German War Reparations

[PBI]

In Messines a few Weeks ago,and got talking to one of the Locals and He mentioned that Belgium and France are still recieving War Reparation Payments from Germany..is this So ?.

[Guest mruk]

Hello PBI,

Niall Ferguson devotes a whole chapter to the subject of war reparations, and 'how [not] to pay for the war', in 'The Pity of War' [pp. 395-432]. The economic side of things are a little too complicated for me, but Ferguson looks at the postwar period in terms of the French influence on war reparations, Germany's [in]ability to pay, including the significance this may or may not have had with regard to future German foreign policy, and the Allies failure to collect on the debt that was agreed. I'm not sure if this helps or not PBI, but I'm hoping that someone with a deeper knowledge of the subject will perhaps be good enough to elaborate on my rather sketchy outline.

Kind Regards,

Dave

[nfh249]

I guess it's possible, didn't we only recently finish paying off war loans to the USA?

Regards,

Neil.

[Frank_East]

I think the German State paid no further reparations after 1932.Its debt to reparations was reduced by the US Dawes Plan and American investment contributed to financial stabilty.But by this time rampant inflation had made the Mark virtually worthless against the US Dollar and had severely reduced the real value of the reparations which were charged at 132 billion Marks in April 1921

Some reparations were to be in coal,steel,cattle and timber.When the Germans delayed the delivery of these in 1923,France and Belgium occupied the Ruhr.

Regarding UK Great War debt owed to the US.I recollect seeing where it would have taken the UK until the 1980s to pay it off.Having said that I believe the total war debt owed to the US by the UK was reported as being paid off within the last 10 years.

[PBI]

Thanks very much for your post.Very helpful indeed.

[Terry_Reeves]

The Dawes plan lasted only until 1929, when it became obvious that Germany could not sustain the rate of annual payment. This was replaced by the Young Plan in 1930 which, amongst other things, made the total payment due in 1988. In 1953, an international conference decided that the remaining debt would only be repaid after the reunifcation of Germany. Nevertheless, West Germany paid off the principle debt in 1980. In 1995, the German Government, after reunification, agreed that it would resume payment of the interest owed.

Terry Reeves

[nfh249]

Regarding UK Great War debt owed to the US.I recollect seeing where it would have taken the UK until the 1980s to pay it off.Having said that I believe the total war debt owed to the US by the UK was reported as being paid off within the last 10 years.

I've just checked it out, we pay our last instalment 31st December 2006. Full story here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4757181.stm

Regards,

Neil.

[egbert]

PBI , why don't you consult the search machine?

The answer is not far away:

clickediclick

[PBI]

I asked this question on the Forum,as it is a subject directly Linked to the Great War,and i am sure that there were also other Forum Members who have also wanted the Answer to this Matter,what better way to share the Information than The Forum.

[Take on me]

I am absolutely stunned, and I am not joking. Let me get this completely correct, the German government is still paying money they owe, or at least the interest of those debts, according to the Treaty of Versailles signed in 1919. This money is going to the countries of France and Belgium for damage inflicted during the First World War.

Is this something to do with feelings of War Guilt or did the Western Allies demand repayment?

Jon

[egbert]

As a German taxpayer I ask the same kind of questions as these reparations do not fit into today's European construct. After almost 90 years this also does not have anything to do with good business conduct or consciousness.......At least after foundation of the young Federal Republic in 1956 this should have been mutually killed by all parties.....because I am extremely allergic against collective guilt thoughts, taking 3-4 generations (born way after WWI and II) thereafter hostage for the stupidities, crime of generations already deceased. This is no practical way how to create the future. I guess the Brits, French, Belgians i.e. committed war crimes in India or Africa or wherever 100 years or 400 years ago and today's generation are not held hostage nowadays for their deeds.

[PBI]

There must be some legally binding agreement still in place,i wonder which Department in the French and Belgian Governments actually collect said interest on the Debt and what do they do with it ?.I would have thought that the Allies whose countries were devestated would still insist on payment..???.

