the covenant of the league of nations · the versailles treaty june 28, 1919 the covenant of the...

THE VERSAILLES TREATY

JUNE 28, 1919

The Covenant of the League of Nations

The HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, In order to promoteinternational co-operation and to achieve interna-tional peace and security by the acceptance ofobligations not to resort to war by the prescription ofopen, just and honourable relations between nationsby the firm establishment of the understandings ofinternational law as the actual rule of conduct amongGovernments, and by the maintenance of justice anda scrupulous respect for all treaty obligations in thedealings of organised peoples with one another Agreeto this Covenant of the League of Nations.

A R T I C L E 1The original Members of the League of Nations

shall be those of the Signatories which are named inthe Annex to this Covenant and also such of thoseother States named in the Annex as shall accedewithout reservation to this Covenant. Such accessionshall be effected by a Declaration deposited with theSecretariat within two months of the coming intoforce of the Covenant Notice thereof shall be sent toall other Members of the League. Any fully self-governing State, Dominion, or Colony not named inthe Annex may become a Member of the League if itsadmission is agreed to by two-thirds of the Assemblyprovided that it shall give effective guarantees of itssincere intention to observe its international obliga-tions, and shall accept such regulations as may beprescribed by the League in regard to its military,naval, and air forces and armaments. Any Member ofthe League may, after two years’ notice of its intentionso to do, withdraw from the League, provided that allits international obligations and all its obligationsunder this Covenant shall have been fulfilled at thetime of its withdrawal.

A R T I C L E 2The action of the League under this Covenant shall

be effected through the instrumentality of an Assemblyand of a Council, with a permanent Secretariat.

A R T I C L E 3The Assembly shall consist of Representatives of

the Members of the League. The Assembly shall meetat stated intervals and from time to time as occasionmay require at the Seat of the League or at such otherplace as may be decided upon. The Assembly maydeal at its meetings with any matter within the sphereof action of the League or affecting the peace of theworld. At meetings of the Assembly each Member ofthe League shall have one vote, and may not havemore than three Representatives.

A R T I C L E 4The Council shall consist of Representatives of the

Principal Allied and Associated Powers, together withRepresentatives of four other Members of the League.These four Members of the League shall be selectedby the Assembly from time to time in its discretion.Until the appointment of the Representatives of thefour Members of the League first selected by theAssembly, Representatives of Belgium, Brazil, Spain,and Greece shall be members of the Council. With theapproval of the majority of the Assembly, the Councilmay name additional Members of the League whoseRepresentatives shall always be members of theCouncil; the Council with like approval may increasethe number of Members of the League to be selectedby the Assembly for representation on the Council.The Council shall meet from time to time as occasionmay require, and at least once a year, at the Seat of theLeague, or at such other place as may be decidedupon. The Council may deal at its meetings with anymatter within the sphere of action of the League oraffecting the peace of the world. Any Member of theLeague not represented on the Council shall beinvited to send a Representative to sit as a member atany meeting of the Council during the considerationof matters specially affecting the interests of thatMember of the League. At meetings of the Council,each Member of the League represented on theCouncil shall have one vote, and may have not morethan one Representative.

A R T I C L E 5Except where otherwise expressly provided in this

Covenant or by the terms of the present Treaty,decisions at any meeting of the Assembly or of the

Council shall require the agreement of all theMembers of the League represented at the meeting.All matters of procedure at meetings of the Assemblyor of the Council, including the appointment ofCommittees to investigate particular matters, shall beregulated by the Assembly or by the Council and maybe decided by a majority of the Members of theLeague represented at the meeting. The first meetingof the Assembly and the first meeting of the Councilshall be summoned by the President of the UnitedStates of America.

A R T I C L E 6The permanent Secretariat shall be established at

the Seat of the League. The Secretariat shall comprisea Secretary General and such secretaries and staff asmay be required. The first Secretary General shall bethe person named in the Annex; thereafter theSecretary General shall be appointed by the Councilwith the approval of the majority of the Assembly. Thesecretaries and staff of the Secretariat shall beappointed by the Secretary General with the approvalof the Council. The Secretary General shall act in thatcapacity at all meetings qf the Assembly and of theCouncil. The expenses of the Secretariat shall beborne by the Members of the League in accordancewith the apportionment of the expenses of theInternational Bureau of the Universal Postal Union.

A R T I C L E 7The Seat of the League is established at Geneva.

The Council may at any time decide that the Seat of theLeague shall be established elsewhere. All positionsunder or in connection with the League, including heSecretariat, shall be open equally to men and women.Representatives of the Members of the League andofficials of he League when engaged on the business ofthe League shall enjoy diplomatic privileges andimmunities. The buildings and other property occupiedby the League or its officials or by Representativesattending its meetings sha11 be inviolable.

A R T I C L E 8The Members of the League recognise that the

maintenance of peace requires the reduction ofnational armaments to the lowest point consistentwith national safety and the enforcement by commonaction of international obligations. The Council,

taking account of the geographical situation andcircumstances of each State, shall formulate plans forsuch reduction for the consideration and action of theseveral Governments. Such plans shall be subject toreconsideration and revision at least every ten years.After these plans shall have been adopted by theseveral Governments, the limits of armaments thereinfixed shall not be exceeded without the concurrenceof the Council. The Members of the League agree thatthe manufacture by private enterprise of munitionsand implements of war is open to grave objections.The Council shall advise how the evil effects attendantupon such manufacture can be prevented, due regardbeing had to the necessities of those Members of theLeague which are not able to manufacture themunitions and implements of war necessary for theirsafety. The Members of the League undertake tointerchange full and frank information as to the scaleof their armaments, their military, naval, and airprogrammes and the condition of such of theirindustries as are adaptable to war-like purposes.

A R T I C L E 9A permanent Commission shall be constituted to

advise the Council on the execution of the provisionsof Articles 1 and 8 and on military, naval, and airquestions generally.

A R T I C L E 10The Members of the League undertake to respect

and preserve as against external aggression theterritorial integrity and existing political indepen-dence of all Members of the League. In case of anysuch aggression or in case of any threat or danger ofsuch aggression the Council shall advise upon themeans by which this obligation shall be fulfilled.

A R T I C L E 11Any war or threat of war, whether immediately

affecting any of the Members of the League or not, ishereby declared a matter of concern to the wholeLeague, and the League shall take any action that maybe deemed wise and effectual to safeguard the peaceof nations. In case any such emergency should arisethe Secretary General shall on the request of anyMember of the League forthwith summon a meetingof the Council. It is also declared to be the friendlyright of each Member of the League to bring to the

O M N I B U S I I I2

The Treaty of Versailles 3

attention of the Assembly or of the Council anycircumstance whatever affecting internationalrelations which threatens to disturb internationalpeace or the good understanding between nationsupon which peace depends.

A R T I C L E 12The Members of the League agree that if there

should arise between them any dispute likely to leadto a rupture, they will submit the matter either toarbitration or to inquiry by the Council, and theyagree in no case to resort to war until three monthsafter the award by the arbitrators or the report by theCouncil. In any case under this Article the award ofthe arbitrators shall be made within a reasonabletime, and the report of the Council shall be madewithin six months after the submission of the dispute.

A R T I C L E 13The Members of the League agree that whenever

any dispute shall arise between them which theyrecognise to be suitable for submission to arbitrationand which cannot be satisfactorily settled bydiplomacy, they will submit the whole subject-matterto arbitration. Disputes as to the interpretation of atreaty, as to any question of international law, as to theexistence of any fact which if established wouldconstitute a breach of any international obligation, oras to the extent and nature of the reparation to bemade or any such breach, are declared to be amongthose which are generally suitable for submission toarbitration. For the consideration of any such disputethe court of arbitration to which the case is referredshall be the Court agreed on by the parties to thedispute or stipulated in any convention existingbetween them. The Members of the League agree thatthey will carry out in full good faith any award thatmay be rendered, and that they will not resort to waragainst a Member of the League which compliestherewith. In the event of any failure to carry out suchan award, the Council shall propose what stepsshould be taken to give effect thereto.

A R T I C L E 14The Council shall formulate and submit to the

Members of the League for adoption plans for theestablishment of a Permanent Court of InternationalJustice. The Court shall be competent to hear and

determine any dispute of an international characterwhich the parties thereto submit to it. The Court mayalso give an advisory opinion upon any dispute orquestion referred to it by the Council or by the Assembly.

A R T I C L E 15If there should arise between Members of the

League any dispute likely to lead to a rupture, whichis not submitted to arbitration in accordance withArticle 13, the Members of the League agree that theywill submit the matter to the Council. Any party to thedispute may effect such submission by giving noticeof the existence of the dispute to the SecretaryGeneral, who will make all necessary arrangementsfor a full investigation and consideration thereof. Forthis purpose the parties to the dispute will communi-cate to the Secretary General, as promptly as possible,statements of their case with all the relevant facts andpapers, and the Council may forthwith direct thepublication thereof. The Council shall endeavour toeffect a settlement of the dispute, and if such effortsare successful, a statement shall be made publicgiving such facts and explanations regarding thedispute and the terms of settlement thereof as theCouncil may deem appropriate. If the dispute is notthus settled, the Council either unanimously or by amajority vote shall make and publish a reportcontaining a statement of the facts of the dispute andthe recommendations which are deemed just andproper in regard thereto Any Member of the Leaguerepresented on the Council may make public astatement of the facts of the dispute and of its conclu-sions regarding the same. If a report by the Council isunanimously agreed to by the members thereof otherthan the Representatives of one or more of the partiesto the dispute, the Members of the League agree thatthey will not go to war with any party to the disputewhich complies with the recommendations of thereport. If the Council fails to reach a report which isunanimously agreed to by the members thereof, otherthan the Representatives of one or more of the partiesto the dispute, the Members of the League reserve tothemselves the right to take such action as they shallconsider necessary for the maintenance of right andjustice. If the dispute between the parties is claimedby one of them, and is found by the Council, to ariseout of a matter which by international law is solelywithin the domestic jurisdiction of that party, the

Council shall so report, and shall make norecommendation as to its settlement. The Councilmay in any case under this Article refer the dispute tothe Assembly. The dispute shall be so referred at therequest of either party to the dispute, provided thatsuch request be made within fourteen days after thesubmission of the dispute to the Council. In any casereferred to the Assembly, all the provisions of thisArticle and of Article 12 relating to the action andpowers of the Council shall apply to the action andpowers of the Assembly, provided that a report madeby the Assembly, if concurred in by the Representativesof those Members of the League represented on theCouncil and of a majority of the other Members of theLeague, exclusive in each case of the Representativesof the parties to the dispute shall have the same forceas a report by the Council concurred in by all themembers thereof other than the Representatives ofone or more of the parties to the dispute.

A R T I C L E 16Should any Member of the League resort to war in

disregard of its covenants under Articles 12, 13, or 15,it shall ipso facto be deemed to have committed an actof war against all other Members of the League,which hereby undertake immediately to subject it tothe severance of all trade or financial relations, theprohibition of all intercourse between their nationsand the nationals of the covenant-breaking State, andthe prevention of all financial, commercial, orpersonal intercourse between the nationals of thecovenant-breaking State and the nationals of anyother State, whether a Member of the League or not. Itshall be the duty of the Council in such case torecommend to the several Governments concernedwhat effective military, naval, or air force theMembers of the League shall severally contribute tothe armed forces to be used to protect the covenantsof the League. The Members of the League agree,further, that they will mutually support one anotherin the financial and economic measures which aretaken under this Article, in order to minimise the lossand inconvenience resulting from the abovemeasures, and that they will mutually support oneanother in resisting any special measures aimed atone of their number by the covenant-breaking State,and that they will take the necessary steps to affordpassage through their territory to the forces of any of

the Members of the League which are co-operating toprotect the covenants of the League. Any Member ofthe League which has violated any covenant of theLeague may be declared to be no longer a Member ofthe League by a vote of the Council concurred in bythe Representatives of all the other Members of theLeague represented thereon.

A R T I C L E 17In the event of a dispute between a Member of the

League and a State which is not a Member of theLeague, or between States not Members of the League,the State or States, not Members of the League shallbe invited to accept the obligations of membership inthe League for the purposes of such dispute, uponsuch conditions as the Council may deem just. If suchinvitation is accepted, the provisions of Articles 12 toI6 inclusive shall be applied with such modificationsas may be deemed necessary by the Council. Uponsuch invitation being given the Council shall immedi-ately institute an inquiry into the circumstances of thedispute and recommend such action as may seembest and most effectual in the circumstances. If aState so invited shall refuse to accept the obligationsof membership in the League for the purposes of suchdispute, and shall resort to war against a Member ofthe League, the provisions of Article 16 shall beapplicable as against the State taking such action. Ifboth parties to the dispute when so invited refuse toaccept the obligations of membership in the Leaguefor the purpose of such dispute, the Council may takesuch measures and make such recommendations aswill prevent hostilities and will result in the settlementof the dispute.

A R T I C L E 18Every treaty or international engagement

entered into hereafter by any Member of the Leagueshall be forthwith registered with the Secretariatand shall as soon as possible be published by it. Nosuch treaty or international engagement shall bebinding until so registered.

A R T I C L E 19The Assembly may from time to time advise the

reconsideration by Members of the League of treatieswhich have become inapplicable and the considera-tion of international conditions whose continuance


might endanger the peace of the world.

A R T I C L E 2 0The Members of the League severally agree that

this Covenant is accepted as abrogating all obligationsor understandings inter se which are inconsistent withthe terms thereof, and solemnly undertake that theywill not hereafter enter into any engagementsinconsistent with the terms thereof. In case anyMember of the League shall, before becoming aMember of the League, have undertaken any obliga-tions inconsistent with the terms of this Covenant, itshall be the duty of such Member to take immediatesteps to procure its release from such obligations.

A R T I C L E 21Nothing in this Covenant shall be deemed to

affect the validity of international engagements, suchas treaties of arbitration or regional understandingslike the Monroe doctrine, for securing the mainte-nance of peace.

A R T I C L E 2 2To those colonies and territories which as a

consequence of the late war have ceased to be underthe sovereignty of the States which formerly governedthem and which are inhabited by peoples not yet ableto stand by themselves under the strenuousconditions of the modern world, there should beapplied the principle that the well-being and develop-ment of such peoples form a sacred trust ofcivilisation and that securities for the performance ofthis trust should be embodied in this Covenant. Thebest method of giving practical effect to this principleis that the tutelage of such peoples should beentrusted to advanced nations who by reason of theirresources, their experience or their geographicalposition can best undertake this responsibility, andwho are willing to accept it, and that this tutelageshould be exercised by them as Mandatories onbehalf of the League. The character of the mandatemust differ according to the stage of the developmentof the people, the geographical situation of theterritory, its economic conditions, and other similarcircumstances. Certain communities formerlybelonging to the Turkish Empire have reached a stageof development where their existence as independentnations can be provisionally recognised subject to the

rendering of administrative advice and assistance bya Mandatory until such time as they are able to standalone. The wishes of these communities must be aprincipal consideration in the selection of theMandatory. Other peoples, especially those of CentralAfrica, are at such a stage that the Mandatory must beresponsible for the administration of the territoryunder conditions which will guarantee freedom ofconscience and religion, subject only to the mainte-nance of public order and morals, the prohibition ofabuses such as the slave trade, the arms traffic, andthe liquor traffic, and the prevention of the establish-ment of fortifications or military and naval bases andof military training of the natives for other than policepurposes and the defence of territory, and will alsosecure equal opportunities for the trade andcommerce of other Members of the League. There areterritories, such as South-West Africa and certain ofthe South Pacific Islands, which, owing to the sparse-ness of their population, or their small size, or theirremoteness from the centres of civilisation, or theirgeographical contiguity to the territory of theMandatory, and other circumstances, can be bestadministered under the laws of the Mandatory asintegral portions of its territory, subject to thesafeguards above mentioned in the interests of theindigenous population. In every case of mandate, theMandatory shall render to the Council an annualreport in reference to the territory committed to itscharge. The degree of authority, control, or adminis-tration to be exercised by the Mandatory shall, if notpreviously agreed upon by the Members of theLeague, be explicitly defined in each case by theCouncil. A permanent Commission shall be consti-tuted to receive and examine the annual reports of theMandatories and to advise the Council on all mattersrelating to the observance of the mandates.

A R T I C L E 2 3Subject to and in accordance with the provisions

of international conventions existing or hereafter tobe agreed upon, the Members of the League: (a) willendeavour to secure and maintain fair and humaneconditions of labour for men, women, and children,both in their own countries and in all countries towhich their commercial and industrial relationsextend, and for that purpose will establish andmaintain the necessary international organisations;


A R T I C L E 2 6Amendments to this Covenant will take effect

when ratified by the Members of the League whoserepresentatives compose the Council and by amajority of the Members of the League whoseRepresentatives compose the Assembly. No suchamendment shall bind any Member of the Leaguewhich signifies its dissent therefrom, but in that caseit shall cease to be a Member of the League.

A N N E X

I. Original Members of the League of NationsSignatories of the Treaty of Peace.

United States of America, Belgium, Bolivia,Brazil, British Empire, Canada, Australia,South Africa, New Zealand, India, China,Cuba, Ecuador, France, Greece, Guatemala,Haiti, Hedjaz, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Liberia,Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal,Roumania, Serb-Croat-Slovene State, Siam,Czecho-Slovakia, Uruguay

States Invited to Accede to the Covenant

Argentine Republic, Chile, Colombia, Denmark,Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Persia, Salvador,Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Venezuela

II. First Secretary General of the League of Nations.The Honourable Sir James Eric Drummond,K.C.M.G., C.B.

Part IIBoundaries of GermanyA R T I C L E 2 7The boundaries of Germany will be determined as follows:

1. With Belgium: From the point common to the three frontiersof Belgium, Holland, and Germany and in asoutherly direction: the north-easternboundary of the former territory of ne~tralMoresnet’ then the eastern boundary of theKreis of Eupen, then the frontier betweenBelgium and the Kreis of Montjoie, then thenortheastern and eastern boundary of theKreis of Malmedy to its junction with thefrontier of Luxemburg.

(b) undertake to secure just treatment of the nativeinhabitants of territories under their control; (c) willentrust the League with the general supervision overthe execution of agreements with regard to the trafficin women and children, and the traffic in opium andother dangerous drugs; (d) will entrust the Leaguewith the general supervision of the trade in arms andammunition with the countries in which the controlof this traffic is necessary in the common interest; (e)will make provision to secure and maintain freedomof communications and of transit and equitabletreatment for the commerce of all Members of theLeague. In this connection, the special necessities ofthe regions devastated during the war of 1914-1918shall be borne in mind; (f) will endeavour to take stepsin matters of international concern for the preventionand control of disease.

A R T I C L E 2 4There shall be placed under the direction of the

League all international bureaux already establishedby general treaties if the parties to such treatiesconsent. All such international bureaux and allcommissions for the regulation of matters of interna-tional interest hereafter constituted shall be placedunder the direction of the League. In all matters ofinternational interest which are regulated by generalconventions but which are not placed under thecontrol of international bureaux or commissions, theSecretariat of the League shall, subject to the consentof the Council and if desired by the parties, collectand distribute all relevant information and shallrender any other assistance which may be necessaryor desirable. The Council may include as part of theexpenses of the Secretariat the expenses of anybureau or commission which is placed under thedirection of the League.

A R T I C L E 2 5The Members of the League agree to encourage

and promote the establishment and co-operation ofduly authorised voluntary national Red Cross organi-sations having as purposes the improvement ofhealth, the prevention of disease, and the mitigationof suffering throughout the world.


2. With Luxemburg: The frontier of August 3, 1914, to its junctionwith the frontier of France of the 18th July,1870.

3. With France: The frontier of July 18, 1870, from Luxemburgto Switzerland with the reservations made inArticle 48 of Section IV (Saar Basin) of Part III.

4. With Switzerland: The present frontier.

5. With Austria. The frontier of August 3, 1914, fromSwitzerland to Czecho-Slovakia as hereinafterdefined.

6. With Czecho-Slovakia: The frontier of August 3, 1914, betweenGermany and Austria from its junction withthe old administrative boundary separatingBohemia and the province of Upper Austria tothe point north of the salient of the oldprovince of Austrian Silesia situated at about 8kilometres east of Neustadt.

7. With Poland: From the point defined above to a point to befixed on the ground about 2 kilometres east ofLorzendorf: the fronticr as it will be fixed inaccordance with Article 88 of the presentTreaty; thence in a northerly direction to thepoint where the administrative boundary ofPosnania crosses the river Bartsch: a line to befixed on the ground leaving the followingplaccs in Poland: Skorischau, Reichthal,Trembatschau, Kunzendorf, Schleise, GrossKoscl, Schreibersdorf, Rippin, Furstlich-Niefken, Pawelau, Tscheschen, Konradau,Johallnisdorf, Modzenowe, Bogdaj, and inGerrmany: Lorzendorf, Kaulwitz, Glausche,Dalbersdorf, Reesewitz, Stradam, GrossWartenberg, Kraschen, Neu Mittelwalde,Domaslawitz, Wedelsdorf, Tscheschen Hammer;thence the administrative boundary ofPosnania northwestwards to the point where itcuts the Rawitsch-Herrnstadt railway; thenceto the point where the administrativeboundary of Posnania cuts the Reisen-Tschirnau road: a line to be fixed on theground passing west of Triebusch and Gabeland east of Saborwitz; thence the administra-

tive boundary of Posnania to its junction withthe eastern administrative boundary of theKreis of Fraustadt; thence in a north-westerlydirection to a point to be chosen on the roadbetween the villages of Unruhstadt andKopnitz: a line to be fixed on the groundpassing west of Geyersdorf, Brenno, Fehlen,Altkloster, Klebel, and east of Ulbersdorf,Buchwald, Ilgen,Weine, Lupitze, Schwenten:thence in a northerly direction to the northern-most point of Lake Chlop: a line to be fixed onthe ground following the median line of thelakes; the town and the station of Bentschenhowever (including the junction of the linesSchwiebus-Bentschen and Zullichau-Bentschen) remaining in Polish territory;thence in a north-easterly direction to thepoint of junction of the boundaries of theKreise of Schwerin, Birnbaum, and Meseritz: aline to be fixed on the ground passing east ofBetsche; thence in a northerly direction theboundary separating the Kreise of Schwerinand Birnbaum, then in an easterly directionthe northern boundary of Posnania to thepoint where it cuts the river Netze; thenceupstream to its confluence with the Kaddow:the course of the Netze; thence upstream to apoint to be chosen about 6 kilometressoutheast of Schneidemuhl: the course of theKuddow; thence north-eastwards to the mostsouthern point of the reentant of the northernboundary of Posnania about 5 kilometres westof Stahren: a line to be fixed on the groundleaving the SchneidemuhlKonitz railway in thisarea entirely in German territory; thence theboundary of Posnania north-eastwards to thepoint of the salient it makes about 15 kilome-tres east of Flatow; thence north-eastwards tothe point where the river Kamionka meets thesouthern boundary of the Kreis of Konitzabout 3 kilometres north-east of Grunau: aline to be fixed on the ground leaving thefollowing places to Poland: Jasdrowo, Gr.Lutau, Kl. Lutau, Wittkau, and to Germany: Gr.Butzig, Cziskowo, Battrow, Bock, Grunau;thence in a northerly direction the boundarybetween the Kreise of Konitz and Schlochau tothe point where this boundary cuts the river



Brahe; thence to a point on the boundary ofPomerania 15 kilometres east ofRummelsburg: a line to be fixed on the groundleaving the following places in Poland:Konarzin, Kelpin, Adl. Briesen, and inGermany: Sampohl, Neuguth, Steinfort, Gr.Peterkau; then the boundary of Pomerania inan easterly direction to its junction with theboundary between the Kreise of Konitz andSchlochau; thence northwards the boundarybetween Pomerania and West Prussia to thepoint on the river Rheda about 3 kilometresnorthwest of Gohra where that river is joinedby a tributary from the north-west; thence to apoint to be selected in the bend of the Piasnitzriver about 1 1/2 kilometres north-west ofWarschkau: a line to be fixed on the ground;thence this river downstream, then the medianline of Lake Zarnowitz, then the old boundaryof West Prussia to the Baltic Sea. 8. WithDenmark: The frontier as it will be fixed inaccordance with Articles 109 to III of Part III,Section XII (Schleswig).

A R T I C L E 2 8The boundaries of East Prussia, with the reserva-

tions made in Section IX (East Prussia) of Part III, willbe determined as follows: from a point on the coast ofthe Baltic Sea about 1 1/2 kilometres north ofProbbernau church in a direction of about 159° Eastfrom true North: a line to be fixed on the ground forabout 2 kilometres; thence in a straight line to thelight at the bend of the Elbing Channel in approxi-mately latitude 54° 19 1/2’ North, longitude 19° 26’East of Greenwich; thence to the easternmost mouthof the Nogat River at a bearing of approximately 209°East from true North; thence up the course of theNogat River to the point where the latter leaves theVistula (Weichsel);thence up the principal channel ofnavigation of the Vistula, then the southern boundaryof the Kreis of Marienwerder, then that of the Kreis ofRosenberg eastwards to the point where it meets theold boundary of East Prussia, thence the oldboundary between East and West Prussia, then theboundary between the Kreise of Osterode andNeidenburg, then the course of the river Skottaudownstream, then the course of the Neide upstreamto a point situated about 5 kilometres west of

Bialutten being the nearest point to the old frontier ofRussia; thence in an easterly direction to a pointimmediately south of the intersection of the roadNeidenburg-Mlava with the old frontier of Russia: aline to be fixed on the ground passing north ofBialutten; thence the old frontier of Russia to a pointeast of Schmalleningken, then the principal channelof navigation of the Niemen (Memel) downstream,then the Skierwieth arm of the delta to the KurischesHaff; thence a straight line to the point where theeastern shore of the Kurische Nehrung meets theadministrative boundary about 4 kilometres south-west of Nidden; thence this administrative boundaryto the western shore of the Kurische Nehrung.

A R T I C L E 2 9The boundaries as described above are drawn in

red on a one-in-a-million map which is annexed tothe present Treaty (Map No. 1). In the case of anydiscrepancies between the text of the Treaty and thismap or any other map which may be annexed, the textwill be final.

A R T I C L E 3 0In the case of boundaries which are defined by a

waterway, the terms “course” and “channel” used inthe present Treaty signify: in the case of non-navigable rivers, the median line of the waterway or ofits principal arm, and, in the case of navigable rivers,the median line of the principal channel of navigationIt will rest with the Boundary Commissions providedby the present Treaty to specify in each case whetherthe frontier line shall follow any changes of thecourse or channel which may take place or whether itshall be definitely fixed by the position of the courseor channel at the time when the present Treaty comesinto force.

Part IIIPolitical Clauses for Europe

Section I: BelgiumA R T I C L E 3 1

Germany, recognising that the Treaties of April 19,1839, which established the status of Belgium beforethe war, no longer conform to the requirements of thesituation, consents to the abrogation of the saidTreaties and undertakes immediately to recognise andto observe whatever conventions may be entered into


by the Principal Allied and Associated Powers, or byany of them, in concert with the Governments ofBelgium and of the Netherlands, to replace the saidTreaties of 1839. If her formal adhesions should berequired to such conventions or to any of their stipula-tions, Germany undertakes immediately to give it.

A R T I C L E 3 2Germany recognises the full sovereignty of

Belgium over the whole of the contested territory ofMoresnet (called Moresnet neutre).

A R T I C L E 3 3Germany renounces in favour of Belgium all

rights and title over the territory of Prussian Moresnetsituated on the west of the road from Liege to Aix-la-Chapelle; the road will belong to Belgium where itbounds this territory.

A R T I C L E 3 4Germany renounces in favour of Belgium all

rights and title over the territory comprising the wholeof the Kreise of Eupen and of Malmedy. During the sixmonths after the coming into force of this Treaty,registers will be opened by the Belgian authority atEupen and Malmedy in which the inhabitants of theabove territory will be entitled to record in writing adesire to see the whole or part of it remain underGerman sovereignty. The results of this public expres-sion of opinion will be communicated by the BelgianGovernment to the League of Nations, and Belgiumundertakes to accept the decision of the League.

A R T I C L E 3 5A Commission of seven persons, five of whom will

be appointed by the Principal Allied and AssociatedPowers, one by Germany and one by Belgium, will beset up fifteen days after the coming into force of thepresent Treaty to settle on the spot the new frontierline between Belgium and Germany, taking intoaccount the economic factors and the means ofcommunication. Decisions will be taken by a majorityand will be binding on the parties concerned.

A R T I C L E 3 6When the transfer of the sovereignty over the territo-

ries referred to above has become definite, Germannationals habitually resident in the territories will defini-tively acquire Belgian nationality ipso facto, and will lose

their German nationality. Nevertheless, Germannationals who became resident in the territories afterAugust 1, 1914, shall not obtain Belgian nationalitywithout a permit from the Belgian Government.

A R T I C L E 3 7Within the two years following the definitive

transfer of the sovereignty over the territoriesassigned to Belgium under the present Treaty,German nationals over 18 years of age habituallyresident in those territories will be entitled to opt forGerman nationality. Option by a husband will coverhis wife, and option by parents will cover theirchildren under 18 years of age. Persons who haveexercised the above right to opt must within theensuing twelve months transfer their place ofresidence to Germany. They will be entitled to retaintheir immovable property in the territories acquiredby Belgium. They may carry with them their movableproperty of every description. No export or importduties may be imposed upon them in connection withthe removal of such property.

A R T I C L E 3 8The German Government will hand over without

delay to the Belgian Government the archives,registers, plans, title deeds and documents of everykind concerning the civil, military, financial, judicialor other administrations in the territory transferred toBelgian sovereignty. The German Government willlikewise restore to the Belgian Government thearchives and documents of every kind carried offduring the war by the German authorities from theBelgian public administrations, in particular from theMinistry of Foreign Affairs at Brussels.

A R T I C L E 3 9The proportion and nature of the financial liabili-

ties of Germany and of Prussia with Belgium will haveto bear on account of the territories ceded to her shallbe fixed in conformity with Articles 254 and 256 ofPart IX (Financial Clauses) of the present Treaty.

Section II: LuxemburgA R T I C L E 4 0

With regard to the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg,Germany renounces the benefit of all the provisionsinserted in her favour in the Treaties of February 8,

1842, April 2, 1847, October 20-25, 1865, August 18,1866, February 21 and May 11, 1867, May 10, 1871,June 11, 1872, and November 11, 1902, and in allConventions consequent upon such Treaties.Germany recognises that the Grand Duchy ofLuxemburg ceased to form part of the GermanZollverein as from January 1, 1919, renounces all rightsto the exploitation of the railways, adheres to thetermination of the regime of neutrality of the GrandDuchy, and accepts in advance all internationalarrangements which may be concluded by the Alliedand Associated Powers relating to the Grand Duchy.

A R T I C L E 41Germany undertakes to grant to the Grand Duchy

of Luxemburg, when a demand to that effect is madeto her by the Principal Allied and Associated Powers,the rights and advantages stipulated in favour of suchPowers or their nationals in the present Treaty withregard to economic questions, to questions relative totransport and to aerial navigation.

Section III: Left Bank of the RhineA R T I C L E 4 2

Germany is forbidden to maintain or constructany fortifications either on the left bank of the Rhineor on the right bank to the west of a line drawn 50kilometres to the East of the Rhine.

A R T I C L E 4 3In the area defined above the maintenance and

the assembly of armed forces, either permanently ortemporarily, and military maneuvers of any kind, aswell as the upkeep of all permanent works formobilization, are in the same way forbidden.

A R T I C L E 4 4In case Germany violates in any manner whatever

the provisions of Articles 42 and 43, she shall beregarded as committing a hostile act against thePowers signatory of the present Treaty and ascalculated to disturb the peace of the world.

Section IV: Saar BasinA R T I C L E 4 5

As compensation for the destruction of the coal-mines in the north of France and as part paymenttowards the total reparation due from Germany for

the damage resulting from the war, Germany cedes toFrance in full and absolute possession, with exclusiverights of exploitation, unencumbered and free fromall debts and charges of any kind, the coal-minessituated in the Saar Basin as defined in Article 48.

A R T I C L E 4 6In order to assure the rights and welfare of the

population and to guarantee to France completefreedom in working the mines, Germany agrees to theprovisions of Chapters I and II of the Annex hereto.

A R T I C L E 4 7In order to make in due time permanent provision

for the government of the Saar Basin in accordancewith the wishes of the populations, France andGermany agree to the provisions of Chapter III of theAnnex hereto.

A R T I C L E 4 8The boundaries of the territory of the Saar Basin,

as dealt with in the present stipulations, will be fixedas follows: On the south and south-west: by thefrontier of France as fixed by the present Treaty. Onthe north-west and north: by a line following thenorthern administrative boundary of the Kreis ofMerzig from the point where it leaves the Frenchfrontier to the point where it meets the administrativeboundary separating the commune of Saarholzbachfrom the commune of Britten; following thiscommunal boundary southwards and reaching theadministrative boundary of the canton of Merzig soas to include in the territory of the Saar Basin thecanton of Mettlach, with the exception of thecommune of Britten; following successively thenorthern boundaries of the cantons of Merzig andHaustedt, which are incorporated in the aforesaidSaar Basin, then successively the administrativeboundaries separating the Kreise of Sarrelouis,Ottweiler, and Saint-Wendel from the Kreise ofMerzig, Treves (Trier), and the Principality ofBirkenfeld as far as a point situated about 500 metresnorth of the village of Furschweiler (viz., the highestpoint of the Metzelberg). On the north-east and east:from the last point defined above to a point about 31/2 kilometres east-north-east of Saint-Wendel: a lineto be fixed on the ground passing east ofFurschweiler, west of Roschberg, east of points 418,

O M N I B U S I I I1 0

The Treaty of Versailles 1 1

329 (south of Roschberg) west of Leitersweiler, north-east of point 464, and following the line of the crestsouthwards to its junction with the administrativeboundary of the Kreis of Kusel thence in a southerlydirection the boundary of the Kreis of Kusel, then theboundary of the Kreis of Homburg towards the south-south-east to a point situated about 1000 metres westof Dunzweiler; thence to a point about 1 kilometresouth of Hornbach- a line to be fixed on the groundpassing through point 424 (about 1000 metres south-east of Dunzweiler), point 363 (Fuchs-Berg), point 322(south-west of Waldmohr), then east of Jagersburgand Erbach, then encircling Homburg, passingthrough the points 361 (about 2-1/2 kilometres north-east by east of that town), 342 (about 2 kilometressouth-east of that town), 347 (Schreiners-Berg), 356,350 (about 1-1/2 kilometres south-east ofSchwarzenbach), then passing east of Einod, south-east of points 322 and 333, about 2 kilometres east ofWebenheim, about 2 kilometres east of Mimbach,passing east of the plateau which is traversed by theroad from Mimbach to Bockweiler (so as to includethis road in the territory of the Saar Basin), passingimmediately north of the junction of the roads fromBockweiler and Altheim situated about 2 kilometresnorth of Altheim, then passing south of Ringweilerhofand north of point 322, rejoining the frontier ofFrance at the angle which it makes about 1 kilometresouth of Hornbach (see Map No. 2 scale 1/100,000annexed to the present treaty).

A Commission composed of five members, oneappointed by France, one by Germany, and three bythe Council of the League of Nations, which willselect nationals of other Powers, will be constitutedwithin fifteen days from the coming into force of thepresent Treaty, to trace on the spot the frontier linedescribed above.

In those parts of the preceding line which do notcoincide with administrative boundaries, theCommission will endeavour to keep to the lineindicated, while taking into consideration, so far as ispossible, local economic interests and existingcommunal boundaries.

The decisions of this Commission will be taken by amajority, and will be binding on the parties concerned.

A R T I C L E 4 9Germany renounces in favour of the League of

Nations, in the capacity of trustee, the government ofthe territory defined above.

At the end of fifteen years from the coming intoforce of the present Treaty the inhabitants of the saidterritory shall be called upon to indicate thesovereignty under which they desire to be placed.

A R T I C L E 5 0The stipulations under which the cession of the

mines in the Saar Basin shall be carried out, togetherwith the measures intended to guarantee the rightsand the well-being of the inhabitants and the govern-ment of the territory, as well as the conditions inaccordance with which the plebiscite herein beforeprovided for is to be made, are laid down in the Annexhereto. This Annex shall be considered as an integralpart of the present Treaty, and Germany declares heradherence to it.

A N N E X

In accordance with the provisions of Articles 45 to50 of the present Treaty, the stipulations under whichthe cession by Germany to France of the mines of theSaar Basin will be effected, as well as the measuresintended to ensure respect for the rights and well-being of the population and the government of theterritory, and the conditions in which the inhabitantswill be called upon to indicate the sovereignty underwhich they may wish to be placed, have been laiddown as follows:

CH A P T E R I: CE S S I O N A N D EX P L O I TAT I O N

O F MI N I N G PRO P E RT Y

From the date of the coming into force of thepresent Treaty, all the deposits of coal situated withinthe Saar Basin as defined in Article 48 of the saidTreaty, become the complete and absolute property ofthe French State.

The French State will have the right of working or notworking the said mines, or of transferring to a third partythe right of working them, without having to obtain anyprevious authorisation or to fulfil any formalities.

The French State may always require that theGerman mining laws and regulations referred tobelow shall be applied in order to ensure the determi-


nation of its rights.2. The right of ownership of the French State will

apply not only to the deposits which are free andfor which concessions have not yet been granted,but also to the deposits for which concessionshave already been granted, whoever may be thepresent proprietors, irrespective of whether theybelong to the Prussian State, to the Bavarian State,to other States or bodies, to companies or toindividuals, whether they have been worked ornot, or whether a right of exploitation distinctfrom the right of the owners of the surface of thesoil has or has not been recognised.

3. As far as concerns the mines which are beingworked, the transfer of the ownership to theFrench State will apply to all the accessories andsubsidiaries of the said mines, in particular totheir plant and equipment both on and below thesurface to their extracting machinery, their plantsfor transforming coal into electric power, coke andby-products, their workshops means of communi-cation, electric lines, plant for catching anddistributing water, land, buildings such as offices,managers, employees, and workmen’s dwellings,schools, hospitals and dispensaries, their stocksand supplies of every description, their archivesand plans, and in general everything which thosewho own or exploit the mines possess or enjoy forthe purpose of exploiting the mines and theiraccessories and subsidiaries.

The transfer will apply also to the debtsowing for products delivered before the entryinto possession by the French State and afterthe signature of the present Treaty, and todeposits of money made by customers, whoserights will be guaranteed by the French State.

4. The French State will acquire the property freeand clear of all debts and charges. Nevertheless,the rights acquired, or in course of being acquired,by the employees of the mines and theiraccessories and subsidiaries at the date of thecoming into force of the present Treaty, in connec-tion with pensions for old age or disability, will notbe affected. In return, Germany must pay over tothe French State a sum representing the actuarialamounts to which the said employees are entitled.

5. The value of the property thus ceded to the FrenchState will be determined by the Reparation

Commission referred to in Article 233 of Part VIII(Reparation) of the present Treaty.

This value shall be credited to Germany in partpayment of the amount due for reparation. It willbe for Germany to indemnify the proprietors orparties concerned, whoever they may be.

6. No tariff shall be established on the Germanrailways and canals which may directly orindirectly discriminate to the prejudice of thetransport of the personnel or products of themines and their accessories or subsidiaries, or ofthe material necessary to their exploitation. Suchtransport shall enjoy all the rights and privilegeswhich any international railway conventions mayguarantee to similar products of French origin.

