Opposition to the Treaty of Versailles (SQA National 5 History): Revision Note

Summary

Many Germans opposed the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty created new borders which divided the German population and put foreign troops in parts of Germany.

To many people, these changes felt like a national insult. Many people refused to accept the treaty as permanent; they looked for leaders who promised to undo it. This harmed trust within the country and relations with other countries.

Opposition to the Treaty of Versailles

• The Treaty of Versailles was seen as unfair and humiliating

• Many Germans called it a “diktat” (a deal forced on them)

• Germany was not invited to the treaty talks

• The war-guilt blame hurt people's pride, and losing land (like Alsace-Lorraine) angered people

• Many Germans feared economic problems

  • Huge reparations and loss of coal and iron areas meant fewer jobs and higher prices 

  • People were worried they would not be able to feed their families or rebuild the country

• There was a huge political backlash because political parties on the right (and many army officers) swore to overturn the treaty

  • Protests and violence followed (for example, anger at army cuts and at reparation payments)

  • This weakened trust in the Weimar government

• Reparations and loss of coal/iron areas hurt the economy

  • A crisis followed in 1923 (hyperinflation) and Germany became dependent on foreign loans in the late 1920s

• Border changes meant new tensions began to build

  • New borders led to German minorities in countries like Poland and Czechoslovakia

  • Arguments over these areas led to later conflict