[Take on me]

As a German taxpayer I ask the same kind of questions as these reparations do not fit into today's European construct. After almost 90 years this also does not have anything to do with good business conduct or consciousness.......At least after foundation of the young Federal Republic in 1956 this should have been mutually killed by all parties.....because I am extremely allergic against collective guilt thoughts, taking 3-4 generations (born way after WWI and II) thereafter hostage for the stupidities, crime of generations already deceased. This is no practical way how to create the future. I guess the Brits, French, Belgians i.e. committed war crimes in India or Africa or wherever 100 years or 400 years ago and today's generation are not held hostage nowadays for their deeds.

I agree, the people of today should not have to pay for things that their forefathers did 90 years in the past. This would be like Britain paying African or Asian countries for colonial occupation which ended decades ago, remember: yes, pay for: no.

However I just do not understand why they are being paid. The regime that committed the acts is dead, as is the regime that agreed to pay for the acts, as is the regime that repeated the acts, as are the two regimes that sprung up in its place.

Jon

[egbert]

Yes Jon! And i have no clue where the answer might be buried!

[egbert]

Just googled on Wikipedia Germany and found a hint at the very last paragraph (before "Literature"). Sorry for the terrible translation program. But you will understand the sense as I am too lazy to translate by myself:

German reparations after the First World War

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Changes too: Navigation, search

Due to the “war debt article” Germany had to pay 231 of the Versailler of contract after the First World War reparations. The final height and duration of the reparations were fixed in the Versailler contract, but should be determined by a reparation commission without German participation, equipped with extensive control functions, which should supervise the economic efficiency of Germany.

The decrease, shift and final completion of the reparation payments was the priority goal of the German foreign policy. Above all Gustav Stresemann and Heinrich Brüning näherbrachten Germany to the goal, Stresemann were however with reaching the goal already dead and Brüning became to dismiss briefly before.

From today's viewpoint the actual German reparations did not represent a real obstacle for an economic reconstruction even in the heaviest years of the Weimar Republic after the lost First World War. Since they stood at the same time however in connection with the German war debt debate and on credits of the USA made the German economy dependent, the governments of the Weimar Republic tried to reduce the demands and/or eliminate. Thus they became a continual political load, because both the parties and federations used extreme political rights and the KPD them for agitation against the Weimar Republic.

In the long run the reparations contributed rather politically as economic to the instability of the first German democracy.

Table of contents [Verbergen]

1 positions of winner powers

2 first demands

3 agreement with the Soviet Union

4 Ruhr occupation

5 inflation and end of the Ruhr fight

6 Dawes plan

7 Young plan

8 end of the reparation payments

9 literature

10 Web on the left of

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Positions of winner powers

The USA under president Thomas Woodrow Wilson wanted Germany as bulwark against communism and a stable situation in Europe (see: in addition, 14-Punkte program), them were interested in a repayment of the war credits, which had granted them to the Europeans (England, France, Italy). In the USA the contract was criticized by Versailles. Since the majority of the reparations flowed as repayment of war credits finally into the USA, they had the largest influence on the development of the payments. The USA withdrew themselves from Europe and did not join also the Völkerbund initiated by Wilson. 1923 beendeteten the United States its freiwillige isolation and gave in the context of the Dawes plan, in which they were considerably involved, credits at Germany. 1931 proceeded from the American president the Hoover moratorium. The position of the USA and the Versailler contract were criticized (for example of John May pool of broadcasting corporations Keynes), since there were no regulations for the economic reconstruction of Europe.

Great Britain under prime minister David Lloyd George had a similar position. It wanted Germany as protection against communism, in Europe a “balance OF power” and needed the reparations, in order to be able to pay the credits back to the USA. The Versailler contract was rejected in Great Britain. It took part not in Ruhr occupation, but condemned it as breach of contract.

France under Prime Minister Raymond Poincaré was primary at an attenuation of Germany, against which it had led many wars, and a stabilization of the own position in Europe interests, so that it raised high demands and demanded hard reaching through. France wanted also control of the industrial areas in the west of Germany. In France Poincaré with a compromiseless attitude and Aristide Briand, which used itself for a communication with Germany, were located themselves opposite. In the case of Ruhr occupation France under Poincaré was driving Kraft.