7. The equipment and personnel necessary toensure the despatch and transport of the productsof the mines and their accessories andsubsidiaries, as well as the carriage of workmenand employees, will be provided by the localrailway administration of the Basin.

8. No obstacle shall be placed in the way of suchimprovements of railways or waterways as theFrench State may judge necessary to assure thedespatch and the transport of the products of themines and their accessories and subsidiaries, suchas double trackage, enlargement of stations, andconstruction of yards and appurtenances. Thedistribution of expenses will, in the event ofdisagreement, be submitted to arbitration.

The French State may also establish any newmeans of communication, such as roads, electriclines, and telephone connections which it mayconsider necessary for the exploitation of themines it may exploit freely and without anyrestrictions the means of communication ofwhich it may become the owner, particularly thoseconnecting the mines and their accessories andsubsidiaries with the means of communicationsituated in French territory.

9. The French State shall always be entitled todemand the application of the German mininglaws and regulations in force on November 11,1918, excepting provisions adopted exclusively inview of the state of war, with a view to the acquisi-tion of such land as it may judge necessary for theexploitation of the mines and their accessoriesand subsidiaries.


The payment for damage caused toimmovable property by the working of the saidmines and their accessories and subsidiaries shallbe made in accordance with the German mininglaws and regulations above referred to.

10. Every person whom the French State may substi-tute for itself as regards the whole or part of itsrights to the exploitation of the mines and theiraccessories and subsidiaries shall enjoy thebenefit of the privileges provided in this Annex.

11. The mines and other immovable property whichbecome the property of the French State may neverbe made the subject of measures of forfeiture,forced sale, expropriation or requisition, nor of anyother measure affecting the right of property.

The personnel and the plant connected with theexploitation of these mines or their accessories andsubsidiaries, as well as the product extracted fromthe mines or manufactured in their accessories andsubsidiaries, may not at any time be made thesubject of any measures of requisition.

12. The exploitation of the mines and theiraccessories and subsidiaries, which become theproperty of the French State will continue, subjectto the provisions of paragraph 23 below, to besubject to the regime established by the Germanlaws and regulations in force on November 11,1918, excepting provisions adopted exclusively inview of the state of war.

The rights of the workmen shall similarly bemaintained, subject to the provisions of the saidparagraph 23, as established on November 11,1918, by the German laws and regulations abovereferred to.

No impediment shall be placed in the way ofthe introduction or employment in the mines andtheir accessories and subsidiaries of workmenfrom without the Basin.

The employees and workmen of Frenchnationality shall have the right to belong to Frenchlabour unions.

13. The amount contributed by the mines and theiraccessories and subsidiaries, either to the localbudget of the territory of the Saar Basin or to thecommunal funds, shall be fixed with due regard tothe ratio of the value of the mines to the totaltaxable wealth of the Basin.

14. The French State shall always have the right of

establishing and maintaining, as incidental to themines, primary or technical schools for itsemployees and their children, and of causinginstruction therein to be given in the Frenchlanguage, in accordance with such curriculumand by such teachers as it may select.

It shall also have the right to establish andmaintain hospitals, dispensaries, workmen’shouses and gardens, and other charitable andsocial institutions.

15. The French State shall enjoy complete liberty withrespect to the distribution, dispatch and saleprices of-the products of the mines and theiraccessories and subsidiaries.

Nevertheless, whatever may be the total productof the mines, the French Government undertakesthat the requirements of local consumption forindustrial and domestic purposes shall always besatisfied in the proportion existing in 1913 betweenthe amount consumed locally and the total outputof the Saar Basin.

C H A P T E R I I : G OV E R N M E N T O F T H E

T E R R I T O RY O F T H E S A A R BA S I N

16. The Government of the territory of the Saar Basinshall be entrusted to a Commission representingthe League of Nations. This Commission shall sitin the territory of the Saar Basin.

17. The Governing Commission provided for byparagraph 16 shall consist of five memberschosen by the Council of the League of Nations,and will include one citizen of France, one nativeinhabitant of the Saar Basin, not a citizen ofFrance, and three members belonging to threecountries other than France or Germany.

The members of the Governing Commissionshall be appointed for one year and may be re-appointed. They can be removed by the Councilof the League of Nations, which will provide fortheir replacement.

The members of the Governing Commissionwill be entitled to a salary which will be fixed bythe Council of the League of Nations, and chargedon the local revenues.

18. The Chairman of the Governing Commission shallbe appointed for one year from among the membersof the Commission by the Council of the League ofNations and may be re-appointed. The Chairman


will act as the executive of the Commission.19. Within the territory of the Saar Basin the

Governing Commission shall have all-the powersof government hitherto belonging to the GermanEmpire, Prussia, or Bavaria, including the appoint-ment and dismissal of officials, and the creationof such administrative and representative bodiesas it may deem necessary.

It shall have full powers to administer andoperate the railways, canals, and the different publicservices. Its decisions shall be taken by a majority.

20. Germany will place at the disposal of theGoverning Commission all official documentsand archives under the control of Germany, of anyGerman State, or of any local authority, whichrelate to the territory of the Saar Basin or to therights of the inhabitants thereof.

21. It will be the duty of the Governing Commission toensure, by such means and under such conditionsas it may deem suitable, the protection abroad ofthe interests of the inhabitants of the territory ofthe Saar Basin.

22. The Governing Commission shall have the fullright of user of all property, other than mines,belonging, either in public or in private domain, tothe Government of the German Empire, or theGovernment of any German State, in the territoryof the Saar Basin.

As regards the railways an equitableapportionment of rolling stock shall be made by amixed Commission on which the Government ofthe territory of the Saar Basin and the Germanrailways will be represented.

Persons, goods, vessels, carriages, wagons andmails coming from or going to the Saar Basin shallenjoy all the rights and privileges relating totransit and transport which are specified in theprovisions of Part XII (Ports, Waterways andRailways) of the present Treaty.

23. The laws and regulations in force on November 11,1918, in the territory of the Saar Basin (exceptthose enacted in consequence of the state of war)shall continue to apply.

If, for general reasons or to bring these lawsand regulations into accord with the provisions ofthe present Treaty, it is necessary to introducemodifications, these shall be decided on, and putinto effect by the Governing Commission, after

consultation with the elected representatives ofthe inhabitants in such a manner as theCommission may determine.

No modification may be made in the legalregime for the exploitation of the mines, providedfor in paragraph 12, without the French Statebeing previously consulted, unless such modifica-tion results from a general regulation respectinglabour adopted by the League of Nations.

In fixing the conditions and hours of labourfor men, women and children, the GoverningCommission is to take into consideration thewishes expressed by the local labour organisa-tions, as well as the principles adopted by theLeague of Nations.

24. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 4, no rightsof the inhabitants of the Saar Basin acquired or inprocess of acquisition at the date of coming intoforce of this Treaty, in respect of any insurancesystem of Germany or in respect of any pension ofany kind, are affected by any of the provisions ofthe present Treaty.

Germany and the Government of the territoryof the Saar Basin will preserve and continue all ofthe aforesaid rights.

25. The civil and criminal courts existing in theterritory of the Saar Basin shall continue.

A civil and criminal court will be establishedby the Governing Commission to hear appealsfrom the decisions of the said courts and to decidematters for which these courts are not competent.

The Governing Commission will be respon-sible for settling the organisation and jurisdictionof the said court.

Justice will be rendered in the name of theGoverning Commission.

26. The Governing Commission will alone have thepower of levying taxes and dues in the territory ofSaar Basin.

These taxes and dues will be exclusivelyapplied to the needs of the territory.

The fiscal system existing on November 11,1918, will be maintained as far as possible, and nonew tax except customs duties may be imposedwithout previously consulting the electedrepresentatives of the inhabitants.

27. The present stipulation will not affect the existingnationality of the inhabitants of the territory of the


Saar Basin.No hindrance shall be placed in the way of

those who wish to acquire a different nationality,but in such case the acquisition of the new nation-ality will involve the loss of any other.

28. Under the control of the Governing Commission theinhabitants will retain their local assemblies, theirreligious liberties, their schools and their language.

The right of voting will not be exercised for anyassemblies other than the local assemblies, andwill belong to every inhabitant over the age oftwenty years, without distinction of sex.

29. Any of the inhabitants of the Saar Basin who maydesire to leave the territory will have full liberty toretain in it their immovable property or to sell it atfair prices, and to remove their movable propertyfree of any charges.

30. There will be no military service, whethercompulsory or voluntary, in the territory of theSaar Basin, and the construction of fortificationstherein is forbidden.

Only a local gendarmerie for the maintenanceof order may be established.

It will be the duty of the GoverningCommission to provide in all cases for the protec-tion of persons and property in the Saar Basin.

31. The territory of the Saar Basin as defined by Article48 of the present Treaty shall be subjected to theFrench customs regime. The receipts from thecustoms duties on goods intended for localconsumption shall be included in the budget of thesaid territory after deduction of all costs of collection.

No export tax shall be imposed upon metallur-gical products or coal exported from the saidterritory to Germany, nor upon the Germanexports for the use of the industries of the territoryof the Saar Basin.

Natural or manufactured products originatingin the Basin in transit over German territory and, similarly, German products in transit over the territory of the Basin shall be free of all customs duties.

Products which both originate in and pass fromthe Basin into Germany shall be free of importduties for a period of five years from the date of thecoming into force of the present Treaty, and duringthe same period articles imported from Germanyinto the territory of the Basin for local consumption,

shall likewise be free of import duties.During these five years the French

Government reserves to itself the right of limitingto the annual average of the quantities importedinto Alsace-Lorraine and France in the years 1911to 1913 the quantities which may be sent intoFrance of all articles coming from the Basin whichinclude raw materials and semimanufacturedgoods imported duty free from Germany. Suchaverage shall be determined after reference to allavailable official information and statistics.

32. No prohibition or restriction shall be imposedupon the circulation of French money in theterritory of the Saar Basin.

The French State shall have the right to useFrench money in all purchases, payments, andcontracts connected with the exploitation of themines or their accessories and subsidiaries.

33. The Governing Commission shall have power todecide all questions arising from the interpreta-tion of the preceding provisions.

France and Germany agree that any disputeinvolving a difference of opinion as to theinterpretation of the said provision shall in thesame way be submitted to the GoverningCommission and the decision of a majority of theCommission shall be binding on both countries.

C H A P T E R I I I : P L E B I S C I T E

34. At the termination of a period of fifteen years fromthe coming into force of the present Treaty, thepopulation of the territory of the Saar Basin will becalled upon to indicate their desires in the followingmanner: A vote will take place by communes ordistricts, on the three following alternatives: (a)maintenance of the regime established by thepresent Treaty and by this Annex; (b) union withFrance; (c) union with Germany.

All persons without distinction of sex, morethan twenty years old at the date of the voting,resident in the territory at the date of the signatureof the present Treaty, will have the right to vote.

The other conditions, methods, and the date ofthe voting shall be fixed by the Council of theLeague of Nations in such a way as to secure thefreedom, secrecy and trustworthiness of the voting

35. The League of Nations shall decide on thesovereignty under which the territory is to be


placed, taking into account the wishes of theinhabitants as expressed by the voting.(a) If, for the whole or part of the territory, the

League of Nations decides in favour of themaintenance of the regime established by thepresent Treaty and this Annex, Germanyhereby agrees to make such renunciation ofher sovereignty in favour of the League ofNations as the latter shall deem necessary. Itwill be the duty of the League of Nations totake appropriate steps to adapt the regimedefinitively adopted to the permanent welfareof the territory and the general interest;

(b) If, for the whole or part of the territory, theLeague of Nations decides in favour of unionwith France, Germany hereby agrees to cede toFrance in accordance with the decision of theLeague of Nations, all rights and title over theterritory specified by the League.

(c) If, for the whole or part of the territory, theLeague of Nations decides in favour of unionwith Germany, it will be the duty of the Leagueof Nations to cause the German Governmentto be re-established in the government of theterritory specified by the League.

36. If the League of Nations decides in favour of theunion of the whole or part of the territory of theSaar Basin with Germany, France’s rights ofownership in the mines situated in such part ofthe territory will be repurchased by Germany intheir entirety at a price payable in gold. The priceto be paid will be fixed by three experts, onenominated by Germany, one by France, and one,who shall be neither a Frenchman nor a German,by the Council of the League of Nations; thedecision of the experts will be given by a majority.The obligation of Germany to make such paymentshall be taken into account by the ReparationCommission, and for the purpose of this paymentGermany may create a prior charge upon her assetsor revenues upon such detailed terms as shall beagreed to by the Reparation Commission. If,nevertheless, Germany after a period of one yearfrom the date on which the payment becomes dueshall not have effected the said payment, theReparation Commission shall do so in accordancewith such instructions as may be given by theLeague of Nations, and, if necessary, by liquidating

that part of the mines which is in question.37. If, in consequence of the repurchase provided for

in paragraph 36, the ownership of the mines orany part of them is transferred to Germany, theFrench State and French nationals shall have theright to purchase such amount of coal of the SaarBasin as their industrial and domestic needs arefound at that time to require. An equitablearrangement regarding amounts of coal, durationof contract, and prices will be fixed in due time bythe Council of the League of Nations.

38. It is understood that France and Germany may, byspecial agreements concluded before the timefixed for the payment of the price for therepurchase of the mines, modify the provisions ofparagraphs 36 and 37.

39. The Council of the League of Nations shall makesuch provisions as may be necessary for theestablishment of the regime which is to take effectafter the decisions of the League of Nationsmentioned in paragraph 35 have becomeoperative, including an equitable apportionmentof any obligations of the Government of theterritory of the Saar Basin arising from loansraised by the Commission or from other causes.

From the coming into force of the new regime,the powers of the Governing Commission willterminate, except in the case provided for inparagraph 35 (a).

In all matters dealt with in the present Annex, thedecisions of the Council of the League of Nations willbe taken by a majority.

Section V: Alsace-LorraineThe HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, recognising themoral obligation to redress the wrong done byGermany in 1871 both to the rights of France and tothe wishes of the population of Alsace and Lorraine,which were separated from their country in spite ofthe solemn protest of their representatives at theAssembly of Bordeaux Agree upon the following Articles:

A R T I C L E 5 1The territories which were ceded to Germany in

accordance with the Preliminaries of Peace signed atVersailles on February 26, 187l, and the Treaty of


Frankfort of May lo, 1871, are restored to Frenchsovereignty as from the date of the Armistice ofNovember 11, 1918.

The provisions of the Treaties establishingthe delimitation of the frontiers before 1871 shallbe restored.

A R T I C L E 5 2The German Government shall hand over without

delay to the French Government all archives, registers,plans, titles and documents of every kind concerningthe civil, military, financial, judicial or other adminis-trations of the territories restored to Frenchsovereignty. If any of these documents, archives,registers, titles or plans nave been misplaced, they willbe restored by the German Government on thedemand of the French Government. Article 53.

Separate agreements shall be made betweenFrance and Germany dealing with the interests of theinhabitants of the territories referred to in Article 51,particularly as regards their civil rights, their businessand the exercise of their professions, it beingunderstood that Germany undertakes as from thepresent date to recognise and accept the regulationslaid down in the Annex hereto regarding the nation-ality of the inhabitants or natives of the saidterritories, not to claim at any time or in any placewhatsoever as German nationals those who shallhave been declared on any ground to be French, toreceive all others in her territory, and to conform, asregards the property of German nationals in theterritories indicated in Article 51, with the provisionsof Article 297 and the Annex to Section IV of Part X(Economic Clauses) of the present Treaty.

Those German nationals who without acquiringFrench nationality shall receive permission from theFrench Government to reside in the said territories shallnot be subjected to the provisions of the said Article.

A R T I C L E 5 4Those persons who have regained French nation-

ality in virtue of paragraph 1 of the Annex hereto willbe held to be Alsace-Lorrainers for the purposes ofthe present Section.

The persons referred to in paragraph 2 of the saidAnnex will from the day on which they have claimedFrench nationality be held to be Alsace-Lorrainerswith retroactive effect as from November 11, 1918. For

those whose application is rejected, the privilege willterminate at the date of the refusal.

Such juridical persons will also have the status ofAlsaceLorrainers as shall have been recognised aspossessing this quality whether by the Frenchadministrative authorities or by a judicial decision.

A R T I C L E 5 5The territories referred to in Article 5l shall return

to France free and quit of all public debts under theconditions laid down in Article 255 of Part IX(Financial Clauses) of the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 5 6In conformity with the provisions of Article 256 of

Part IX (Financial Clauses) of the present Treaty,France shall enter into possession of all property andestate, within the territories referred to in Article 5l,which belong to the German Empire or GermanStates, without any payment or credit on this accountto any of the States ceding the territories.

This provision applies to all movable orimmovable property of public or private domaintogether with all rights whatsoever belonging to theGerman Empire or German States or to their adminis-trative areas.

Crown property and the property of the formerEmperor or other German sovereigns shall be assimi-lated to property of the public domain.

A R T I C L E 5 7Germany shall not take any action, either by means

of stamping or by any other legal or administrativemeasures not applying equally to the rest of herterritory, which may be to the detriment of the legalvalue or redeemability of Germany monetary instru-ments or monies which, at the date of the signature ofthe present Treaty, are legally current, and at that dateare in the possession of the French Government.

A R T I C L E 5 8A special Convention will determine the

conditions for repayment in marks of the exceptionalwar expenditure advanced during the course of thewar by Alsace-Lorraine or by the public bodies inAlsace-Lorraine on account of the Empire inaccordance with German law, such as payment to thefamilies of persons mobilised, requisitions, billeting oftroops, and assistance to persons who have been

A R T I C L E 6 4The regulations concerning the control of the

Rhine and of the Moselle are laid down in Part XII(Ports, Waterways and Railways) of the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 6 5Within a period of three weeks after the coming into

force of the present Treaty, the port of Strasburg and theport of Kehl shall be constituted, for a period of sevenyears, a single unit from the point of view of exploitation.

The administration of this single unit will becarried on by a manager named by the Central Rhine Commission, which shall also have power toremove him.

This manager shall be of French nationality.He will reside in Strasburg and will be subject to

the supervision of the Central Rhine Commission.There will be established in the two ports free

zones in conformity with Part XII (Ports, Waterwaysand Railways) of the present Treaty.

A special Convention between France andGermany which shall be submitted to the approval ofthe Central Rhine Commission, will fix the details ofthis organisation, particularly as regards finance.

It is understood that for the purpose of the presentArticle the port of Kehl includes the whole of the areanecessary for the movement of the port and the trainswhich serve it, including the harbour, quays andrailroads, platforms, cranes, sheds and warehouses,silos, elevators and hydro-electric plants, which makeup the equipment of the port.

The German Government undertakes to carry outall measures which shall be required of it in order toassure that all the making-up and switching of trainsarriving at or departing from Kehl, whether for theright bank or the left bank of the Rhine, shall becarried on in the best conditions possible.

All property rights shall be safeguarded. In partic-ular the administration of the ports shall notprejudice any property rights of the French or Badenrailroads.

Equality of treatment as respects traffic shall beassured in both ports to the nationals, vessels andgoods of every country.

In case at the end of the sixth year France shallconsider that the progress made in the improvementof the port of Strasburg still requires a prolongation ofthis temporary regime, she may ask for such prolon-

evacuated. In fixing the amount of these sumsGermany shall be credited with that portion whichAlsace-Lorraine would have contributed to theEmpire to meet the expenses resulting from thesepayments, this contribution being calculatedaccording to the proportion of the Imperial revenuesderived from Alsace-Lorraine in l913.

A R T I C L E 5 9The French Government will collect for its own

account the Imperial taxes, duties and dues of everykind leviable in the territories referred to in Article 5land not collected at the time of the Armistice ofNovember 11, 19l8.

A R T I C L E 6 0The German Government shall without delay

restore to AlsaceLorrainers (individuals, juridicalpersons and public institutions) all property, rightsand interests belonging to them on November 11, 1918,in so far as these are situated in German territory.

A R T I C L E 61The German Government undertakes to continue

and complete without delay the execution of thefinancial clauses regarding Alsace-Lorrainecontained in the Armistice Conventions.

A R T I C L E 6 2The German Government undertakes to bear the

expense of all civil and military pensions which hadbeen earned in Alsace. Lorraine on date of November11, 1918, and the maintenance of which was a chargeon the budget of the German Empire.

The German Government shall furnish each yearthe funds necessary for the payment in francs, at theaverage rate of exchange for that year, of the sums inmarks to which persons resident in Alsace-Lorrainewould have been entitled if Alsace-Lorraine hadremained under German jurisdiction.

A R T I C L E 6 3For the purposes of the obligation assumed by

Germany in Part VIII (Reparation) of the presentTreaty to give compensation for damages caused tothe civil populations of the Allied and Associatedcountries in the form of fines, the inhabitants of theterritories referred to in Article 51 shall be assimilatedto the above-mentioned populations.


gation from the Central Rhine Commission, whichmay grant an extension for a period not exceedingthree years.

Throughout the whole period of any such extensionthe free zones above provided for shall be maintained.

Pending appointment of the first manager by theCentral Rhine Commission a provisional managerwho shall be of French nationality may be appointedby the Principal Allied and Associated Powers subjectto the foregoing provisions.

For all purposes of the present Article the CentralRhine Commission will decide by a majority of votes.

A R T I C L E 6 6The railway and other bridges across the Rhine

now existing within the limits of Alsace-Lorraineshall, as to all their parts and their whole length, bethe property of the French State, which shall ensuretheir upkeep.

The French Government is substituted in all the,rights of the German Empire over all the railwayswhich were administered by the Imperial railwayadministration and which are actually working orunder construction.

The same shall apply to the rights of the Empirewith regard to railway and tramway concessionswithin the territories referred to in Article 51.

This substitution shall not entail any payment onthe part of the French State.

The frontier railway stations shall be establishedby a subsequent agreement, it being stipulated inadvance that on the Rhine frontier they shall besituated on the right bank.

A R T I C L E 67The French Government is substituted in all the

rights of the German Empire over all the railwayswhich were administered by the Imperial railwayadministration and which are actually working orunder construction.

The same shall apply to the rights of the Empirewith regard to railway and tramway concessionswithin the territories referred to in Article 51.

This substitution shall not entail any payment onthe part of the French State.

The frontier railway stations shall be establishedby a subsequent agreement, it being stipulated inadvance that on the Rhine frontier they shall be

situated on the right bank.

A R T I C L E 6 8In accordance with the provisions of Article 268

of Chapter I of Section I of Part X (Economic Clauses)of the present Treaty, for a period of five years fromthe coming into force of the present Treaty, natural ormanufactured products originating in and comingfrom the territories referred to in Article 51 shall, onimportation into German customs territory, be exemptfrom all customs duty.

The French Government may fix each year, bydecree communicated to the German Government,the nature and amount of the products which shallenjoy this exemption.

The amount of each product which may be thussent annually into Germany shall not exceed theaverage of the amounts sent annually in the years1911-1913.

Further, during the period of five years abovementioned, the German Government shall allow thefree export from Germany and the free reimportationinto Germany, exempt from all customs, duties andother charges (including internal charges), of yarns,tissues, and other textile materials or textile productsof any kind and in any condition, sent from Germanyinto the territories referred to in Article 51, to besubjected there to any finishing process, such asbleaching, dyeing, printing, mercerization, gassing,twisting or dressing.

During a period of ten years from the coming intoforce of the present Treaty, central electric supplyworks situated in German territory and formerlyfurnishing electric power to the territories referred toin Article 51 or to any establishment the working ofwhich passes permanently or temporarily fromGermany to France, shall be required to continuesuch supply up to the amount of consumptioncorresponding to the undertakings and contractscurrent on November 11, 1918.

Such supply shall be furnished according to thecontracts in force and at a rate which shall not be higherthan that paid to the said works by German nationals.

A R T I C L E 6 9During a period of ten years from the coming into

force of the present Treaty, central electric supplyworks situated in German territory and formerly



furnishing electric power to the territories referred toin Article 51 or to any establishment the working ofwhich passes permanently or temporarily fromGermany to France, shall be required to continuesuch supply up to the amount of consumptioncorresponding to the undertakings and contractscurrent on November 11, 1918.

Such supply shall be furnished according to thecontracts in force and at a rate which shall not be higherthan that paid to the said works by German nationals.

A R T I C L E 7 0It is understood that the French Government

preserves its right to prohibit in the future in theterritories referred to in Article 51 all new Germanparticipation:

(1) In the management or exploitation of thepublic domain and of public services, such asrailways, navigable waterways, water works,gas works, electric power, etc. ;

(2) In the ownership of mines and quarries of everykind and in enterprises connected therewith;

(3) In metallurgical establishments, even thoughtheir working may not be connected with thatof any mine.

A R T I C L E 71As regards the territories referred to in Article 51,

Germany renounces on behalf of herself and hernationals as from November 11, 1918, all rights underthe law of May 25, 1910, regarding the trade in potashsalts, and generally under any stipulations for theintervention of German organisations in the workingof the potash mines. Similarly, she renounces onbehalf of herself and hernationals all rights underany agreements, stipulations or laws which may existto her benefit with regard to other products of theaforesaid territories.

A R T I C L E 7 2The settlement of the questions relating to debts

contracted before November 11, 1918, between theGerman Empire and the German States or theirnationals residing in Germany on the one part andAlsace-Lorrainers residing in Alsace-Lorraine on theother part shall be effected in accordance with theprovisions of Section III of Part X (Economic Clauses)of the present Treaty, the expression “before the war”

therein being replaced by the expression “beforeNovember 11, 1918”. The rate of exchange applicablein the case of such settlement shall be the average ratequoted on the Geneva Exchange during the monthpreceding November 11, 1918.

There may be established in the territories referredto in Article 51, for the settlement of the aforesaid debtsunder the conditions laid down in Section III of Part X(Economic Clauses) of the present Treaty, a specialclearing office, it being understood that this office shallbe regarded as a “central office” under the provisions ofparagraph 1 of the Annex to the said Section.

A R T I C L E 7 3The private property, rights and interests of

Alsace-Lorrainers in Germany will be regulated bythe stipulations of Section IV of Part X (EconomicClauses) of the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 7 4The French Government reserves the right to

retain and liquidate all the property, rights andinterests which German nationals or societiescontrolled by Germany possessed in the territoriesreferred to in Article 51 on November 11, 1918, subjectto the conditions laid down in the last paragraph ofArticle 53 above. Germany will directly compensateher nationals who may have been dispossessed by theaforesaid liquidations. The product of these liquida-tions shall be applied in accordance with thestipulations of Sections III and IV of Part X (EconomicClauses) of the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 7 5Notwithstanding the stipulations of Section V of

Part X (Economic Clauses) of the present Treaty, allcontracts made before the date of the promulgation inAlsace-Lorraine of the French decree of November30, 1918, between Alsace-Lorrainers (whether individ-uals or juridical persons) or others resident inAlsace-Lorraine on the one part and the GermanEmpire or German States and their nationals residentin Germany on the other part, the execution of whichhas been suspended by the Armistice or bysubsequent French legislation, shall be maintained.

Nevertheless, any contract of which the FrenchGovernment shall notify the cancellation to Germanyin the general interest within a period of six months


from the date of the coming into force of the presentTreaty, shall be annulled except in respect of any debtor other pecuniary obligation arising out of any actdone or money paid thereunder before November 11,1918. If this dissolution would cause one of theparties substantial prejudice, equitable compensa-tion, calculated solely on the capital employedwithout taking account of loss of profits, shall beaccorded to the prejudiced party.

With regard to prescriptions, limitations andforfeitures in Alsace-Lorraine, the provisions ofArticles 300 and 301 of Section V of Part X (EconomicClauses) shall be applied with the substitution for theexpression “outbreak of war” of the expression“November 11, 1918”, and for the expression “durationof the war” of the expression “period from November11, 1918, to the date of the coming into force of thepresent Treaty”.

A R T I C L E 7 6Questions concerning rights in industrial, literary

or artistic property of Alsace-Lorrainers shall beregulated in accordance with the general stipulationsof Section VII of Part X (Economic Clauses) of thepresent Treaty, it being understood that Alsace-Lorrainers holding rights of this nature underGerman legislation will preserve full and entireenjoyment of those rights on German territory.

A R T I C L E 7 7The German Government undertakes to pay over

to the French Government such proportion of allreserves accumulated by the Empire or by public orprivate bodies dependent upon it, for the purposes ofdisability and old age insurance, as would fall to thedisability and old age insurance fund at Strasburg.

The same shall apply in respect of the capital andreserves accumulated in Germany falling legitimatelyto other social insurance funds, to miners, superan-nuation funds, to the fund of the railways ofAlsace-Lorraine, to other superannuation organisa-tions established for the benefit of the personnel ofpublic administrations and institutions operating inAlsace-Lorraine and also in respect of the capital andreserves due by the insurance fund of privateemployees at Berlin, by reason of engagementsentered into for the benefit of insured persons of thatcategory resident in Alsace-Lorraine. A special

Convention shall determine the conditions andprocedure of these transfers.

A R T I C L E 78With regard to the execution of judgments, appeals

and prosecutions, the following rules shall be applied:(1) All civil and commercial judgments which

shall have been given since August 3, 1914, bythe Courts of Alsace-Lorraine between Alsace-Lorrainers, or between Alsace-Lorrainers andforeigners, or between foreigners, and whichshall not have been appealed from beforeNovember 11, 1918, shall be regarded as finaland susceptible of immediate executionwithout further formality.

When the judgment has been givenbetween Alsace-Lorrainers and Germans orbetween Alsace-Lorrainers and subjects ofthe allies of Germany, it shall only be capableof execution after the issue of an exequatur bythe corresponding new tribunal in therestored territory referred to in Article 51.

(2) All judgments given by German Courts sinceAugust 3, 1914, against Alsace-Lorrainers forpolitical crimes or misdemeanors shall beregarded as null and void.

(3) All sentences passed since November 11, 1918,by the Court of the Empire at Leipzig onappeals against the decisions of the Courts ofAlsace-Lorraine shall be regarded as null andvoid and shall be so pronounced. The papersin regard to the cases in which such sentenceshave been given shall be returned to theCourts of Alsace-Lorraine concerned.

All appeals to the Court of the Empire againstdecisions of the Courts of Alsace-Lorraine shallbe suspended. The papers shall be returnedunder the aforesaid conditions for transferwithout delay to the French Cour de Cassation,which shall be competent to decide them.

(4) All prosecutions in Alsace-Lorraine foroffences committed during the period betweenNovember 11, 1918, and the coming into forceof the present Treaty will be conducted underGerman law except in so far as this has beenmodified by decrees duly published on thespot by the French authorities.

(5) All other questions as to competence,


procedure or administration of justice shall bedetermined by a special Convention betweenFrance and Germany.

A R T I C L E 7 9The stipulations as to nationality contained in the

Annex hereto shall be considered as of equal forcewith the provisions of the present Section.

All other questions concerning Alsace-Lorrainewhich are not regulated by the present Section andthe Annex thereto or by the general provisions of thepresent Treaty will form the subject of further conven-tions between France and Germany.

A N N E X

1. As from November 11, 1918, the following personsare ipso facto reinstated in French nationality:(1) Persons who lost French nationality by the

application of the Franco-German Treaty ofMay 10, 1871, and who have not since that dateacquired any nationality other than German;

(2) The legitimate or natural descendants of thepersons referred to in the immediatelypreceding paragraph, with the exception ofthose whose ascendants in the paternal lineinclude a German who migrated into Alsace-Lorraine after July 15, 1870;

(3) All persons born in Alsace-Lorraine of unknownparents, L or whose nationality is unknown.

2. Within the period of one year from the cominginto force of the present Treaty, persons includedin any of the following categories may claimFrench nationality:(1) All persons not restored to French nationality

under paragraph 1 above, whose ascendantsinclude a Frenchman or Frenchwoman wholost French nationality under the conditionsreferred to in the said paragraph;

(2) All foreigners, not nationals of a German State,who acquired the status of a citizen of Alsace-Lorraine before August 3, 1914;

(3) All Germans domiciled in Alsace-Lorraine, ifthey have been so domiciled since a dateprevious to July 15, 1870, or if one of theirascendants was at that date domiciled inAlsace-Lorraine;

(4) All Germans born or domiciled in Alsace-Lorraine who have served in the Allied or

Associated armies during the present war, andtheir descendants;

(5) All persons born in Alsace-Lorraine beforeMay 10, 1871, of foreign parents, and thedescendants of such persons;

(6) The husband or wife of any person whoseFrench nationality may have been restoredunder paragraph 1, or who may have claimedand obtained French nationality inaccordance with the preceding provisions.The legal representative of a minor may

exercise, on behalf of that minor, the right to claimFrench nationality; and if that right has not beenexercised, the minor may claim French nationalitywithin the year following his majority.

Except in the cases provided for in No. (6) ofthe present paragraph, the French authoritiesreserve to themselves the right, in individual cases,to reject the claim to French nationality.

3. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2, Germansborn or domiciled in Alsace-Lorraine shall notacquire French nationality by reason of therestoration of Alsace-Lorraine to France, eventhough they may have the status of citizens ofAlsace-Lorraine.

They may acquire French nationality only bynaturalisation, on condition of having beendomiciled in Alsace-Lorraine from a date previousto August 3, 1914, and of submitting proof ofunbroken residence within the restored territoryfor a period of three years from November 11, 1918.

France will be solely responsible for theirdiplomatic and consular protection from the dateof their application for French naturalisation.

The French Government shall determine theprocedure by which reinstatement in French nation-ality as of right shall be effected, and the conditionsunder which decisions shall be given upon claims tosuch nationality and applications for naturalisation,as provided by the present Annex.

Section VI: AustriaA R T I C L E 8 0

Germany acknowledges and will respect strictlythe independence of Austria, within the frontierswhich may be fixed in a Treaty between that State andthe Principal Allied and Associated Powers; she


agrees that this independence shall be inalienable,except with the consent of the Council of the Leagueof Nations.

Section VII: Czecho-Slovak StateA R T I C L E 81

Germany, in conformity with the action alreadytaken by the Allied and Associated Powers, recognisesthe complete independence of the Czecho-SlovakState which will include the autonomous territory ofthe Ruthenians to the south of the Carpathians.Germany hereby recognises the frontiers of this Stateas determined by the Principal Allied and AssociatedPowers and the other interested States.

A R T I C L E 8 2The old frontier as it existed on August 3, 1914,

between Austria-Hungary and the German Empirewill constitute the frontier between Germany and theCzecho-Slovak State.

A R T I C L E 8 3Germany renounces in favour of the Czecho-

Slovak State all rights and title over the portion ofSilesian territory defined as follows: starting from apoint about 2 kilometres south-east of Katscher, onthe boundary between the Kreise of Leobschutz andRatibor: the boundary between the two Kreise; then,the former boundary between Germany and Austria-Hungary up to a point on the Oder immediately to thesouth of the Ratibor-Oderberg railway; thence,towards the north-west and up to a point about 2kilometres to the south-east of Katscher: a line to befixed on the spot passing to the west of Kranowitz. ACommission composed of seven members, fivenominated by the Principal Allied and AssociatedPowers, one by Poland and one by the Czecho-SlovakState, will be appointed fifteen days after the cominginto force of the present Treaty to trace on the spot thefrontier line between Poland and the Czecho-SlovakState. The decisions of this Commission will be takenby a majority and shall be binding on the partiesconcerned. Germany hereby agrees to renounce infavour of the Czecho-Slovak State all rights and titleover the part of the Kreis of Leobschutz comprisedwithin the following boundaries in case after thedetermination of the frontier between Germany andPoland the said part of that Kreis should become

isolated from Germany: from the south-easternextremity of the salient of the former Austrian frontierat about 5 kilometres to the west of Leobschutzsouthwards and up to the point of junction with theboundary between the Kreise of Leobschutz andRatibor: the former frontier between Germany andAustria-Hungary; then, northwards, the administra-tive boundary between the Kreise of Leobschutz andRatibor up to a point situated about 2 kilometres tothe south-east of Katscher; thence, north-westwardsand up to the starting-point of this definition: a line tobe fixed on the spot passing to the east of Katscher.

A R T I C L E 8 4German nationals habitually resident in any of the

territories recognised as forming part of the Czecho-Slovak State will obtain Czecho-Slovak nationalityipso facto and lose their German nationality.

A R T I C L E 8 5Within a period of two years from the coming into

force of the present Treaty, German nationals overeighteen years of age habitually resident in any of theterritories recognized as forming part of the Czecho-Slovak State will be entitled to opt for German.nationality. Czecho-Slovaks who are German nationalsand are habitually resident in Germany will have asimilar right to opt for Czecho-Slovak nationality.

Option by a husband will cover his wife andoption by parents will cover their children undereighteen years of age.

Persons who have exercised the above right to optmust within the succeeding twelve months transfertheir place of residence to the State for which theyhave opted.

They will be entitled to retain their landedproperty in the territory of the other State where theyhad their place of residence before exercising theright to opt. They may carry with them their movableproperty of every description. No export or importduties may be imposed upon them in connection withthe removal of such property.

Within the same period Czecho-Slovaks, who areGerman nationals and are in a foreign country will beentitled, in the absence of any provisions to thecontrary in the foreign law, and if they have notacquired the foreign nationality, to obtain Czecho-Slovak nationality and lose their German nationality


by complying with the requirements laid down by theCzecho-Slovak State.

A R T I C L E 8 6The Czecho-Slovak State accepts and agrees to

embody in a Treaty with the Principal Allied andAssociated Powers such provisions as may be deemednecessary by the said Powers to protect the interests ofinhabitants of that State who differ from the majorityof the population in race, language, or religion.

The Czecho-Slovak State further accepts andagrees to embody in a Treaty with the said Powerssuch provisions as they may deem necessary toprotect freedom of transit and equitable treatment ofthe commerce of other nations.

The proportion and nature of the financial obliga-tions of Germany and Prussia which theCzecho-Slovak State will have to assume on accountof the Silesian territory placed under its sovereigntywill be determined in accordance with Article 254 ofPart IX (Financial Clauses) of the present Treaty.

Subsequent agreements will decide all questionsnot decided by the present Treaty which may arise inconsequence of the cession of the said territory.

Section VIII: PolandA R T I C L E 8 7

Germany, in conformity with the action alreadytaken by the Allied and Associated Powers, recognisesthe complete independence of Poland, and renouncesin her favour all rights and title over the territorybounded by the Baltic Sea, the eastern frontier ofGermany as laid down in Article 27 of Part II(Boundaries of Germany) of the present Treaty up to apoint situated about 2 kilometres to the east ofLorzendorf, then a line to the acute angle which thenorthern boundary of Upper Silesia makes about 3kilometres north-west of Simmenau, then theboundary of Upper Silesia to its meeting point withthe old frontier between Germany and Russia, thenthis frontier to the point where it crosses the course ofthe Niemen, and then the northern frontier of EastPrussia as laid down in Article 28 of Part II aforesaid.

The provisions of this Article do not, however,apply to the territories of East Prussia and the FreeCity of Danzig, as defined in Article 28 of Part II(Boundaries of Germany) and in Article 10o of SectionXI (Danzig) of this Part.

The boundaries of Poland not laid down in thepresent Treaty will be subsequently determined by thePrincipal Allied and Associated Powers.

A Commission consisting of seven members, fiveof whom shall be nominated by the Principal Alliedand Associated Powers, one by Germany and one byPoland, shall be constituted fifteen days after thecoming into force of the present Treaty to delimit onthe spot the frontier line between Poland andGermany. The decisions of the Commission will betaken by a majority of votes and shall be binding uponthe parties concerned.

