Germany and the Treaty

Germany and the Treaty [UBRAT]

This page is also vital to your understanding of the Depth Study topic: Germany 1918-39.

May the hand wither that signs this treaty. Frederick Scheidemann, the German Chancellor (June 1919) then he resigned rather than agree to the Treaty		Links The Berlin Times (pdf) - an excellent pupil assignment A Harsh Treaty BBCi site - mediocre Germany humiliated German cartoon Germany's Reaction - Sources Brockdorff-Rantzau on the economic articles of the Treaty - difficult but worthwhile The Official German reaction to the Treaty - difficult Why was there opposition in Germany to the Treaty of Versailles?
When the Germans heard about the Treaty of Versailles, they felt ‘pain and anger’. They felt it was unfair. They had not been allowed to take part in the talks – they had just been told to sign. At first they refused to sign the Treaty. Some Germans wanted to start the war again. The Germans were angry at Clause 231; they said they were not to blame for the war. The soldier sent to sign the Treaty refused to sign it – ‘To say such a thing would be a lie,’ he said. The Germans were angry about reparations; they said France and Britain were trying to starve their children to death. At first they refused to pay, and only started paying after France and Britain invaded Germany (January 1921). The Germans were angry about their tiny army. They said they were helpless against other countries. At first they refused to reduce the army, and the sailors sank the fleet, rather than hand it over. The Germans also thought the loss of territory was unfair. Germany lost a tenth of its land. Other nations were given self-determination – but the Treaty forced Germans to live in other countries. Germans were also angry that they could not unite with the Austrian Germans.		New Words Clause 231: the paragraph blaming Germany for the war. reparations: the money Germany had to pay for damage done during the war. Source A The disgraceful Treaty is being signed today. Don’t forget it! We will never stop until we win back what we deserve. From Deutsche Zeitung, a German newspaper, 28 June 1919. Source B Those who sign this treaty, will sign the death sentence of many millions of German men, women and children. Count Brockdorff-Rantzau, leader of the German delegation to Versailles (15 May 1919). Did You Know? The Treaty of Versailles helped Adolf Hitler's rise to power. Many Germans supported him because he promised to destroy the Treaty.
Source C A German postcard, produced about the time of the Treaty of Versailles, showing the land where Germans lived. The areas in red are the lands given to other countries by the Treaty of Versailles,( including the land lost by Austria). Its title is 'Lost but not forgotten land'. The poem under the map reads: You must carve in your heart These words, as in stone - What we have lost Will be regained!	Source D Another German postcard produced about the time of the Treaty of Versailles. Its title is 'Hands off German Homeland'. On the stone (bottom left) is written 'd.ö.' standing for Deutsch-österreich (German Austria). Many similar propaganda postcards were produced Is Source C different to D? (Click on the postcards to enlarge)
		Extra: Study the materials, and the webpage on German reactions, then list and explain ALL the reasons why Germans were angry at the Treaty of Versailles.