From 1925 to 1929 Briand co-operated as a minister of foreign affairs with Gustav Stresemann and it developed closely the contract of Locarno. The population was for a hard course opposite Germany, so that Briand could not make large concessions, the Stresemann the back in relation to the radical parties would have strengthened. 1931 were France as only country against the Hoover moratorium and with it were isolated.

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First demands

Already in Versailler contract specified that Germany 20 billion Goldmark - over 7 million kilogram gold - until April 1921, corresponds in addition had also the largest part of the merchant fleet had to pay to be handed over. The loss of the merchant fleet led to a substantial impairment of the export trades, an important basis of its resource. In April 1920 the highest allied advice determined that Germany with the coal supplies and with the payments was in arrears. In June 1920 the allied ones to the conference of Boulogne demanded 296 billion Goldmark by 42 annual instalments.

1920 came it to several conferences (San Remo April, Hythe and Boulogne sur Mer July), at which also the Reparationsfrage was discussed. To the conference of Spa in July 1920 representatives from Germany were allowed to participate for the first time. On this conference a distribution code was specified, in order to clarify, the different countries should receive which portion from the reparation payments. Therefore France Italy 10% and Belgium 8% should get 52%, England 22%. The allied ones threatened further with the occupation of the Ruhr district, if the demands were not fulfilled. In December experts met to the discussion over the reparations in Brussels.

1921 required winner powers also that the two new DELAG Verkehrsluftschiffe LZ 120 and LZ 121 are delivered. Partly on express prohibition of the allied ones so German Zeppelin aviation was stopped temporarily. 1924 supplied with the America airship to Germany to the USA - likewise as Reparation.

On 29 January 1921 the allied ones in of Paris 269 demanded billion Goldmark by 42 annual instalments, of it 226 billion as constant principal sum, in addition Germany had to deliver 12% of the value of its annual export. Reichstag rejected these demands and the allied ones occupied, after they had rejected a suggestion of Germany of 50 billion in London, to 8. March Ruhr place, Duisburg and Duesseldorf.

It came to a heavy cabinet crisis and to 4. May withdrew the government Fehrenbach, since the DVP did not want to carry the responsibility for the reparations. The cabinet crisis used the KPD for a Putschversuch by worker rebellions in Hamburg and Central Germany, which was struck down by the police. Federations of Polish Freiwilligen moved to 2. May 1921 without resistance of the French Besatzer in Upper Silesia. Free corps struck back it, but were the area in after a popular vote the 60% for whereabouts with Germany, had to be retired.

Lloyd George handed over to 5. May 1921 the German Ambassador in London the new demands of the allied ones of 132 billion Goldmark (approx. 47,000 tons of gold with a present value of approx. 700 billion euro) by 66 annual instalments. The rates in addition amounted to 2 billion Goldmark. In addition Germany had to deliver 26% of the value of its export to the allied ones. The demands were accompanied by the Londoner ultimatum of the allied ones. With nonacceptance of the demands within six days the allied ones threatened to occupy the Ruhr district. In addition in the ultimatum was demanded the distribution fixed in the Versailler contract by war criminals and Demilitarisierung.

The government among realm chancellors Joseph Wirth saw itself forced the demands one day after taking office at the 11. To accept May. This “fulfilment politics” were violently criticized by the rights. Matthias Erzberger tried as a Minister of Finance, who accomplished reparations to fulfill and for the accomplishment of the payments a financial reform, which reduced the federalism and to a Unitarisierung Germany led. Erzberger was murdered 1921 of members of the organization Consul as a fulfilment politician, 1922 were killed the minister of foreign affairs Walther Rathenau.

The USA ratified the Versailler contract not and laid no claim on reparations.