A R T I C L E 8 8In the portion of Upper Silesia included within the

boundaries described below, the inhabitants will becalled upon to indicate by a vote whether they wish tobe attached to Germany or to Poland: starting fromthe northern point of the salient of the old province ofAustrian Silesia situated about 8 kilometres east ofNeustadt, the former frontier between Germany andAustria to its junction with the boundary between theKreise of Leobschutz and Ratibor; thence in anortherly direction to a point about 2 kilometressouth-east of Katscher: the boundary between theKreise of Leobschutz and Ratibor; thence in a south-easterly direction to a point on the course of the Oderimmediately south of the Ratibor-Oderberg railway: aline to be fixed on the ground passing south ofKranowitz; thence the old boundary betweenGermany and Austria, then the old boundary betweenGermany and Russia to its junction with the adminis-trative boundary between Posnania and UpperSilesia; thence this administrative boundary to itsjunction with the administrative boundary betweenUpper and Middle Silesia, thence westwards to thepoint where the administrative boundary turns in anacute angle to the south-east about 3 kilometresnorth-west of Simmenau: the boundary betweenUpper and Middle Silesia; then in a westerly directionto a point to be fixed on the ground about 2 kilome-tres east of Lorzendorf: a line to be fixed on theground passing north of Klein Hennersdorf: thencesouthwards to the point where the boundary betweenUpper and Middle Silesia cuts the Stadtel-Karlsruheroad: a line to be fixed on the ground passing west ofHennersdorf, Polkowitz, Noldau, Steinersdorf, andDammer, and east of Strehlitz, Nassadel, Eckersdorf,


Schwirz, and Stadtel; thence the boundary betweenUpper and Middle Silesia to its junction with theeastern boundary of the Kreis of Falkenberg; then theeastern boundary of the Kreis of Falkenberg to thepoint of the salient which is 3 kilometres east ofPuschine; thence to the northern point of the salientof the old province of Austrian Silesia situated about8 kilometres east of Neustadt: a line to be fixed on theground passing east of Zulz.

The regime under which this plebiscite will be takenand given effect to is laid down in the Annex hereto.

The Polish and German Governments herebyrespectively bind themselves to conduct no prosecu-tions on any part of their territory and to take noexceptional proceedings for any political actionperformed in Upper Silesia during the period of theregime laid down in the Annex hereto and up to thesettlement of the final status of the country.

Germany hereby renounces in favour of Poland allrights and title over the portion of Upper Silesia Iyingbeyond the frontier line fixed by the Principal Alliedand Associated Powers as the result of the plebiscite.

A N N E X

1. Within fifteen days from the coming into force ofthe present Treaty the German troops and suchofficials as may be designated by the Commissionset up under the provisions of paragraph 2 shallevacuate the plebiscite area. Up to the moment ofthe completion of the evacuation they shall refrainfrom any form of requisitioning in money or inkind and from all acts likely to prejudice thematerial interests of the country.

Within the same period the Workmen’s andSoldiers’ Councils which have been constituted inthis area shall be dissolved. Members of suchCouncils who are natives of another region andare exercising their functions at the date of thecoming into force of the present Treaty, or whohave gone out of office since March 1, 1919, shallbe evacuated.

All military and semi-military unions formedin the said area by inhabitants of the district shallbe immediately disbanded All members of suchmilitary organisations who are not domiciled inthe said area shall be required to leave it.

2. The plebiscite area shall be immediately placedunder the authority of an International

Commission of four members to be designated bythe following Powers: the United States ofAmerica, France, the British Empire, and Italy. Itshall be occupied by troops belonging to theAllied and Associated Powers, and the GermanGovernment undertakes to give facilities for thetransference of these troops to Upper Silesia.

3. The Commission shall enjoy all the powersexercised by the German or the PrussianGovernment, except those of legislation or taxation.It shall also be substituted for the Government ofthe province and the Regierungsbezirk.

It shall be within the competence of theCommission to interpret the powers herebyconferred upon it and to determine to what extentit shall exercise them, and to what extent they shallbe left in the hands of the existing authorities.

Changes in the existing laws and the existingtaxation shall only be brought into force with theconsent of the Commission.

The Commission will maintain order with thehelp of the troops which will be at its disposal,and, to the extent which it may deem necessary, bymeans of gendarmerie recruited among theinhabitants of the country.

The Commission shall provide immediatelyfor the replacement of the evacuated Germanofficials and, if occasion arises, shall itself orderthe evacuation of such authorities and proceed tothe replacement of such local authorities as maybe required.

It shall take all steps which it thinks proper toensure the freedom, fairness, and secrecy of thevote. In particular, it shall have the right to order theexpulsion of any person who may in any way haveattempted to distort the result of the plebiscite bymethods of corruption or intimidation.

The Commission shall have full power to settleall questions arising from the execution of thepresent clauses. It shall be assisted by technicaladvisers chosen by it from among the localpopulation.

The decisions of the Commission shall betaken by a majority vote.

4. The vote shall take place at such date as may bedetermined by the Principal Allied and AssociatedPowers, but not sooner than six months or laterthan eighteen months after the establishment of


the Commission in the area.The right to vote shall be given to all persons

without distinction of sex who:(a) Have completed their twentieth year on the

1st January of the year in which theplebiscite takes place-

(b) Were born in the plebiscite area or havebeen domiciled there since a date to bedetermined by the Commission, whichshall not be subsequent to January 1, 1919,or who have been expelled by the Germanauthorities and have not retained theirdomicile there.

Persons convicted of political offences shall beenabled to exercise their right of voting.

Every person will vote in the commune wherehe is domiciled or in which he was born, if he hasnot retained his domicile in the area.

The result of the vote will be determined bycommunes according to the majority of votes ineach commune.

5. On the conclusion of the voting, the number ofvotes cast in each commune will be communi-cated by the Commission to the Principal Alliedand Associated Powers, with a full report as to thetaking of the vote and a recommendation as to theline which ought to be adopted as the frontier ofGermany in Upper Silesia. In this recommendationregard will be paid to the wishes of the inhabitantsas shown by the vote, and to the geographical andeconomic conditions of the locality.

6. As soon as the frontier has been fixed by thePrincipal Allied and Associated Powers, theGerman authorities will be notified by theInternational Commission that they are free totake over the administration of the territory whichit is recognised should be German, the saidauthorities must proceed to do so within onemonth of such notification and in the mannerprescribed by the Commission.

Within the same period and in the mannerprescribed by the commission, the PolishGovernment must proceed to take over theadministration of the territory which it isrecognized should be Polish.

When the administration of the territory hasbeen provided for by the German and Polishauthorities respectively, the powers of the

Commission will terminate.The cost of the army of occupation and

expenditure by the Commission, whether indischarge of its own functions or in the adminis-tration of the territory, will be a charge on the area.

A R T I C L E 8 9Poland undertakes to accord freedom of transit to

persons, goods, vessels, carriages, wagons, and mailsin transit between East Prussia and the rest ofGermany over Polish territory, including territorialwaters, and to treat them at least as favourably as thepersons, goods, vessels, carriages, wagons and mailsrespectively of Polish or of any other more favourednationality, origin importation, starting point, orownerships as regards facilities, restrictions and allother matters.

Goods in transit shall be exempt from all customsor other similar duties.

Freedom of transit will extend to telegraphic andtelephonic services under the conditions laid down bythe conventions referred to in Article 98.

A R T I C L E 9 0Poland undertakes to permit for a period of fifteen

years the exportation to Germany of the products ofthe mines in any part of Upper Silesia transferred toPoland in accordance with the present Treaty.

Such products shall be free from all export dutiesor other charges or restrictions on exportation.

Poland agrees to take such steps as may benecessary to secure that any such products shall beavailable for sale to purchasers in Germany on termsas favourable as are applicable to like products soldunder similar conditions to purchasers in Poland orin any other country.

A R T I C L E 9 1German nationals habitually resident in territo-

ries recognised as forming part of Poland will acquirePolish nationality ipso facto and will lose theirGerman nationality. German nationals, however, ortheir descendants who became resident in theseterritories after January 1, 1908, will not acquire Polishnationality without a special authorisation from thePolish State.

Within a period of two years after the coming intoforce of the present Treaty, German nationals over 18


years of age habitually resident in any of the territo-ries recognised as forming part of Poland will beentitled to opt for German nationality.

Poles who are German nationals over 18 years ofage and habitually resident in Germany will have asimilar right to opt for Polish nationality.

Option by a husband will cover his wife andoption by parents will cover their children under 18years of age.

Persons who have exercised the above right to optmay within the succeeding twelve months transfertheir place of residence to the State for which theyhave opted.

They will be entitled to retain their immovableproperty in the territory of the other State where theyhad their place of residence before exercising theright to opt.

They may carry with them their movable propertyof every description. No export or import duties orcharges may be imposed upon them in connectionwith the removal of such property.

Within the same period Poles who are Germannationals and are in a foreign country will be entitled,in the absence of any provisions to the contrary in theforeign law, and if they have not acquired the foreignnationality, to obtain Polish nationality and to losetheir German nationality by complying with therequirements laid down by the Polish State.

In the portion of Upper Silesia submitted to aplebiscite the provisions of this Article shall onlycome into force as from the definitive attribution ofthe territory.

A R T I C L E 9 2The proportion and the nature of the financial

liabilities of Germany and Prussia which are to beborne by Poland will be determined in accordancewith Article 254 of Part IX (Financial Clauses) of thepresent Treaty.

There shall be excluded from the share of suchfinancial liabilities assumed by Poland that portion ofthe debt which, according to the finding of theReparation Commission referred to in the above-mentioned Article, arises from measures adopted bythe German and Prussian Governments with a view toGerman colonisation in Poland.

In fixing under Article 256 of the present Treatythe value of the property and possessions belonging

to the German Empire and to the German Stateswhich pass to Poland with the territory transferredabove, the Reparation Commission shall exclude fromthe valuation buildings, forests, and other Stateproperty which belonged to the former Kingdom ofPoland; Poland shall acquire these properties free ofall costs and charges.

In all the German territory transferred inaccordance with the present Treaty and recognised asforming definitively part of Poland, the property,rights, and interests of German nationals shall not beliquidated under Article 297 by the PolishGovernment except in accordance with the followingprovisions:

(1) The proceeds of the liquidation shall be paiddirect to the owner;

(2) If on his application the Mixed ArbitralTribunal provided for by Section VI of Part X(Economic Clauses) of the present Treaty, or anarbitrator appointed by that Tribunal, issatisfied that the conditions of the sale ormeasures taken by the Polish Governmentoutside its general legislation were unfairlyprejudicial to the price obtained, they shallhave discretion to award to the ownerequitable compensation to be paid by thePolish Government.

Further agreements will regulate all questionsarising out of the cession of the above territory whichare not regulated by the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 9 3Poland accepts and agrees to embody in a Treaty

with the Principal Allied and Associated Powers suchprovisions as may be deemed necessary by the saidPowers to protect the interests of inhabitants ofPoland who differ from the majority of the populationin race, language, or religion.

Poland further accepts and agrees to embody in aTreaty with the said Powers such provisions as theymay deem necessary to protect freedom of transit andequitable treatment of the commerce of other nations.

Section IX: East PrussiaA R T I C L E 9 4

In the area between the southern frontier of EastPrussia, as described in Article 28 of Part II(Boundaries of Germany) of the present Treaty, and


the line described below, the inhabitants will becalled upon to indicate by a vote the State to whichthey wish to belong:

The western and northern boundary ofRegierungsbezirk Allenstein to its junction with theboundary between the Kreise of Oletsko andAngerburg; thence, the northern boundary of theKreis of Oletsko to its junction with the old frontier ofEast Prussia.

A R T I C L E 9 5The German troops and authorities will be

withdrawn from the area defined above within aperiod not exceeding fifteen days after the cominginto force of the present treaty. Until the evacuation iscompleted they will abstain from all requisitions inmoney or in kind and from all measures injurious tothe economic interests of the country.

On the expiration of the above-mentioned periodthe said area will be placed under the authority of anInternational Commission of five members appointedby the Principal Allied and Associated Powers. ThisCommission will have general powers of administra-tion and, in particular, will be charged with the dutyof arranging for the vote and of taking such measuresas it may deem necessary to ensure its freedom,fairness, and secrecy. The Commission will have allnecessary authority to decide any questions to whichthe execution of these provisions may give rise. TheCommission will make such arrangements as may benecessary for assistance in the exercise of itsfunctions by officials chosen by itself from the localpopulation. Its decisions will be taken by a majority.

Every person, irrespective of sex, will be entitled to vote who:

(a) Is 20 years of age at the date of the cominginto force of the present Treaty, and

(b) Was born within the area where the vote willtake place or has been habitually resident therefrom a date to be fixed by the Commission.

Every person will vote in the commune where heis habitually resident or, if not habitually resident inthe area, in the commune where he was born.

The result of the vote will be determined bycommunes (Gemeinde) according to the majority ofthe votes in each commune.

On the conclusion of the voting the number of

votes cast in each commune will be communicated bythe Commission to the Principal Allied andAssociated Powers, with a full report as the taking ofthe vote and a recommendation as to the line whichought to be adopted as the boundary of East Prussiain this region . In this recommendation regard will bepaid to the wishes of the inhabitants as shown by thevote and to the geographical and economicconditions of the locality. The Principal Allied andAssociated Powers will then fix the frontier betweenEast Prussia and Poland in this region.

If the line fixed by the Principal Allied andAssociated Powers is such as to exclude from EastPrussia any part of the territory defined in Article 94,the renunciation of its rights by Germany in favour ofPoland, as provided in Article 87 above, will extend tothe territories so excluded.

As soon as the line has been fixed by the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers, the authorities adminis-tering East Prussia will be notified by the InternationalCommission that they are free to take over the adminis-tration of the territory to the north of the line so fixed,which they shall proceed to do within one month ofsuch notification and in the manner prescribed by theCommission. Within the same period and asprescribed by the Commission, the Polish Governmentmust proceed to take over the administration of theterritory to the south of the line. The administration ofthe territory by the East Prussian and Polish authoritiesrespectively has been provided for, the powers of theCommission will terminate.

Expenditure by the Commission, whether in thedischarge of its own functions or in the administra-tion of the territory, will be borne by the localrevenues East Prussia will be required to bear suchproportion of any deficit as may be fixed by thePrincipal Allied and Associated Powers.

A R T I C L E 9 6In the area comprising the Kreise of Stuhm and

Rosenberg and the portion of the Kreis of Marienburgwhich is situated east of the Nogat and that ofMarienwerder east of the Vistula, the inhabitants willbe called upon to indicate by a vote, to be taken ineach commune (Gemeinde), whether they desire thevarious communes situated in this territory to belongto Poland or to East Prussia.


A R T I C L E 9 7The German troops and authorities will be

withdrawn from the area defined in Article 96 withina period not exceeding fifteen days after the cominginto force of the present Treaty. Until the evacuation iscompleted they will abstain from all requisitions inmoney or in kind and from all measures injurious tothe economic interests of the country.

On the expiration of the above-mentioned period,the said area will be placed under the authority of anInternational Commission of five members appointedby the Principal Allied and Associated Powers. ThisCommission, supported if occasion arises by thenecessary forces, will have general powers of adminis-tration and in particular will be charged with the dutyof arranging for the vote and of taking such measuresas it may deem necessary to ensure its freedom,fairness, and secrecy. The Commission will conform asfar as possible to the provisions of the present Treatyrelating to the plebiscite in the Allenstein area; itsdecisions will be taken by a majority.

Expenditure by the Commission, whether in thedischarge of its own functions or in the administrationof the territory, will be borne by the local revenues.

On the conclusion of the voting the number ofvotes cast in each commune will be communicated bythe Commission to the Principal Allied andAssociated Powers with a full report as to the takingof the vote and a recommendation as to the line whichought to be adopted as the boundary of East Prussiain this region. In this recommendation regard will bepaid to the wishes of the inhabitants as shown by thevote and to the geographical and economicconditions of the locality. The Principal Allied andAssociated Powers will then fix the frontier betweenEast Prussia and Poland in this region, leaving in anycase to Poland for the whole of the section borderingon the Vistula full and complete control of the riverincluding the east bank as far east of the river as maybe necessary for its regulation and improvement,Germany agrees that in any portion of the saidterritory which remains German, no fortificationsshall at any time be erected. The Principal Allied andAssociated Powers will at the same time draw upregulations for assuring to the population of EastPrussia to the fullest extent and under equitableconditions access to the Vistula and the use of it forthemselves, their commerce, and their boats.

The determination of the frontier and theforegoing regulations shall be binding upon all theparties concerned.

When the administration of the territory hasbeen taken over by the East Prussian and Polishauthorities respectively, the powers of theCommission will terminate.

A R T I C L E 9 8Germany and Poland undertake, within one year

of the coming into force of this Treaty, to enter intoconventions of which the terms, in case of difference,shall be settled by the Council of the League ofNations, with the object of securing, on the one hand,to Germany full and adequate railroad, telegraphicand telephonic facilities for communication betweenthe rest of Germany and East Prussia over theintervening Polish territory, and on the other hand toPoland full and adequate railroad, telegraphic andtelephonic facilities for communication betweenPoland and the Free City of Danzig over any Germanterritory that may, on the right bank of the Vistula,intervene between Poland and the Free City of Danzig.

Section X: MemelA R T I C L E 9 9

Germany renounces in favour of the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers all rights and title overthe territories included between the Baltic, the north-eastern frontier of East Prussia as defined in Article28 of Part II (Boundaries of Germany) of the presentTreaty and the former frontier between Germany andRussia. Germany undertakes to accept the settlementmade by the Principal Allied and Associated Powersin regard to these territories, particularly in so far asconcerns the nationality of the inhabitants.

Section XI: Free City of DanzigA R T I C L E 10 0

Germany renounces in favour of the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers all rights and title overthe territory comprised within the following limits:

from the Baltic Sea southwards to the point wherethe principal channels of navigation of the Nogat andthe Vistula (Weichsel) meet:

the boundary of East Prussia as described inArticle 28 of Part II (Boundaries of Germany) of


the present Treaty;

thence the principal channel of navigation of theVistula downstream to a point about 6-1/2kilometres north of the bridge of Dirschau;

thence north-west to point 5-1/2 kilometres south-east of the church of Guttland:

a line to be fixed on the ground,

thence in a general westerly direction to the salientmade by the boundary of the Kreis of Berent 8-1/2kilometres north-east of Schoneck:

a line to be fixed on the ground passing betweenMuhlbanz on the south and Rambeltsch on the north;

thence the boundary of the Kreis of Berentwestwards to the re-entrant which it forms 6kilometres north-north-west Schoneck; thence toa point on the median line of Lonkener See:

a line to be fixed on the ground passing north ofNeu Fietz and Schatarpi and south of Barenhutteand Lonken;

thence the median line of Lonkener See to itsnorthernmost point;

thence to the southern end of Pollenziner See:

a line to be fixed on the ground;

thence the median line of Pollenziner See to itsnorthernmost point;

thence in a north-easterly direction to a point about1 kilometre south of Koliebken church, where theDanzig-Neustadt railway crosses a stream:

a line to be fixed on the ground passing south-eastof Kamehlen, Krissau, Fidlin, Sulmin (Richthof),Mattern, Schaferei, and to the north-west ofNeuendorf, Marschau, Czapielken, Hoch- andKlein-Kelpin, Pulvermuhl, Renneberg, and thetowns of Oliva and Zoppot;

thence the course of the stream mentioned aboveto the Baltic Sea. The boundaries described aboveare drawn on a German map, scale 1/100,000,attached to the present Treaty (Map No. 3).

A R T I C L E 101A Commission composed of three members

appointed by the Principal Allied and AssociatedPowers, including a High Commissioner as President,one member appointed by Germany and one memberappointed by Poland, shall be constituted within fifteendays of the coming into force of the present Treaty forthe purpose of delimiting on the spot the frontier of theterritory as described above, taking into account as faras possible the existing communal boundaries.

A R T I C L E 10 2The Principal Allied and Associated Powers

undertake to establish the town of Danzig, togetherwith the rest of the territory described in Article 100,as a Free City. It will be placed under the protection ofthe League of Nations.

A R T I C L E 10 3A constitution for the Free City of Danzig shall be

drawn up by the duly appointed representatives of theFree City in agreement with a High Commissioner tobe appointed by the League of Nations. This constitu-tion shall be placed under the guarantee of theLeague of Nations.

The High Commissioner will also be entrustedwith the duty of dealing in the first instance with alldifferences arising between Poland and the Free Cityof Danzig in regard to this Treaty or any arrangementsor agreements made thereunder.

The High Commissioner shall reside at Danzig.

A R T I C L E 10 4The Principal Allied and Associated Powers

undertake to negotiate a Treaty between the PolishGovernment and the Free City of Danzig, which shallcome into force at the same time as the establishmentof the said Free City, with the following objects:

(1) To effect the inclusion of the Free City ofDanzig within the Polish Customs frontiers,and to establish a free area in the port;

(2) To ensure to Poland without any restriction thefree use and service of all waterways, docks,basins, wharves and other works within theterritory of the Free City necessary for Polishimports and exports;

(3) To ensure to Poland the control and adminis-tration of the Vistula and of the whole railway


system within the Free City, except such streetand other railways as serve primarily theneeds of the Free City, and of postal,telegraphic and telephonic communicationbetween Poland and the port of Danzig;

(4) To ensure to Poland the right to develop andimprove the waterways, docks, basins, wharves,railways and other works and means ofcommunication mentioned in this Article, as wellas to lease or purchase through appropriateprocesses such land and other property as maybe necessary for these purposes,

(5) To provide against any discrimination withinthe Free City of Danzig to the detriment ofcitizens of Poland and other persons of Polishorigin or speech;

(6) To provide that the Polish Government shallundertake the conduct of the foreign relationsof the Free City of Danzig as well as thediplomatic protection of citizens of that citywhen abroad.

A R T I C L E 10 5On the coming into force of the present Treaty

German nationals ordinarily resident in the territorydescribed in Article 100 will ipso facto lose theirGerman nationality in order to become nationals ofthe Free City of Danzig.

A R T I C L E 10 6Within a period of two years from the coming into

force of the present Treaty, German nationals over 18years of age ordinarily resident in the territorydescribed in Article 100 will have the right to opt forGerman nationality.

Option by a husband will cover his wife andoption by parents will cover their children less than 18years of age.

All persons who exercise the right of optionreferred to above must during the ensuing twelvemonths transfer their place of residence to Germany.

These persons will be entitled to preserve theimmovable property possessed by them in theterritory of the Free City of Danzig. They may carrywith them their movable property of every descrip-tion. No export or import duties shall be imposedupon upon them in this connection.

A R T I C L E 10 7All property situated within the territory of the

Free City of Danzig belonging to the German Empireor to any German State shall pass to the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers for transfer to the FreeCity of Danzig or to the Polish State as they mayconsider equitable.

A R T I C L E 10 8The proportion and nature of the financial liabili-

ties of Germany and of Prussia to be borne by the FreeCity of Danzig shall be fixed in accordance withArticle 254 of Part IX (Financial Clauses) of thepresent Treaty.

All other questions which may arise from thecession of the territory referred to in Article 100 shallbe settled by further agreements.

Section XII: SchleswigA R T I C L E 10 9

The frontier between Germany and Denmark shallbe fixed in conformity with the wishes of the population.

For this purpose, the population inhabiting theterritories of the former German Empire situated to thenorth of a line, from East to West, (shown by a brownline on the map No. 4, annexed to the present Treaty):

leaving the Baltic Sea about 13 kilometres east-north-east of Flensburg,

running south-west so as to pass south-east of:Sygum, Ringsberg, Munkbrarup, Adelby,Tastrup, Jarplund, Oversee, and northwest of:Langballigholz, Langballig, Bonstrup,Rullschau, Weseby, Kleinwolstrup, Gross-Solt,

thence westwards passing south of Frorup andnorth of Wanderup,

thence in a south-westerly direction passingsouth-east of Oxlund, Stieglund and Ostenauand north-west of the villages on theWanderup-Kollund road,

thence in a north-westerly direction passingsouth-west of Lowenstedt, Joldelund,Goldelund, and north-east of Kolkerheide andHogel to the bend of the Soholmer Au, about 1kilometre east of Soholm, where it meets thesouthern boundary of the Kreis of Tondern,


following this boundary to the NorthSea,passing south of the islands of Fohr andAmrum and north of the islands of Oland andLangeness, shall be called upon to pronounceby a vote which will be taken under thefollowing conditions:(1) Within a period not exceeding ten days from

the coming into force of the present Treaty, theGerman troops and authorities (including theOberprasidenten, Regierungs-prasidenten,Landrathe, Amtsvorsteher, Oberburgermeister)shall evacuate the zone lying to the north of theline above fixed.

Within the same period the Workmen’s andSoldiers’, Councils which have been consti-tuted in this zone shall be dissolved; membersof such councils who are natives of anotherregion and are exercising their functions at thedate of the coming into force of the presentTreaty, or who have gone out of office sinceMarch 1, 1919, shall also be evacuated.

The said zone shall immediately be placedunder the authority of an InternationalCommission, composed of five members, ofwhom three will be designated by thePrincipal Allied and Associated Powers; theNorwegian and Swedish Governments willeach be requested to designate a member; inthe event of their failing to do so, these twomembers will be chosen by the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers.

The Commission, assisted in case of needby the necessary forces, shall have generalpowers of administration. In particular, it shallat once provide for filling the places of theevacuated German authorities, and ifnecessary shall itself give orders for theirevacuation, and proceed to fill the places ofsuch local authorities as may be required. Itshall take all steps which it thinks proper toensure the freedom, fairness, and secrecy ofthe vote. It shall be assisted by German andDanish technical advisers chosen by it fromamong the local population. Its decisions willbe taken by a majority.

One-half of the expenses of the Commissionand of the expenditure occasioned by theplebiscite shall be paid by Germany.

(2) The right to vote shall be given to all persons,without distinction of sex, who:(a) Have completed their twentieth year at the

date of the coming into force of the presentTreaty; and

(b) Were born in the zone in which the plebisciteis taken, or have been domiciled there since adate before January 1, 1900, or had beenexpelled by the German authorities withouthaving retained their domicile there.

Every person will vote in the commune(Gemeinde) where he is domiciled or ofwhich he is a native.

Military persons, officers, non-commis-sioned officers and soldiers of the Germanarmy, who are natives of the zone ofSchleswig in which the plebiscite is taken,shall be given the opportunity to return totheir native place in order to take part inthe voting there.

(3) In the section of the evacuated zone lying tothe north of a line, from East to West (shownby a red line on map No. 4 which is annexed tothe present Treaty).

passing south of the island of Alsen andfollowing the median line of Flensburg Fjord,

leaving the fjord about 6 kilometres north ofFlensburg and following the course of thestream flowing past Kupfermuhle upstream toa point north of Niehuus,

passing north of Pattburg and Ellund andsouth of Froslee to meet the eastern boundaryof the Kreis of Tondern at its junction with theboundary between the old jurisdiction of Slogsand Kjaer (Slogs, Herred, and Kaer Herred),

following the latter boundary to where it meetsthe Scheidebek, following the course of theScheidebek (AIte Au), Suder Au, and Wied Audownstream successively to the point wherethe latter bends northwards about 1,500metres west of Ruttebull

thence, in a west-north-westerly direction tomeet the North Sea north of SieItoft,

thence, passing north of the island of Sylt,


the vote above provided for shall be takenwithin a period not exceeding three weeksafter the evacuation of the country by theGerman troops and authorities.

The result will be determined by themajority of votes cast in the whole of thissection. This result will be immediatelycommunicated by the Commission to thePrincipal Allied and Associated Powers andproclaimed.

If the vote results in favour of the reincor-poration of this territory in the Kingdom ofDenmark, the Danish Government inagreement with the Commission will beentitled to effect its occupation with theirmilitary and administrative authoritiesimmediately after the proclamation.

(4) In the section of the evacuated zone situated tothe south of the preceding section and to thenorth of the line which starts from the BalticSea 13 kilometres from Flensburg and endsnorth of the islands of Oland and Langeness,the vote will be taken within a period notexceeding five weeks after the plebiscite shallhave been held in the first section.

The result will be determined by communes(Gemeinden), in accordance with the majorityof the votes cast in each commune (Gemeinde).

A R T I C L E 110Pending a delimitation on the spot, a frontier line

will be fixed by the Principal Allied and AssociatedPowers according to a line based on the result of thevoting, and proposed by the InternationalCommission, and taking into account the particulargeographical and economic conditions of the locali-ties in question.

From that time the Danish Government may effectthe occupation of these territories with the Danish civiland military authorities, and the German Governmentmay reinstate up to the said frontier line the Germancivil and military authorities whom it has evacuated.

Germany hereby renounces definitely in favour ofthe Principal Allied and Associated Powers all rightsof sovereignty over the territories situated to the northof the frontier line fixed in accordance with the aboveprovisions. The Principal Allied and Associated

Powers will hand over the said territories to Denmark.

A R T I C L E 111A Commission composed of seven members, five

of whom shall be nominated by the Principal Alliedand Associated Powers, one by Denmark, and one byGermany, shall be constituted within fifteen daysfrom the date when the final result of the vote isknown, to trace the frontier line on the spot.

The decisions of the Commission will be taken bya majority of votes and shall be binding on the partiesconcerned.

A R T I C L E 112All the inhabitants of the territory which is

returned to Denmark will acquire Danish nationalityipso facto, and will lose their German nationality.

Persons, however, who had become habituallyresident in this territory after October 1, 1918, will notbe able to acquire Danish nationality without permis-sion from the Danish Government.

A R T I C L E 113Within two years from the date on which the

sovereignty over the whole or part of the territory of Schleswig subjected to the plebiscite is restoredto Denmark:

Any person over 18 years of age, born in theterritory restored to Denmark not habitually residentin this region, and possessing German nationality, willbe entitled to opt for Denmark;

Any person over 18 years of age habituallyresident in the territory restored to Denmark will beentitled to opt for Germany.

Option by a husband will cover his wife andoption by parents will cover their children less than 18years of age.

Persons who have exercised the above right to optmust within the ensuing twelve months transfer theirplace of residence to the State in favour of which theyhave opted.

They will be entitled to retain the immovableproperty which they own in the territory of the otherState in which they were habitually resident beforeopting. They may carry with them their movableproperty of every description. No export or importduties may be imposed upon them in connection withthe removal of such property.


A R T I C L E 114The proportion and nature of the financial or

other obligations of Germany and Prussia which areto be assumed by Denmark will be fixed inaccordance with Article 254 of Part IX (FinancialClauses) of the present Treaty.

Further stipulations will determine any otherquestions arising out of the transfer to Denmark ofthe whole or part of the territory of which she wasdeprived by the Treaty of October 30, 1864.

Section XIII: HeligolandA R T I C L E 115

The fortifications, military establishments, andharbours, of the Islands of Heligoland and Dune shallbe destroyed under the supervision of the PrincipalAllied Governments by German labour and at theexpense of Germany within a period to be determinedby the said Governments.

The term “harbours”, shall include the north-eastmole, the west wall, the outer and inner breakwaters,and reclaimed land within them, and all naval andmilitary works, fortifications, and buildings,constructed or under construction, between linesconnecting the following positions taken from theBritish Admiralty chart No. 126 of April 19, 1918:

(a) lat. 54° 10’ 49” N.; long. 7° 53’ 39” E.; (b) 54°10’ 35” N.; 7° 54’ 18” E.; (c) 54° 10’ 14” N.; 7° 54’00” E.; (d) 54° 10’ 17” N.; 7° 53’ 37” E.; (e) 54° 10’44” N.; 7° 53’ 26” E.These fortifications, military establishments, and

harbours shall not be reconstructed nor shall anysimilar works be constructed in future.

Section XIV: Russia and Russian StatesA R T I C L E 116

Germany acknowledges and agrees to respect aspermanent and inalienable the independence of allthe territories which were part of the former RussianEmpire on August 1, 1914.

In accordance with the provisions of Article 259 ofPart IX (Financial Clauses) and Article 292 of Part X(Economic Clauses) Germany accepts definitely theabrogation of the Brest-Litovsk Treaties and of all othertreaties, conventions, and agreements entered into byher with the Maximalist Government in Russia.

The Allied and Associated Powers formally

reserve the rights of Russia to obtain from Germanyrestitution and reparation based on the principles ofthe present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 117Germany undertakes to recognise the full force of

all treaties or agreements which may be entered intoby the Allied and Associated Powers with States nowexisting or coming into existence in future in thewhole or part of the former Empire of Russia as itexisted on August 1, 1914, and to recognise thefrontiers of any such States as determined therein.

MANDATES IN AFRICA

Part IVGerman Rights and InterestsOutside GermanyA R T I C L E 118

In territory outside her European frontiers as fixedby the present Treaty, Germany renounces all rights,titles and privileges whatever in or over territorywhich belonged to her or to her allies, and all rights,titles and privileges whatever their origin which sheheld as against the Allied and Associated Powers.

Germany hereby undertakes to recognise and toconform to the measures which may be taken now or inthe future by the Principal Allied and Associated Powers,in agreement where necessary with third Powers, inorder to carry the above stipulation into effect.

In particular Germany declares her acceptance ofthe following Articles relating to certain special subjects.

Section I: German ColoniesA R T I C L E 119

Germany renounces in favour of the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers all her rights and titlesover her oversea possessions.

A R T I C L E 12 0All movable and immovable property in such

territories belonging to the German Empire or to anyGerman State shall pass to the Government exercisingauthority over such territories, on the terms laid downin Article 257 of Part IX (Financial Clauses) of thepresent Treaty. The decision of the local courts in any


dispute as to the nature of such property shall be final.

A R T I C L E 121The provisions of Sections I and IV of Part X

(Economic Clauses) of the present Treaty shall applyin the case of these territories whatever be the form ofGovernment adopted for them.

A R T I C L E 12 2The Government exercising authority over such

territories may make such provisions as it thinks fitwith reference to the repatriation from them ofGerman nationals and to the conditions upon whichGerman subjects of European origin shall, or shallnot, be allowed to reside, hold property, trade orexercise a profession in them.

A R T I C L E 12 3The provisions of Article 260 of Part IX (Financial

Clauses) of the present Treaty shall apply in the caseof all agreements concluded with German nationalsfor the construction or exploitation of public works inthe German oversea possessions, as well as any sub-concessions or contracts resulting therefrom whichmay have been made to or with such nationals.

A R T I C L E 12 4Germany hereby undertakes to pay, in accordance

with the estimate to be presented by the FrenchGovernment and approved by the ReparationCommission, reparation for damage suffered byFrench nationals in the Cameroons or the frontier zoneby reason of the acts of the German civil and militaryauthorities and of German private individuals duringthe period from January 1, 1900, to August 1, 1914.

A R T I C L E 12 5Germany renounces all rights under the

Conventions and Agreements with France ofNovember 4, 1911, and September 28, 1912, relating toEquatorial Africa. She undertakes to pay to the FrenchGovernment, in accordance with the estimate to bepresented by that Government and approved by theReparation Commission, all the deposits, credits,advances, etc., effected by virtue of these instrumentsin favour of Germany.

A R T I C L E 12 6Germany undertakes to accept and observe the

agreements made or to be made by the Allied andAssociated Powers or some of them with any otherPower with regard to the trade in arms and spirits,and to the matters dealt with in the General Act ofBerlin of February 26, 1885, the General Act ofBrussels of July 2, 1890, and the conventionscompleting or modifying the same.

A R T I C L E 12 7The native inhabitants of the former German

oversea possessions shall be entitled to the diplomaticprotection of the Governments exercising authorityover those territories.

Section II: ChinaA R T I C L E 12 8

Germany renounces in favour of China allbenefits and privileges resulting from the provisionsof the final Protocol signed at Peking on September 7,1901, and from all annexes, notes and documentssupplementary thereto. She likewise renounces infavour of China any claim to indemnities accruingthereunder subsequent to March 14, 1917.

A R T I C L E 12 9From the coming into force of the present Treaty

the High Contracting Parties shall apply, in so far asconcerns them respectively:

(1) The Arrangement of August 29, 1902,regarding the new Chinese customs tariff;

(2) The Arrangement of September 27, 1905,regarding Whang-Poo, and the provisionalsupplementary Arrangement of April 4, 1912.

China, however, will no longer be bound to grantto Germany the advantages or privileges which sheallowed Germany under these Arrangements.

A R T I C L E 13 0Subject to the provisions of Section VIII of this Part,

Germany cedes to China all the buildings, wharves andpontoons, barracks, forts, arms and munitions of war,vessels of all kinds, wireless telegraphy installationsand other public property belonging to the GermanGovernment, which are situated or may be in theGerman Concessions at Tientsin and Hankow orelsewhere in Chinese territory.


It is understood, however, that premises used asdiplomatic or consular residences or offices are notincluded in the above cession, and, furthermore, thatno steps shall be taken by the Chinese Government todispose of the German public and private propertysituated within the so-called Legation Quarter atPeking without the consent of the DiplomaticRepresentatives of the Powers which, on the cominginto force of the present Treaty, remain Parties to theFinal Protocol of September 7, 1901.

A R T I C L E 13 1Germany undertakes to restore to China within

twelve months from the coming into force of thepresent Treaty all the astronomical instrumentswhich her troops in 1900-1901 carried away fromChina, and to defray all expenses which may beincurred in effecting such restoration, including theexpenses of dismounting, packing, transporting,insurance and installation in Peking.

A R T I C L E 13 2Germany agrees to the abrogation of the leases

from the Chinese Government under which theGerman Concessions at Hankow and Tientsin arenow held.

China, restored to the full exercise of hersovereign rights in the above areas, declares herintention of opening them to international residenceand trade. She further declares that the abrogation ofthe leases under which these concessions are nowheld shall not affect the property rights of nationals ofAllied and Associated Powers who are holders of lotsin these concessions.

A R T I C L E 13 3Germany waives all claims against the Chinese

Government or against any Allied or AssociatedGovernment arising out of the internment of Germannationals in China and their repatriation. She equallyrenounces all claims arising out of the capture andcondemnation of German ships in China, or theliquidation, sequestration or control of Germanproperties, rights and interests in that country sinceAugust 14, 1917. This provision, however, shall notaffect the rights of the parties interested in theproceeds of any such liquidation, which shall be

governed by the provisions of Part X (EconomicClauses) of the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 13 4Germany renounces in favour of the Government

of His Britannic Majesty the German State property inthe British Concession at Shameen at Canton. Sherenounces in favour of the French and ChineseGovernments conjointly the property of the Germanschool situated in the French Concession at Shanghai.

Section III: SiamA R T I C L E 13 5

Germany recognises that all treaties, conventionsand agreements between her and Siam, and all rights,title and privileges derived therefrom, including allrights of extraterritorial jurisdiction, terminated asfrom July 22, 1917.

A R T I C L E 13 6All goods and property in Siam belonging to the

German Empire or to any German State, with theexception of premises used as diplomatic or consularresidences or offices, pass ipso facto and withoutcompensation to the Siamese Government.

The goods, property and private rights of Germannationals in Siam shall be dealt with in accordancewith the provisions of Part X (Economic Clauses) ofthe present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 13 7Germany waives all claims against the Siamese

Government on behalf of herself or her nationalsarising out of the seizure or condemnation of Germanships, the liquidation of German property, or theinternment of German nationals in Siam. Thisprovision shall not affect the rights of the partiesinterested in the proceeds of any such liquidation,which shall be governed by the provisions of Part X(Economic Clauses) of the present Treaty.

