The Terms: Reparations
History: Cambridge International GCSE The Twentieth Century (Option B), topic 1.2.2
Reparations
After negotiations at the Palace of Versailles, the Treaty of Versailles was drawn up by the Allies. An easy way to remember the TOV is to use the term ‘TRAWL’. R is for Reparations.
Reparations
- Reparations means the money Germany had to pay the Allies after WWI to cover damage and losses caused by the war.
- Germany had to pay a total of 132 billion gold marks to the Allies as compensation for the war.
- This would take them over 60 years to pay back.
- In 2010, Germany made its final payment of £59 million, clearing its reparations debt.
Poverty
- These reparations were very costly and Germany would find it very difficult to pay.
- Germany, like many other countries in Europe, was very poor after the war because wars cost a lot of money.
- After the war, many people in Germany were so poor that hundreds of thousands died from hunger.
Test yourself on The Terms: Reparations
How long was Germany given to repay the mandated reparations?
In what year did Germany make the final reparations payment?
An easy way to remember the TOV is to use the term ‘TRAWL’. What does 'R' stand for?