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Agreement with the Soviet Union

The decision of general principle among realm chancellors Joseph Wirth to fulfill the demands in order to show thereby their unrealizability, did not solve however the Reparationsfrage. At the end of of 1921 could reach Rathenau an agreement with France, so that France received more supplies instead of financial achievements. 1922 reached Germany with British support a respite for payment, since Great Britain wanted to protect the German purchasing power and industrielle production, in order to be able and on the other hand reparations to pay be able to buy further on the one hand British goods. This was a first success with the effort to show the foreign country the borders of the German solvency. The British wanted to get their goal going of a reconciliation in Europe by a conference over world economy questions in Genova, it however no considerable results were reached.

At the edge of the economic conference however Germany and the Russian socialist federal Soviet republic closed the contract of Rapallo. In it Germany did and the Soviet Union to demand from the other side remunerations and it brought an approximation of the two otherwise isolated states. The contract annoyed the Western powers and was thereby also a reason for Ruhr occupation.

[Work on]

Ruhr occupation

The Reparationsfrage was further unresolved, and during according to the opinion of the German government the strong inflation the punctual payment, did not accuse the Western powers Germany prevented, it leaves the inflation conscious not unfoundedly on high level. The Western powers were ready only for individual, short respites for payment, a longer suspension rejected them. Since the fulfilment politics could not show considerable successes, it was rejected in Germany increasingly, the government under William Cuno terminated it in November 1922.

After the conference of Genova France had seized and demanded again the initiative in the German politics of the Western powers the productive Pfänder. 1922 were prevented the delivery of German industrial portions to the reparation commission by Great Britain.

When Germany with the reparation payments came again into one, comparatively small, arrears, French and Belgian troops at the beginning of engaged 1923 in the Ruhr district. The German government and population reacted with passive resistance, i.e., instructions of the occupation troops were ignored, a general strike was proclaimed, and above all the transportation courses with the coal, which Frenchmen and Belgians wanted to remove as reparations, were returned and blocked. Thereupon the Besatzer dismissed all German railway workers, who were financially supported like the strikers by the realm government.

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Inflation and end of the Ruhr fight

The reparations contributed to the inflation in Germany in as much as more moneys one printed, in order to support for example the Ruhr fight. 1923 were the stabilization of the realm Mark a precondition for the renegotiation of the Reparationsforderungen.

The end of the fight against the occupation of the Ruhr district and the beginning of the fight against the inflation came with new realm chancellor Gustav Stresemann in the summer 1923, which had at first carried the resistance ways to the removal of the crisis missed however now. Germany had made several proposals for compromise, was ready for Great Britain however only after abort of the passive resistance for a reorganization. Stresemann hoped for a departure of the foreign troops after the end of the resistance, France was however ready for no compromises, since it knew around the hopelessness of Germany. The end of the resistance on 26 September brought it at the beginning of no improvement the situation, came to separatist movements, which were supported by France. On 28 September in accordance with MICUM agreements doing the reparations was again taken up.

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Dawes plan

Only on pressure of Great Britain, which had changed its position also by the French support of the separatists, and which France in the autumn steered the USA 1923 after the currency reform and termination of the inflation originated in in and it to 1924 the Dawes plan. In it among other things the height of the demands (at the beginning of 1 billion per year, later 2.5 billion per year) was lowered, the economic factors stepped opposite political the more into the foreground. An end of the payments was not determined yet. For the regulation of the reparations a “Reparationsagent” was inserted with seat into Berlin. Credits from the USA flowed to Germany. Already in the letter of Stresemann at Crown Prince William from 7 September 1925 it writes that Germany will not be starting from 1927 no more able to fulfill the Reparationsforderungen.

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Young plan

1926 discussed the French minister of foreign affairs Aristide Briand and its German colleague Gustav Stresemann in Thoiry among other things the evacuation of the Rhine country and a premature payment of reparations, the France the possibility gave its financial crisis to fight. Above all Briand could not implement its conceptions at home.

1929 were determined in the Young plan the duration of the reparation payments at 59 years (thus until 1988). Altogether Germany should pay after this plan 112 billion Goldmark to 1988. The rights tried the Young plan with a popular vote to prevent. The popular vote helped to return Adolf Hitler to the policy. With the celebration to evacuation of the Rhine country, which was premature evacuation part of the Young plan, became Gustav Stresemann not mentioned.