Section IV: LiberiaA R T I C L E 13 8

Germany renounces all rights and privilegesarising from the arrangements of 1911 and 1912regarding Liberia, and particularly the right tonominate a German Receiver of Customs in Liberia.


She further renounces all claim to participate inany measures whatsoever which may be adopted forthe rehabilitation of Liberia.

A R T I C L E 13 9Germany recognises that all treaties and arrange-

ments between her and Liberia terminated as fromAugust 4, 1917.

A R T I C L E 14 0The property, rights and interests of Germans in

Liberia shall be dealt with in accordance with Part X(Economic Clauses) of the present Treaty.

Section V: MoroccoA R T I C L E 141

Germany renounces all rights, titles and privilegesconferred on her by the General Act of Algeciras ofApril 7, 1906, and by the Franco-German Agreementsof February 9, 1909, and November 4, 1911. All treaties,agreements, arrangements and contracts concludedby her with the Sherifian Empire are regarded asabrogated as from August 3, 1914

In no case can Germany take advantage of theseinstruments and she undertakes not to intervene inany way in negotiations relating to Morocco whichmay take place between France and the other Powers.

A R T I C L E 14 2Germany having recognised the French

Protectorate in Morocco, hereby accepts all theconsequences of its establishment, and she renouncesthe regime of the capitulations therein.

This renunciation shall take effect as fromAugust 3, 1914.

A R T I C L E 14 3The Sherifian Government shall have complete

liberty of action in regulating the status of Germannationals in Morocco and the conditions in whichthey may establish themselves there.

German protected persons, semsars and “associesagricoles”, shall be considered as having ceased, asfrom August 3, 1914, to enjoy the privileges attached totheir status and shall be subject to the ordinary law.

A R T I C L E 14 4All property and possessions in the Sherifian

Empire of the German Empire and the German Statespass to the Maghzen without payment.

For this purpose, the property and possessions ofthe German Empire and States shall be deemed toinclude all the property of the Crown, the Empire orthe States, and the private property of the formerGerman Emperor and other Royal personages.

All movable and immovable property in theSherifian Empire belonging to German nationals shallbe dealt with in accordance with Sections III and IV ofPart X (Economic Clauses) of the present Treaty.

Mining rights which may be recognised asbelonging to German nationals by the Court ofArbitration set up under the Moroccan MiningRegulations shall form the subject of a valuation,which the arbitrators shall be requested to make, andthese rights shall then be treated in the same way asproperty in Morocco belonging to German nationals.

A R T I C L E 14 5The German Government shall ensure the

transfer to a person nominated by the FrenchGovernment of the shares representing Germany’sportion of the capital of the State Bank of Morocco.The value of these shares, as assessed by theReparation Commission, shall be paid to theReparation Commission for the credit of Germany onaccount of the sums due for reparation. The GermanGovernment shall be responsible for indemnifying itsnationals so dispossessed.

This transfer will take place without prejudice tothe repayment of debts which German nationals mayhave contracted towards the State Bank of Morocco.

A R T I C L E 14 6Moroccan goods entering Germany shall enjoy

the treatment accorded to French goods

Section VI: EgyptA R T I C L E 14 7

Germany declares that she recognises theProtectorate proclaimed over Egypt by Great Britainon December 18, 1914, and that she renounces theregime of the Capitulations in Egypt.

This renunciation shall take effect as fromAugust 4, 1914.


A R T I C L E 14 8All treaties, agreements, arrangements and

contracts concluded by Germany with Egypt areregarded as abrogated as from August 4, 1914.

In no case can Germany avail herself of theseinstruments and she undertakes not to intervene in anyway in negotiations relating to Egypt which may takeplace between Great Britain and the other Powers.

A R T I C L E 14 9Until an Egyptian law of judicial organization

establishing courts with universal jurisdiction comesinto force, provision shall be made, by means ofdecrees issued by His Highness the Sultan, for theexercise of jurisdiction over German nationals andproperty by the British Consular Tribunals.

A R T I C L E 15 0The Egyptian Government shall have complete

liberty of action in regulating the status of Germannationals and the conditions under which they mayestablish themselves in Egypt.

A R T I C L E 15 1Germany consents to the abrogation of the decree

issued by His Highness the Khedive on November 28,1914, relating to the Commission of the EgyptianPublic Debt, or to such changes as the EgyptianGovernment may think it desirable to make therein.

A R T I C L E 15 2Germany consents, in so far as she is concerned, to

the transfer to His Britannic Majesty’s Government ofthe powers conferred on His Imperial Majesty theSultan by the Convention signed at Constantinopleon October 29, 1888, relating to the free navigation ofthe Suez Canal.

She renounces all participation in the Sanitary,Maritime, and Quarantine Board of Egypt andconsents, in so far as she is concerned, to the transferto the Egyptian Authorities of the powers of that Board.

A R T I C L E 15 3All property and possessions in Egypt of the

German Empire and the German States pass to theEgyptian Government without payment.

For this purpose, the property and possessions ofthe German Empire and States shall be deemed toinclude all the property of the Crown, the Empire or

the States, and the private property of the formerGerman Emperor and other Royal personages.

All movable and immovable property in Egyptbelonging to German nationals shall be dealt with inaccordance with Sections III and IV of Part X(Economic Clauses) of the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 15 4Egyptian goods entering Germany shall enjoy the

treatment accorded to British goods.

Section VII: Turkey and BulgariaA R T I C L E 15 5

Germany undertakes to recognise and accept allarrangements which the Allied and AssociatedPowers may make with Turkey and Bulgaria withreference to any rights, interests and privilegeswhatever which might be claimed by Germany or hernationals in Turkey and Bulgaria and which are notdealt with in the provisions of the present Treaty.

Section VIII: ShantungA R T I C L E 15 6

Germany renounces, in favour of Japan, all herrights, title and privileges—particularly thoseconcerning the territory of Kiaochow, railways, minesand submarine cableswhich she acquired in virtue ofthe Treaty concluded by her with China on March 61898, and of all other arrangements relative to theProvince of Shantung.

All German rights in the Tsingtao-Tsinanfu Railway,including its branch lines together with its subsidiaryproperty of all kinds, stations, shops, fixed and rollingstock, mines, plant and material for the exploitation ofthe mines, are and remain acquired by Japan, togetherwith all rights and privileges attaching thereto.

The German State submarine cables fromTsingtao to Shanghai and from Tsingtao to Chefoo,with all the rights, privileges and properties attachingthereto, are similarly acquired by Japan, free and clearof all charges and encumbrances.

A R T I C L E 15 7The movable and immovable property owned by the

German State in the territory of Kiaochow, as well as allthe rights which Germany might claim in consequenceof the works or improvements made or of the expensesincurred by her, directly or indirectly, in connection with


this territory, are and remain acquired by Japan, free andclear of all charges and encumbrances.

A R T I C L E 15 8Germany shall hand over to Japan within three

months from the coming into force of the presentTreaty the archives, registers, plans, title-deeds anddocuments of every kind, wherever they may be,relating to the administration, whether civil, military,financial, judicial or other, of the territory of Kiaochow.

Within the same period Germany shall giveparticulars to Japan of all treaties, arrangements oragreements relating to the rights, title or privilegesreferred to in the two preceding Articles.

Part VMilitary, Naval and Air Clauses

In order to render possible the initiation of ageneral limitation of the armaments of all nations,Germany undertakes strictly to observe the military,naval and air clauses which follow.

Section I: Military ClausesC H A P T E R I : E F F E C T I V E S A N D C A D R E S O F

T H E G E R M A N A R M Y

A R T I C L E 15 9The German military forces shall be demobilised

and reduced as prescribed hereinafter.

A R T I C L E 16 0(1) By a date which must not be later than March 31,

1920, the German Army must not comprise morethan seven divisions of infantry and threedivisions of cavalry.

After that date the total number of effectivesin the Army of the States constituting Germanymust not exceed one hundred thousand men,including officers and establishments of depots.The Army shall be devoted exclusively to themaintenance of order within the territory and tothe control of the frontiers.

The total effective strength of officers,including the personnel of staffs, whatever theircomposition, must not exceed four thousand.

(2) Divisions and Army Corps headquarters staffsshall be organised in accordance with Table No. 1annexed to this Section.

The number and strengths of the units ofinfantry, artillery, engineers, technical servicesand troops laid down in the aforesaid Tableconstitute maxima which must not be exceeded.

The following units may each have theirown depot:

An Infantry regiment; A Cavalry regiment; Aregiment of Field Artillery; A battalion of Pioneers.

(3) The divisions must not be grouped under morethan two army corps headquarters staffs.

The maintenance or formation of forcesdifferently grouped or of other organisations forthe command of troops or for preparation for waris forbidden.

The Great German General Staff and allsimilar organisations shall be dissolved and maynot be reconstituted in any form.

The officers, or persons in the position ofofficers, in the Ministries of War in the differentStates in Germany and in the Administrationsattached to them, must not exceed three hundredin number and are included in the maximumstrength of four thousand laid down in the thirdsub-paragraph of paragraph (1) of this Article.

A R T I C L E 161Army administrative services consisting of civilian

personnel not included in the number of effectivesprescribed by the present Treaty will have suchpersonnel reduced in each class to one-tenth of thatlaid down in the Budget of 1913.

A R T I C L E 16 2The number of employees or officials of the

German States such as customs officers, forest guardsand coastguards, shall not exceed that of theemployees or officials functioning in these capacitiesin 1913.

The number of gendarmes and employees orofficials of the local or municipal police may only beincreased to an extent corresponding to the increaseof population since 1913 in the districts or municipal-ities in which they are employed.

These employees and officials may not beassembled for military training.


A R T I C L E : 16 3The reduction of the strength of the German

military forces as provided for in Article 160 may beeffected gradually in the following manner:

Within three months from the coming into forceof the present Treaty the total number of effectivesmust be reduced to 200,000 and the number of unitsmust not exceed twice the number of those laid downin Article 160.

At the expiration of this period, and at the end ofeach subsequent period of three months, a Conferenceof military experts of the Principal Allied andAssociated Powers will fix the reductions to be made inthe ensuing three months, so that by March 31, 1920, atthe latest the total number of German effectives doesnot exceed the maximum number of l00,000 men laiddown in Article 160. In these successive reductions thesame ratio between the number of officers and of men,and between the various kinds of units, shall bemaintained as is laid down in that Article.

C H A P T E R I I : A R M A M E N T, M U N I T I O N S

A N D M AT E R I A L

A R T I C L E 16 4Up till the time at which Germany is admitted as a

member of the League of Nations the German Armymust not possess an armament greater than theamounts fixed in Table No. II annexed to this Section,with the exception of an optional increase notexceeding one-twentyfifth part for small arms andone-fiftieth part for guns, which shall be exclusivelyused to provide for such eventual replacements asmay be necessary.

Germany agrees that after she has become amember of the League of Nations the armamentsfixed in the said Table shall remain in force until theyare modified by the Council of the League.Furthermore she hereby agrees strictly to observe thedecisions of the Council of the League on this subject.

A R T I C L E 16 5The maximum number of guns, machine guns,

trench-mortars, rifles and the amount of ammunitionand equipment which Germany is allowed tomaintain during the period between the coming intoforce of the present Treaty and the date of March 31,1920, referred to in Article 160, shall bear the sameproportion to the amount authorized in Table No. III

annexed to this Section as the strength of the GermanArmy as reduced from time to time in accordancewith Article 163 bears to the strength permitted underArticle 160.

A R T I C L E 16 6At the date of March 31, 1920, the stock of

munitions which the German Army may have at itsdisposal shall not exceed the amounts fixed in TableNo. III annexed to this Section.

Within the same period the German Governmentwill store these stocks at points to be notified to theGovernments of the Principal Allied and AssociatedPowers. The German Government is forbidden to establish any other stocks, depots or reserves of munitions.

A R T I C L E 167The number and calibre of the guns constituting

at the date of the coming into force of the presentTreaty the armament of the fortified works, fortresses,and any land or coast forts which Germany is allowedto retain must be notified immediately by the GermanGovernment to the Governments of the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers, and will constitutemaximum amounts which may not be exceeded.

Within two months from the coming into force ofthe present Treaty, the maximum stock of ammuni-tion for these guns will be reduced to, and maintainedat, the following uniform rates: fifteen hundredrounds per piece for those the calibre of which is 10.5cm. and under: five hundred rounds per piece forthose of higher calibre.

A R T I C L E 16 8The manufacture of arms, munitions, or any war

material, shall only be carried out in factories orworks the location of which shall be communicatedto and approved by the Governments of the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers, and the number ofwhich they retain the right to restrict.

Within three months from the coming into forceof the present Treaty, all other establishments for themanufacture, preparation, storage or design of arms,munitions, or any war material whatever shall beclosed down. The same applies to all arsenals exceptthose used as depots for the authorised stocks ofmunitions. Within the same period the personnel of


these arsenals will be dismissed.

A R T I C L E 16 9Within two months from the coming into force of

the present Treaty German arms, munitions and warmaterial, including anti-aircraft material, existing inGermany in excess of the quantities allowed, must besurrendered to the Governments of the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers to be destroyed orrendered useless. This will also apply to any specialplant intended for the manufacture of militarymaterial, except such as may be recognised asnecessary for equipping the authorised strength ofthe German army.

The surrender in question will be effected at suchpoints in German territory as may be selected by thesaid Governments.

Within the same period arms, munitions and warmaterial, including anti-aircraft material, of originother than German, in whatever state they may be,will be delivered to the said Governments, who willdecide as to their disposal.

Arms and munitions which on account of thesuccessive reductions in the strength of the Germanarmy become in excess of the amounts authorised byTables II and III annexed to this Section must behanded over in the manner laid down above withinsuch periods as may be decided by the Conferencesreferred to in Article 163.

A R T I C L E 17 0Importation into Germany of arms, munitions and

war material of every kind shall be strictly prohibited.The same applies to the manufacture for, and

export to, foreign countries of arms, munitions andwar material of every kind.

A R T I C L E 171The use of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases

and all analogous liquids, materials or devices beingprohibited, their manufacture and importation arestrictly forbidden in Germany.

The same applies to materials specially intendedfor the manufacture, storage and use of the saidproducts or devices.

The manufacture and the importation intoGermany of armoured cars, tanks and all similarconstructions suitable for use in war are also prohibited.

A R T I C L E 17 2Within a period of three months from the coming

into force of the present Treaty, the GermanGovernment will disclose to the Governments of thePrincipal Allied and Associated Powers the natureand mode of manufacture of all explosives, toxicsubstances or other like chemical preparations usedby them in the war or prepared by them for thepurpose of being so used.

C H A P T E R I I I : R E C R U I T I N G A N D

M I L I TA RY T R A I N I N G

A R T I C L E 17 3Universal compulsory military service shall be

abolished in Germany.The German Army may only be constituted and

recruited by means of voluntary enlistment.

A R T I C L E 17 4The period of enlistment for non-commissioned

officers and privates must be twelve consecutive years.The number of men discharged for any reason

before the expiration of their term of enlistment mustnot exceed in any year five per cent. of the totaleffectives fixed by the second subparagraph ofparagraph (I) of Article 160 of the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 17 5The officers who are retained in the Army must

undertake the obligation to serve in it up to the age offorty-five years at least.

Officers newly appointed must undertake to serveon the active list for twenty-five consecutive years atleast.

Officers who have previously belonged to anyformations whatever of the Army, and who are notretained in the units allowed to be maintained, mustnot take part in any military exercise whether theoret-ical or practical, and will not be under any militaryobligations whatever.

The number of officers discharged for any reasonbefore the expiration of their term of service must notexceed in any year five per cent. of the total effectivesof officers provided for in the third sub-paragraph (I)of Article 160 of the present Treaty.


A R T I C L E 17 6On the expiration of two months from the coming

into force of the present Treaty there must only existin Germany the number of military schools which isabsolutely indispensable for the recruitment of theofficers of the units allowed. These schools will beexclusively intended for the recruitment of officers ofeach arm, in the proportion of one school per arm.

The number of students admitted to attend thecourses of the said schools will be strictly in propor-tion to the vacancies to be filled in the cadres ofofficers. The students and the cadres will be reckonedin the effectives fixed by the second and thirdsubparagraphs of paragraph (I) of Article 160 of thepresent Treaty.

Consequently, and during the period fixed above,all military academies or similar institutions inGermany, as well as the different military schools forofficers, student officers (Aspiranten), cadets, non-commissioned officers or student non-commissionedofficers (Aspiranten), other than the schools aboveprovided for, will be abolished.

A R T I C L E 171Educational establishments, the universities,

societies of discharged soldiers, shooting or touringclubs and, generally speaking associations of everydescription, whatever be the age of their members,must not occupy themselves with any military matters.

In particular they will be forbidden to instruct orexercise their members or to allow them to beinstructed or exercised, in the profession or use of arms.

These societies, associations, educationalestablishments and universities must have noconnection with the Ministries of War or any othermilitary authority.

A R T I C L E L 78All measures of mobilisation or appertaining to

mobilisation are forbidden.In no case must formations, administrative services

or General Staffs include supplementary cadres.

A R T I C L E 17 9Germany agrees, from the coming into force of the

present Treaty, not to accredit nor to send to anyforeign country any military, naval or air mission, norto allow any such mission to leave her territory, and

Germany further agrees to take appropriate measuresto prevent German nationals from leaving herterritory to become enrolled in the Army, Navy or Airservice of any foreign Power, or to be attached to suchArmy, Navy or Air service for the purpose of assistingin the military, naval or air training thereof, orotherwise for the purpose of giving military, naval orair instruction in any foreign country.

The Allied and Associated Powers agree, so far asthey are concerned, from the coming into force of thepresent Treaty, not to enroll in nor to attach to theirarmies or naval or air forces any German national forthe purpose of assisting in the military training ofsuch armies or naval or air forces, or otherwise toemploy any such German national as military, navalor aeronautic instructor.

The present provision does not, however, affect theright of France to recruit for the Foreign Legion inaccordance with French military laws and regulations.

C H A P T E R I V: F O R T I F I C AT I O N S

A R T I C L E 18 0All fortified works, fortresses and field works

situated in German territory to the west of a linedrawn fifty kilometres to the east of the Rhine shall bedisarmed and dismantled.

Within a period of two months from the cominginto force of the present Treaty such of the abovefortified works, fortresses and field works as aresituated in territory not occupied by Allied andAssociated troops shall be disarmed, and within afurther period of four months they shall be disman-tled. Those which are situated in territory occupied byAllied and Associated troops shall be disarmed anddismantled within such periods as may be fixed bythe Allied High Command.

The construction of any new fortification,whatever its nature and importance, is forbidden inthe zone referred to in the first paragraph above.

The system of fortified works of the southern andeastern frontiers of Germany shall be maintained inits existing state.

Section II: Naval ClausesA R T I C L E 181

After the expiration of a period of two monthsfrom the coming into force of the present Treaty theGerman naval forces in commission must not exceed:


6 battleships of the Deutschland orLothringen type, 6 light cruisers, 12 destroyers,12 torpedo boats,

or an equal number of ships constructed toreplace them as provided in Article l90.

No submarines are to be included.

All other warships, except where there isprovision to the contrary in the present Treaty,must be placed in reserve or devoted tocommercial purposes.

A R T I C L E 18 2Until the completion of the minesweeping

prescribed by Article 193 Germany will keep incommission such number of minesweeping vessels asmay be fixed by the Governments of the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers.

A R T I C L E 18 3After the expiration of a period of two months

from the coming into force of the present Treaty, thetotal personnel of the German Navy, including themanning of the Deet, coast defences, signal stations,administration and other land services, must notexceed fifteen thousand, including officers and menof all grades and corps,

The total strength of officers and warrant officersmust not exceed fifteen hundred.

Within two months from the coming into force ofthe present Treaty the personnel in excess of theabove strength shall be demobilised.

No naval or military corps or reserve force inconnection with the Navy may be organised inGermany without being included in the above strength.

From the date of the coming into force of thepresent Treaty all the German surface warships whichare not in German ports cease to belong to Germany,who renounces all rights over them.

Vessels which, in compliance with the Armisticeof November 11, 1918, are now interned in the ports ofthe Allied and Associated Powers are declared to befinally surrendered.

Vessels which are now interned in neutral portswill be there surrendered to the Governments of thePrincipal Allied and Associated Powers. The GermanGovernment must address a notification to that effectto the neutral Powers on the coming into force of the

present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 18 4 From the date of the coming into force of the

present Treaty, all the German surface warshipswhich are not in German port cease to belong toGermany, who renounces all rights over them.

Vessels which, in compliance with the Armisticeof November 11, 1918, are now interned in the ports ofthe Allied and Associated Powers are declared to befinally surrendered.

Vessels which are now interned in neutral portswill be there surrendered to the Governments of thePrincipal Allied and Associated Powers. The GermanGovernment must address all notification to thateffect to the neutral Powers on the coming into forceof the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 18 5Within a period of two months from the coming

into force of the present Treaty the German surfacewarships enumerated below will be surrendered tothe Governments of the Principal Allied andAssociated Powers in such Allied ports as the saidPowers may direct.

These warships will have been disarmed asprovided in Article XXIII of the Armistice ofNovember 11, 1918. Nevertheless they must have alltheir guns on board.

BATTLESHIPS

Oldenburg. Thuringen. Ostfriesland. Helgoland.Posen. Westfalen. Rheinland. Nassau.

LIGHT CRUISERS

Stettin. Danzig. Munchen. Lubeck. Stralsund.Augsburg. Kolberg. Stuttgart.

and, in addition, forty-two modern destroyers and fiftymodern torpedo boats, as chosen by the Governmentsof the Principal Allied and Associated Powers.

A R T I C L E 18 6On the coming into force of the present Treaty the

German Government must undertake, under thesupervision of the Governments of the Principal Alliedand Associated Powers, the breaking up of all theGerman surface warships now under construction.


A R T I C L E 18 7 .The German auxiliary cruisers and fleet

auxiliaries enumerated below will be disarmed andtreated as merchant ships.

INTERNED IN NEUTRAL COUNTRIES:Berlin. Santa Fe. Seydlitz. Yorck.

IN GERMANY:Ammon. Answald. Bosnia. Cordoba. Cassel. Dania.Rio Negro. Rio Pardo. Santa Cruz. Schwaben.Solingen. Steigerwald. Franken. Gundomar. FurstBulow. Gertrud. Kigoma. Rugia. Santa Elena.Schleswig. Mowe. Sierra Ventana. Chemnitz. EmilGeorg von Strauss. Habsburg. Meteor. Waltraute.Scharnhorst.

A R T I C L E 18 8On the expiration of one month from the coming

into force of the present Treaty all Germansubmarines, submarine salvage vessels and docks forsubmarines, including the tubular dock, must havebeen handed over to the Governments of the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers.

Such of these submarines, vessels and docks asare considered by the said Governments to be fit toproceed under their own power or to be towed shallbe taken by the German Government. into such Alliedports as have been indicated

The remainder, and also those in course ofconstruction, shall be broken up entirely by theGerman Government under the supervision of thesaid Governments. The breaking-up must becompleted within three months at the most after thecoming into force of the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E L 8 9Articles, machinery and material arising from the

breaking-up of German warships of all kinds,whether surface vessels or submarines, may not beused except for purely industrial or commercialpurposes.

They may not be sold or disposed of to foreign countries.

A R T I C L E 19 0Germany is forbidden to construct or acquire any

warships other than those intended to replace theunits in commission provided for in Article l81 of the

present TreatyThe warships intended for replacement purposes

as above shall not exceed the following displacement:

Armoured ships 10,000 tonsLight cruisers 6,000 tonsDestroyers 800 tonsTorpedo boats 200 tons

Except where a ship has been lost, units of thedifferent classes shall only be replaced at the end of aperiod of twenty years in the case of battleships andcruisers, and fifteen years in the case of destroyers andtorpedo boats, counting from the launching of the ship.

A R T I C L E 19 1The construction or acquisition of any submarine,

even for commercial purposes, shall be forbidden in Germany.

A R T I C L E 19 2The warships in commission of the German fleet

must have on board or in reserve only the allowanceof arms, munitions and war material fixed by thePrincipal Allied and Associated Powers. Within amonth from the fixing of the quantities as above,arms, munitions and war material of all kinds,including mines and torpedoes, now in the hands ofthe German Government and in excess of the saidquantities, shall be surrendered to the Governmentsof the said Powers at places to be indicated by them.Such arms, munitions and war material will bedestroyed or rendered useless.

All other stocks, depots or reserves of arms,munitions or naval war material of all kinds are forbidden.

The manufacture of these articles in Germanterritory for, and their export to, foreign countriesshall be forbidden.

A R T I C L E 19 3On the coming into force of the present Treaty

Germany will forthwith sweep up the mines in thefollowing areas in the North Sea to the eastward oflongitude 4° 00’, E. of Greenwich:

(1) Between parallels of latitude 53° 00’, N. and 59° 00’, N.; (2) To the northward of latitude60° 30’ N.Germany must keep these areas free from mines.


Germany must also sweep and keep free frommines such areas in the Baltic as may ultimately benotified by the Governments of the Principal Alliedand Associated Powers.

A R T I C L E 19 4The personnel of the German Navy shall be

recruited entirely by voluntary engagements enteredinto for a minimum period of twenty-five consecutiveyears for officers and warrant officers; twelve consec-utive years for petty officers and men.

The number engaged to replace those dischargedfor any reason before the expiration of their term ofservice must not exceed five per cent. per annum ofthe totals laid down in this Section (Article 183).

The personnel discharged from the Navy must notreceive any kind of naval or military training orundertake any further service in the Navy or Army.

Officers belonging to the Germany Navy and notdemobilised must engage to serve till the age of forty-five, unless discharged for sufficient reasons.

No officer or man of the German mercantilemarine shall receive any training in the Navy.

A R T I C L E 19 5In order to ensure free passage into the Baltic to

all nations, Germany shall not erect any fortificationsin the area comprised between latitudes 55° 27’ N.and 54° 00’ N. and longitudes 9° 00’ E. and 16° 00’ E.of the meridian of Greenwich, nor install any gunscommanding the maritime routes between the NorthSea and the Baltic. The fortifications now existing inthis area shall be demolished and the guns removedunder the supervisions of the Allied Governmentsand in periods to be fixed by them.

The German Government shall place at thedisposal of the Governments of the Principal Alliedand Associated Powers all information now in itspossession concerning the channels and adjoiningwaters between the Baltic and the North Sea.

A R T I C L E 19 6All fortified works and fortifications, other than

those mentioned in Section XIII (Heligoland) of PartIII (Political Clauses for Europe) and in Article 195,now established within fifty kilometres of the Germancoast or on German islands off that coast shall beconsidered as of a defensive nature and may remain

in their existing condition.No new fortifications shall be constructed within

these limits. The armament of these defences shallnot exceed, as regards the number and calibre ofguns, those in position at the date of the coming intoforce of the present Treaty. The German Governmentshall communicate forthwith particulars thereof to allthe European Governments.

On the expiration of a period of two months fromthe coming into force of the present Treaty the stocksof ammunition for these guns shall be reduced to andmaintained at a maximum figure of fifteen hundredrounds per piece for calibres of 4.1-inch and under,and five hundred rounds per piece for higher calibres.

A R T I C L E 19 7During the three months following the coming

into force of the present Treaty the German high-power wireless telegraphy stations at Nauen, Hanoverand Berlin shall not be used for the transmission ofmessages concerning naval, military or politicalquestions of interest to Germany or any State whichhas been allied to Germany in the war, without theassent of the Governments of the Principal Allied andAssociated Powers. These stations may be used forcommercial purposes, but only under the supervisionof the said Governments, who will decide thewavelength to be used.

During the same period Germany shall not buildany more high-power wireless telegraphy stations inher own territory or that of Austria, Hungary, Bulgariaor Turkey.

Section III: Air ClausesA R T I C L E 19 8

The armed forces of Germany must not includeany military or naval air forces.

Germany may, during a period not extendingbeyond October 1, 1919, maintain a maximum numberof one hundred seaplanes or flying boats, which shallbe exclusively employed in searching for submarinemines, shall be furnished with the necessaryequipment for this purpose, and shall in no case carryarms, munitions or bombs of any nature whatever.

In addition to the engines installed in theseaplanes or flying boats above mentioned, one spareengine may be provided for each engine of each ofthese craft.


No dirigible shall be kept.

A R T I C L E 19 9Within two months from the coming into force of

the present Treaty the personnel of air forces on therolls of the German land and sea forces shall bedemobilised. Up to October 1, 1919, however, Germanymay keep and maintain a total number of onethousand men, including officers, for the whole of thecadres and personnel, flying and non-flying, of allformations and establishments.

A R T I C L E 2 0 0Until the complete evacuation of German territory

by the Allied and Associated troops, the aircraft of theAllied and Associated Powers shall enjoy in Germanyfreedom of passage through the air, freedom of transitand of landing.

A R T I C L E 2 01During the six months following the coming into

force of the present Treaty, the manufacture andimportation of aircraft, parts of aircraft, engines foraircraft, and parts of engines for aircraft, shall beforbidden in all German territory.

A R T I C L E 2 0 2On the coming into force of the present Treaty, all

military and naval aeronautical material, except themachines mentioned in the second and third paragraphsof Article 198, must be delivered to the Governments ofthe Principal Allied and Associated Powers.

Delivery must be effected at such places as thesaid Governments may select, and must be completedwithin three months.

In particular, this material will include all itemsunder the following heads which are or have been inuse or were designed for warlike purposes:

Complete aeroplanes and seaplanes, as well asthose being manufactured, repaired orassembled.

Dirigibles able to take the air, being manufac-tured, repaired or assembled.

Plant for the manufacture of hydrogen.

Dirigible sheds and shelters of every kind foraircraft.

Pending their delivery, dirigibles will, at theexpense of Germany, be maintained inflatedwith hydrogen; the plant for the manufactureof hydrogen, as well as the sheds for dirigiblesmay at the discretion of the said Powers, be leftto Germany until the time when the dirigiblesare handed over.

Engines for aircraft.

Nacelles and fuselages.

Armament (guns, machine guns, light machineguns, bombdropping apparatus, torpedo-dropping apparatus, synchronisationapparatus, aiming apparatus).

Munitions (cartridges, shells, bombs loaded orunloaded, stocks of explosives or of materialfor their manufacture).

Instruments for use on aircraft.

Wireless apparatus and photographic orcinematograph apparatus for use on aircraft.

Component parts of any of the items under thepreceding heads.

The material referred to above shall not beremoved without special permission from the saidGovernments.

Section IV: Inter-Allied Commissions of ControlA R T I C L E 2 0 3

All the military, naval and air clauses contained inthe present Treaty, for the execution of which a time-limit is prescribed, shall be executed by Germanyunder the control of Inter-Allied Commissionsspecially appointed for this purpose by the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers.

A R T I C L E 2 0 4The Inter-Allied Commissions of Control will be

specially charged with the duty of seeing to thecomplete execution of the delivery, destruction,demolition and rendering things useless to be carriedout at the expense of the German Government inaccordance with the present Treaty.

They will communicate to the German authoritiesthe decisions which the Principal Allied and


Associated Powers have reserved the right to take, orwhich the execution of the military, naval and airclauses may necessitate.

A R T I C L E 2 0 5The Inter-Allied Commissions of Control may

establish their organisations at the seat of the centralGerman Government.

They shall be entitled as often as they thinkdesirable to proceed to any point whatever in Germanterritory, or to send subcommissions, or to authoriseone or more of their members to go, to any such point.

A R T I C L E 2 0 6The German Government must give all necessary

facilities for the accomplishment of their missions to the Inter-Allied Commissions of Control and totheir members.

It shall attach a qualified representative to eachInter-Allied Commission of Control for the purposeof receiving the communications which theCommission may have to address to the GermanGovernment and of supplying or procuring for theCommission all information or documents whichmay be required.

The German Government must in all cases furnishat its own cost all labour and material required toeffect the deliveries and the works of destruction,dismantling, demolition, and of rendering thingsuseless, provided for in the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 2 0 7The upkeep and cost of the Commissions of

Control and the expenses involved by their work shallbe borne by Germany.

A R T I C L E 2 0 8The Military Inter-Allied Commission of Control

will represent the Governments of the Principal Alliedand Associated Powers in dealing with the GermanGovernment in all matters concerning the executionof the military clauses.

In particular it will be its duty to receive from theGerman Government the notifications relating to thelocation of the stocks and depots of munitions, thearmament of the fortified works, fortresses and fortswhich Germany is allowed to retain, and the locationof the works or factories for the production of arms,munitions and war material and their operations.

It will take delivery of the arms, munitions andwar material, will select the points where suchdelivery is to be effected, and will supervise the worksof destruction, demolition, and of rendering thingsuseless, which are to be carried out in accordancewith the present Treaty.

The German Government must furnish to theMilitary Inter-Allied Commission of Control all suchinformation and documents as the latter may deemnecessary to ensure the complete execution of themilitary clauses, and in particular all legislative andadministrative documents and regulations.

A R T I C L E 2 0 9The Naval Inter-Allied Commission of Control

will represent the Governments of the Principal Alliedand Associated Powers in dealing with the GermanGovernment in all matters concerning the executionof the naval clauses.

In particular it will be its duty to proceed to thebuilding yards and to supervise the breaking-up ofthe ships which are under construction there, to takedelivery of all surface ships or submarines, salvageships, docks and the tubular docks, and to supervisethe destruction and breaking-up provided for.

The German Government must furnish to theNaval Inter-Allied Commission of Control all suchinformation and documents as the Commission maydeem necessary to ensure the complete execution ofthe naval clauses, in particular the designs of thewarships, the composition of their armaments, thedetails and models of the guns, munitions, torpedoes,mines, explosives, wireless telegraphic apparatus and,in general, everything relating to naval war material,as well as all legislative or administrative documentsor regulations.

A R T I C L E 210The Aeronautical Inter-Allied Commission of

Control will represent the Governments of thePrincipal Allied and Associated Powers in dealingwith the German Government in all mattersconcerning the execution of the air clauses.

In particular it will be its duty to make aninventory of the aeronautical material existing inGerman territory, to inspect aeroplane, balloon andmotor manufactories, and factories producing arms,munitions and explosives capable of being used by


aircraft, to visit all aerodromes, sheds, landinggrounds, parks and depots, to authorise, wherenecessary, a removal of material and to take deliveryof such material.

The German Government must furnish to theAeronautical Inter-Allied Commission of Control allsuch information and legislative, administrative orother documents which the Commission mayconsider necessary to ensure the complete executionof the air clauses, and in particular a list of thepersonnel belonging to all the German Air Services,and of the existing material, as well as of that inprocess of manufacture or on order, and a list of allestablishments working for aviation, of theirpositions, and of all sheds and landing grounds.

Section V: General ArticlesA R T I C L E 211

After the expiration of a period of three monthsfrom the coming into force of the present Treaty, theGerman laws must have been modified and shall bemaintained by the German Government in confor-mity with this Part of the present Treaty.

Within the same period all the administrative orother measures relating to the execution of this Part ofthe Treaty must have been taken.

A R T I C L E 212The following portions of the Armistice of

November 11, 1918 Article VI, the first two and thesixth and seventh paragraphs of Article VII; ArticleIX; Clauses I, II and V of Annex n° 2, and the Protocol,dated April 4, 1919, supplementing the Armistice ofNovember 11, 1918, remain in force so far as they arenot inconsistent with the above stipulations.

A R T I C L E 213So long as the present Treaty remains in force,

Germany undertakes to give every facility for anyinvestigation which the Council of the League ofNations, acting if need be by a majority vote, mayconsider necessary.

Part VIPrisoners of War and Graves

Section I: Prisoners of WarA R T I C L E 214

The repatriation of prisoners of war and internedcivilians shall take place as soon as possible after thecoming into force of the present Treaty and shall becarried out with the greatest rapidity.

A R T I C L E 215The repatriation of German prisoners of war and

interned civilians shall, in accordance with Article214, be carried out by a Commission composed ofrepresentatives of the Allied and Associated Powerson the one part and of the German Government onthe other part.

For each of the Allied and Associated Powers aSub-Commission, composed exclusively ofRepresentatives of the interested Power and ofDelegates of the German Government, shall regulatethe details of carrying into effect the repatriation ofthe prisoners of war.

A R T I C L E 216From the time of their delivery into the hands of

the German authorities the prisoners of war andinterned civilians are to be returned without delay totheir homes by the said authorities.

Those amongst them who before the war werehabitually resident in territory occupied by the troopsof the Allied and Associated Powers are likewise to besent to their homes, subject to the consent and controlof the military authorities of the Allied andAssociated armies of occupation.

A R T I C L E 217The whole cost of repatriation from the moment

of starting shall be borne by the German Governmentwho shall also provide the land and sea transport andstaff considered necessary by the Commissionreferred to in Article 215.

A R T I C L E 218Prisoners of war and interned civilians awaiting

disposal or undergoing sentence for offences againstdiscipline shall be repatriated irrespective of thecompletion of their sentence or of the proceedingspending against them.


This stipulation shall not apply to prisoners of warand interned civilians punished for offencescommitted subsequent to May 1, 1919.

During the period pending their repatriation allprisoners of war and interned civilians shall remainsubject to the existing regulations, more especially asregards work and discipline.

A R T I C L E 219Prisoners of war and interned civilians who are

awaiting disposal or undergoing sentence for offencesother than those against discipline may be detained.

A R T I C L E 2 2 0The German Government undertakes to admit to

its territory without distinction all persons liable torepatriation.

Prisoners of war or other German nationals whodo not desire to be repatriated may be excluded fromrepatriation; but the Allied and AssociatedGovernments reserve to themselves the right either torepatriate them or to take them to a neutral country orto allow them to reside in their own territories.

The German Government undertakes not toinstitute any exceptional proceedings against thesepersons or their families nor to take any repressive orvexatious measures of any kind whatsoever againstthem on this account.

A R T I C L E 2 21The Allied and Associated Governments reserve

the right to make the repatriation of Germanprisoners of war or German nationals in their handsconditional upon the immediate notification andrelease by the German Government of any prisonersof war who are nationals of the Allied and AssociatedPowers and may still be in Germany.

A R T I C L E 2 2 2Germany undertakes:(1) To give every facility to Commissions to

enquire into the cases of those who cannot betraced; to furnish such Commissions with allnecessary means of transport; to allow themaccess to camps, prisons, hospitals and allother places; and to place at their disposal alldocuments, whether public or private, whichwould facilitate their enquiries;

(2) To impose penalties upon any German

officials or private persons who haveconcealed the presence of any nationals of anyof the Allied and Associated Powers or haveneglected to reveal the presence of any suchafter it had come to their knowledge.

A R T I C L E 2 2 3Germany undertakes to restore without delay

from the date of the coming into force of the presentTreaty all articles, money, securities and documentswhich have belonged to nationals of the Allied andAssociated Powers and which have been retained bythe German authorities.

A R T I C L E 2 2 4The High Contracting Parties waive reciprocally

all repayment of sums due for the maintenance ofprisoners of war in their respective territories.

Section II: GravesA R T I C L E 2 2 5

The Allied and Associated Governments and theGerman Government will cause to be respected andmaintained the graves of the soldiers and sailorsburied in their respective territories.

They agree to recognise any Commissionappointed by an Allied or Associated Government forthe purpose of identifying, registering, caring for orerecting suitable memorials over the said graves andto facilitate the discharge of its duties.

