continually clashed in the Balkans.

• 这是一个防御性的盟约，旨在保护德国人免受法国人的攻击，保护奥匈帝国免受俄国人的攻击；因为法国人想收复1871年失去的阿尔萨斯-洛林地区，而俄国人则在巴尔干半岛同奥匈帝国接连不断地发生冲突。