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End of the reparation payments

After Verabschiedung of the Young plan the first Präsidialkabinett under Heinrich Brüning tried to set the German export in motion in order to get enough foreign exchange for the payment of the reparations. There were not credits, which one had for this purpose taken in the years 1924 to 1929, after New Yorker collapse of the stock market the no more. Brüning hoped that this expansion German of the export the creditor countries would become so unpleasant that they would suggest within some years on their part a revision of the Young plan. The German export offensive failed however, because in the world economic crisis beginning all countries similar measures moved and the tariffs increased.

The end of the reparations came from completely different side, on which Brüning had not counted at all. The attempt of a customs union with Austria and Brünings nationalistic propaganda, with which he tried, who Nazis abzugraben relating to domestic affairs the water, disconcerted the foreign creditors, with whom the German economy and the German state had been to blame for themselves in the twenties. In the spring 1931 ever more still remaining short term credits were taken off, so that Germany at the edge of the inability to pay stood. In this situation the American president Herbert Hoover made the suggestion to let all intergovernmental debts rest for one year in order to calm the confidence down of the credit markets into the German economy. This failed, because the Frenchmen retarded the entry into force of this Hoover moratorium by negotiations lasting for weeks. On 13 July 1931 all German banks had to close Devisentransfer for several days, abroad were forbidden, Germany were insolvent.

In this situation the foreign private creditors, all recognized in front the Americans and the British that the only chance was to see their billions again borrowed to Germany ever the cancellation of the reparations. Because even if the German economy recovered again, at expiration of the Hoover moratorium enough foreign exchange would be missing, in order to be able to pay reparations and private debts.

In two appraisals of the autumn 1931, which became Layton report and the Beneduce report, the inability to pay of Germany after the end of the Hoover moratorium certified by international Experts of financial politics. These reports were the basis for the conference of Lausanne in the summer 1932, which waived the German Reparationsverpflichtungen against a payment of balance of three billion Goldmark (in foreign exchange). Chancellor Brüning, who had set on the complete cancellation of the reparations, in order to improve thereby its position relating to domestic affairs, had been at this time already replaced by Franz from Papen. The contract of Lausanne was never ratified by the states involved, why also the final payment was never carried out.

In the older literature one often finds the thesis that the end of the reparations was to Brünings deflationary policy to attribute, their actual purpose. In the newer research one contradicts to this opinion: Therefore Brüning believed and its coworkers that the deflationary policy would be a suitable means, to help out Germany from the world economic crisis. Brünings deflationary policy played a role with the end of the reparations in as much as she was expressly praised in the mentioned expert reports (the private creditors hoped to be able to pay back that Germany would earn thereby again enough foreign exchange, around the Privatschulden); a deeper cause for the end of the reparations was however the collapse of the German banks, which was released by Brünings awkward foreign policy and the French refusal to grant to insolvent Germany rapid and confidence-stabilizing financial assistance. [1]

After the Second World War in the Londoner debt agreement the repayment of the private German foreign debt was regulated. In addition belonged also a part of the reparations, which 1930 on loan basis before-financed and so that into Privatschulden had been converted. Their height was halved. Until approximately 1983 the Federal Republic paid 14 back billion DM debts. However interest at a value of 251 million Marks was suspended from the years 1945 to 1952 up to the reunification of Germany and finally in the year 1990 due. The Federal Government spent on it funding loans, which are erased until 2020 from the Federal Budget. Repayment and interest amount to per year about five million euro.