Furthermore they agree to afford, so far as theprovisions of their laws and the requirements ofpublic health allow, every facility for giving effect torequests that the bodies of their soldiers and sailorsmay be transferred to their own country.

A R T I C L E 2 2 6The graves of prisoners of war and interned

civilians who are nationals of the different belligerentStates and have died in captivity shall be properlymaintained in accordance with Article 225 of thepresent Treaty.

The Allied and Associated Governments on the onepart and the German Government on the other partreciprocally undertake also to furnish to each other:

(1) A complete list of those who have died,together with all information useful for identi-fication;


(2) All information as to the number and positionof the graves of all those who have been buriedwithout identification.

Part VIIPenaltiesA R T I C L E 2 2 7

The Allied and Associated Powers publiclyarraign William II of Hohenzollern, formerly GermanEmperor, for a supreme offence against internationalmorality and the sanctity of treaties.

A special tribunal will be constituted to try theaccused, thereby assuring him the guaranteesessential to the right of defence. It will be composed offive judges, one appointed by each of the followingPowers: namely, the United States of America, GreatBritain, France, Italy and Japan.

In its decision the tribunal will be guided by thehighest motives of international policy, with a view tovindicating the solemn obligations of internationalundertakings and the validity of internationalmorality. It will be its duty to fix the punishmentwhich it considers should be imposed.

The Allied and Associated Powers will address arequest to the Government of the Netherlands for thesurrender to them of the ex-Emperor in order that hemay be put on trial.

A R T I C L E 2 2 8The German Government recognises the right of

the Allied and Associated Powers to bring beforemilitary tribunals persons accused of havingcommitted acts in violation of the laws and customsof war. Such persons shall, if found guilty, besentenced to punishments laid down by law. Thisprovision will apply notwithstanding any proceedingsor prosecution before a tribunal in Germany or in theterritory of her allies.

The German Government shall hand over to theAllied and Associated Powers, or to such one of themas shall so request, all persons accused of havingcommitted an act in violation of the laws and customsof war, who are specified either by name or by therank, office or employment which they held under theGerman authorities.

A R T I C L E 2 2 9Persons guilty of criminal acts against the nationals

of one of the Allied and Associated Powers will bebrought before the military tribunals of that Power.

Persons guilty of criminal acts against thenationals of more than one of the Allied andAssociated Powers will be brought before militarytribunals composed of members of the militarytribunals of the Powers concerned.

In every case the accused will be entitled to namehis own counsel.

A R T I C L E 2 3 0The German Government undertakes to furnish all

documents and information of every kind, the produc-tion of which may be considered necessary to ensure thefull knowledge of the incriminating acts, the discovery ofoffenders and the just appreciation of responsibility.

Part VIIIReparation

Section I: General ProvisionA R T I C L E 2 3 1

The Allied and Associated Governments affirmand Germany accepts the responsibility of Germanyand her allies for causing all the loss and damage towhich the Allied and Associated Governments andtheir nationals have been subjected as a consequenceof the war imposed upon them by the aggression ofGermany and her allies.

A R T I C L E : 2 3 2The Allied and Associated Governments

recognise that the resources of Germany are notadequate, after taking into account permanentdiminutions of such resources which will result fromother provisions of the present Treaty, to makecomplete reparation for all such loss and damage.

The Allied and Associated Governments, however,require, and Germany undertakes, that she will makecompensation for all damage done to the civilianpopulation of the Allied and Associated Powers and totheir property during the period of the belligerency ofeach as an Allied or Associated Power against Germanyby such aggression by land, by sea and from the air, andin general all damage as defined in Annex I hereto.

In accordance with Germany’s pledges, alreadygiven, as to complete restoration for Belgium,


Germany undertakes, in addition to the compensationfor damage elsewhere in this Part provided for, as aconsequence of the violation of the Treaty of 1839, tomake reimbursement of all sums which Belgium hasborrowed from the Allied and AssociatedGovernments up to November 11, 1918, together withinterest at the rate of five per cent (5%) per annum onsuch sums. This amount shall be determined by theReparation Commission, and the GermanGovernment undertakes thereupon forthwith to makea special issue of bearer bonds to an equivalentamount payable in marks gold, on May 1, 1926, or, atthe option of the German Government, on the 1st ofMay in any year up to 1926. Subject to the foregoing,the form of such bonds shall be determined by theReparation Commission. Such bonds shall be handedover to the Reparation Commission, which hasauthority to take and acknowledge receipt thereof onbehalf of Belgium.

A R T I C L E 2 3 3The amount of the above damage for which

compensation is to be made by Germany shall bedetermined by an Inter-Allied Commission, to becalled the Reparation Commission and constituted inthe form and with the powers set forth hereunder andin Annexes II to VII inclusive hereto.

This Commission shall consider the claims andgive to the German Government a just opportunity tobe heard.

The findings of the Commission as to the amountof damage defined as above shall be concluded andnotified to the German Government on or before May1, 1921, as representing the extent of thatGovernment’s obligations.

The Commission shall concurrently draw up aschedule of payments prescribing the time andmanner for securing and discharging the entireobligation within a period of thirty years from May 1,1921. If, however, within the period mentioned,Germany fails to discharge her obligations, anybalance remaining unpaid may, within the discretionof the Commission, be postponed for settlement insubsequent years, or may be handled otherwise insuch manner as the Allied and AssociatedGovernments, acting in accordance with theprocedure laid down in this Part of the present Treaty,shall determine.

A R T I C L E 2 3 4The Reparation Commission shall after May 1 ,

1921, from time to time, consider the resources andcapacity of Germany, and, after giving her representa-tives a just opportunity to be heard, shall havediscretion to extend the date, and to modify the formof payments, such as are to be provided for inaccordance with Article 233; but not to cancel anypart, except with the specific authority of the severalGovernments represented upon the Commission.

A R T I C L E 2 3 5In order to enable the Allied and Associated

Powers to proceed at once to the restoration of theirindustrial and economic life, pending the fulldetermination of their claims, Germany shall pay insuch installments and in such manner (whether ingold, commodities, ships, securities or otherwise) asthe Reparation Commission may fix, during 1919,1920 and the first four months Of 1921 , the equiva-lent of 20,000,000,000 gold marks. Out of this sumthe expenses of the armies of occupation subsequentto the Armistice of November 11, 1918, shall first bemet, and such supplies of food and raw materials asmay be judged by the Governments of the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers to be essential to enableGermany to meet her obligations for reparation mayalso, with the approval of the said Governments, bepaid for out of the above sum. The balance shall bereckoned towards liquidation of the amounts due forreparation. Germany shall further deposit bonds asprescribed in paragraph 12 (c) Of Annex II hereto.

A R T I C L E 2 3 6Germany further agrees to the direct application of

her economic resources to reparation as specified inAnnexes, III, IV, V, and VI, relating respectively tomerchant shipping, to physical restoration, to coal andderivatives of coal, and to dyestuffs and other chemicalproducts; provided always that the value of the propertytransferred and any services rendered by her underthese Annexes, assessed in the manner thereinprescribed shall be credited to her towards liquidationof her obligations under the above Articles.

A R T I C L E 2 3 7The successive installments, including the above

sum, paid over by Germany in satisfaction of the


above claims will be divided by the Allied andAssociated Governments in proportions which havebeen determined upon by them in advance on a basisof general equity and of the rights of each.

For the purposes of this division the value ofproperty transferred and services rendered underArticle 243, and under Annexes III, IV, V, VI, and VII,shall be reckoned in the same manner as cashpayments effected in that year.

A R T I C L E 2 3 8In addition to the payments mentioned above

Germany shall effect, in accordance with theprocedure laid down by the Reparation Commission,restitution in cash of cash taken away, seized orsequestrated, and also restitution of animals, objectsof every nature and securities taken away, seized orsequestrated, in the cases in which it proves possibleto identify them in territory belonging to Germany orher allies.

Until this procedure is laid down, restitution willcontinue in accordance with the provisions of theArmistice of November 11, 1918, and its renewals andthe Protocols thereto.

A R T I C L E 2 3 9The German Government undertakes to make

forthwith the restitution contemplated by Article 238and to make the payments and deliveries contem-plated by Articles 233, 234, 235 and 236.

A R T I C L E 2 4 0The German Government recognises the

Commission provided for by Article 233 as the samemay be constituted by the Allied and AssociatedGovernments in accordance with Annex II, andagrees irrevocably to the possession and exercise bysuch Commission of the power and authority given toit under the present Treaty.

The German Government will supply to theCommission all the information which theCommission may require relative to the financialsituation and operations and to the property, produc-tive capacity, and stocks and current production ofraw materials and manufactured articles of Germanyand her nationals, and further any informationrelative to military operations which in the judgmentof the Commission may be necessary for the assess-

ment of Germany’s liability for reparation as definedin Annex I.

The German Government will accord to themembers of the Commission and its authorisedagents the same rights and immunities as are enjoyedin Germany by duly accredited diplomatic agents offriendly Powers.

Germany further agrees to provide for the salariesand expenses of the Commission and of such staff asit may employ.

A R T I C L E 2 41Germany undertakes to pass, issue and maintain in

force any legislation, orders and decrees that may benecessary to give complete effect to these provisions.

A R T I C L E 2 4 2The provisions of this Part of the present Treaty do

not apply to the property, rights and interests referredto in Sections III and IV of Part X (Economic Clauses)of the present Treaty, nor to the product of theirliquidation, except so far as concerns any finalbalance in favour of Germany under Article 243 (a).

A R T I C L E 2 4 3The following shall be reckoned as credits to

Germany in respect of her reparation obligations:(a) Any final balance in favour of Germany under

Section V (Alsace-Lorraine) of Part III (PoliticalClauses for Europe) and Sections III and IV ofPart X (Economic Clauses) of the present Treaty;

(b) Amounts due to Germany in respect oftransfers under Section IV (Saar Basin) of PartIII (Political Clauses for Europe), Part IXFinancial Clauses), and Part XII (Ports,Waterways and Railways);

(c) Amounts which in the judgment of theReparation Commission should be credited toGermany on account of any other transfersunder the present Treaty of property, rights,concessions or other interests.

In no case, however, shall credit be given forproperty restored in accordance with Article 238 ofthe present Part.

A R T I C L E 2 4 4The transfer of the German submarine cables

which do not form the subject of particular provisionsof the present Treaty is regulated by Annex VII hereto.


A N N E X I .Compensation may be claimed from Germany

under Article 232 above in respect of the totaldamage under the following categories:

(1) Damage to injured persons and to survivingdependents by personal injury to or death ofcivilians caused by acts of war, includingbombardments or other attacks on land, onsea, or from the air, and all the directconsequences thereof, and of all operationsof war by the two groups of belligerentswherever arising.

(2) Damage caused by Germany or her allies tocivilian victims of acts of cruelty, violence ormaltreatment (including injuries to life orhealth as a consequence of imprisonment,deportation, internment or evacuation, ofexposure at sea or of being forced to labour),wherever arising, and to the survivingdependents of such victims.

(3) Damage caused by Germany or her allies intheir own territory or in occupied or invadedterritory to civilian victims of all acts injurious tohealth or capacity to work, or to honour, as wellas to the surviving dependents of such victims.

(4) Damage caused by any kind of maltreatmentof prisoners of war.

(5) As damage caused to the peoples of the Alliedand Associated Powers, all pensions andcompensation in the nature of pensions tonaval and military victims of war (includingmembers of the air force), whether mutilated,wounded, sick or invalided, and to thedependents of such victims, the amount dueto the Allied and Associated Governmentsbeing calculated for each of them as beingthe capitalised cost of such pensions andcompensation at the date of the coming intoforce of the present Treaty on the basis of thescales in force in France at such date.

(6) The cost of assistance by the Government ofthe Allied and Associated Powers to prisonersof war and to their families and dependents.

(7) Allowances by the Governments of the Alliedand Associated Powers to the families anddependents of mobilised persons or personsserving with the forces, the amount due tothem for each calendar year in which hostili-

ties occurred being calculated for eachGovernment on the basis of the average scalefor such payments in force in France duringthat year.

(8) Damage caused to civilians by being forcedby Germany or her allies to labour withoutjust remuneration.

(9) Damage in respect of all property whereversituated belonging to any of the Allied orAssociated States or their nationals, with theexception of naval and military works ormaterials, which has been carried off, seized,injured or destroyed by the acts of Germanyor her allies on land, on sea or from the air, ordamage directly in consequence of hostilitiesor of any operations of war.

(10) Damage in the form of levies, fines and othersimilar exactions imposed by Germany or herallies upon the civilian population.

A N N E X I I1. The Commission referred to in Article 233 shall

be called “The Reparation Commission” and ishereinafter referred to as “the Commission”.

2. Delegates to this Commission shall be nominatedby the United States of America, Great Britain,France, Italy, Japan, Belgium and the Serb-Croat-Slovene State. Each of these Powers will appointone Delegate and also one Assistant Delegate,who will take his place in case of illness ornecessary absence, but at other times will onlyhave the right to be present at proceedingswithout taking any part therein.

On no occasion shall the Delegates of morethan five of the above Powers have the right totake part in the proceedings of the Commissionand to record their votes. The Delegates of theUnited States, Great Britain, France and Italy shallhave this right on all occasions. The Delegate ofBelgium shall have this right on all occasionsother than those referred to below. The Delegateof Japan shall have this right on occasions whenquestions relating to damage at sea, and questionsarising under Article 200 of Part IX (FinancialClauses) in which Japanese interests areconcerned, are under consideration. The Delegateof the Serb-Croat-Slovene State shall have thisright when questions relating to Austria, Hungary


or Bulgaria are under consideration.Each Government represented on the

Commission shall have the right to withdrawtherefrom upon twelve months, notice filed with theCommission and confirmed in the course of thesixth month after the date of the original notice.

3. Such of the other Allied and Associated Powers asmay be interested shall have the right to appoint aDelegate to be present and act as Assessor onlywhile their respective claims and interests areunder examination or discussion, but without theright to vote.

4. In case of the death, resignation or recall of anyDelegate, Assistant Delegate or Assessor, a successorto him shall be nominated as soon as possible.

5. The Commission will have its principalpermanent Bureau in Paris and will hold its firstmeeting in Paris as soon as practicable after thecoming into force of the present Treaty, andthereafter will meet in such place or places and atsuch time as it may deem convenient and as maybe necessary for the most expeditious discharge ofits duties.

6. At its first meeting the Commission shall elect,from among the Delegates referred to above, aChairman and a Vice-Chairman, who shall holdoffice for one year and shall be eligible for re-election. If a vacancy in the Chairmanship orVice-Chairmanship should occur during theannual period, the Commission shall proceed to anew election for the remainder of the said period.

7. The Commission is authorised to appoint allnecessary officers, agents and employees whomay be required for the execution of its functions,and to fix their remuneration; to constitutecommittees, whose members need not necessarilybe members of the Commission, and to take allexecutive steps necessary for the purpose ofdischarging its duties; and to delegate authorityand discretion to officers, agents and committees.

8. All proceedings of the Commission shall be private,unless, on particular occasions, the Con missionshall otherwise determine for special reasons.

9. The Commission shall be required, if the GermanGovernment so desire, to hear, within a periodwhich it will fix from time to time, evidence andarguments on the part of Germany on anyquestion connected with her capacity to pay.

10. The Commission shall consider the claims andgive to the German Government a just opportunityto be heard, but not to take any part whatever inthe decisions of the Commission The Commissionshall afford a similar opportunity to the allies ofGermany, when it shall consider that theirinterests are in question

11. The Commission shall not be bound by any partic-ular code or rules of law or by any particular rule ofevidence or of procedure, but shall be guided byjustice, equity and good faith. Its decisions mustfollow the same principles and rules in all caseswhere they are applicable. It will establish rulesrelating to methods of proof of claims. It may act onany trustworthy modes of computation.

12.The Commission shall have all the powersconferred upon it, and shall exercise all thefunctions assigned to it, by the present Treaty.

The Commission shall in general have widelatitude as to its control and handling of the wholereparation problem as dealt with in this Part of thepresent Treaty and shall have authority tointerpret its provisions. Subject to the provisions ofthe present Treaty, the Commission is constitutedby the several Allied and Associated Governmentsreferred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 above as theexclusive agency of the said Governments respec-tively for receiving, selling, holding, and distributingthe reparation payments to be made by Germanyunder this Part of the present Treaty. TheCommission must comply with the followingconditions and provisions:(a) Whatever part of the full amount of the

proved claims is not paid in gold, or in ships,securities and commodities or otherwise,Germany shall be required, under suchconditions as the Commission may determine,to cover by way of guarantee by an equivalentissue of bonds, obligations or otherwise, inorder to constitute an acknowledgment of thesaid part of the debt.

(b) In periodically estimating Germany’s capacityto pay, the Commission shall examine theGerman system of taxation, first, to the end thatthe sums for reparation which Germany isrequired to pay shall become a charge upon allher revenues prior to that for the service ordischarge of any domestic loan, and secondly,


so as to satisfy itself that, in general, the Germanscheme of taxation is fully as heavy proportion-ately as that of any of the Powers represented onthe Commission.

(c) In order to facilitate and continue theimmediate restoration of the economic life ofthe Allied and Associated countries, theCommission will as provided in Article 235take from Germany by way of security for andacknowledgment of her debt a first install-ment of gold bearer bonds free of all taxes andcharges of every description established or tobe established by the Government of theGerman Empire or of the German States, or byany authority subject to them; these bonds willbe delivered on account and in three portions,the marks gold being payable in conformitywith Article 262 of Part IX (Financial Clauses)of the present Treaty as follows:(1) To be issued forthwith, 20,000,000,000

Marks gold bearer bonds, payable not laterthan May l, 1921, without interest. Thereshall be specially applied towards theamortisation of these bonds the paymentswhich Germany is pledged to make inconformity with Article 235, afterdeduction of the sums used for thereimbursement of expenses of the armiesof occupation and for payment offoodstuffs and raw materials. Such bondsas have not been redeemed by May l, 1921,shall then be exchanged for new bonds ofthe same type as those provided for below(paragraph l2, C, (2).

(2) To be issued forthwith, further40,000,000,000 Marks gold bearer bonds,bearing interest at 2-1/2 per cent. perannum between 1921 and l926, andthereafter at 5 per cent. per annum with anadditional l per cent. for amortisationbeginning in 1926 on the whole amount ofthe issue.

(3) To be delivered forthwith a coveringundertaking in writing to issue when, butnot until, the Commission is satisfied thatGermany can meet such interest andsinking fund obligations, a further install-ment of 40,000,000,000 Marks gold 5 per

cent. bearer bonds, the time and mode ofpayment of principal and interest to bedetermined by the Commission.

The dates for payment of interest, themanner of applying the amortisation fund,and all other questions relating to theissue, management and regulation of thebond issue shall be determined by theCommission from time to time.

Further issues by way of acknowledg-ment and security may be required as theCommission subsequently determinesfrom time to time.

(d) In the event of bonds, obligations or otherevidence of indebtedness issued by Germanyby way of security for or acknowledgment ofher reparation debt being disposed of outright,not by way of pledge, to persons other than theseveral Governments in whose favour Germany’soriginal reparation indebtedness was created, anamount of such reparation indebtedness shall bedeemed to be extinguished corresponding tothe nominal value of the bonds, etc., sodisposed of outright, and the obligation ofGermany in respect of such bonds shall beconfined to her liabilities to the holders of thebonds, as expressed upon their face.

(e) The damage for repairing, reconstructing andrebuilding property in the invaded anddevastated districts, including reinstallation offurniture, machinery and other equipment,will be calculated according to the cost at thedates when the work is done.

(f) Decisions of the Commission relating to thetotal or partial cancellation of the capital orinterest of any verified debt of Germany mustbe accompanied by a statement of its reasons.

13. As to voting, the Commission will observe thefollowing rules:

When a decision of the Commission istaken, the votes of all the Delegates entitled tovote, or in the absence of any of them, of theirAssistant Delegates, shall be recorded.Abstention from voting is to be treated as avote against the proposal under discussion.Assessors have no vote.

On the following questions unanimity isnecessary:


(a) Questions involving the sovereignty of anyof the Allied and Associated Powers, or thecancellation of the whole or any part of thedebt or obligations of Germany;

(b) Questions of determining the amount andconditions of bonds or other obligations tobe issued by the German Government andof fixing the time and manner for selling,negotiating or distributing such bonds;

(c) Any postponement, total or partial, beyondthe end of 1930, of the payment of install-ments falling due between May 1, 1921, andthe end of 1926 inclusive;

(d) Any postponement, total or partial, of anyinstallment falling due after 1926 for a periodexceeding three years;

(e) Questions of applying in any particularcase a method of measuring damagesdifferent from that which has beenpreviously applied in a similar case;

(f) Questions of the interpretation of theprovisions of this Part of the present Treaty.All other questions shall be decided by the

vote of a majority.In case of any difference of opinion among

the Delegates, which cannot be solved byreference to their Governments, upon thequestion whether a given case is one whichrequires a unanimous vote for its decision ornot, such difference shall be referred to theimmediate arbitration of some impartialperson to be agreed upon by theirGovernments, whose award the Allied andAssociated Governments agree to accept.

14. Decisions of the Commission, in accordance withthe powers conferred upon it, shall forthwithbecome binding and may be put into immediateexecution without further Proceedings.

15. The Commission will issue to each of the interestedPowers, in such form as the Commission shall fix:(1) A certificate stating that it holds for the account

of the said Power bonds of the issues mentionedabove, the said certificate, on the demand of thePower concerned, being divisible in a numberof parts not exceeding five;

(2) From time to time certificates stating the goodsdelivered by Germany on account of herreparation debt which it holds for the account

of the said Power.The said certificates shall be registered, and

upon notice to the Commission, may betransferred by endorsement.

When bonds are issued for sale or negotia-tion, and when goods are delivered by theCommission, certificates to an equivalent valuemust be withdrawn.

16. Interest shall be debited to Germany as from May1, 1921, in respect of her debt as determined by theCommission, after allowing for sums alreadycovered by cash payments or their equivalent, orby bonds issued to the Commission, or underArticle 243. The rate of interest shall be 5 per cent.unless the Commission shall determine at somefuture time that circumstances justify a variationof the rate.

The Commission, in fixing on May 1, 1921, thetotal amount of the debt of Germany, may takeaccount of interest due on sums arising out of thereparation of material damage as from November11, 1918, up to May 1, 1921.

17. In case of default by Germany in the performanceof any obligation under this Part of the presentTreaty, the Commission will forthwith give noticeof such default to each of the interested Powersand may make such recommendations as to theaction to be taken in consequence of such defaultas it may think necessary.

18. The measures which the Allied and AssociatedPowers shall have the right to take, in case ofvoluntary default by Germany, and whichGermany agrees not to regard as acts of war mayinclude economic and financial prohibitions andreprisals and in general such other measures asthe respective Governments may determine to benecessary in the circumstances.

19. Payments required to be made in gold or itsequivalent on account of the proved claims of theAllied and Associated Powers may at any time beaccepted by the Commission in the form ofchattels, properties, commodities, businesses,rights, concessions within or without Germanterritory, ships, bonds, shares or securities of anykind, or currencies of Germany or other States, thevalue of such substitutes for good being fixed at afair and just amount by the Commission itself.

20. The Commission, in fixing or accepting payment


in specified properties or rights, shall have dueregard for any legal or equitable interests of theAllied and Associated Powers or of neutral Powersor of their nationals therein.

21. No member of the Commission shall be respon-sible, except to the Government appointing him,for any action or omission as such member. Noone of the Allied or Associated Governmentsassumes any responsibility in respect of any otherGovernment.

22. Subject to the provisions of the present Treaty thisAnnex may be amended by the unanimousdecision of the Governments represented fromtime to time upon the Commission.

23. When all the amounts due from Germany and herallies under the present Treaty or the decisions ofthe Commission have been discharged and allsums received, or their equivalents, shall havebeen distributed to the Powers interested, theCommission shall be dissolved.

A N N E X I I I1. Germany recognises the right of the Allied and

Associated Powers to the replacement, ton for ton(gross tonnage) and class for class, of all merchantships and fishing boats lost or damaged owing tothe war.

Nevertheless, and in spite of the fact that thetonnage of German shipping at present inexistence is much less than that lost by the Alliedand Associated Powers in consequence of theGerman aggression, the right thus recognised willbe enforced on German ships and boats under thefollowing conditions:

The German Government, on behalf ofthemselves and so as to bind all other personsinterested, cede to the Allied and AssociatedGovernments the property in all the Germanmerchant ships which are of 1,600 tons gross andupwards; in one-half, reckoned in tonnage, of theships which are between 1,000 tons and 1,600 tonsgross; in one-quarter, reckoned in tonnage, of thesteam trawlers; and in one-quarter, reckoned intonnage, of the other fishing boats.

2. The German Government will, within two monthsof the coming into force of the present Treaty,deliver to the Reparation Commission all the shipsand boats mentioned in paragraph 1.

3. The ships and boats mentioned in paragraph 1include all ships and boats which (a) fly, or may beentitled to fly, the German merchant flag; or (b) areowned by any German national, company orcorporation or by any company or corporationbelonging to a country other than an Allied orAssociated country and under the control ordirection of German nationals; or (c) are now underconstruction (1) in Germany, (2) in other than Alliedor Associated countries for the account of anyGerman national, company or corporation.

4. For the purpose of providing documents of title forthe ships and boats to be handed over as abovementioned, the German Government will:(a) Deliver to the Reparation Commission in

respect of each vessel a bill of sale or otherdocument of title evidencing the transfer to theCommission of the entire property in the vesselfree from all encumbrances, charges and liensof all kinds, as the Commission may require;

(b) Take all measures that may be indicated by theReparation Commission for ensuring that theships themselves shall be placed at its disposal.

5. As an additional part of reparation, Germanyagrees to cause merchant ships to be built inGerman yards for the account of the Allied andAssociated Governments as follows:(a) Within three months of the coming into force

of the present Treaty, the ReparationCommission will notify to the GermanGovernment the amount of tonnage to be laiddown in German ship-yards in each of the twoyears next succeeding the three monthsmentioned above.

(b) Within two years of the coming into force ofthe present Treaty, the Reparation Commissionwill notify to the German Government theamount of tonnage to be laid down in each ofthe three years following the two yearsmentioned above.

(c) The amount of tonnage to be laid down ineach year shall not exceed 200,000 tons, grosstonnage.

(d) The specifications of the ships to be built, theconditions under which they are to be builtand delivered, the price per ton at which theyare to be accounted for by the ReparationCommission, and all other questions relating


interruption in accordance with the saidAgreement.

9. Germany waives all claims to vessels or cargoessunk by or in consequence of naval action andsubsequently salved, in which any of the Allied orAssociated Governments or their nationals mayhave any interest either as owners, charterers,insurers or otherwise, notwithstanding any decreeof condemnation which may have been made by aPrize Court of Germany or of her allies.

A N N E X I V1. The Allied and Associated Powers require, and

Germany undertakes, that in part satisfaction ofher obligations expressed in the present Part shewill, as hereinafter provided, devote her economicresources directly to the physical restoration of theinvaded areas of the Allied and AssociatedPowers, to the extent that these Powers maydetermine.

2. The Allied and Associated Governments may filewith the Reparation Commission lists showing:(a) Animals, machinery, equipment, tools and like

articles of a commercial character, which havebeen seized, consumed or destroyed byGermany or destroyed in direct consequenceof military operations, and which suchGovernments, for the purpose of meetingimmediate and urgent needs, desire to havereplaced by animals and articles of the samenature which are in being in German territoryat the date of the coming into force of thepresent Treaty;

(b) Reconstruction materials (stones, bricks,refractory bricks, tiles, wood, window-glass,steel, lime, cement, etc.), machinery, heatingapparatus, furniture and like articles of acommercial character which the saidGovernments desire to have produced andmanufactured in Germany and delivered tothem to permit of the restoration of theinvaded areas.

3. The lists relating to the articles mentioned in 2 (a)above shall be filed within sixty days after the dateof the coming into force of the present Treaty.

The lists relating to the articles in 2 (b) aboveshall be filed on or before December 31, 1919.

The lists shall contain all such details as are

to the accounting ordering, building anddelivery of the ships, shall be determined bythe Commission.

6. Germany undertakes to restore in kind and innormal condition of upkeep to the Allied andAssociated Powers, within two months of the cominginto force of the present Treaty, in accordance withprocedure to be laid down by the ReparationCommission, any boats and other movableappliances belonging to inland navigation whichsince August 1, 1914, have by any means whatevercome into her possession or into the possession ofher nationals, and which can be identified

With a view to make good the loss in inlandnavigation tonnage from whatever cause arising,which has been incurred during the war by theAllied and Associated Powers, and which cannotbe made good by means of the restitutionprescribed above, Germany agrees to cede to theReparation Commission a portion of the Germanriver fleet up to the amount of the loss mentionedabove, provided that such cession shall not exceed20 per cent. of the river fleet as it existed onNovember 11, 1918.

The conditions of this cession shall be settledby the arbitrators referred to in Article 339 of PartXII (Ports, Waterways and Railways) of the presentTreaty, who are charged with the settlement ofdifficulties relating to the apportionment of rivertonnage resulting from the new internationalregime applicable to certain river systems or fromthe territorial changes affecting those systems.

7. Germany agrees to take any measures that may beindicated to her by the Reparation Commission forobtaining the full title to the property in all shipswhich have during the war been transferred, or arein process of transfer, to neutral flags, without theconsent of the Allied and Associated Governments.

8. Germany waives all claims of any descriptionagainst the Allied and Associated Governmentsand their nationals in respect of the detention,employment, loss or damage of any German shipsor boats, exception being made of payments duein respect of the employment of ships in confor-mity with the Armistice Agreement of January 13,1919, and subsequent Agreements.

The handing over of the ships of the Germanmercantile marine must be continued without


be delivered in accordance with the foregoing, andthe Allied or Associated Power receiving the sameagrees to be charged with such value, and theamount thereof shall be treated as a payment byGermany to be divided in accordance with Article237 of this Part of the present Treaty.

In cases where the right to require physicalrestoration as above provided is exercised, theCommission shall ensure that the amount to becredited against the reparation obligation ofGermany shall be the fair value of work done ormaterials supplied by Germany, and that the claimmade by the interested Power in respect of thedamage so repaired by physical restoration shallbe discharged to the extent of the proportionwhich the damage thus repaired bears to thewhole of the damage thus claimed for.

6. As an immediate advance on account of theanimals referred to in paragraph 2 (a) above,Germany undertakes to deliver in equal monthlyinstallments in the three months following thecoming into force of the present Treaty thefollowing quantities of live stock:(1) To the French Government.

500 stallions (3 to 7 years);

30,000 fillies and mares (18 months to7 years), type: Ardennais, Boulonnaisor Belgian;

2,000 bulls (18 months to 3 years);

90,000 milch cows (2 to 6 years);

1,000 rams;

100,000 sheep;

10,000 goats.(2) To the Belgian Government.

200 stallions (3 to 7 years), large Belgian type;

5,000 mares (3 to 7 years), large Belgian type;

5,000 fillies (18 months to 3 years), largeBelgian type;

2,000 bulls (18 months to 3 years);

50,000 milch cows (2 to 6 years);

40,000 heifers;

customary in commercial contracts dealing withthe subject matter, including specifications, datesof delivery (but not extending over more than fouryears), and places of delivery, but not price orvalue, which shall be fixed as hereinafter providedby the Commission.

4. Immediately upon the filing of such lists with theCommission, the Commission shall consider theamount and number of the materials and animalsmentioned in the lists provided for above whichare to be required of Germany. In reaching adecision on this matter the Commission shall takeinto account such domestic requirements ofGermany as it deems essential for the mainte-nance of Germany’s social and economic life, theprices and dates at which similar articles can beobtained in the Allied and Associated countries ascompared with those to be fixed for Germanarticles, and the general interest of the Allied andAssociated Governments that the industrial life ofGermany be not so disorganised as to affectadversely the ability of Germany to perform theother acts of reparation stipulated for.

Machinery, equipment, tools and like articlesof a commercial character in actual industrial useare not, however, to be demanded of Germanyunless there is no free stock of such articlesrespectively which is not in use and is available,and then not m excess of thirty per cent. of thequantity of such articles in use in any oneestablishment or undertaking.

The Commission shall give representatives ofthe German Government an opportunity and atime to be heard as to their capacity to furnish thesaid materials, articles and animals.

The decision of the Commission shall thereuponand at the earliest possible moment be communi-cated to the German Government and to the severalinterested Allied and Associated Governments.

The German Government undertakes to deliverthe materials, articles and animals as specified in thesaid communication, and the interested Allied andAssociated Governments severally agree to acceptthe same, provided they conform to the specificationgiven, or are not, in the judgment of the Commission,unfit to be utilised in the work of reparation.

5. The Commission shall determine the value to beattributed to the materials, articles and animals to


Luxemburg, if directed by the ReparationCommission, a quantity of coal equal to the pre-war annual consumption of German coal inLuxemburg.

6. The prices to be paid for coal delivered underthese options shall be as follows:(a) For overland delivery, including delivery by

barge, the German pithead price to Germannationals, plus the freight to French, Belgian,Italian or Luxemburg frontiers, provided thatthe pithead price does not exceed the pitheadprice of British coal for export. In the case ofBelgian bunker coal, the price shall not exceedthe Dutch bunker price.

Railroad and barge tariffs shall not behigher than the lowest similar rates paid inGermany.

(b) For sea delivery, the German export price f. o.b. German ports, or the British export price f.o. b. British ports, whichever may be lower.

7. The Allied and Associated Governmentsinterested may demand the delivery, in place ofcoal, of metallurgical coke in the proportion of 3tons of coke to 4 tons of coal.

8. Germany undertakes to deliver to France, and totransport to the French frontier by rail or by water,the following products, during each of the threeyears following the coming into force of this Treaty:

Benzol 35,000 tons.

Coal tar 50,000 tons

Sulphate of ammonia 30,000 tons.All or part of the coal tar may, at the option of

the French Government, be replaced bycorresponding quantities of products of distilla-tion, such as light oils, heavy oils, anthracene,napthalene or pitch

9. The price paid for coke and for the articlesreferred to in the preceding paragraph shall be thesame as the price paid by German nationals underthe same conditions of shipment to the Frenchfrontier or to the German ports, and shall besubject to any advantages which may be accordedsimilar products furnished to German nationals.

10. The foregoing options shall be exercised throughthe intervention of the Reparation Commission,which, subject to the specific provisions hereof,

200 rams;

20,000 Sheep;

15,000 sows.The animals delivered shall be of average

health and condition.To the extent that animals so delivered cannot

be identified as animals taken away or seized, thevalue of such animals shall be credited against thereparation obligations of Germany in accordancewith paragraph 5 of this Annex.

7. Without waiting for the decisions of theCommission referred to in paragraph 4 of thisAnnex to be taken, Germany must continue thedelivery to France of the agricultural materialreferred to in Article III of the renewal datedJanuary 16, 1919, of the Armistice.

A N N E X V1. Germany accords the following options for the

delivery of coal and derivatives of coal to theundermentioned signatories of the present Treaty.

2. Germany undertakes to deliver to France sevenmillion tons of coal per year for ten years. Inaddition, Germany undertakes to deliver to Franceannually for a period not exceeding ten years anamount of coal equal to the difference betweenthe annual production before the war of the coalmines of the Nord and Pas de Calais, destroyed asa result of the war, and the production of themines of the same area during the years inquestion: such delivery not to exceed twentymillion tons in any one year of the first five years,and eight million tons in any one year of thesucceeding five years.

It is understood that due diligence will beexercised in the restoration of the destroyed minesin the Nord and the Pas de Calais.

3. Germany undertakes to deliver to Belgium eightmillion tons of coal annually for ten years.

4. Germany undertakes to deliver to Italy up to thefollowing quantities of coal:July 1919 to June 1920 4-1/2 million tons, 19201921 6 19211922 7-1/2 1922 1923 8 1923 1924and each of the following five years 8-1/2

At least two-thirds of the actual deliveries to beland-borne.

5. Germany further undertakes to deliver annually to


shall have power to determine all questionsrelative to procedure and the qualities and quanti-ties of products, the quantity of coke which maybe substituted for coal, and the times and modesof delivery and payment. In giving notice to theGerman Government of the foregoing options theCommission shall give at least 120 days, notice ofdeliveries to be made after January 1, 1920, and atleast 30 days, notice of deliveries to be madebetween the coming into force of this Treaty andJanuary 1, 1920. Until Germany has received thedemands referred to in this paragraph, theprovisions of the Protocol of December 25, 1918,(Execution of Article VI of the Armistice ofNovember 11, 1918) remain in force. The notice tobe given to the German Government of theexercise of the right of substitution accorded byparagraphs 7 and 8 shall be such as theReparation Commission may consider sufficient.If the Commission shall determine that the fullexercise of the foregoing options would interfereunduly with the industrial requirements ofGermany, the Commission is authorised topostpone or to cancel deliveries, and in so doing tosettle all questions of priority; but the coal toreplace coal from destroyed mines shall receivepriority over other deliveries.

A N N E X V I1. Germany accords to the Reparation Commission

an option to require as part of reparation thedelivery by Germany of such quantities and kindsof dyestuffs and chemical drugs as theCommission may designate, not exceeding 50 percent. of the total stock of each and every kind ofdyestuff and chemical drug in Germany or underGerman control at the date of the coming intoforce of the present Treaty.

This option shall be exercised within sixtydays of the receipt by the Commission of suchparticulars as to stocks as may be considerednecessary by the Commission.

2. Germany further accords to the ReparationCommission an option to require delivery duringthe period from the date of the coming into forceof the present Treaty until January 1, 1920, andduring each period of six months thereafter untilJanuary 1 , 1925, of any specified kind of dyestuff

and chemical drug up to an amount not exceeding25 per cent. of the German production of suchdyestuffs and chemical drugs during the previoussix months period. If in any case the productionduring such previous six months was, in theopinion of the Commission, less than normal, theamount required may be 25 per cent. of thenormal production.

Such option shall be exercised within fourweeks after the receipt of such particulars as toproduction and in such form as may be consid-ered necessary by the Commission; theseparticulars shall be furnished by the GermanGovernment immediately after the expiration ofeach six months period.

3. For dyestuffs and chemical drugs delivered underparagraph 1, the price shall be fixed by theCommission having regard to prewar net exportprices and to subsequent increases of cost.

For dyestuffs and chemical drugs deliveredunder paragraph 2, the price shall be fixed by theCommission having regard to pre-war net exportprices and subsequent variations of cost, or thelowest net selling price of similar dyestuffs andchemical drugs to any other purchaser.

4. All details, including mode and times of exercisingthe options, and making delivery, and all otherquestions arising under this arrangement shall bedetermined by the Reparation Commission; theGerman Government will furnish to theCommission all necessary information and otherassistance which it may require.

5. The above expression, dyestuffs and chemicaldrugs, includes all synthetic dyes and drugs andintermediate or other products used in connectionwith dyeing, so far as they are manufactured forsale. The present arrangement shall also apply tocinchona bark and salts of quinine.

