More than 90 years since the conclusion of fighting, Germany on October 3 will finally pay off the last of its reparations that were imposed by the Allies after World War I ended.

 

The 1919 Treaty of Versailles set the reparations, which went towards helping France and Belgium recover from the conflict Germany started, at 269 billion gold marks, before being reduced to 112 billion gold marks that were supposed be paid over a period of 59 years. The enormous foreign payments created hardship for the German people, leading to the rise of Adolph Hitler in the early 1930s. Once in power, Hitler refused to continue paying the reparations.

 

After the end of World War II and the division of German state, the Federal Republic of Germany (or West Germany) agreed in 1953 to resume paying off the bonds that financed the reparations.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Germany Closes Book on World War I With Final Reparations Payment (by David Crossland, Spiegel Online)

First World War Officially Ends (by Allan Hall, Telegraph)