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Literature

Robert E. Bunselmeyer: The cost OF the was 1914-1919. British economic was aims and the origins OF reparations. Archon Books, Hamden (Connecticut) 1975, ISBN 0-208-01551-5

Philipp Heyde: The end of the reparations. Germany, France and the Youngplan. Schöningh, Paderborn 1998, ISBN 3-506-77507-3

Bruce Kent: The Spoils OF was. The Politics, Economics, and Diplomacy OF Reparations 1918-1932. Clarendon, Oxford 1989, ISBN 0-19-822738-8

Peter Krüger: Germany and the reparations 1918/19. The genesis of the Reparationsproblems in Germany between armistice and Versailler peace treaty. German publishing house, Stuttgart 1973, ISBN 3-421-01620-8

[Work on]

Web on the left of

Article over the reparations of the citizens of Berlin newspaper

This article was taken up to the list of the articles worth reading.

By „http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Reparationen_nach_dem_Ersten_Weltkrieg “

Categories: Worth reading | Weimar Republic | realm finances (term)

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[Frank_East]

I think we should add that the original reparations level was fixed at $33 Billion in April 1921.

By a series of negotiations and the effect of hyperinflation and the Nazi's election to power,the value and delivery of reparations were significantly reduced.The struggle to get Germany to pay her reparations was essentially linked to Great Britain and France who in turn wished to pay off their war debts to the US.However,President Hoover did not acknowedge this linkage between German reparations to Great Britain and France and their war debts to the US.Both wished the US to cancel their debt owed to the US if they in turn reduced Germany's reparations.

The Dawes Plan reduced the reparations level down to $26.3 from August 1924.Germany was to pay between 1924 and 1928, annual cash reparations of 1 Billion to 1.75 Billion Gold Marks which Germany could not pay.

The Young Plan was a revised Dawes Plan which retained the $26.3 Billion principal but the graduated payments were extended to 59 years.This was effective from January 1930 and committed the Germans to annual payments of $473 Million of which a third would be mandatory and the rest subject to posponement.

The German main participant in the financial negotiations was Hjalmar Schacht,a special currency commissioner in the Finance Ministry where he had worked since 1916 and who had been appointed to head the newly created Reichbank but who resigned in protest against the Young Plan.Reported to be a fevent nationalist he began to admire Hitler's lothing of the Versailles Treaty.Schacht increaingly declared to his US contacts that Germany could not afford the reparations due to the effect of the Versailles Treaty quoting loss of land and population) The Young Plan collapsed even after Hoover had introduced a one year moratorium one payments from the summer of 1931.

With the continual economic decline in Europe,Great Britain,France,Italy, Belgium,Germany and Japan came to a reparations agreement at Lausanne in 1932.The principal clauses being that Germany would not be pressurised for immediate payments and Germany's debt would be greatly reduced from $33 Billion to $714 Million, a virtual cancellation of the debt. (Was this the debt accepted by West Germany in 1953?)

Hitler came to power in January 1933 and immediately repudiated the debt as he had openly declared he would do previously.Schacht career bloomed as a member of the Nazi Cabinet holding a variety of financial and economic posts including head of the Reichbank.Schacht as Reich Minister of Economics,played an important role in Hitler's rearmament plan from 1935, using the Reichsbank and his expertise as a banker. This role resulted in him being charged but acquitted at Nuremberg of "organising Germany for war"

[AndyHollinger]

Okay ... can somebody please net out a quick answer ... I am confused. I always thought Hilter ended the Reparations ... but it seems there are some side and/or private war debts that have been paid since ... okay, in a simple fashion ... explain these to me.

Second, I thought all the war debt from WWII was erased ... not true?

From an American point of view, the idea of the debt is silly. They borrowed money to invest in the American economy ... we should have said thanks for the jobs ... since we invent money, why keep track of the debts ...

But ... please ... in a nutshell ... what did all the above say?

[PBI]

Some actual clarification would go a long way to helping us all get our Heads around this Subject.Is the German Govt still paying reperations or interest on the Reperations ?..(sorry to sound thick)

[Max]

I may be out of line with most thinking on this thread, and I certainly do not wish to upset our German friends here but I do think that the German state should be totally responsible for paying off its debt to the last cent. I have some more extreme views on the matter but I do not think that it would be appropriate to mention them here.