A N N E X V I IGermany renounces on her own behalf and on

behalf of her nationals in favour of the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers all rights, titles orprivileges of whatever nature in the submarine cablesset out below, or in any portions thereof:

Emden-vigo: from the Straits of Dover to offvigo; Emden-Brest: from off Cherbourg to


Brest; Emden-Teneriffe: from off Dunkirk tooff Teneriffe; Emden-Azores (1): from theStraits of Dover to Fayal; Emden-Azores (2):from the Straits of Dover to Fayal; Azores-NewYork (1): from Fayal to New York; Azores-NewYork (2): from Fayal to the longitude of Halifax,Teneriffe-Monrovia: from off Teneriffe to offMonrovia; Monrovia-Lome:

from about lat. :2° 30’ N.; long.:7° 40’ W. ofGreenwich: to about lat. :2° 20’ N.; long.:5° 30,W. of Greenwich; and from about lat. :3° 48’ N.;long.:0° 00’, to Lome;

Lome-Duala: from Lome to Duala; Monrovia-Pernambuco: from off Monrovia to offPernambuco; Constantinople-Constanza:from Constantinople to Constanza; Yap-Shanghai, Yap-Guam, and Yap-Menado(Celebes): from Yap Island to Shanghai, fromYap Island to Guam Island, and from YapIsland to Menado.

The value of the above mentioned cables orportions thereof in so far as they are privately owned,calculated on the basis of the original cost less asuitable allowance for depreciation, shall be creditedto Germany in the reparation account.

Section II: Special ProvisionsA R T I C L E 2 4 5

Within six months after the coming into force ofthe present Treaty the German Government mustrestore to the French Government the trophies,archives, historical souvenirs or works of art carriedaway from France by the German authorities in thecourse of the war of 1870-1871 and during this lastwar, in accordance with a list which will be communi-cated to it by the French Government; particularly theFrench flags taken in the course of the war of 1870-1871 and all the political papers taken by the Germanauthorities on October 1o, 1870, at the chateau ofCercay, near Brunoy (Seine-et-Oise) belonging at thetime to Mr. Rouher, formerly Minister of State.

A R T I C L E 2 4 6Within six months from the coming into force of

the present Treaty, Germany will restore to HisMajesty the King of the Hedjaz the original Koran of

the Caliph Othman, which was removed fromMedina by the Turkish authorities and is stated tohave been presented to the ex-Emperor William II.

Within the same period Germany will hand overto 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.

The delivery of the articles above referred to willbe effected in such place and in such conditions asmay be laid down by the Governments to which theyare to be restored.

A R T I C L E 2 4 7Germany undertakes to furnish to the University

of Louvain, within three months after a request madeby it and transmitted through the intervention of theReparation Commission, manuscripts, incunabula,printed books, maps and objects of collectioncorresponding in number and value to thosedestroyed in the burning by Germany of the Library ofLouvain. All details regarding such replacement willbe determined by the Reparation Commission.

Germany undertakes to deliver to Belgium,through the Reparation Commission, within sixmonths of the coming into force of the present Treaty,in order to enable Belgium to reconstitute two greatartistic works:

(1) The leaves of the triptych of the Mystic Lambpainted by the Van Eyck brothers, formerly inthe Church of St. Bavon at Ghent, now in theBerlin Museum;

(2) The leaves of the triptych of the Last Supper,painted by Dierick Bouts, formerly in theChurch of St. Peter at Louvain, two of whichare now in the Berlin Museum and two in theOld Pinakothek at Munich.

Part IXFinancial ClauesA R T I C L E 2 4 8

Subject to such exceptions as the ReparationCommission may approve, a first charge upon all theassets and revenues of the German Empire and itsconstituent States shall be the cost of reparation andall other costs arising under the present Treaty or anytreaties or agreements supplementary thereto orunder arrangements concluded between Germany


and the Allied and Associated Powers during theArmistice or its extensions.

Up to May 1, 1921, the German Government shallnot export or dispose of, and shall forbid the export ordisposal of, gold without the previous approval of theAllied and Associated Powers acting through theReparation Commission.

A R T I C L E 2 4 9There shall be paid by the German Government

the total cost of all armies of the Allied and AssociatedGovernments in occupied German territory from thedate of the signature of the Armistice of November 11,1918, including the keep of men and beasts, lodgingand billeting, pay and allowances, salaries and wages,bedding, heating, lighting, clothing, equipment,harness and saddlery, armament and rolling-stock,air services, treatment of sick and wounded, veteri-nary and remount services, transport service of allsorts (such as by rail, sea or river, motor lorries),communications and correspondence, and in generalthe cost of all administrative or technical services theworking of which is necessary for the training oftroops and for keeping their numbers up to strengthand preserving their military efficiency.

The cost of such liabilities under the above headsso far as they relate to purchases or requisitions bythe Allied and Associated Governments in theoccupied territories shall be paid by the GermanGovernment to the Allied and AssociatedGovernments in marks at the current or agreed rate ofexchange. All other of the above costs shall be paid ingold marks.

A R T I C L E 2 5 0Germany confirms the surrender of all material

handed over to the Allied and Associated Powers inaccordance with the Armistice of November 11, 1918,and subsequent Armistice Agreements, andrecognises the title of the Allied and AssociatedPowers to such material.

There shall be credited to the German Government,against the sums due from it to the Allied andAssociated Powers for reparation, the value, as assessedby the Reparation Commission, referred to in Article233 of Part VIII (Reparation) of the present Treaty, ofthe material handed over in accordance with ArticleVII of the Armistice of November 11, 1918, or Article

III of the Armistice Agreement of January l6, 1919, aswell as of any other material handed over inaccordance with the Armistice of November 11, 1918,and of subsequent Armistice Agreements, for which,as having non-military value, credit should in thejudgment of the Reparation Commission be allowedto the German Government.

Property belonging to the Allied and AssociatedGovernments or their nationals restored or surren-dered under the Armistice Agreements in specie shallnot be credited to the German Government.

A R T I C L E 2 5 1The priority of the charges established by Article

248 shall, subject to the qualifications made below, be as follows:

(a) The cost of the armies of occupation asdefined under Article 249 during theArmistice and its extensions;

(b) The cost of any armies of occupation asdefined under Article 249 after the cominginto force of the present Treaty;

(c) The cost of reparation arising out of thepresent Treaty or any treaties or conventionssupplementary thereto;

(d) The cost of all other obligations incumbent onGermany under the Armistice Conventions orunder this Treaty or any treaties or conven-tions supplementary thereto.

The payment for such supplies of food and rawmaterial for Germany and such other payments as maybe judged by the Allied and Associated Powers to beessential to enable Germany to meet her obligations inrespect of reparation will have priority to the extent andupon the conditions which have been or may bedetermined by the Governments of the said Powers.

A R T I C L E 2 5 2The right of each of the Allied and Associated

Powers to dispose of enemy assets and propertywithin its jurisdiction at the date of the coming intoforce of the present Treaty is not affected by theforegoing provisions.

A R T I C L E 2 5 3Nothing in the foregoing provisions shall

prejudice in any manner charges or mortgageslawfully effected in favour of the Allied or Associated


Powers or their nationals respectively, before the dateat which a state of war existed between Germany andthe Allied or Associated Power concerned, by theGerman Empire or its constituent States, or byGerman nationals, on assets in their ownership at thatdate.

A R T I C L E 2 5 4The Powers to which German territory is ceded

shall, subject to the qualifications made in Article255, undertake to pay:

(1) A portion of the debt of the German Empire asit stood on August 1, 1914, calculated on thebasis of the ratio between the average for thethree financial years 1911, 1912, 1913, of suchrevenues of the ceded territory, and the averagefor the same years of such revenues of thewhole German Empire as in the judgment of theReparation Commission are best calculated torepresent the relative ability of the respectiveterritories to make payment;

A portion of the debt as it stood on August1, 1914, of the German State to which the cededterritory belonged, to be determined inaccordance with the principle stated above.

Such portions shall be determined by theReparation Commission.

The method of discharging the obligation, both inrespect of capital and of interest, so assumed shall befixed by the Reparation Commission. Such methodmay take the form, inter alia, of the assumption by thePower to which the territory is ceded of Germany’sliability for the German debt held by her nationals.But in the event of the method adopted involving anypayments to the German Government, such paymentsshall be transferred to the Reparation Commission onaccount of the sums due for reparation so long as anybalance in respect of such sums remains unpaid.

A R T I C L E 2 5 5(1) As an exception to the above provision and

inasmuch as in 1871 Germany refused toundertake any portion of the burden of the Frenchdebt, France shall be, in respect of Alsace-Lorraine, exempt from any payment under Article254.

(2) In the case of Poland that portion of the debt which,in the opinion of the Reparation Commission, is

attributable to the measures taken by the Germanand Prussian Governments for the Germancolonisation of Poland shall be excluded from theapportionment to be made under Article 254.

(3) In the case of all ceded territories other thanAlsace-Lorraine, that portion of the debt of theGerman Empire or German States which, in theopinion of the Reparation Commission, representsexpenditure by the Governments of the GermanEmpire or States upon the Government propertiesreferred to in Article 256 shall be excluded fromthe apportionment to be made under Article 254.

A R T I C L E 2 5 6Powers to which German territory is ceded shall

acquire all property and possessions situated thereinbelonging to the German Empire or to the GermanStates, and the value of such acquisitions shall befixed by the Reparation Commission, and paid by theState acquiring the territory to the ReparationCommission for the credit of the German Governmenton account of the sums due for reparation.

For the purposes of this Article the property andpossessions of the German Empire and States shall bedeemed to include all the property of the Crown, theEmpire or the States, and the private property of theformer German Emperor and other Royal personages.

In view of the terms on which Alsace-Lorrainewas ceded to Germany in 1871, France shall be exemptin respect thereof from making any payment or creditunder this Article for any property or possessions ofthe German Empire or States situated therein.

Belgium also shall be exempt from making anypayment or any credit under this Article for anyproperty or possessions of the German Empire orStates situated in German territory ceded to Belgiumunder the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 2 5 7In the case of the former German territories,

including colonies, protectorates or dependencies,administered by a Mandatory under Article 22 of Part I(League of Nations) of the present Treaty, neither theterritory nor the Mandatory Power shall be charged withany portion of the debt of the German Empire or States.

All property and possessions belonging to theGerman Empire or to the German States situated insuch territories shall be transferred with the territo-


ries to the Mandatory Power in its capacity as suchand no payment shall be made nor any credit given tothose Governments in consideration of this transfer.

For the purposes of this Article the property andpossessions of the German Empire and of the GermanStates shall be deemed to include all the property ofthe Crown, the Empire or the States and the privateproperty of the former German Emperor and otherRoyal personages.

A R T I C L E 2 5 8Germany renounces all rights accorded to her or

her nationals by treaties, conventions or agreements,of whatsoever kind, to representation upon or partici-pation in the control or administration ofcommissions, state banks, agencies or other financialor economic organisations of an internationalcharacter, exercising powers of control or administra-tion, and operating in any of the Allied or AssociatedStates, or in Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria or Turkey, orin the dependencies of these States, or in the formerRussian Empire.

A R T I C L E 2 5 9(1) Germany agrees to deliver within one month from

the date of the coming into force of the presentTreaty, to such authority as the Principal Alliedand Associated Powers may designate, the sum ingold which was to be deposited in the Reichsbankin the name of the Council of the Administrationof the Ottoman Public Debt as security for the firstissue of Turkish Government currency notes.

(2) Germany recognises her obligation to makeannually for the period of twelve years thepayments in gold for which provision is made inthe German Treasury Bonds deposited by herfrom time to time in the name of the Council ofthe Administration of the Ottoman Public Debt assecurity for the second and subsequent issues ofTurkish Government currency notes.

(3) Germany undertakes to deliver, within one monthfrom the coming into force of the present Treaty, tosuch authority as the Principal Allied andAssociated Powers may designate, the gold depositconstituted in the Reichsbank or elsewhere,representing the residue of the advance in goldagreed to on May 5, 1915, by the Council of theAdministration of the Ottoman Public Debt to the

Imperial Ottoman Government.(4) Germany agrees to transfer to the Principal Allied

and Associated Powers any title that she may haveto the sum in gold and silver transmitted by her tothe Turkish Ministry of Finance in November, 1918,in anticipation of the payment to be made in May,1919, for the service of the Turkish Internal Loan.

(5) Germany undertakes to transfer to the PrincipalAllied and Associated Powers, within a period of onemonth from the coming into force of the presentTreaty, any sums in gold transferred as pledge or ascollateral security to the German Government or itsnationals in connection with loans made by them tothe Austro-Hungarian Government.

(6) Without prejudice to Article 292 of Part X(Economic Clauses) of the present Treaty,Germany confirms the renunciation provided forin Article XV of the Armistice of November 11,1918, of any benefit disclosed by the Treaties ofBucharest and of Brest-Litovsk and by the treatiessupplementary thereto.

Germany undertakes to transfer, either toRoumania or to the Principal Allied andAssociated Powers as the case may be, allmonetary instruments, specie, securities andnegotiable instruments, or goods, which she hasreceived under the aforesaid Treaties.

(7) The sums of money and all securities, instrumentsand goods of whatsoever nature, to be delivered,paid and transferred under the provisions of thisArticle, shall be disposed of by the Principal Alliedand Associated Powers in a manner hereafter tobe determined by those Powers.

A R T I C L E 2 6 0Without prejudice to the renunciation of any

rights by Germany on behalf of herself or of hernationals in the other provisions of the present Treaty,the Reparation Commission may within one yearfrom the coming into force of the present Treatydemand that the German Government becomepossessed of any rights and interests of Germannationals in any public utility undertaking or in anyconcession operating in Russia, China, Turkey,Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria, or in the possessionsor dependencies of these States or in any territoryformerly belonging to Germany or her allies, to beceded by Germany or her allies to any Power or to be


administered by a Mandatory under the presentTreaty, and may require that the German Governmenttransfer, within six months of the date of demand, allsuch rights and interests and any similar rights andinterests the German Government may itself possessto the Reparation Commission.

Germany shall be responsible for indemnifyingher nationals so dispossessed, and the ReparationCommission shall credit Germany, on account ofsums due for reparation, with such sums in respect ofthe value of the transferred rights and interests asmay be assessed by the Reparation Commission, andthe German Government shall, within six monthsfrom the coming into force of the present Treaty,communicate to the Reparation Commission all suchrights and interests, whether already granted, contin-gent or not yet exercised, and shall renounce onbehalf of itself and its nationals in favour of the Alliedand Associated Powers all such rights and interestswhich have not been so communicated.

A R T I C L E 2 61Germany undertakes to transfer to the Allied and

Associated Powers any claims she may have topayment or repayment by the Governments ofAustria, Hungary, Bulgaria or Turkey, and, in partic-ular, any claims which may arise, now or hereafter,from the fulfilment of undertakings made byGermany during the war to those Governments.

A R T I C L E 2 6 2Any monetary obligation due by Germany arising

out of the present Treaty and expressed in terms ofgold marks shall be payable at the option of thecreditors in pounds sterling payable in London; golddollars of the United States of America payable inNew York; gold francs payable in Paris; or gold lirepayable in Rome.

For the purpose of this Article the gold coinsmentioned above shall be defined as being of theweight and fineness of gold as enacted by law onJanuary 1, 1914.

A R T I C L E 2 6 3Germany gives a guarantee to the Brazilian

Government that all sums representing the sale ofcoffee belonging to the State of Sao Paolo in the portsof Hamburg, Bremen, Antwerp and Trieste, which

were deposited with the Bank of Bleichroder at Berlin,shall be reimbursed together with interest at the rateor rates agreed upon. Germany having prevented thetransfer of the sums in question to the State of SaoPaolo at the proper time, guarantees also that thereimbursement shall be effected at the rate ofexchange of the day of the deposit.

Part XEconomic Clauses

Section I: Commercial Relations

C H A P T E R I : C U S T O M S R E G U L AT I O N S ,D U T I E S , A N D R E S T R I C T I O N S

A R T I C L E 2 6 4Germany undertakes that goods the produce or

manufacture of any one of the Allied or AssociatedStates imported into Germany territory, from whatso-ever place arriving, shall not be subjected to other orhigher duties or charges (including internal charges)than those to which the like goods the produce ormanufacture of any other such State or of any otherforeign country are subject.

Germany will not maintain or impose any prohibi-tion or restriction on the importation into Germanterritory of any goods the produce or manufacture ofthe territories of any one of the Allied or AssociatedStates, from whatsoever place arriving, which shallnot equally extend to the importation of the like goodsthe produce or manufacture of any other such Stateor of any other foreign country.

A R T I C L E 2 6 5Germany further undertakes that, in the matter of

the regime applicable on importation, no discrimina-tion against the commerce of any of the Allied andAssociated States as compared with any other of thesaid States or any other foreign country shall be made,even by indirect means, such as customs regulationsor procedure, methods of verification or analysisconditions of payment of duties, tariff classificationor interpretation, or the operation of monopolies.

A R T I C L E 2 6 6In all that concerns exportation Germany

undertakes that goods, natural products or manufac-tured articles, exported from German territory to theterritories of any one of the Allied or Associated States


shall not be subjected to other or higher duties orcharges (including internal charges) than those paidon the like goods exported to any other such State orto any other foreign country.

Germany will not maintain or impose any prohibi-tion or restriction on the exportation of any goods sentfrom her territory to any one of the Allied orAssociated States which shall not equally extend tothe exportation of the like goods, natural products ormanufactured articles, sent to any other such State orto any other foreign country.

A R T I C L E : 2 67Every favour, immunity or privilege in regard to

the importation, exportation or transit of goodsgranted by Germany to any Allied or Associated Stateor to any other foreign country whatever shallsimultaneously and unconditionally, without requestand without compensation, be extended to all theAllied and Associated States.

A R T I C L E 2 6 8The provisions of Articles 264 to 267 inclusive of

this Chapter and of Article 323 of Part XII (Ports,Waterways and Railways) of the present Treaty aresubject to the following exceptions:

(a) For a period of five years from the coming intoforce of the present Treaty, natural ormanufactured products which both originatein and come from the territories of Alsace andLorraine reunited to France shall, on importa-tion into German customs territory, be exemptfrom all customs duty.

The French Government shall fix eachyear, by decree communicated to the GermanGovernment, the nature and amount of theproducts which shall enjoy this exemption.

The amount of each product which may bethus sent annually into Germany shall notexceed the average of the amounts sentannually in the years 1911-1913.

Further, during the period abovementioned the German Government shallallow the free export from Germany, and thefree re-importation into Germany, exemptfrom all customs duties and other charges(including internal charges), of yarns, tissues,and other textile materials or textile products

of any kind and in any condition, sent fromGermany into the territories of Alsace orLorraine, to be subjected there to any finishingprocess, such as bleaching, dyeing, printing,mercerisation, gassing, twisting or dressing.

(b) During a period of three years from thecoming into force of the present Treaty naturalor manufactured products which bothoriginate in and come from Polish territorieswhich before the war were part of Germanyshall, on importation into German customsterritory, be exempt from all customs duty.

The Polish Government shall fix each year,by decree communicated to the GermanGovernment, the nature and amount of theproducts which shall enjoy this exemption.


(c) The Allied and Associated Powers reserve theright to require Germany to accord freedomfrom customs duty, on importation intoGerman customs territory, to natural productsand manufactured articles which bothoriginate in and come from the Grand Duchyof Luxemburg, for a period of five years fromthe coming into force of the present Treaty.

The nature and amount of the productswhich shall enjoy the benefits of this regimeshall be communicated each year to theGerman Government.


A R T I C L E 2 6 9During the first six months after the coming into

force of the present Treaty, the duties imposed byGermany on imports from Allied and AssociatedStates shall not be higher than the most favourableduties which were applied to imports into Germanyon July 31, 1914.

During a further period of thirty months after theexpiration of the first six months, this provision shallcontinue to be applied exclusively with regard toproducts which, being comprised in Section A of the


First Category of the German Customs Tariff ofDecember 25, 1902, enjoyed at the above-mentioneddate (July 31, 1914) rates conventionalised by treatieswith the Allied and Associated Powers, with theaddition of all kinds of wine and vegetable oils, ofartificial silk and of washed or scoured wool whetheror not they were the subject of special conventionsbefore July 31, 1914.

A R T I C L E 2 7 0The Allied and Associated Powers reserve the right

to apply to German territory occupied by their troops aspecial customs regime as regards imports and exports,in the event of such a measure being necessary in theiropinion in order to safeguard the economic interests ofthe population of these territories.

C H A P T E R I I : S H I P P I N G

A R T I C L E 2 71As regards sea fishing, maritime coasting trade,

and maritime towage, vessels of the Allied andAssociated Powers shall enjoy, in German territorialwaters, the treatment accorded to vessels of the mostfavoured nation.

A R T I C L E 2 7 2Germany agrees that, notwithstanding any

stipulation to the contrary contained in theConventions relating to the North Sea fisheries andliquor traffic, all rights of inspection and police shall,in the case of fishing-boats of the Allied Powers, beexercised solely by ships belonging to those Powers.

A R T I C L E 2 7 3In the case of vessels of the Allied or Associated

Powers, all classes of certificates or documentsrelating to the vessel, which were recognised as validby Germany before the war, or which may hereafterbe recognised as valid by the principal maritimeStates, shall be recognised by Germany as valid and asequivalent to the corresponding certificates issued toGerman vessels.

A similar recognition shall be accorded to thecertificates and documents issued to their vesselsby the Governments of new States, whether theyhave a sea-coast or not, provided that such certifi-cates and documents shall be issued m conformitywith the general practice observed in the principal

maritime States.The High Contracting Parties agree to recognise

the flag flown by the vessels of an Allied or AssociatedPower having no seacoast which are registered atsome one specified place situated in its territory; suchplace shall serve as the port of registry of such vessels.

C H A P T E R I I I : U N FA I R C O M P E T I T I O N

A R T I C L E 2 7 4Germany undertakes to adopt all the necessarylegislative and administrative measures to protectgoods the produce or manufacture of any one of theAllied and Associated Powers from all forms of unfaircompetition in commercial transactions.

Germany undertakes to prohibit and repress byseizure and by other appropriate remedies theimportation, exportation, manufacture, distribution,sale or offering for sale in its territory of all goodsbearing upon themselves or their usual get-up orwrappings any marks, names, devices, or descriptionwhatsoever which are calculated to convey directly orindirectly a false indication of the origin, type, nature,or special characteristics of such goods.

A R T I C L E 2 7 5Germany undertakes on condition that reciprocity

is accorded in these matters to respect any law, or anyadministrative or judicial decision given in confor-mity with such law, in force in any Allied orAssociated State and duly communicated to her bythe proper authorities, defining or regulating the rightto any regional appellation in respect of wine orspirits produced in the State to which the regionbelongs, or the conditions under which the use of anysuch appellation may be permitted; and the importa-tion, exportation, manufacture, distribution, sale oroffering for sale of products or articles bearingregional appellations inconsistent with such law ororder shall be prohibited by the German Governmentand repressed by the measures prescribed in thepreceding Article.

C H A P T E R I V: T R E AT M E N T O F NAT I O N A L S

O F A L L I E D A N D A S S O C I AT E D P OW E R S

A R T I C L E 2 7 6Germany undertakes:(a) Not to subject the nationals of the Allied and

Associated Powers to any prohibition in regard


to the exercise of occupations, professions,trade and industry, which shall not be equallyapplicable to all aliens without exception;

(b) Not to subject the nationals of the Allied andAssociated Powers in regard to the rightsreferred to in paragraph (a) to any regulationor restriction which might contravene directlyor indirectly the stipulations of the saidparagraph, or which shall be other or moredisadvantageous than those which are applic-able to nationals of the most favoured nation;

(c) Not to subject the nationals of the Allied andAssociated Powers, their property, rights orinterests, including companies and associa-tions In which they are interested, to anycharge, tax or impost, direct or indirect, otheror higher than those which are or may beimposed on her own nationals or theirproperty, rights or interests;

(d) Not to subject the nationals of any one of theAllied and Associated Powers to any restrictionwhich was not applicable on July l, 1914, to thenationals of such Powers unless such restrictionis likewise imposed on her own nationals.

A R T I C L E 2 7 7The nationals of the Allied and Associated Powers

shall enjoy in German territory a constant protectionfor their persons and for their property, rights andinterests, and shall have free access to the courts of law.

A R T I C L E 2 78Germany undertakes to recognise any new nation-

ality which has been or may be acquired by hernationals under the laws of the Allied and AssociatedPowers and in accordance with the decisions of thecompetent authorities of these Powers pursuant tonaturalisation laws or under treaty stipulations, andto regard such persons as having, in consequence ofthe acquisition of such new nationality, in all respectssevered their allegiance to their country of origin.

A R T I C L E 2 7 9The Allied and Associated Powers may appoint

consuls-general, consuls, vice-consuls, and consularagents in German towns and ports. Germanyundertakes to approve the designation of the consuls-general, consuls, vice-consuls, and consular agents,

whose names shall be notified to her, and to admitthem to the exercise of their functions in conformitywith the usual rules and customs.

C H A P T E R V: G E N E R A L A R T I C L E S

A R T I C L E 2 8 0The obligations imposed on Germany by Chapter

I and by Articles 27l and 272 of Chapter II aboveshall cease to have effect five years from the date ofthe coming into force of the present Treaty, unlessotherwise provided in the text, or unless the Councilof the League of Nations shall, at least twelve monthsbefore the expiration of that period, decide that theseobligations shall be maintained for a further periodwith or without amendment.

Article 276 of Chapter IV shall remain inoperation, with or without amendment, after theperiod of five years for such further period, if any, notexceeding five years, as may be determined by amajority of the Council of the League of Nations.

A R T I C L E 2 81If the German Government engages in interna-

tional trade, it shall not in respect thereof have or bedeemed to have any rights, privileges or immunities ofsovereignty.

Section II: TreatiesA R T I C L E 2 8 2

From the coming into force of the present Treatyand subject to the provisions thereof the multilateraltreaties, conventions and agreements of an economicor technical character enumerated below and in thesubsequent Articles shall alone be applied as betweenGermany and those of the Allied and AssociatedPowers party thereto:

(l) Conventions of March l4, 1884, December 1,1886, and March 23, 1887, and Final Protocolof July 7, 1887, regarding the protection ofsubmarine cables.

(2) Convention of October 11, 1909, regarding theinternational circulation of motor-cars.

(3) Agreement of May 15, 1886, regarding thesealing of railway trucks subject to customsinspection, and Protocol of May 18, 1907.

(4) Agreement of May 15, 1886, regarding thetechnical standardisation of railways.

(5) Convention of July 5, 1890, regarding the


publication of customs tariffs and the organi-sation of an International Union for thepublication of customs tariffs.

(6) Convention of December 31, 1913, regardingthe unification of commercial statistics.

(7) Convention of April 25, 1907, regarding theraising of the Turkish customs tariff.

(8) Convention of March 14, 1857, for theredemption of toll dues on the Sound andBelts.

(9) Convention of June 22, 1861, for the redemp-tion of the Stade Toll on the Elbe.

(10) Convention of July 16, 1863, for the redemp-tion of the toll dues on the Scheldt.

(11) Convention of October 29, 1888, regardingthe establishment of a definite arrangementguaranteeing the free use of the Suez Canal.

(12) Conventions of September 23, 1910,respecting the unification of certain regula-tions regarding collisions and salvage at sea.

(13) Convention of December 21, 1904, regardingthe exemption of hospital ships from duesand charges in ports

(14) Convention of February 4, 1898, regarding thetonnage measurement of vessels for inlandnavigation.

(15) Convention of September 26, 1906, for thesuppression of nightwork for women.

(16) Convention of September 26, 1906, for thesuppression of the use of white phosphorusin the manufacture of matches.

(17) Conventions of May 18, 1904, and May 4,1910, regarding the suppression of the White Slave Traffic.

(18) Convention of May 4, 1910, regarding thesuppression of obscene publications.

(19) Sanitary Conventions of January 30, 1892,April l5, l893, April 3, l894, March l9, 1897,and December 3, 1903.

(20) Convention of May 20, 1875, regarding theunification and improvement of the metricsystem.

(21) Convention of November 29, 1906, regardingthe unification of pharmacopoeial formulaefor potent drugs.

(22) Convention of November 16 and 19, 1885,regarding the establishment of a concertpitch.

(23) Convention of June 7, 1905, regarding thecreation of an International AgriculturalInstitute at Rome.

(24) Conventions of November 3, 188l, and Aprill5, l889, regarding precautionary measuresagainst phylloxera.

(25) Convention of March 19, l902, regarding theprotection of birds useful to agriculture.

(26) Convention of June l2, 1902, as to the protec-tion of minors.

A R T I C L E 2 8 3From the coming into force of the present Treaty the

High Contracting Parties shall apply the conventionsand agreements hereinafter mentioned, in so far asconcerns them, on condition that the special stipula-tions contained in this Article are fulfilled by Germany.

POSTAL CONVENTIONS:Conventions and agreements of the Universal PostalUnion concluded at Vienna, July 4, 1891.

Conventions and agreements of the Postal Unionsigned at Washington, June 15, 1897.

Conventions and agreements of the Postal Unionsigned at Rome, May 26, 1906.

TELEGRAPHIC CONVENTIONS:International Telegraphic Conventions signed at St.Petersburg July 10, 22, 1875.

Regulations and Tariffs drawn up by the InternationalTelegraphic Conference, Lisbon, June 11, 1908.

Germany undertakes not to refuse her assent tothe conclusion by the new States of the specialarrangements referred to in the conventions andagreements relating to the Universal Postal Union andto the International Telegraphic Union, to which thesaid new States have adhered or may adhere.

A R T I C L E 2 8 4From the coming into force of the present Treaty

the High Contracting Parties shall apply, in so far asconcerns them, the International Radio-TelegraphicConvention of July S, 1912, on condition that Germanyfulfills the provisional regulations which will beindicated to her by the Allied and Associated Powers.

If within five years after the coming into force ofthe present Treaty a new convention regulating


international radio-telegraphic communicationsshould have been concluded to take the place of theConvention of July 5, 1912, this new convention shallbind Germany, even if Germany should refuse eitherto take part in drawing up the convention, or tosubscribe thereto.

This new convention will likewise replace theprovisional regulations in force.

A R T I C L E 2 8 5From the coming into force of the present Treaty,

the High Contracting Parties shall apply in so far asconcerns them and under the conditions stipulated inArticle 272, the conventions hereinafter mentioned:

(1) The Conventions of May 6, 1882, and February1, 1889, regulating the fisheries in the NorthSea outside territorial waters.

(2) The Conventions and Protocols of November16, 1887, February 14, 1893, and April 11, 1894,regarding the North Sea liquor traffic.

A R T I C L E 2 8 6The International Convention of Paris of March

20, 1883, for the protection of industrial property,revised at Washington on June 2, 1911; and theInternational Convention of Berne of September 9,1886, for the protection of literary and artistic works,revised at Berlin on November 13, 1908, andcompleted by the additional Protocol signed at Berneon March 20, 1914, will again come into effect as fromthe coming into force of the present Treaty, in so far asthey are not affected or modified by the exceptionsand restrictions resulting therefrom.

A R T I C L E 2 8 7From the coming into force of the present Treaty the

High Contracting Parties shall apply, in so far asconcerns them, the Convention of the Hague of July 17,1905, relating to civil procedure. This renewal, however,will not apply to France, Portugal and Roumania.

A R T I C L E 2 8 8The special rights and privileges granted to

Germany by Article 3 of the Convention of December2, 1899, relating to Samoa shall be considered to haveterminated on August 4, 1914.

A R T I C L E 2 8 9Each of the Allied or Associated Powers, being

guided by the general principles or special provisionsof the present Treaty, shall notify to Germany thebilateral treaties or conventions which such Allied orAssociated Power wishes to revive with Germany.

The notification referred to in the present Articleshall be made either directly or through the interme-diary of another Power. Receipt thereof shall beacknowledged in writing by Germany. The date of therevival shall be that of the notification.

The Allied and Associated Powers undertakeamong themselves not to revive with Germany anyconventions or treaties which are not in accordancewith the terms of the present Treaty.

The notification shall mention any provisions ofthe said conventions and treaties which, not being inaccordance with the terms of the present Treaty, shallnot be considered as revived.

In case of any difference of opinion, the League ofNations will be called on to decide.

A period of six months from the coming into force ofthe present Treaty is allowed to the Allied and AssociatedPowers within which to make the notification.

Only those bilateral treaties and conventionswhich have been the subject of such a notificationshall be revived between the Allied and AssociatedPowers and Germany; all the others are and shallremain abrogated.

The above regulations apply to all bilateraltreaties or conventions existing between all the Alliedand Associated Powers signatories to the presentTreaty and Germany, even if the said Allied andAssociated Powers have not been in a state of warwith Germany.

A R T I C L E 2 9 0Germany recognises that all the treaties, conven-

tions or agreements which she has concluded withAustria, Hungary, Bulgaria or Turkey since August 1,1914, until the coming into force of the present Treatyare and remain abrogated by the present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 2 9 1Germany undertakes to secure to the Allied and

Associated Powers, and to the officials and nationalsof the said Powers, the enjoyment of all the rights andadvantages of any kind which she may have grantedto Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria or Turkey, or to theofficials and nationals of these States by treaties,


conventions or arrangements concluded beforeAugust 1, 1914, so long as those treaties, conventionsor arrangements remain in force.

The Allied and Associated Powers reserve theright to accept or not the enjoyment of these rightsand advantages.

A R T I C L E 2 9 2Germany recognises that all treaties, conventions or

arrangements which she concluded with Russia, or withany State or Government of which the territorypreviously formed a part of Russia, or with Roumania,before August 1, 1914, or after that date until coming intoforce of the present Treaty, are and remain abrogated.

A R T I C L E 2 9 3Should an Allied or Associated Power, Russia, or a

State or Government of which the territory formerlyconstituted a part of Russia, have been forced sinceAugust 1, 1914, by reason of military occupation or byany other means or for any other cause, to grant or toallow to be granted by the act of any public authority,concessions, privileges and favours of any kind toGermany or to a German national, such concessions,privileges and favours are ipso facto annulled by thepresent Treaty.

No claims or indemnities which may result fromthis annulment hall be charged against the Allied orAssociated Powers or the Powers, States, Governmentsor public authorities which are released from theirengagements by the present Article.


Germany undertakes to give the Allied andAssociated Powers and their nationals the benefitipso facto of the rights and advantages of any kindwhich she has granted by treaties, conventions, orarrangements to nonbelligerent States or theirnationals since August 1, 1914, until the coming intoforce of the present Treaty, so long as those treaties,conventions or arrangements remain in force.

A R T I C L E 2 9 5Those of the High Contracting Parties who have

not yet signed, or who have signed but not yet ratified,the Opium Convention signed at The Hague onJanuary 23, 1912, agree to bring the said Conventioninto force, and for this purpose to enact the necessary

legislation without delay and in any case within aperiod of twelve months from the coming into force ofthe present Treaty.

Furthermore, they agree that ratification of thepresent Treaty should in the case of Powers whichhave not yet ratified the Opium Convention bedeemed in all respects equivalent to the ratification ofthat Convention and to the signature of the SpecialProtocol which was opened at The Hague inaccordance with the resolutions adopted by the ThirdOpium Conference in 1914 for bringing the saidConvention into force.

For this purpose the Government of the FrenchRepublic will communicate to the Government of theNetherlands a certified copy of the protocol of thedeposit of ratifications of the present Treaty, and willinvite the Government of the Netherlands to acceptand deposit the said certified copy as if it were adeposit of ratifications of the Opium Convention anda signature of the Additional Protocol of 1914.

Section III: DebtsA R T I C L E 2 9 6

There shall be settled through the intervention ofclearing offices to be established by each of the HighContracting Parties within three months of the notifi-cation referred to in paragraph (e) hereafter thefollowing classes of pecuniary obligations:

(1) Debts payable before the war and due by anational of one of the Contracting Powers,residing within its territory, to a national of anOpposing Power, residing within its territory;

( 2) Debts which became payable during the war tonationals of one Contracting Power residingwithin its territory and arose out of transactionsor contracts with the nationals of an OpposingPower, resident within its territory, of which thetotal or partial execution was suspended onaccount of the declaration of war;

(3) Interest which has accrued due before andduring the war to a national of one of theContracting Powers in respect of securitiesissued by an Opposing Power, provided thatthe payment of interest on such securities tothe nationals of that Power or to neutrals hasnot been suspended during the war;

(4) Capital sums which have become payablebefore and during the war to nationals of one


of the Contracting Powers in respect of securi-ties issued by one of the Opposing Powers,provided that the payment of such capitalsums to nationals of that Power or to neutralshas not been suspended during the war.

The proceeds of liquidation of enemy property,rights and interests mentioned in Section IV and inthe Annex thereto will be accounted for through theClearing Offices, in the currency and at the rate ofexchange hereinafter provided in paragraph (d), anddisposed of by them under the conditions provided bythe said Section and Annex.

The settlements provided for in this Article shallbe effected according to the following principles andin accordance with the Annex to this Section:

(a) Each of the High Contracting Parties shallprohibit, as from the coming into force of thepresent Treaty, both the payment and theacceptance of payment of such debts, and alsoall communications between the interestedparties with regard to the settlement of thesaid debts otherwise than through theClearing Offices;

(b) Each of the High Contracting Parties shall berespectively responsible for the payment ofsuch debts due by its nationals, except in thecases where before the war the debtor was in astate of bankruptcy or failure, or had givenformal indication of insolvency or where thedebt was due by a company whose businesshas been liquidated under emergency legisla-tion during the war. Nevertheless, debts due bythe inhabitants of territory invaded oroccupied by the enemy before the Armisticewill not be guaranteed by the States of whichthose territories form part;

(c) The sums due to the nationals of one of theHigh Contracting Parties by the nationals ofan Opposing State will be debited to theClearing Office of the country of the debtor,and paid to the creditor by the Clearing Officeof the country of the creditor;

(d) Debts shall be paid or credited in the currencyof such one of the Allied and AssociatedPowers, their colonies or protectorates, or theBritish Dominions or India, as may beconcerned. If the debts are payable in some

other currency they shall be paid or credited inthe currency of the country concerned,whether an Allied or Associated Power,Colony, Protectorate, British Dominion orIndia, at the pre-war rate of exchange.

For the purpose of this provision the pre-war rate of exchange shall be defined as theaverage cable transfer rate prevailing in theAllied or Associated country concernedduring the month immediately preceding theoutbreak of war between the said countryconcerned and Germany.

If a contract provides for a fixed rate ofexchange governing the conversion of thecurrency in which the debt is stated into thecurrency of the Allied or Associated countryconcerned, then the above provisionsconcerning the rate of exchange shall not apply.

In the case of new States the currency inwhich and the rate of exchange at which debtsshall be paid or credited shall be determinedby the Reparation Commission provided for inPart VIII (Reparation);

(e) The provisions of this Article and of the Annexhereto shall not apply as between Germany onthe one hand and any one of the Allied andAssociated Powers, their colonies or protec-torates, or any one of the British Dominions orIndia on the other hand, unless within aperiod of one month from the deposit of theratification of the present Treaty by the Powerin question, or of the ratification on behalf ofsuch Dominion or of India, notice to that effectis given to Germany by the Government ofsuch Allied or Associated Power or of suchDominion or of India as the case may be;

(f) The Allied and Associated Powers who haveadopted this Article and the Annex hereto mayagree between themselves to apply them totheir respective nationals established in theirterritory so far as regards matters betweentheir nationals and German nationals. In thiscase the payments made by application of thisprovision will be subject to arrangementsbetween the Allied and Associated ClearingOffices concerned.


A N N E X

1. Each of the High Contracting Parties will, withinthree months from the notification provided for inArticle 296, paragraph (e) establish a ClearingOffice for the collection and payment of enemydebts.

