2016-06-28 Tue

The Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28th June 1919 and the World War – I officially ended leaving Germany devastated. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand dragged the whole Europe into a devastating war.

Fought during 1914 – 1918, the WWI divided Europe into two groups. The war was fought between two opposite alliances the Allies of the British Empire, France and the Russian Empire and the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary. Involvement of the USA in the war in April 1917 against the Central Power turned the whole scenario upside down. In Nov 1918 Germany surrendered which brought about an end to the war.

The War officially came to an end only after signing the treaty of Versailles Paris Peace Conference. Held in the Hall of Mirror at the Palace of Versailles the treaty was the ultimate humiliation of Germany.

The treaty was written by the Allies with almost no participation by the Germans. The treaty stripped Germany breaking her down. Germany lost all of her colonies, 75% of her iron ore deposits and 26% of her coal and potash. The Germans also had to officially accept ‘war guilt’ and pay the war indemnity of £6,000 million.

For the Allies, the treaty had created a just peace which weakened Germany. The treaty was held Germany responsible for the war and was designed to crush her economically and militarily; eliminating the chances of future aggression. However, this fear of the Allies came true. The Treaty of Versailles contained the seeds of its own destruction as Germany's anger at the Treaty was one of the main reasons the Nazi’s were able to come to power.

The stamps of Saar make this interesting piece of history come alive. Issued during the post-war time, the stamp portrays coal mines and industrial area of Saarland which was given to France and comes with the denomination of 25 marks.