Andy

[Frank_East]

Okay ... can somebody please net out a quick answer ... I am confused. I always thought Hilter ended the Reparations ... but it seems there are some side and/or private war debts that have been paid since ... okay, in a simple fashion ... explain these to me.

Second, I thought all the war debt from WWII was erased ... not true?

From an American point of view, the idea of the debt is silly. They borrowed money to invest in the American economy ... we should have said thanks for the jobs ... since we invent money, why keep track of the debts ...

But ... please ... in a nutshell ... what did all the above say?

I am sure there is evidence in the appropriate achives that the Germans paid little reparations from when they were enacted in April 1921. From the Wall Street Crash of 1929, there was much resentment from the likes of Hjalmar Schacht who was outraged by what he saw as unfair economical treatment and political interference by the former Allied Governments.His political learnings were then influenced by the Nazi Party from about 1930. It would appear that the Germans paid little if any reparations from when the Young Plan was launched in January 1930.What is certain is that the new German State, to be known as the Third Reich which came into power in January 1933, paid no further payments as directed by Hitler who repudiated the debt.As far as I can see,this stance was not challenged.It would appear that the issue was not revisited until 1953, some 20years later but it cannot be at the principal of $33 Billion.

Schacht on one of his many visits to the US during 1930 predicted on October 21 that Germany would stop reparations "unless other countries help her extend foreign trade". At the same time during the speech as reported in the New York Times, he predicted "defiance of the disarmament provision of the Treaty of Versailles by some German Government in the future unless the Allied Governmnts carry out their part of the Treaty bargains and divest themselves of their armaments".He also took issue with John Foster Dulles who had been a member of the Reparations Committee.

Regarding Allied Government Great War debt to the US, I can only find a reference to Finland who it was said paid up at the time in full.What the level was,I do not know but I would think it was insignificant.

[Take on me]

Some actual clarification would go a long way to helping us all get our Heads around this Subject.Is the German Govt still paying reperations or interest on the Reperations ?

Andy and PBI,

According to what Egbert is saying yes they are.

Jon

[Gibbo]

Here's an English language entry in Wikipedia. According to it, 'an international conference decided (1953) that Germany would pay the remaining debt only after the country was reunified. Nonetheless, West Germany paid off the principal by 1980; then in 1995, after reunification, the new German government announced it would resume payments of the interest.'

[Gunner Bailey]

I guess the Brits, French, Belgians i.e. committed war crimes in India or Africa or wherever 100 years or 400 years ago and today's generation are not held hostage nowadays for their deeds.

Hi Egbert

No, the good old Brits never committed any war crimes. We did occsionally have to discipline people we thought of as savages in our superior way of the time. But at that time war crimes didn't exist. If had been then we were as much a victim of them too with our troops not being immune from the odd massacre, by Zulus, Afghans and assorted others.

Regarding the reparations. If we have just paid off our WW2 debts, then all other debts must still be valid in law, if chasing that debt has been continuous and repayments have been periodically made. No it's not brilliant way to rebuild the future, but then neither is war.

Gunner Bailey.

[frie]

Hello,

After the war the Belgian State got money from Germany (a fund) for war reparations. It was the Belgian government who decided about (the money) war reparations. This "fund" is closed for many years. The're no war Reparation Payments since many years, so nobody can still recieve War Reparation Payments. There was "the war reparation service" at the Belgian Government --- closed for about 30 years....; It's all finished.

[Take on me]

No, the good old Brits never committed any war crimes. We did occsionally have to discipline people we thought of as savages in our superior way of the time. But at that time war crimes didn't exist. If had been then we were as much a victim of them too with our troops not being immune from the odd massacre, by Zulus, Afghans and assorted others.

Gunner Bailey.

Amritsar massacre? Personally I think, however, your pretty close to the truth. Rather than massacre British imperialists frequently behaved with simple indifference when people needed help. There were several famines in India and the Irish Potato famine which really ought not to have killed as many as they did.

Frie, the War Reperations organisation might have finished work in Belgium but that simply might be because other officials can do the accountancy, I mean 4M Euros is not a vast amount of money in the political/international world. Maybe?

Jon