Local Clearing Offices may be established forany particular portion of the territories of the HighContracting Parties. Such local Clearing Officesmay perform all the functions of a centralClearing Office in their respective districts, exceptthat all transactions with the Clearing Office inthe Opposing State must be effected through thecentral Clearing Office.

2. In this Annex the pecuniary obligations referredto in the first paragraph of Article 296 aredescribed “as enemy debts”, the persons fromwhom the same are due as “enemy debtors”, thepersons to whom they are due as “enemycreditors”, the Clearing Office in the country ofthe creditor is called the “Creditor ClearingOffice”, and the Clearing Office in the country ofthe debtor is called the “Debtor Clearing Office.”

3. The High Contracting Parties will subject contra-ventions of paragraph (a) of Article 296 to the samepenalties as are at present provided by their legisla-tion for trading with the enemy. They will similarlyprohibit within their territory all legal processrelating to payment of enemy debts, except inaccordance with the provisions of this Annex.

4. The Government guarantee specified inparagraph (b) of Article 296 shall take effectwhenever, for any reason, a debt shall not berecoverable, except in a case where at the date ofthe outbreak of war the debt was barred by thelaws of prescription in force in the country of thedebtor, or where the debtor was at that time in astate of bankruptcy or failure or had given formalindication of insolvency, or where the debt wasdue by a company whose business has beenliquidated under emergency legislation during thewar. In such case the procedure specified by thisAnnex shall apply to payment of the dividends.

The terms “bankruptcy” and “failure” refer tothe application of legislation providing for suchjuridical conditions. The expression “formalindication of insolvency” bears the same meaningas it has in English law.

5. Creditors shall give notice to the Creditor ClearingOffice within six months of its establishment ofdebts due to them, and shall furnish the ClearingOffice with any documents and informationrequired of them.

The High Contracting Parties will take allsuitable measures to trace and punish collusionbetween enemy creditors and debtors. TheClearing Offices will communicate to one anotherany evidence and information which might helpthe discovery and punishment of such collusion.

The High Contracting Parties will facilitate asmuch as possible postal and telegraphiccommunication at the expense of the partiesconcerned and through the intervention of theClearing Offices between debtors and creditorsdesirous of coming to an agreement as to theamount of their debt.

The Creditor Clearing Office will notify theDebtor Office of all debts declared to it. TheDebtor Clearing Office will, in due course, informthe Creditor Clearing Office which debts areadmitted and which debts are contested. In thelatter case, the Debtor Clearing Office will give thegrounds for the non-admission of debt.

6. When a debt has been admitted, in whole or inpart, the Debtor Clearing Office will at once creditthe Creditor Clearing Office with the amountadmitted, and at the same time notify it of suchcredit.

7. The debt shall be deemed to be admitted in fulland shall be credited forthwith to the CreditorClearing Office unless within three months fromthe receipt of the notification or such longer timeas may be agreed to by the Creditor ClearingOffice notice has been given by the DebtorClearing Office that it is not admitted.

8. When the whole or part of a debt is not admittedthe two Clearing Offices will examine into thematter jointly and will endeavour to bring theparties to an agreement.

9. The Creditor Clearing Office will pay to theindividual creditor the sums credited to it out ofthe funds placed at its disposal by theGovernment of its country and in accordance withthe conditions fixed by the said Government,retaining any sums considered necessary to coverrisks, expenses or commissions.


10. Any person having claimed payment of an enemydebt which is not admitted in whole or in part shallpay to the clearing office, by way of fine, interest at5 per cent. on the part not admitted. Any personhaving unduly refused to admit the whole or part ofa debt claimed from him shall pay, by way of fine,interest at 5 per cent. on the amount with regard towhich his refusal shall be disallowed.

Such interest shall run from the date of expira-tion of the period provided for in paragraph 7until the date on which the claim shall have beendisallowed or the debt paid.

Each Clearing Office shall in so far as it isconcerned take steps to collect the fines aboveprovided for, and will be responsible if such finescannot be collected.

The fines will be credited to the other ClearingOffice, which shall retain them as a contributiontowards the cost of carrying out the presentprovisions.

11. The balance between the Clearing Offices shall bestruck monthly and the credit balance paid incash by the debtor State within a week.

Nevertheless, any credit balances which maybe due by one or more of the Allied andAssociated Powers shall be retained untilcomplete payment shall have been effected of thesums due to the Allied or Associated Powers ortheir nationals on account of the war.

12. To facilitate discussion between the ClearingOffices each of them shall have a representative atthe place where the other is established.

13. Except for special reasons all discussions inregard to claims will, so far as possible, take placeat the Debtor Clearing Office.

14. In conformity with Article 296, paragraph (b),the High Contracting Parties are responsible for the payment of the enemy debts owing bytheir nationals.

The Debtor Clearing Office will thereforecredit the Creditor Clearing Office with all debtsadmitted, even in case of inability to collect themfrom the individual debtor. The Governmentsconcerned will, nevertheless, invest their respec-tive Clearing Offices with all necessary powers forthe recovery of debts which have been admitted.

As an exception, the admitted debts owing bypersons having suffered injury from acts of war

shall only be credited to the Creditor ClearingOffice when the compensation due to the personconcerned in respect of such injury shall havebeen paid.

15. Each Government will defray the expenses of theClearing Office set up in its territory, including thesalaries of the staff.

16. Where the two Clearing Offices are unable toagree whether a debt claimed is due, or in case ofa difference between an enemy debtor and anenemy creditor or between the Clearing Offices,the dispute shall either be referred to arbitration ifthe parties so agree under conditions fixed byagreement between them, or referred to the MixedArbitral Tribunal provided for in Section VIhereafter.

At the request of the Creditor Clearing Officethe dispute may, however, be submitted to thejurisdiction of the Courts of the place of domicileof the debtor.

17. Recovery of sums found by the Mixed ArbitralTribunal, the Court, or the Arbitration Tribunal tobe due shall be effected through the ClearingOffices as if these sums were debts admitted bythe Debtor Clearing Office.

18. Each of the Governments concerned shall appointan agent who will be responsible for the presenta-tion to the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal of the casesconducted on behalf of its Clearing Office. Thisagent will exercise a general control over therepresentatives or counsel employed by itsnationals.

Decisions will be arrived at on documentaryevidence, but it will be open to the Tribunal to hearthe parties in person, or according to their prefer-ence by their representatives approved by the twoGovernments, or by the agent referred to above,who shall be competent to intervene along withthe party or to reopen and maintain a claimabandoned by the same.

19. The Clearing Offices concerned will lay before theMixed Arbitral Tribunal all the information anddocuments in their possession, so as to enable theTribunal to decide rapidly on the cases which arebrought before it.

20. Where one of the parties concerned appealsagainst the joint decision of the two ClearingOffices he shall make a deposit against the costs,


which deposit shall only be refunded when thefirst judgment is modified in favour of theappellant and in proportion to the success he mayattain, his opponent in case of such a refund beingrequired to pay an equivalent proportion of thecosts and expenses. Security accepted by theTribunal may be substituted for a deposit.

A fee of 5 per cent. of the amount in dispute shallbe charged in respect of all cases brought before theTribunal. This fee shall, unless the Tribunal directsotherwise, be borne by the unsuccessful party. Suchfee shall be added to the deposit referred to. It is alsoindependent of the security.

The Tribunal may award to one of the parties asum in respect of the expenses of the proceedings.

Any sum payable under this paragraph shallbe credited to the Clearing Office of the successfulparty as a separate item.

21. With a view to the rapid settlement of claims, dueregard shall be paid in the appointment of allpersons connected with the Clearing Offices or withthe Mixed Arbitral Tribunal to their knowledge of thelanguage of the other country concerned.

Each of the Clearing Offices will be at libertyto correspond with the other and to forwarddocuments in its own language.

22. Subject to any special agreement to the contrarybetween the Governments concerned, debts shallcarry interest in accordance with the followingprovisions:

Interest shall not be payable on sums ofmoney due by way of dividend, interest or otherperiodical payments which themselves representinterest on capital.

The rate of interest shall be 5 per cent. perannum except in cases where, by contract, law orcustom, the creditor is entitled to payment ofinterest at a different rate. In such cases the rate towhich he is entitled shall prevail.

Interest shall run from the date of commence-ment of hostilities (or, if the sum of money to berecovered fell due during the war, from the date atwhich it fell due) until the sum is credited to theClearing Office of the creditor.

Sums due by way of interest shall be treated asdebts admitted by the Clearing Offices and shallbe credited to the Creditor Clearing Office in thesame way as such debts.

23. Where by decision of the Clearing Offices or theMixed Arbitral Tribunal a claim is held not to fallwithin Article 296, the creditor shall be at libertyto prosecute the claim before the Courts or to takesuch other proceedings as may be open to him.

The presentation of a claim to the ClearingOffice suspends the operation of any period of prescription.

24. The High Contracting Parties agree to regard thedecisions of the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal as finaland conclusive, and to render them binding upontheir nationals.

25. In any case where a Creditor Clearing Officedeclines to notify a claim to the Debtor ClearingOffice, or to take any step provided for in thisAnnex, intended to make effective in whole or inpart a request of which it has received due notice,the enemy creditor shall be entitled to receivefrom the Clearing Office a certificate setting outthe amount of the claim, and shall then be entitledto prosecute the claim before the courts or to takesuch other proceedings as may be open to him.

Section IV: Property, Rightsand InterestsA R T I C L E 2 9 7

The question of private property, rights andinterests in an enemy country shall be settledaccording to the principles laid down in thisSection and to the provisions of the Annex hereto.(a) The exceptional war measures and measures

of transfer (defined in paragraph 3 of theAnnex hereto) taken by Germany with respectto the property, rights and interests ofnationals of Allied or Associated Powers,including companies and associations inwhich they are interested, when liquidationhas not been completed, shall be immediatelydiscontinued or stayed and the property, rightsand interests concerned restored to theirowners, who shall enjoy full rights therein inaccordance with the provisions of Article 298.

(b) Subject to any contrary stipulations whichmay be provided for in the present Treaty, theAllied and Associated Powers reserve the rightto retain and liquidate all property, rights andinterests belonging at the date of the cominginto force of the present Treaty to German


nationals, or companies controlled by them,within their territories, colonies, possessionsand protectorates including territories cededto them by the present Treaty.

The liquidation shall be carried out inaccordance with the laws of the Allied orAssociated State concerned, and the Germanmanowners shall not be able to dispose of suchproperty, rights or interests nor to subject themto any charge without the consent of that State.

German nationals who acquire ipso facto thenationality of an Allied or Associated Power inaccordance with the provisions of the presentTreaty will not be considered as Germannationals within the meaning of this paragraph.

(c) The price or the amount of compensation inrespect of the exercise of the right referred toin the preceding paragraph (b) will be fixed inaccordance with the methods of sale orvaluation adopted by the laws of the countryin which the property has been retained orliquidated.

(d) As between the Allied and Associated Powersor their nationals on the one hand andGermany or her nationals on the other hand,all the exceptional war measures, or measuresof transfer, or acts done or to be done inexecution of such measures as defined inparagraphs 1 and 3 of the Annex hereto shallbe considered as final and binding upon allpersons except as regards the reservations laiddown in the present Treaty.

(e) The nationals of Allied and Associated Powersshall be entitled to compensation in respect ofdamage or injury inflicted upon their property,rights or interests, including any company orassociation in which they are interested, inGerman territory as it existed on August 1,1914, by the application either of theexceptional war measures or measures oftransfer mentioned in paragraphs 1 and 3 ofthe Annex hereto. The claims made in thisrespect by such nationals shall be investigated,and the total of the compensation shall bedetermined by the Mixed Arbitral Tribunalprovided for in Section VI or by an Arbitratorappointed by that Tribunal. This compensa-tion shall be borne by Germany, and may be

charged upon the property of Germannationals within the territory or under thecontrol of the claimant’s State. This propertymay be constituted as a pledge for enemyliabilities under the conditions fixed byparagraph 4 of the Annex hereto. Thepayment of this compensation may be madeby the Allied or Associated State, and theamount will be debited to Germany.

(f) Whenever a national of an Allied orAssociated Power is entitled to property whichhas been subjected to a measure of transfer inGerman territory and expresses a desire for itsrestitution, his claim for compensation inaccordance with paragraph (6) shall besatisfied by the restitution of the said propertyif it still exists in specie.

In such case Germany shall take all necessarysteps to restore the evicted owner to the posses-sion of his property, free from all encumbrancesor burdens with which it may have beencharged after the liquidation, and to indemnifyall third parties injured by the restitution.

If the restitution provided for in thisparagraph cannot be effected, privateagreements arranged by the intermediation ofthe Powers concerned or the Clearing Officesprovided for in the Annex to Section III may bemade, in order to secure that the national ofthe Allied or Associated Power may securecompensation for the injury referred to inparagraph (e) by the grant of advantages orequivalents which he agrees to accept in placeof the property, rights or interests of which hewas deprived.

Through restitution in accordance withthis Article, the price or the amount ofcompensation fixed by the application ofparagraph (e) will be reduced by the actualvalue of the property restored, account beingtaken of compensation in respect of loss of useor deterioration.

(g) The rights conferred by paragraph (f) arereserved to owners who are nationals of Alliedor Associated Powers within whose territorylegislative measures prescribing the generalliquidation of enemy property, rights orinterests were not applied before the signature


of the Armistice.(h) Except in cases where, by application of

paragraph (f), restitutions in specie have beenmade, the net proceeds of sales of enemyproperty, rights or interests wherever situatedcarried out either by virtue of war legislation,or by application of this Article, and in generalall cash assets of enemies, shall be dealt withas follows:(1) As regards Powers adopting Section III and

the Annex thereto, the said proceeds andcash assets shall be credited to the Powerof which the owner is a national, throughthe Clearing Office established thereunder;any credit balance in favour of Germanyresulting therefrom shall be dealt with asprovided in Article 243.

(2) As regards Powers not adopting Section IIIand the Annex thereto, the proceeds of theproperty, rights and interests, and the cashassets, of the nationals of Allied orAssociated Powers held by Germany shallbe paid immediately to the person entitledthereto or to his Government; the proceedsof the property, rights and interests, andthe cash assets, of German nationalsreceived by an Allied or Associated Powershall be subject to disposal by such Powerin accordance with its laws and regula-tions and may be applied in payment of theclaims and debts defined by this Article orparagraph 4 of the Annex hereto. Anyproperty, rights and interests or proceedsthereof or cash assets not used as aboveprovided may be retained by the saidAllied or Associated Power and if retainedthe cash value thereof shall be dealt withas provided in Article 243.In the case of liquidations effected in new

States, which are signatories of the presentTreaty as Allied and Associated Powers, or inStates which are not entitled to share in thereparation payments to be made by Germany,the proceeds of liquidations effected by suchStates shall, subject to the rights of theReparation Commission under the presentTreaty, particularly under Articles 235 and260, be paid direct to the owner. If on the

application of that owner, the Mixed ArbitralTribunal, provided for by Section VI of thisPart, or an arbitrator appointed by thatTribunal is satisfied that the conditions of thesale or measures taken by the Government ofthe State in question outside its general legisla-tion were unfairly prejudicial to the priceobtained, they shall have discretion to awardto the owner equitable compensation to bepaid by that State.

(i) Germany undertakes to compensate hernationals in respect of the sale or retention oftheir property, rights or interests in Allied orAssociated States.

(j) The amount of all taxes and imposts uponcapital levied or to be levied by Germany onthe property, rights and interests of thenationals of the Allied or Associated Powersfrom November 11, 1918, until three monthsfrom the coming into force of the presentTreaty, or, in the case of property, rights orinterests which have been subjected toexceptional measures of war, until restitutionin accordance with the present Treaty, shall berestored to the owners.

A R T I C L E 2 9 8Germany undertakes, with regard to the property,

rights and interests, including companies and associ-ations in which they were interested, restored tonationals of Allied and Associated Powers inaccordance with the provisions of Article 297,paragraph (a) or (f):

(a) to restore and maintain, except as expresslyprovided in the present Treaty, the property,rights and interests of the nationals of Alliedor Associated Powers in the legal positionobtaining in respect of the property, rights andinterests of German nationals under the lawsin force before the war;

(b) not to subject the property, rights or interestsof the nationals of the Allied or AssociatedPowers to any measures in derogation ofproperty rights which are not applied equallyto the property, rights and interests of Germannationals, and to pay adequate compensationin the event of the application of thesemeasures.


A N N E X

1. In accordance with the provisions of Article 297paragraph (d), the validity of vesting orders and oforders for the winding up of businesses orcompanies, and of any other orders, directions,decisions or instructions of any court or anydepartment of the Government of any of the HighContracting Parties made or given, or purportingto be made or given, in pursuance of war legisla-tion with regard to enemy property, rights andinterests is confirmed. The interests of all personsshall be regarded as having been effectively dealtwith by any order, direction, decision or instruc-tion dealing with property in which they may beinterested, whether or not such interests arespecifically mentioned in the order, direction,decision, or instruction. No question shall beraised as to the regularity of a transfer of anyproperty, rights or interests dealt with inpursuance of any such order, direction, decisionor instruction. Every action taken with regard toany property, business, or company, whether asregards its investigation, sequestration, compul-sory administration, use, requisition, supervision,or winding up, the sale or management ofproperty, rights or interests, the collection ordischarge of debts, the payment of costs, chargesor expenses, or any other matter whatsoever, inpursuance of orders, directions, decisions, orinstructions of any court or of any department ofthe Government of any of the High ContractingParties, made or given, or purporting to be made orgiven, in pursuance of war legislation with regardto enemy property, rights or interests, is confirmed.Provided that the provisions of this paragraphshall not be held to prejudice the titles to propertyheretofore acquired in good faith and for valueand in accordance with the laws of the country inwhich the property is situated by nationals of theAllied and Associated Powers.

The provisions of this paragraph do not applyto such of the above-mentioned measures as havebeen taken by the German authorities in invadedor occupied territory, nor to such of the abovementioned measures as have been taken byGermany or the German authorities sinceNovember 11, 1918, all of which shall be void.

2. No claim or action shall be made or brought

against any Allied or Associated Power or againstany person acting on behalf of or under thedirection of any legal authority or Department ofthe Government of such a Power by Germany or byany German national wherever resident in respectof any act or omission with regard to his property,rights or interests during the war or in preparationfor the war. Similarly no claim or action shall bemade or brought against any person in respect ofany act or omission under or in accordance withthe exceptional war measures, laws or regulationsof any Allied or Associated Power.

3. In Article 297 and this Annex the expression“exceptional war measures” includes measures ofall kinds, legislative administrative, judicial orothers, that have been taken or will be takenhereafter with regard to enemy property, andwhich have had or will have the effect of removingfrom the proprietors the power of disposition overtheir property, though without affecting theownership, such as measures of supervision, ofcompulsory administration, and of sequestration;or measures which have had or will have as anobject the seizure of, the use of, or the interferencewith enemy assets, for whatsoever motive, underwhatsoever form or in whatsoever place. Acts inthe-execution of these measures include alldetentions, instructions, orders or decrees ofGovernment departments or courts applying thesemeasures to enemy property, as well as actsperformed by any person connected with theadministration or the supervision of enemyproperty, such as the payment of debts, thecollecting of credits, the payment of any costs,charges or expenses, or the collecting of fees.

Measures of transfer are those which haveaffected or will affect the ownership of enemyproperty by transferring it in whole or in part to aperson other than the enemy owner, and withouthis consent, such as measures directing the sale,liquidation, or devolution of ownership in enemyproperty, or the cancelling of titles or securities.

4. All property, rights and interests of Germannationals within the territory of any Allied orAssociated Power and the net proceeds of theirsale, liquidation or other dealing therewith may becharged by that Allied or Associated Power in thefirst place with payment of amounts due in


respect of claims by the nationals of that Allied orAssociated Power with regard to their property,rights and interests, including companies andassociations in which they are interested, inGerman territory, or debts owing to them byGerman nationals, and with payment of claimsgrowing out of acts committed by the GermanGovernment or by any German authorities sinceJuly 31, 1914, and before that Allied or AssociatedPower entered into the war. The amount of suchclaims may be assessed by an arbitratorappointed by Mr. Gustave Ador, if he is willing, orif no such appointment is made by him, by anarbitrator appointed by the Mixed ArbitralTribunal provided for in Section VI. They may becharged in the second place with payment of theamounts due in respect of claims by the nationalsof such Allied or Associated Power with regard totheir property, rights and interests in the territoryof other enemy Powers, in so far as those claimsare otherwise unsatisfied.

5. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 297,where immediately before the outbreak of war acompany incorporated in an Allied or AssociatedState had rights in common with a companycontrolled by it and incorporated in Germany tothe use of trademarks in third countries, orenjoyed the use in common with such company ofunique means of reproduction of goods or articlesfor sale in third countries, the former companyshall alone have the right to use these trade-marksin third countries to the exclusion of the Germancompany, and these unique means of reproduc-tion shall be handed over to the former company,notwithstanding any action taken under Germanwar legislation with regard to the latter companyor its business, industrial property or shares.Nevertheless, the former company, if requested,shall deliver the latter company derivative copiespermitting the continuation of reproduction ofarticles for use within German territory.

6. Up to the time when restitution is carried out inaccordance with Article 297, Germany is respon-sible for the conservation of property, rights andinterests of the nationals of Allied or AssociatedPowers, including companies and associations inwhich they are interested, that have beensubjected by her to exceptional war measures.

7. Within one year from the coming into force of thepresent Treaty the Allied or Associated Powers willspecify the property, rights and interests overwhich they intend to exercise the right provided inArticle 297, paragraph (f).

8. The restitution provided in Article 297 will becarried out by order of the German Governmentor of the authorities which have been substitutedfor it. Detailed accounts of the action of adminis-trators shall be furnished to the interested personsby the German authorities upon request, whichmay be made at any time after the coming intoforce of the present Treaty.

9. Until completion of the liquidation provided forby Article 297, paragraph (b), the property, rightsand interests of German nationals will continue tobe subject to exceptional war measures that havebeen or will be taken with regard to them.

10. Germany will, within six months from the cominginto force of the present Treaty, deliver to eachAllied or Associated Power all securities, certifi-cates, deeds, or other documents of title held by itsnationals and relating to property, rights orinterests situated in the territory of that Allied orAssociated Power, including any shares, stock,debentures, debenture stock, or other obligationsof any company incorporated in accordance withthe laws of that Power.

Germany will at any time on demand of anyAllied or Associated Power furnish such informa-tion as may be required with regard to theproperty, rights and interests of German nationalswithin the territory of such Allied or AssociatedPower, or with regard to any transactionsconcerning such property, rights or interestseffected since July 1, 1914.

11. The expression “cash assets” includes all depositsor funds established before or after the declara-tion of war, as well as all assets coming fromdeposits, revenues, or profits collected by adminis-trators, sequestrators, or others from funds placedon deposit or otherwise, but does not includesums belonging to the Allied or Associated Powersor to their component States, Provinces, orMunicipalities.

12. All investments wheresoever effected with thecash assets of nationals of the High ContractingParties, including companies and associations in


which such nationals were interested, by personsresponsible for the administration of enemyproperties or having control over such administra-tion, or by order of such persons or of anyauthority whatsoever shall be annulled. Thesecash assets shall be accounted for irrespective ofany such investment.

13. Within one month from the coming into force ofthe present Treaty, or on demand at any time,Germany will deliver to the Allied and AssociatedPowers all accounts, vouchers, records, documentsand information of any kind which may be withinGerman territory, and which concern the property,rights and interests of the nationals of thosePowers, including companies and associations inwhich they are interested, that have beensubjected to an exceptional war measure, or to ameasure of transfer either in German territory orin territory occupied by Germany or her allies.

The controllers, supervisors, managers,administrators, sequestrators, liquidators andreceivers shall be personally responsible underguarantee of the German Government for theimmediate delivery in full of these accounts anddocuments, and for their accuracy.

14. The provisions of Article 297 and this Annexrelating to property, rights and interests in anenemy country, and the proceeds of the liquida-tion thereof, apply to debts, credits and accounts,Section III regulating only the method of payment.

In the settlement of matters provided for inArticle 297 between Germany and the Allied orAssociated States, their colonies or protectorates,or any one of the British Dominions or India, inrespect of any of which a declaration shall nothave been made that they adopt Section III, andbetween their respective nationals, the provisionsof Section III respecting the currency in whichpayment is to be made and the rate of exchangeand of interest shall apply unless the Governmentof the Allied or Associated Power concerned shallwithin six months of the coming into force of thepresent Treaty notify Germany that the saidprovisions are not to be applied.

15. The provisions of Article 297 and this Annexapply to industrial, literary and artistic propertywhich has been or will be dealt with in theliquidation of property, rights, interests,

companies or businesses under war legislation bythe Allied or Associated Powers, or in accordancewith the stipulations of Article 297, paragraph (b).

Section V: Contracts,Prescriptions, JudgmentsA R T I C L E 2 9 9(a) Any contract concluded between enemies shall be

regarded as having been dissolved as from thetime when any two of the parties became enemies,except in respect of any debt or other pecuniaryobligation arising out of any act done or moneypaid thereunder, and subject to the exceptions andspecial rules with regard to particular contracts orclasses of contracts contained herein or in theAnnex hereto.

(b) Any contract of which the execution shall berequired in the general interest, within six monthsfrom the date of the coming into force of thepresent Treaty, by the Allied or AssociatedGovernments of which one of the parties is anational, shall be excepted from dissolution underthis Article.

When the execution of the contract thus keptalive would owing to the alteration of tradeconditions, cause one of the parties substantialprejudice the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal providedfor by Section VI shall be empowered to grant tothe prejudiced party equitable compensation.

(c) Having regard to the provisions of the constitutionand law of the United States of America, of Brazil,and of Japan, neither the present Article, norArticle 300, nor the Annex hereto shall apply tocontracts made between nationals of these Statesand German nationals; nor shall Article 305 applyto the United States of America or its nationals.

(d) The present Article and the annex hereto shall notapply to contracts the parties to which becameenemies by reason of one of them being aninhabitant of territory of which the sovereigntyhas been transferred, if such party shall acquireunder the present Treaty the nationality of anAllied or Associated Power, nor shall they apply tocontracts between nationals of the Allied andAssociated Powers between whom trading hasbeen prohibited by reason of one of the partiesbeing in Allied or Associated territory in theoccupation of the enemy.


(e) Nothing in the present Article or the annex heretoshall be deemed to invalidate a transactionlawfully carried out in accordance with a contractbetween enemies if it has been carried out withthe authority of one of the belligerent Powers.

A R T I C L E 3 0 0(a) All periods of prescription, or limitation of right of

action, whether they began to run before or afterthe outbreak of war, shall be treated in theterritory of the High Contracting Parties, so far asregards relations between enemies, as havingbeen suspended for the duration of the war. Theyshall begin to run again at earliest three monthsafter the coming into force of the present Treaty.This provision shall apply to the period prescribedfor the presentation of interest or dividendcoupons or for the presentation for repayment ofsecurities drawn for repayment or repayable onany other ground.

(b) Where, on account of failure to perform any act orcomply with any formality during the war,measures of execution have been taken inGerman territory to the prejudice of a national ofan Allied or Associated Power, the claim of suchnational shall, if the matter does not fall within thecompetence of the Courts of an Allied orAssociated Power, be heard by the Mixed ArbitralTribunal provided for by Section VI.

(c) Upon the application of any interested personwho is a national of an Allied or Associated Powerthe Mixed Arbitral Tribunal shall order therestoration of the rights which have beenprejudiced by the measures of execution referredto in paragraph (b), wherever, having regard to theparticular circumstances of the case, such restora-tion is equitable and possible.

If such restoration is inequitable or impossiblethe Mixed Arbitral Tribunal may grant compensa-tion to the prejudiced party to be paid by theGerman Government.

(d) Where a contract between enemies has beendissolved by reason either of failure on the part ofeither party to carry out its provisions or of theexercise of a right stipulated in the contract itselfthe party prejudiced may apply to the MixedArbitral Tribunal for relief. The Tribunal will havethe powers provided for in paragraph (c.)

(e) The provisions of the preceding paragraphs ofthis Article shall apply to the nationals of Alliedand Associated Powers who have been prejudicedby reason of measures referred to above taken byGermany in invaded or occupied territory, if theyhave not been otherwise compensated.

(f) Germany shall compensate any third party whomay be prejudiced by any restitution or restora-tion ordered by the Mixed Arbitral Tribunalunder the provisions of the preceding paragraphsof this Article.

(g) As regards negotiable instruments, the period ofthree months provided under paragraph (a) shallcommence as from the date on which anyexceptional regulations applied in the territories ofthe interested Power with regard to negotiable instru-ments shall have definitely ceased to have force.

A R T I C L E 3 01As between enemies no negotiable instrument

made before the war shall be deemed to have becomeinvalid by reason only of failure within the requiredtime to present the instrument for acceptance orpayment or to give notice of non-acceptance ornonpayment to drawers or indorsers or to protest theinstrument, nor by reason of failure to complete anyformality during the war.

Where the period within which a negotiableinstrument should have been presented foracceptance or for payment, or within which notice ofnon-acceptance or non-payment should have beengiven to the drawer or indorser, or within which theinstrument should have been protested, has elapsedduring the war, and the party who should havepresented or protested the instrument or have givennotice of non-acceptance or non-payment has failedto do so during the war, a period of not less than threemonths from the coming into force of the presentTreaty shall be allowed within which presentation,notice of non-acceptance or nonpayment or protestmay be made.

A R T I C L E 3 0 2Judgments given by the Courts of an Allied or

Associated Power in all cases which, under thepresent Treaty, they are competent to decide, shall berecognised in Germany as final, and shall be enforcedwithout it being necessary to have them declared


executory.If a judgment in respect to any dispute which may

have arisen has been given during the war by aGerman Court against a national of an Allied orAssociated State in a case in which he was not able tomake his defence, the Allied and Associated nationalwho has suffered prejudice thereby shall be entitledto recover compensation, to be fixed by the MixedArbitral Tribunal provided for in Section VI.

At the instance of the national of the Allied orAssociated Power the compensation above-mentioned may, upon order to that effect of the MixedArbitral Tribunal, be effected where it is possible byreplacing the parties in the situation which theyoccupied before the judgment was given by theGerman Court.

The above compensation may likewise beobtained before the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal by thenationals of Allied or Associated Powers who havesuffered prejudice by judicial measures taken ininvaded or occupied territories, if they have not beenotherwise compensated.

A R T I C L E 3 0 3For the purpose of Sections III, IV, V and VII, the

expression “during the war” means for each Allied orAssociated Power the period between the commence-ment of the state of war between that Power andGermany and the coming into force of the present Treaty.

A N N E X

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. Within the meaning of Articles 299, 300 and301, the parties to a contract shall be regardedas enemies when trading between them shallhave been prohibited by or otherwise becameunlawful under laws, orders or regulations towhich one of those parties was subject. Theyshall be deemed to have become enemies fromthe date when such trading was prohibited orotherwise became unlawful.

2. The following classes of contracts are exceptedfrom dissolution by Article 299 and, withoutprejudice to the rights contained in Article 297(b) of Section IV, remain in force subject to theapplication of domestic laws, orders or regula-tions made during the war by the Allied andAssociated Powers and subject to the terms of

the contracts:(a) Contracts having for their object the

transfer of estates or of real or personalproperty where the property therein hadpassed or the object had been deliveredbefore the parties became enemies;

(b) Leases and agreements for leases of landand houses

(c) Contracts of mortgage, pledge or lien;(d) Concessions concerning mines, quarries

or deposits;(e) Contracts between individuals or

companies and States provinces, munici-palities, or other similar juridical personscharged with administrative functions, andconcessions granted by States, provinces,municipalities, or other similar juridicalpersons charged with administrativefunctions.

3. If the provisions of a contract are in partdissolved under Article 299, the remainingprovisions of that contract shall, subject to thesame application of domestic laws as isprovided for in paragraph 2, continue in forceif they are severable, but where they are notseverable the contract shall be deemed to havebeen dissolved in its entirety.

II. PROVISIONS RELATING TO CERTAIN CLASSES OF CONTRACTS

Stock Exchange and Commercial Exchange Contracts4. (a) Rules made during the war by any recognised

Exchange or Commercial Association providingfor the closure of contracts entered into beforethe war by an enemy are confirmed by the HighContracting Parties, as also any action takenthereunder, provided:

(1) That the contract was expressed to bemade subject to the rules of theExchange or Association in question;

(2) That the rules applied to all personsconcerned;

(3) That the conditions attaching to theclosure were fair and reasonable.

(b) The preceding paragraph shall not applyto rules made during the occupation byExchanges or Commercial Associations inthe districts occupied by the enemy.


(c) The closure of contracts relating to cotton“futures”, which were closed as on July 31,1914, under the decision of the LiverpoolCotton Association, is also confirmed.

Security5. The sale of a security held for an unpaid debt

owing by an enemy shall be deemed to havebeen valid irrespective of notice to the owner ifthe creditor acted in good faith and withreasonable care and prudence, and no claimby the debtor on the ground of such sale shallbe admitted.

This stipulation shall not apply to any saleof securities effected by an enemy during theoccupation in regions invaded or occupied bythe enemy.

Negotiable Instruments6. As regards Powers which adopt Section III and

the Annex thereto the pecuniary obligationsexisting between enemies and resulting fromthe issue of negotiable instruments shall beadjusted in conformity with the said Annex bythe instrumentality of the Clearing Offices,which shall assume the rights of the holder asregards the various remedies open to him.

7. If a person has either before or during the warbecome liable upon a negotiable instrument inaccordance with an undertaking given to himby a person who has subsequently become anenemy, the latter shall remain liable toindemnify the former in respect of his liabilitynotwithstanding the outbreak of war.

III. Contracts of Insurance.8. Contracts of insurance entered into by any

person with another person who subsequentlybecame an enemy will be dealt with inaccordance with the following paragraphs.

Fire Insurance9. Contracts for the insurance of property

against fire entered into by a person interestedin such property with another person whosubsequently became an enemy shall not bedeemed to have been dissolved by theoutbreak of war, or by the fact of the personbecoming an enemy, or on account of thefailure during the war and for a period of three

months thereafter to perform his obligationsunder the contract, but they shall be dissolvedat the date when the annual premiumbecomes payable for the first time after theexpiration of a period of three months after thecoming into force of the present Treaty.

A settlement shall be effected of unpaidpremiums which became due during the war,or of claims for losses which occurred duringthe war.

10. Where by administrative or legislative actionan insurance against fire effected before thewar has been transferred during the war fromthe original to another insurer, the transfer willbe recognised and the liability of the originalinsurer will be deemed to have ceased as fromthe date of the transfer. The original insurerwill, however, be entitled to receive on demandfull information as to the terms of the transfer,and if it should appear that these terms werenot equitable they shall be amended so far asmay be necessary to render them equitable.

Furthermore, the insured shall, subject tothe concurrence of the original insurer, beentitled to retransfer the contract to the originalinsurer as from the date of the demand.

Life Insurance11. Contracts of life insurance entered into

between an insurer and a person whosubsequently became an enemy shall not bedeemed to have been dissolved by theoutbreak of war, or by the fact of the personbecoming an enemy.

Any sum which during the war became dueupon a contract deemed not to have beendissolved under the preceding provision shall berecoverable after the war with the addition ofinterest at five per cent. per annum from the dateof its becoming due up to the day of payment.

Where the contract has lapsed during thewar owing to nonpayment of premiums, or hasbecome void from breach of the conditions ofthe contract, the assured or his representativesor the person entitled shall have the right atany time within twelve months of the cominginto force of the present Treaty to claim fromthe insurer the surrender value of the policy at


the date of its lapse or avoidance.Where the contract has lapsed during the

war owing to nonpayment of premiums thepayment of which has been prevented by theenforcement of measures of war, the assuredor his representative or the persons entitledshall have the right to restore the contract onpayment of the premiums with interest at fiveper cent. per annum within three months fromthe coming into force of the present Treaty.

12. Any Allied or Associated Power may withinthree months of the coming into force of thepresent Treaty cancel all the contracts ofinsurance running between a Germaninsurance company and its nationals underconditions which shall protect its nationalsfrom any prejudice.

To this end the German insurance companywill hand over to the Allied or AssociatedGovernment concerned the proportion of itsassets attributable to the policies so cancelledand will be relieved from all liability in respectof such policies. The assets to be handed overshall be determined by an actuary appointedby the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal.

13. Where contracts of life insurance have beenentered into by a local branch of an insurancecompany established in a country whichsubsequently became an enemy country, thecontract shall, in the absence of any stipula-tion to the contrary in the contract itself, begoverned by the local law, but the insurer shallbe entitled to demand from the insured or hisrepresentatives the refund of sums paid onclaims made or enforced under measurestaken during the war, if the making or enforce-ment of such claims was not in accordancewith the terms of the contract itself or was notconsistent with the laws or treaties existing atthe time when it was entered into.

14. In any case where by the law applicable to thecontract the insurer remains bound by thecontract notwithstanding the nonpayment ofpremiums until notice is given to the insuredof the termination of the contract, he shall beentitled where the giving of such notice wasprevented by the war to recover the unpaidpremiums with interest at five per cent. per

annum from the insured.15. Insurance contracts shall be considered as

contracts of life assurance for the purpose ofparagraphs 11 to 14 when they depend on theprobabilities of human life combined with therate of interest for the calculation of thereciprocal engagements between the two parties.

Marine Insurance16. Contracts of marine insurance including time

policies and voyage policies entered intobetween an insurer and a person whosubsequently became an enemy, shall bedeemed to have been dissolved on hisbecoming an enemy, except in cases where therisk undertaken in the contract had attachedbefore he became an enemy.

Where the risk had not attached, moneypaid by way of premium or otherwise shall berecoverable from the insurer.

Where the risk had attached effect shall begiven to the contract notwithstanding the partybecoming an enemy, and sums due under thecontract either by way of premiums or inrespect of losses shall be recoverable after thecoming into force of the present Treaty.

In the event of any agreement being cometo for the payment of interest on sums duebefore the war to or by the nationals of Stateswhich have been at war and recovered afterthe war, such interest shall in the case of lossesrecoverable under contracts of marineinsurance run from the expiration of a periodof one year from the date of the loss.

17. No contract of marine insurance with aninsured person who subsequently became anenemy shall be deemed to cover losses due tobelligerent action by the Power of which theinsurer was a national or by the allies orassociates of such Power.

18. Where it is shown that a person who hadbefore the war entered into a contract ofmarine insurance with an insurer whosubsequently became an enemy entered afterthe outbreak of war into a new contractcovering the same risk with an insurer whowas not an enemy, the new contract shall bedeemed to be substituted for the original


contract as from the date when it was enteredinto, and the premiums payable shall beadjusted on the basis of the original insurerhaving remained liable on the contract only uptill the time when the new contract wasentered into.

Other Insurances19. Contracts of insurance entered into before the

war between an insurer and a person whosubsequently became an enemy, other thancontracts dealt with in paragraphs g to 18,shall be treated in all respects on the samefooting as contracts of fire insurance betweenthe same persons would be dealt with underthe said paragraphs.

Re-insurance20. All treaties of re-insurance with a person who

became an enemy shall be regarded as havingbeen abrogated by the person becoming anenemy, but without prejudice in the case of lifeor marine risks which had attached before thewar to the right to recover payment after thewar for sums due in respect of such risks.

Nevertheless if, owing to invasion, it hasbeen impossible for the re-insured to findanother re-insurer, the treaty shall remain inforce until three months after the coming intoforce of the present Treaty.

