WWI Repatriations

April 11, 2007 9:52 AM

What form did the repatriations that were extracted from Germany after WWI take? I am curious as to whether they were in the form of the heavy durable goods that would have accelerated the recovery of German industry or if they were foodstuffs, direct labor or something else. Where can I find data that would give me a breakdown on what the repatriations consisted of?
posted by Raybun to law & government (8 comments total)

Repatriations where to be paid in cash. take a gander at Treaty of Versailles (which was the ending document for WWI) Wikipedia. They have a section concerning repatriations
posted by edgeways at 9:58 AM on April 11, 2007

er... cash = gold
posted by edgeways at 9:59 AM on April 11, 2007

WWI Reparations on wikipedia; apparently mostly cash.
posted by beerbajay at 10:00 AM on April 11, 2007

cash and some territory adjustments.
posted by Stynxno at 10:02 AM on April 11, 2007

Here is the relevant portion of the Treaty of Versailles. As well as cash and territory it included livestock, fuel, replacement of Allied military equipment, as well as some very specific "you broke it, you replace it" style requirements. For example:

ARTICLE 247.

Germany undertakes to furnish to the University of Louvain, within three months after a request made by it and transmitted through the intervention of the Reparation Commission, manuscripts, incunabula, printed books, maps and objects of collection corresponding in number and value to those destroyed in the burning by Germany of the Library of Louvain.
posted by greycap at 10:11 AM on April 11, 2007 [1 favorite]

Not to mention this famous section:

Within the same period Germany will hand over to His Britannic Majesty's Government the skull of the Sultan Mkwawa which was removed from the Protectorate of German East Africa and taken to Germany.
posted by Chrysostom at 12:29 PM on April 11, 2007 [2 favorites]

That Wikipedia article on the Treaty of Versailles as noted above enumerates some of the material consequences to Germany, including the loss of:

--10% of its national territory
--All of its overseas colonies (including Kamerun, German East Africa, German Southwest Africa, Togoland and German New Guinea)
--12.5% of its population
--16% of its coalfields, and half its iron and steel industry.

So there were some real reductions to industrial capacity, largely by French design.
posted by Midnight Creeper at 1:38 PM on April 11, 2007

Yes- search for reparations, not repatriations. Reparations are money or goods paid to "make up for" the damage caused by a war. Repatriation is sending people (refugees, imprisoned soldiers, etc) home.

greycap's link isn't working for me, but here is another. Chrysostom, thanks for pointing out the skull passage; that is really amazing.
posted by LobsterMitten at 1:39 PM on April 11, 2007