What was the impact of the peace treaty on Germany up to 1923?

What was the impact of the peace treaty on Germany up to 1923?

            Germans responded to the Treaty of Versailles with demonstrations and hostile reports in the press. The main criticism was that the treaty was too harsh on Germany.

In general terms, Germans disliked four features of the Treaty of Versailles:

• The peace treaty has been a diktat. There were no negotiations.
• Germans felt bitter at being held responsible for causing the war.
• The Allies had demanded reparations from Germany. The exact sum was not fixed at Versailles.
• The tiny army of just 100,000 soldiers meant that Germany was not able defend itself.

What impact did the treaty have on German politics?

            The impact was deep and long-lasting. Most unofficial groups hated the Weimar politicians for signing the treaty and wanted an opportunity to turn back the clock. In March 1920, under the command of Wolfgang Kapp, some of them staged a coup in the capital of Berlin.

            Economic impact- In May 1921 the reparations commissions announced its decision; Germany would have to pay £6.6 billion. As a result of Versailles, Germany had lost all of her colonies, 13% of her land, 26% of her coal deposits and 75% of her iron ore deposits.

            The German economy was in poor condition expenditure was high but its income from tax was low. There was a growing budget deficit that was resolved by borrowing and printing money. This caused Inflation.

Could the treaties be justified at the time?

            Once details of the Versailles settlement become public, Politicians, leaders, soldiers and ordinary citizens held different views. Most debate focused on the fairness or harshness of the different treaties, although the Versailles Treaty attracted most attention. The Versailles settlement could be justified by the winners of the First World War: this was because it was the winners who wrote it, not the 'losers'.