Defeat in World War I left Germany desperate and on the brink of collapse, fertile ground for a Nationalistic movement.

by Rabbi Eliahu Ellis & Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky

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World War I

Allied Soldiers In World War I
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

Germany did not lose World War I in a decisive military defeat. They saw the writing on the wall and opted for a treaty, an armistice. The treaty that came out of World War I was the "Versailles Treaty."

Versailles Treaty

Representatives Of The "Big Four"
At Versailles

Absolutely nobody was happy with it. The French and the English, who had done a great deal of the fighting and bleeding, felt that Germany got off too easy. On the other hand, Germany felt penalized too much and unjustly.

One of the stipulations was that Germany had to pay $23 billion in war reparations. This was a fraction of the actual damage, which totaled more than $200 billion. But considering that Germany was $100 billion in debt at the end of the war with its resources mortgaged for the next 20 years, it was an impossible demand and it broke the economy. The result: Germany went into hyper-inflation, unemployment soared out of control, and the country went wild with rival factions fighting in the streets.

German Postage Stamps

Postage Stamps During The German "Hyper-Inflation": From 30 Thousand Up To An Incredible 20 BILLION Marks

The political situation in Germany was extremely unstable. The writings of Trotsky and Lenin reveal the efforts that the ‘communist international’ was putting into Germany. Everyone was sure that Germany was the next country to go communist.

Propaganda

Propaganda Equating Jewry With Communism

 

 

In this climate, suddenly, small nationalist folk parties started to spring up. All of them had similar agendas on their platform: Democracy had to go to get some law and order back again. These parties claimed that it was not that Germany lost World War I; rather, the boys on the front lines had the rug pulled out from under their feet.

Who did that?

Those wheelers and dealers back home – the Jews.

Published: Wednesday, December 31, 1969

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Visitor Comments: 84

  • (84) ashley , January 23, 2009

    this was very goood

    wow! i never kew that thax

  • (83) Tasleem Arif , August 21, 2008

    The historic and heroic struggle of the Jews

    The holocaust Studies awakens one to the historical and heroic struggle conducted by the Jews to survive one of their worst national disasters. The existence of the whole nation was placed under jeopardy: their freedom was arrested, their religion stigmatised, their economy destroyed, their life and reputation injured beyond reparation and their education disrupted. Despite all these limitations and disabilities imposed upon them, they survived and demonstrated to the gaze of the world a unique character of tolerance and perseverance and revival. The national history of the Jews contains accounts of many disasters imposed upon them by their adversaries, but it is equally true that the character of tolerance, persistence and revival has been unusually strong in them.

  • (82) charlotte beebe , November 21, 2007

    excellent information

    keep letting the world know that what happened to the Jews could happen to any group. The devil doesn't care who it targets. He just wants to cause pain. and a lot of it

  • (81) ekow , October 31, 2007

    i was reading the historical background of the holocust.I want to continue following up the story....

  • (80) martins , October 30, 2007

    i was so sadened when i learnt about the holocaust

    what was the accusation leveled against the jews that made them to suffered a great ordeal in the hands of the Germans. whatever it might be, i think Hitler was misled by some veiled people. that is to say hitler was instigated by the jewish enemies.

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