Hide those history books, question your political science professor and wake up late president Woodrow Wilson because Oct. 3 marked what historians phrase as “the end” of WWI.
Last Sunday, Germany paid its final installments of WWI reparations. Putting an end to a 92-year-old debt and shining light on the success of Germany today.
In 1919, after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was ordered to pay reparations worth $400 billion in today’s dollar value as well as give up 13.5% of its 1914 territory. Its economy crumbled after, leaving the country’s economy in debt and its currency nearly worthless. It is this debt that Adolph Hitler exploited.
This treaty and reparations go far beyond just payments, it signifies the reunification of a country that when mentioned in history is remembered by the one person they wish to forget.
The pace of payment, judged by some, could be blamed on the controversy, complexity and vagueness of the treaty. It was basically Germany’s punishment from other European states.
Controversial in many ways, Hitler’s refused to pay the debt during his dictatorship. Mark Harrison, an economics professor at University of Warwick, stated, “Hitler was committed to not just not paying, but to overturning the whole treaty.” The treat is also complex in the sense that when Germany became two countries, there was an argument as to who would take on the debt. According to BBC News, it is because of this division that in 1953 the London Treaty agreed to halting all payments until both states were unified. By 1990 when the country was reunified, many changes had occurred within world politics and economics, so the payments were lowered.
After decades, of economic reconstruction Germany stands as the leading European State with the largest economy in Europe. In the words of Martin Farr, a senior lecturer in British history at Newcastle University, “The lesson was learned eventually… it required another 20 or so million people to be killed first.”
I am gracious to be born in this generation. One that though is always a work in progress continues to improve for the better. My history book in high school was filled with facts about centuries of oppression and intensified war, there is faith that my grandchildren’s history books will be filled with facts of not the continuous oppression but rather progression of humanity. Have you ever stopped to think about not the flaws of our time, but the successes?
It is in this generation that after nearly 250 years of African slavery and decades of prejudice in America, an Black American become the president. It is in my generation that a man sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964, returned 30 years later to become one of Africa’s most respected leaders. It is in our generation that the expansion of globalization – no I’m not talking about Facebook – unifies and educates us daily. Let’s take a second to appreciate the progress that has come with time.
Uzo Umeh is a junior communications major and a contributing writer for the Daily 49er.
Disclaimer: The Daily 49er is not responsible for Postings made on www.daily49er.wpengine.com. Persons commenting are solely responsible for Postings made on this website. Persons commenting agree to the Terms of Use of the website. If Postings do not abide by the Rules of Conduct or Posting Regulations as listed in the Postings Policy, the Daily 49er has all rights to delete Postings as it deems necessary. The Daily 49er strongly advises individuals to not abuse their First Amendment rights, and to avoid language suggestive of hate speech. This site also encourages users to make Postings relevant to the article or other Postings.
