What were World War I reparations?
Q: What were World War I reparations?
A: World War I reparations were payments and transfers of property and equipment that Germany was forced to make after its defeat during World War I.
Q: What was the basis for reparations?
A: Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles (the 'war guilt' clause) declared Germany and its allies responsible for all 'loss and damage' of the Allies during the war and set up the basis for reparations.
Q: When was the total sum due for reparations decided?
A: The total sum due for reparations was decided in January 1921 by an Inter-Allied Reparations Commission.
Q: What was the total sum due for reparations?
A: The total sum due for reparations was 132 billion gold marks, which was about £6.6 billion or $33 billion (roughly $393.6 billion US dollars as of 2005).
Q: Why did many economists believe that the sum was too much?
A: Many economists believed that the sum was too much because it was a burden that Germany couldn’t bear.
Q: When did Germany stop paying reparations?
A: Germany stopped paying reparations after Hitler's Nazi Party took power in 1933, with about one-eighth of the reparations having been paid by then.
Q: When were the final payments made?
A: The final payments were made on the day exactly 20 years after German reunification.