Where a re-insurance treaty becomes voidunder this paragraph, there shall be an adjust-ment of accounts between the parties inrespect both of premiums paid and payableand of liabilities for losses in respect of life ormarine risks which had attached before thewar. In the case of risks other than thosementioned in paragraphs 11 to 18 the adjust-ment of accounts shall be made as at the dateof the parties becoming enemies withoutregard to claims for losses which may haveoccurred since that date.

21. The provisions of the preceding paragraphwill extend equally to re-insurances existing atthe date of the parties becoming enemies ofparticular risks undertaken by the insurer in acontract of insurance against any risks otherthan life or marine risks.

22. Re-insurance of life risks effected by particular

contracts and not under any general treatyremain in force.

The provisions of paragraph 12 apply totreaties of re-insurance of life insurancecontracts in which enemy companies are thereinsurers.

23. In case of a re-insurance effected before thewar of a contract of marine insurance, thecession of a risk which had been ceded to there-insurer shall, if it had attached before theoutbreak of war, remain valid and effect begiven to the contract notwithstanding theoutbreak of war; sums due under the contractof re-insurance in respect either of premiumsor of losses shall be recoverable after the war.

24. The provisions of paragraphs 17 and 18 andthe last part of paragraph 16 shall apply tocontracts for the re-insurance of marine risks.

Section VI: Mixed Arbitral TribunalA R T I C L E 3 0 4(a) Within three months from the date of the coming

into force of the present Treaty, a Mixed ArbitralTribunal shall be established between each of theAllied and Associated Powers on the one handand Germany on the other hand. Each suchTribunal shall consist of three members. Each ofthe Governments concerned shall appoint one of these members. The President shall bechosen by agreement between the twoGovernments concerned.

In case of failure to reach agreement, thePresident of the Tribunal and two other persons,either of whom may in case of need take his place,shall be chosen by the Council of the League ofNations, or, until this is set up, by M. Gustave Adorif he is willing. These persons shall be nationals ofPowers that have remained neutral during the war.

If any Government does not proceed within aperiod of one month in case there is a vacancy to appoint a member of the Tribunal, suchmember shall be chosen by the otherGovernment from the two persons mentionedabove other than the President.

The decision of the majority of the members ofthe Tribunal shall be the decision of the Tribunal.

(b) The Mixed Arbitral Tribunals establishedpursuant to paragraph (a), shall decide all


questions within their competence under SectionsIII, IV, V and VII.

In addition, all questions, whatsoever theirnature, relating to contracts concluded before thecoming into force of the present Treaty betweennationals of the Allied and Associated Powers andGerman nationals shall be decided by the MixedArbitral Tribunal, always excepting questionswhich, under the laws of the Allied, Associated orNeutral Powers, are within the jurisdiction of theNational Courts of those Powers. Such questionsshall be decided by the National Courts inquestion, to the exclusion of the Mixed ArbitralTribunal. The party who is a national of an Alliedor Associated Power may nevertheless bring thecase before the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal if this isnot prohibited by the laws of his country.

(c) If the number of cases justifies it, additionalmembers shall be appointed and each MixedArbitral Tribunal shall sit in divisions. Each ofthese divisions will be constituted as above.

(d) Each Mixed Arbitral Tribunal will settle its ownprocedure except in so far as it is provided in thefollowing Annex, and is empowered to award thesums to be paid by the loser in respect of the costsand expenses of the proceedings.

(e) Each Government will pay the remuneration ofthe member of the Mixed Arbitral Tribunalappointed by it and of any agent whom it mayappoint to represent it before the Tribunal. Theremuneration of the President will be determinedby special agreement between the Governmentsconcerned; and this remuneration and the jointexpenses of each Tribunal will be paid by the twoGovernments in equal moieties.

(f) The High Contracting Parties agree that theircourts and authorities shall render to the MixedArbitral Tribunals direct all the assistance in theirpower, particularly as regards transmitting noticesand collecting evidence.

(g) The High Contracting Parties agree to regard thedecisions of the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal as finaland conclusive, and to render them binding upontheir nationals.

A N N E X

1. Should one of the members of the Tribunal eitherdie, retire, or be unable for any reason whatever todischarge his function, the same procedure will befollowed for filling the vacancy as was followedfor appointing him.

2. The Tribunal may adopt such rules of procedureas shall be in accordance with justice and equityand decide the order and time at which each partymust conclude its arguments, and may arrange allformalities required for dealing with the evidence.

3. The agent and counsel of the parties on each sideare authorised to present orally and in writing tothe Tribunal arguments in Support or in defenceof each case.

4. The Tribunal shall keep record of the questionsand cases submitted and the proceedings thereon,with the dates of such proceedings.

5. Each of the Powers concerned may appoint asecretary. These secretaries shall act together asjoint secretaries of the Tribunal and shall besubject to its direction. The Tribunal may appointand employ any other necessary officer or officersto assist in the performance of its duties.

6. The Tribunal shall decide all questions andmatters submitted upon such evidence andinformation as may be furnished by the partiesconcerned.

7. Germany agrees to give the Tribunal all facilitiesand information required by it for carrying out itsinvestigations.

8. The language in which the proceedings shall beconducted shall, unless otherwise agreed, beEnglish, French, Italian or Japanese, as may bedetermined by the Allied or Associated Powerconcerned.

9. The place and time for the meetings of eachTribunal shall be determined by the President ofthe Tribunal.

A R T I C L E 3 0 5Whenever a competent court has given or gives a

decision in a case covered by Sections III, IV, V or VII,and such decision is inconsistent with the provisionsof such Sections, the party who is prejudiced by thedecision shall be entitled to obtain redress whichshall be fixed by the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal. At therequest of the national of an Allied or Associated


Power, the redress may, whenever possible, be effectedby the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal directing the replace-ment of the parties in the position occupied by thembefore the judgment was given by the German court.

Section VII: Industrial PropertyA R T I C L E 3 0 6

Subject to the stipulations of the present Treaty,rights of industrial, literary and artistic property, assuch property is defined by the InternationalConventions of Paris and of Berne, mentioned inArticle 286, shall be re-established or restored, asfrom the coming into force of the present Treaty, inthe territories of the High Contracting Parties, infavour of the persons entitled to the benefit of them atthe moment when the state of war commenced ortheir legal representatives. Equally, rights which,except for the war, would have been acquired duringthe war in consequence of an application made forthe protection of industrial property, or the publica-tion of a literary or artistic work, shall be recognisedand established in favour of those persons who wouldhave been entitled thereto, from the coming into forceof the present Treaty.

Nevertheless, all acts done by virtue of the specialmeasures taken during the war under legislative,executive or administrative authority of any Allied orAssociated Power in regard to the rights of Germannationals in industrial, literary or artistic propertyshall remain in force and shall continue to maintaintheir full effect.

No claim shall be made or action brought byGermany or German nationals in respect of the useduring the war by the Government of any Allied orAssociated Power, or by any persons acting on behalfor with the assent of such Government, of any rightsin industrial, literary or artistic property, nor inrespect of the sale, offering for sale, or use of anyproducts, articles or apparatus whatsoever to whichsuch rights applied.

Unless the legislation of any one of the Allied orAssociated Powers in force at the moment of thesignature of the present Treaty otherwise directs,sums due or paid in virtue of any act or operationresulting from the execution of the special measuresmentioned in paragraph l of this Article shall be dealtwith in the same way as other sums due to Germannationals are directed to be dealt with by the present

Treaty; and sums produced by any special measurestaken by the German Government in respect of rightsin industrial, literary or artistic property belonging tothe nationals of the Allied or Associated Powers shallbe considered and treated in the same way as otherdebts due from German nationals.

Each of the Allied and Associated Powers reservesto itself the right to impose such limitations,conditions or restrictions on rights of industrial,literary or artistic property (with the exception oftrade-marks) acquired before or during the war, orwhich may be subsequently acquired in accordancewith its legislation, by German nationals, whether bygranting licences, or by the working, or by preservingcontrol over their exploitation, or in any other way, asmay be considered necessary for national defence, orin the public interest, or for assuring the fairtreatment by Germany of the rights of industrial,literary and artistic property held in German territoryby its nationals, or for securing the due fulfilment ofall the obligations undertaken by Germany in thepresent Treaty. As regards rights of industrial, literaryand artistic property acquired after the coming intoforce of the present Treaty, the right so reserved by theAllied and Associated Powers shall only be exercisedin cases where these limitations, conditions or restric-tions may be considered necessary for nationaldefence or in the public interest.

In the event of the application of the provisions ofthe preceding paragraph by any Allied or AssociatedPower, there shall be paid reasonable indemnities orroyalties, which shall be dealt with in the same way asother sums due to German nationals are directed tobe dealt with by the present Treaty.

Each of the Allied or Associated Powers reservesthe right to treat as void and of no effect any transferin whole or in part of or other dealing with rights ofor in respect of industrial, literary or artistic propertyeffected after August 1, 1914, or in the future, whichwould have the result of defeating the objects of theprovisions of this Article.

The provisions of this Article shall not apply torights in industrial, literary or artistic property whichhave been dealt with in the liquidation of businessesor companies under war legislation by the Allied orAssociated Powers, or which may be so dealt with byvirtue of Article 297, paragraph (b).


A R T I C L E 3 0 7A minimum of one year after the coming into

force of the present Treaty shall be accorded to thenationals of the High Contracting Parties, withoutextension fees or other penalty, in order to enablesuch persons to accomplish any act, fulfil anyformality, pay any fees, and generally satisfy anyobligation prescribed by the laws or regulations of therespective States relating to the obtaining, preserving,or opposing rights to, or in respect of, industrialproperty either acquired before August 1, 1914, orwhich, except for the war, might have been acquiredsince that date as a result of an application madebefore the war or during its continuance, but nothingin this Article shall give any right to reopen interfer-ence proceedings in the United States of Americawhere a final hearing has taken place.

All rights in, or in respect of, such property whichmay have lapsed by reason of any failure toaccomplish any act, fulfil any formality, or make anypayment, shall revive, but subject in the case ofpatents and designs to the imposition of suchconditions as each Allied or Associated Power maydeem reasonably necessary for the protection ofpersons who have manufactured or made use of thesubject matter of such property while the rights hadlapsed. Further, where rights to patents or designsbelonging to German nationals are revived under thisArticle, they shall be subject in respect of the grant oflicences to the same provisions as would have beenapplicable to them during the war, as well as to all theprovisions of the present Treaty.

The period from August 1, 1914, until the cominginto force of the present Treaty shall be excluded inconsidering the time within which a patent should beworked or a trade mark or design used, and it isfurther agreed that no patent, registered trade mark ordesign in force on August 1, 1914, shall be subject torevocation or cancellation by reason only of thefailure to work such patent or use such trade mark ordesign for two years after the coming into force of thepresent Treaty.

A R T I C L E 3 0 8The rights of priority, provided by Article 4 of the

International Convention for the Protection ofIndustrial Property of Paris, of March 20, 1883, revisedat Washington in 1911 or by any other Convention or

Statute, for the filing or registration of applications forpatents or models of utility, and for the registration oftrade marks, designs and models which had notexpired on August 1, 1914, and those which have arisenduring the war, or would have arisen but for the war,shall be extended by each of the High ContractingParties in favour of all nationals of the other HighContracting Parties for a period of six months after thecoming into force of the present Treaty.

Nevertheless, such extension shall in no wayaffect the right of any of the High Contracting Partiesor of any person who before the coming into force ofthe present Treaty was bona fide in possession of anyrights of industrial property conflicting with rightsapplied for by another who claims rights of priority inrespect of them, to exercise such rights by itself orhimself personally, or by such agents or licensees asderived their rights from it or him before the cominginto force of the present Treaty; and such personsshall not be amenable to any action or other processof law in respect of infringement.

A R T I C L E 3 0 9No action shall be brought and no claim made by

persons residing or carrying on business within theterritories of Germany on the one part and of theAllied or Associated Powers on the other, or personswho are nationals of such Powers respectively, or byany one deriving title during the war from suchpersons, by reason of any action which has takenplace within the territory of the other party betweenthe date of the declaration of war and that of thecoming into force of the present Treaty, which mightconstitute an infringement of the rights of industrialproperty or rights of literary and artistic property,either existing at any time during the war or revivedunder the provisions of Articles 307 and 308.

Equally, no action for infringement of industrial,literary or artistic property rights by such personsshall at any time be permissible in respect of the saleor offering for sale for a period of one year after thesignature of the present Treaty in the territories of theAllied or Associated Powers on the one hand orGermany on the other, of products or articlesmanufactured, or of literary or artistic workspublished, during the period between the declarationof war and the signature of the present Treaty, oragainst those who have acquired and continue to use


them. It is understood, nevertheless, that thisprovision shall not apply when the possessor of therights was domiciled or had an industrial or commer-cial establishment in the districts occupied byGermany during the war.

This Article shall not apply as between the UnitedStates of America on the one hand and Germany onthe other.

A R T I C L E 3 10Licenses in respect of industrial, literary or artistic

property concluded before the war between nationalsof the Allied or Associated Powers or persons residingin their territory or carrying on business therein, onthe one part, and German nationals, on the other part,shall be considered as cancelled as from the date ofthe declaration of war between Germany and theAllied or Associated Power. But, in any case, theformer beneficiary of a contract of this kind shallhave the right, within a period of six months after thecoming into force of the present Treaty, to demandfrom the proprietor of the rights the grant of a newlicense, the conditions of which, in default ofagreement between the parties, shall be fixed by theduly qualified tribunal in the country under whoselegislation the rights had been acquired, except in thecase of licenses held in respect of rights acquiredunder German law. In such cases the conditions shallbe fixed by the Mixed Arbitral Tribunal referred to inSection VI of this Part. The tribunal may, if necessary,fix also the amount which it may deem just should bepaid by reason of the use of the rights during the war.

No license in respect of industrial, literary orartistic property, granted under the special warlegislation of any Allied or Associated Power, shall beaffected by the continued existence of any licenseentered into before the war, but shall remain valid andof full effect, and a license so granted to the formerbeneficiary of a license entered into before the warshall be considered as substituted for such license.

Where sums have been paid during the war byvirtue of a license or agreement concluded before thewar in respect of rights of industrial property or forthe reproduction or the representation of literary,dramatic or artistic works, these sums shall be dealtwith in the same manner as other debts or credits ofGerman nationals, as provided by the present Treaty.

This Article shall not apply as between the United

States of America on the one hand and Germany onthe other.

A R T I C L E 3 11The inhabitants of territories separated from

Germany by virtue of the present Treaty shall,notwithstanding this separation and the change ofnationality consequent thereon, continue to enjoy inGermany all the rights in industrial, literary andartistic property to which they were entitled underGerman legislation at the time of the separation.

Rights of industrial, literary, and artistic propertywhich are in force in the territories separated fromGermany under the present Treaty at the moment ofthe separation of these territories from Germany, orwhich will be re-established or restored inaccordance with the provisions of Article 306 of thepresent Treaty, shall be recognised by the State towhich the said territory is transferred and shallremain in force in that territory for the same period oftime given them under the German law.

Section VIII: Social and StateInsurance in Ceded TerritoryA R T I C L E 3 12

Without prejudice to the provisions contained inother Articles of the present Treaty, the GermanGovernment undertakes to transfer to any Power towhich German territory in Europe is ceded, and to anyPower administering former German territory as amandatory under Article 22 of Part I (League ofNations), such portion of the reserves accumulated bythe Government of the German Empire or of GermanStates, or by public or private organisations undertheir control, as is attributable to the carrying on ofSocial or State Insurance in such territory.

The Powers to which these funds are transferredmust apply them to the performance of the obliga-tions arising from such insurances

The conditions of the transfer will be determinedby special conventions to be concluded between theGerman Government and the Governments concerned.

In case these special conventions are notconcluded in accordance with the above paragraphwithin three months after the coming into force of thepresent Treaty, the conditions of transfer shall in eachcase be referred to a Commission of five membersone of whom shall be appointed by the German


Government, one by the other interested Governmentand three by the Governing Body of the InternationalLabour Office from the nationals of other States. ThisCommission shall by majority vote, within threemonths after appointment adopt recommendationsfor submission to the Council of the League ofNations, and the decisions of the Council shallforthwith be accepted as final by Germany

Part XIAerial NavigationA R T I C L E 3 13

The aircraft of the Allied and Associated Powersshall have full liberty of passage and landing over andin the territory and territorial waters of Germany, andshall enjoy the same privileges as German aircraft,particularly in case of distress by land or sea.

A R T I C L E 3 14The aircraft of the Allied and Associated Powers

shall, while in transit to any foreign country whatever,enjoy the right of flying over the territory and territo-rial waters of Germany without landing, subjectalways to any regulations which may be made byGermany, and which shall be applicable equally tothe aircraft of Germany and to those of the Allied andAssociated countries.

A R T I C L E 3 15All aerodromes in Germany open to national

public traffic shall be open for the aircraft of theAllied and Associated Powers, and in any suchaerodrome such aircraft shall be treated on a footingof equality with German aircraft as regards charges ofevery description, including charges for landing andaccommodation.

A R T I C L E 3 16Subject to the present provisions, the rights of

passage, transit and landing, provided for in Articles313, 314 and 315, are subject to the observance ofsuch regulations as Germany may consider itnecessary to enact, but such regulations shall beapplied without distinction to German aircraft and tothose of the Allied and Associated countries.

A R T I C L E 3 17Certificate of nationality, airworthiness, or

competency, and licences, issued or recognised asvalid by any of the Allied or Associated Powers, shallbe recognised in Germany as valid and as equivalentto the certificates and licences issued by Germany.

A R T I C L E 3 18As regards internal commercial air traffic, the

aircraft of the, Allied and Associated Powers shallenjoy in Germany most favoured nation treatment.

A R T I C L E 3 19Germany undertakes to enforce the necessary

measures to ensure that all German aircraft flyingover her territory shall comply with the Rules as tolights and signals, Rules of the Air and Rules for AirTraffic on and in the neighbourhood of aerodromes,which have been laid down in the Convention relativeto Aerial Navigation concluded between the Alliedand Associated Powers.

A R T I C L E 3 2 0The obligations imposed by the preceding

provisions shall remain in force until January 1, 1923,unless before that date Germany shall have beenadmitted into the League of Nations or shall have beenauthorised, by consent of the Allied and AssociatedPowers, to adhere to the Convention relative to AerialNavigation concluded between those Powers.

Part XIIPorts, Waterways and Railways

Section I: General ProvisionsA R T I C L E 3 21

Germany undertakes to grant freedom of transitthrough her territories on the routes most convenientfor international transit, either by rail, navigablewaterway, or canal, to persons, goods, vessels,carriages, wagons and mails coming from or going tothe territories of any of the Allied and AssociatedPowers (whether contiguous or not); for this purposethe crossing of territorial waters shall be allowed.Such persons, goods, vessels, carriages, wagons, andmails shall not be subjected to any transit duty or toany undue delays or restrictions, and shall be entitledin Germany to national treatment as regards charges,facilities, and all other matters.


Goods in transit shall be exempt from all Customsor other similar duties.

All charges imposed on transport in transit shallbe reasonable, having regard to the conditions of thetraffic. No charge, facility or restriction shall dependdirectly or indirectly on the ownership or on thenationality of the ship or other means of transport onwhich any part of the through journey has been, or isto be, accomplished.

A R T I C L E 3 2 2Germany undertakes neither to impose nor to

maintain any control over transmigration trafficthrough her territories beyond measures necessary toensure that passengers are bona fide in transit; nor toallow any shipping company or any other privatebody, corporation or person interested in the traffic totake any part whatever in, or to exercise any direct orindirect influence over, any administrative servicethat may be necessary for this purpose.

A R T I C L E 3 2 3Germany undertakes to make no discrimination

or preference direct or indirect, in the duties, chargesand prohibitions relating to importations into orexportations from her territories, or, subject to thespecial engagements contained in the present Treaty,in the charges and conditions of transport of goods orpersons entering or leaving her territories, based onthe frontier crossed; or on the kind, ownership or flagof the means of transport (including aircraft)employed, or on the original or immediate place ofdeparture of the vessel, wagon or aircraft or othermeans of transport employed, or its ultimate orintermediate destination; or on the route of or placesof trans-shipment on the journey; or on whether anyport through which the goods are imported orexported is a German port or a port belonging to anyforeign country or on whether the goods are importedor exported by sea, by land or by air.

Germany particularly undertakes not to establishagainst the ports and vessels of any of the Allied andAssociated Powers any surtax or any direct or indirectbounty for export, or import by German ports orvessels, or by those of another Power, for example bymeans of combined tariffs. She further undertakesthat persons or goods passing through a port or usinga vessel of any of the Allied and Associated Powers

shall not be subjected to any formality or delaywhatever to which such persons or goods would notbe subjected if they passed through a German port ora port of any other Power, or used a German vessel ora vessel of any other Power.

A R T I C L E 3 2 4All necessary administrative and technical

measures shall be taken to shorten, as much aspossible, the transmission of goods across theGerman frontiers and to ensure their forwarding andtransport from such frontiers, irrespective of whethersuch goods are coming from or going to the territoriesof the Allied and Associated Powers or are in transitfrom or to those territories, under the same materialconditions in such matters as rapidity of carriage andcare en route as are enjoyed by other goods of thesame kind carried on German territory under similarconditions of transport.

In particular, the transport of perishable goodsshall be promptly and regularly carried out, and thecustoms formalities shall be effected in such a way asto allow the goods to be carried straight through bytrains which make connection.

A R T I C L E 3 2 5The seaports of the Allied and Associated Powers

are entitled to all favours and to all reduced tariffsgranted on German railways or navigable waterwaysfor the benefit of German ports or of any port ofanother Power.

A R T I C L E 3 2 6Germany may not refuse to participate in the

tariffs or combinations of tariffs intended to securefor ports of any of the Allied and Associated Powersadvantages similar to those granted by Germany toher own ports or the ports of any other Power.

Section II: NavigationC H A P T E R I : F R E E D O M O F NAV I G AT I O N

A R T I C L E 3 2 7The nationals of any of the Allied and Associated

Powers as well as their vessels and property shallenjoy in all German ports and on the inland naviga-tion routes of Germany the same treatment in allrespects as German nationals, vessels and property.

In particular the vessels of any one of the Allied or


Associated Powers shall be entitled to transport goodsof any description, and passengers, to or from anyports or places in German territory to which Germanvessels may have access, under conditions whichshall not be more onerous than those applied in thecase of national vessels; they shall be treated on afooting of equality with national vessels as regardsport and harbour facilities and charges of everydescription, including facilities for stationing loading,and unloading, and duties and charges of tonnage,harbour, pilotage, light-house, quarantine, and allanalogous duties and charges of whatsoever nature,levied in the name of or for the profit of theGovernment, public functionaries, private individuals,corporations or establishments of any kind.

In the event of Germany granting a preferentialregime to any of the Allied or Associated Powers or toany other foreign Power, this regime shall be extendedimmediately and unconditionally to all the Allied andAssociated Powers.

There shall be no impediment to the movement ofpersons or vessels other than those arising fromprescriptions concerning customs, police, sanitation,emigration, and immigration, and those relating to theimport and export of prohibited goods. Such regula-tions must be reasonable and uniform and must notimpede traffic unnecessarily.

C H A P T E R I I : F R E E Z O N E S I N P O R T S

A R T I C L E 3 2 8The free zones existing in German ports on

August 1, 1914, shall be maintained. These free zones,and any other free zones which may be established inGerman territory by the present Treaty, shall besubject to the regime provided for in the following

Goods entering or leaving a free zone shall not besubjected to any import or export duty, other thanthose provided for in Article 330.

Vessels and goods entering a free zone may besubjected to the charges established to cover expensesof administration, upkeep and improvement of theport, as well as to the charges for the use of variousinstallations, provided that these charges shall bereasonable having regard to the expenditure incurred,and shall be levied in the conditions of equalityprovided for in Article 327.

Goods shall not be subjected to any other charge

except a statistical duty which shall not exceed 1 millead valorem, and which shall be devoted exclusively todefraying the expenses of compiling statements of thetraffic in the port.

A R T I C L E 3 2 9The facilities granted for the erection of

warehouses, for packing and for unpacking goods,shall be in accordance with trade requirements forthe time being. All goods allowed to be consumed inthe free zone shall be exempt from duty, whether ofexcise or of any other description, apart from thestatistical duty provided for in Article 328 above.

There shall be no discrimination in regard to anyof the provisions of the present Article betweenpersons belonging to different nationalities orbetween goods of different origin or destination.

A R T I C L E 3 3 0Import duties may be levied on goods leaving the

free zone for consumption in the country on theterritory of which the port is situated. Conversely,export duties may be levied on goods coming fromsuch country and brought into the free zone. Theseimport and export duties shall be levied on the samebasis and at the same rates as similar duties levied atthe other Customs frontiers of the country concerned.On the other hand, Germany shall not levy, under anydenomination, any import, export or transit duty ongoods carried by land or water across her territory toor from the free zone from or to any other State.

Germany shall draw up the necessary regulationsto secure and guarantee such freedom of transit oversuch railways and waterways in her territory asnormally give access to the free zone.

CH A P T E R III: CLA U S E S RE LAT I N G TO T H E

EL B E, T H E OD E R, T H E NI E M E N (RU S S ST RO M-ME M E L-NI E M E N) A N D T H E DA N U B E

(1) GENERAL CLAUSES

A R T I C L E 3 3 1The following rivers are declared international:

the Elbe (Labe) from its confluence with the Vltava(Moldau), and the Vltava (Moldau) from Prague; theOder (Odra) from its confluence with the Oppa; theNiemen (Russstrom-Memel-Niemen) from Grodno;the Danube from Ulm; and all navigable parts ofthese river systems which naturally provide more


than one State with access to the sea, with or withouttransshipment from one vessel to another; togetherwith lateral canals and channels constructed either toduplicate or to improve naturally navigable sectionsof the specified river systems, or to connect twonaturally navigable sections of the same river.

The same shall apply to the Rhine-Danubenavigable waterway, should such a waterway beconstructed under the conditions laid down inArticle 353.

A R T I C L E 3 3 2On the waterways declared to be international in

the preceding Article, the nationals, property and flagsof all Powers shall be treated on a footing of prefectequality, no distinction being made to the detriment ofthe nationals, property or flag of any Power betweenthem and the nationals, property or flag of the riparianState itself or of the most favoured nation.

Nevertheless, German vessels shall not be entitledto carry passengers or goods by regular servicesbetween the ports of any Allied or Associated Power,without special authority from such Power.

A R T I C L E 3 3 3Where such charges are not precluded by any

existing conventions, charges varying on differentsections of a river may be levied on vessels using thenavigable channels or their approaches, provided thatthey are intended solely to cover equitably the cost ofmaintaining in a navigable condition, or of improving,the river and its approaches, or to meet expenditureincurred in the interests of navigation. The schedule ofsuch charges shall be calculated on the basis of suchexpenditure and shall be posted up in the ports. Thesecharges shall be levied in such a manner as to renderany detailed examination of cargoes unnecessary,except in cases of suspected fraud or contravention.

A R T I C L E 3 3 4The transit of vessels, passengers and goods on

these waterways shall be effected in accordance withthe general conditions prescribed for transit inSection I above.

When the two banks of an international river arewithin the same State goods in transit may be placedunder seal or in the custody of customs agents. Whenthe river forms a frontier goods and passengers in

transit shall be exempt from all customs formalities, theloading and unloading of goods, and the embarkationand disembarkation of passengers, shall only takeplace in the ports specified by the riparian State.

A R T I C L E 3 3 5No dues of any kind other than those provided for

in the present Part shall be levied along the course orat the mouth of these rivers.

This provision shall not prevent the fixing by theriparian States of customs, local octroi or consump-tion duties, or the creation of reasonable and uniformcharges levied in the ports, in accordance with publictariffs, for the use of cranes, elevators, quays,warehouses, etc.

A R T I C L E 3 3 6In default of any special organisation for carrying

out the works connected with the upkeep andimprovement of the international portion of anavigable system, each riparian State shall be boundto take suitable measures to remove any obstacle ordanger to navigation and to ensure the maintenanceof good conditions of navigation.

If a State neglects to comply with this obligationany riparian State, or any State represented on theInternational Commission, if there is one, may appealto the tribunal instituted for this purpose by theLeague of Nations.

A R T I C L E 3 3 7The same procedure shall be followed in the case

of a riparian State undertaking any works of a natureto impede navigation in the international section. Thetribunal mentioned in the preceding Article shall beentitled to enforce the suspension or suppression ofsuch works, making due allowance in its decisions forall rights in connection with irrigation, water-power,fisheries, and other national interests, which, with theconsent of all the riparian States or of all the Statesrepresented on the International Commission, ifthere is one, shall be given priority over the require-ments of navigation.

Appeal to the tribunal of the League of Nationsdoes not require the suspension of the works.

A R T I C L E 3 3 8The regime set out in Articles 332 to 337 above

shall be superseded by one to be laid down in a


General Convention drawn up by the Allied andAssociated Powers, and approved by the League ofNations, relating to the waterways recognised in suchConvention as having an international character. ThisConvention shall apply in particular to the whole orpart of the above-mentioned river systems of the Elbe(Labe), the Oder (Odra), the Niemen (Russstrom-Memel-Niemen), and the Danube, and such otherparts of these river systems as may be covered by ageneral definition.

Germany undertakes, in accordance with theprovisions of Article 379, to adhere to the saidGeneral Convention as well as to all projects preparedin accordance with Article 343 below for the revisionof existing international agreements and regulations.

A R T I C L E 3 3 9Germany shall cede to the Allied and Associated

Powers concerned, within a maximum period of threemonths from the date on which notification shall begiven her, a proportion of the tugs and vesselsremaining registered in the ports of the river systemsreferred to in Article 331 after the deduction of thosesurrendered by way of restitution or reparation.Germany shall in the same way cede material of allkinds necessary to the Allied and Associated Powersconcerned for the utilisation of those river systems.

The number of the tugs and boats, and the amountof the material so ceded, and their distribution, shallbe determined by an arbitrator or arbitratorsnominated by the United States of America, dueregard being had to the legitimate needs of the partiesconcerned, and particularly to the shipping trafficduring the five years preceding the war.

All craft so ceded shall be provided with theirfittings and gear, shall be in a good state of repair andin condition to carry goods and shall be selected fromamong those most recently built.

The cessions provided for in the present Articleshall entail a credit of which the total amount, settledin a lump sum by the arbitrator or arbitrators, shallnot in any case exceed the value of the capitalexpended in the initial establishment of the materialceded, and shall be set off against the total sums duefrom Germany, in consequence, the indemnificationof the proprietors shall be a matter for Germany todeal with.

(2) SPECIAL CLAUSES RELATING TO THE ELBE, THE ODER

AND THE NIEMEN (RUSSSTROM-MEMEL-NIEMEN).A R T I C L E 3 4 0

The Elbe (Labe) shall be placed under theadministration of an International Commissionwhich shall comprise:

4 representatives of the GermanStates bordering on the river:

2 representatives of the Czecho-Slovak State;

1 representative of Great Britain;

1 representative of France;

1 representative of Italy;

1 representative of Belgium.

Whatever be the number of members present,each delegation shall have the right to record anumber of votes equal to the number of representa-tives allotted to it.

If certain of these representatives cannot beappointed at the time of the coming into force of thepresent Treaty, the decisions of the Commission shallnevertheless be valid.

A R T I C L E 3 41The Oder (Odra) shall be placed under the

administration of an International Commission,which shall comprise:

1 representative of Poland;

3 representatives of Prussia;

1 representative of the Czecho-Slovak State;

1 representative of Great Britain;

1 representative of France;

1 representative of Denmark;

1 representative of Sweden.

If certain of these representatives cannot beappointed at the time of the coming into force of thepresent Treaty, the decisions of the Commission shallnevertheless be valid.

A R T I C L E 3 4 2On a request being made to the League of Nations

by any riparian State, the Niemen (Russstrom-Memel-


Niemen) shall be placed under the administration ofan International Commission which shall compriseone representative of each riparian State and threerepresentatives of other States specified by the Leagueof Nations.

A R T I C L E 3 4 3The International Commissions referred to in

Articles 340 and 342 shall meet within three monthsof the date of the coming into force of the presentTreaty. The International Commission referred to inArticle 342 shall meet within three months from thedate of the request made by a riparian State. Each ofthese Commissions shall proceed immediately toprepare a project for the revision of the existinginternational agreements and regulations drawn upin conformity with the General Convention referred toin Article 338, should such Convention have beenalready concluded. In the absence of suchConvention, the project for revision shall be in confor-mity with the principles of Articles 332 to 337 above.

A R T I C L E 3 4 4The projects referred to in the preceding Article

shall, inter alia:(a) designate the headquarters of the International

Commission, and prescribe the manner inwhich its President is to be nominated;

(b) specify the extent of the Commission’s powers,particularly in regard to the execution of worksof maintenance, control, and improvement onthe river system, the financial regime, thefixing and collection of charges, and regula-tions for navigation-

(c) define the sections of the river or its tributaries towhich the international regime shall be applied.

A R T I C L E 3 4 5The international agreements and regulations at

present governing the navigation of the Elbe (Labe),the Oder (Odra), and the Niemen (Russstrom-Memel-Niemen) shall be provisionally maintained in forceuntil the ratification of the above-mentioned projects.Nevertheless, in all cases where such agreements andregulations in force are in conflict with the provisionsof Articles 332 to 337 above, or of the GeneralConvention to be concluded, the latter provisionsshall prevail.

(3) SPECIAL CLAUSES RELATING TO THE DANUBE.A R T I C L E 3 4 6

The European Commission of the Danubereassumes the powers it possessed before the war.Nevertheless, as a provisional measure, only represen-tatives of Great Britain, France, Italy and Roumaniashall constitute this Commission.

A R T I C L E 3 4 7From the point where the competence of the

European Commission ceases, the Danube systemreferred to in Article 33l shall be placed under theadministration of an International Commissioncomposed as follows:

2 representatives of German riparian States; 1representative of each other riparian State; 1representative of each non-riparian Staterepresented in the future on the EuropeanCommission of the Danube.If certain of these representatives cannot be

appointed at the time of the coming into force of thepresent Treaty, the decisions of the Commission shallnevertheless be valid.

A R T I C L E 3 4 8The International Commission provided for in the

preceding Article shall meet as soon as possible afterthe coming into force of the present Treaty and shallundertake provisionally the administration of theriver in conformity with the provisions of Articles 332to 337, until such time as a definitive statute regardingthe Danube is concluded by the Powers dominated bythe Allied and Associated Powers.

A R T I C L E 3 4 9Germany agrees to accept the regime which shall

be laid down for the Danube by a Conference of thePowers nominated by the Allied and AssociatedPowers, which shall meet within one year after thecoming into force of the present Treaty, and at whichGerman representatives may be present.

A R T I C L E 3 5 0The mandate given by Article 57 of the Treaty of

Berlin of July 13, 1878, to Austria-Hungary, andtransferred by her to Hungary to carry out works atthe Iron Gates, is abrogated. The Commissionentrusted with the administration of this part of theriver shall lay down provisions for the settlement of


accounts subject to . the financial provisions of thepresent Treaty. Charges which may be necessary shallin no case be levied by Hungary.

A R T I C L E 3 5 1Should the Czecho-Slovak State, the Serb-Croat-

Slovene State or Roumania, with the authorisation ofor under mandate from the InternationalCommission, undertake maintenance, improvement,weir, or other works on a part of the river systemwhich forms a frontier, these States shall enjoy on theopposite bank, and also on the part of the bed whichis outside their territory, all necessary facilities for thesurvey, execution and maintenance of such works.

A R T I C L E 3 5 2Germany shall be obliged to make to the European

Commission of the Danube all restitutions, repara-tions and indemnities for damages inflicted on theCommission during the war.

A R T I C L E 3 5 3Should a deep-draught Rhine-Danube navigable

waterway be constructed, Germany undertakes to applythereto the regime prescribed in Articles 332 to 338.

C H A P T E R I V: C L A U S E S R E L AT I N G T O T H E

R H I N E A N D T H E M O S E L L E

A R T I C L E 3 5 4As from the coming into force of the present

Treaty, the Convention of Mannheim of October 17,1868, together with the Final Protocol thereof, shallcontinue to govern navigation on the Rhine, subject tothe conditions hereinafter laid down.

In the event of any provision of the saidConvention being in conflict with those laid down bythe General Convention referred to in Article 338(which shall apply to the Rhine) the provisions of theGeneral Convention shall prevail.

Within a maximum period of six months from thecoming into force of the present Treaty, the CentralCommission referred to in Article 355 shall meet todraw up a project of revision of the Convention ofMannheim. This project shall be drawn up inharmony with the provisions of the GeneralConvention referred to above, should this have beenconcluded by that time, and shall be submitted to thePowers represented on the Central CommissionGermany hereby agrees to adhere to the project so

drawn up.Further, the modifications set out in the following

Articles shall immediately be made in the Conventionof Mannheim.

The Allied and Associated Powers reserve tothemselves the right to arrive at an understanding inthis connection with Holland, and Germany herebyagrees to accede if required to any suchunderstanding.

A R T I C L E 3 5 5 The Central Commission provided for in the

Convention of Mannheim shall consist of nineteenmembers, viz.:

2 representatives of the Netherlands; 2 represen-tatives of Switzerland; 4 representatives ofGerman riparian States; 4 representatives ofFrance, which in addition shall appoint thePresident of the Commission; 2 representatives ofGreat Britain; 2 representatives of Italy; 2representatives of Belgium.The headquarters of the Central Commission

shall be at Strasburg.Whatever be the number of members present,

each Delegation shall have the right to record anumber of votes equal to the number of representa-tives allotted to it.

If certain of these representatives cannot beappointed at the time of the coming into force of thepresent Treaty, the decision of the Commission shallnevertheless be valid.

A R T I C L E 3 5 6Vessels of all nations, and their cargoes, shall have

the same rights and privileges as those which aregranted to vessels belonging to the Rhine navigation,and to their cargoes.

None of the provisions contained in Articles 15 to20 and 26 of the above-mentioned Convention ofMannheim, in Article 4 of the Final Protocol thereof,or in later Conventions, shall impede the free naviga-tion of vessels and crews of all nations on the Rhineand on waterways to which such Conventions apply,subject to compliance with the regulationsconcerning pilotage and other police measures drawnup by the Central Commission.

The provisions of Article 22 of the Convention ofMannheim and of Article 5 of the Final Protocol


thereof shall be applied only to vessels registered onthe Rhine. The Central Commission shall decide onthe steps to be taken to ensure that other vesselssatisfy the conditions of the general regulationsapplying to navigation on the Rhine.

A R T I C L E 3 5 7Within a maximum period of three months from

the date on which notification shall be givenGermany shall cede to France tugs and vessels, fromamong those remaining registered in German Rhineports after the deduction of those surrendered by wayof restitution or reparation, or shares in GermanRhine navigation companies.

When vessels and tugs are ceded, such vesselsand tugs, together with their fittings and gear, shall bein good state of repair, shall be in condition to carryon commercial traffic on the Rhine, and shall beselected from among those most recently built.

The same procedure shall be followed in thematter of the cession by Germany to France of:

(1) the installations, berthing and anchorageaccommodation, platforms, docks,warehouses, plant, etc., which Germansubjects or German companies owned onAugust 1, 1914, in the port of Rotterdam, and

(2) the shares or interests which Germany orGerman nationals possessed in such installa-tions at the same date.

The amount and specifications of such cessionsshall be determined within one year of the cominginto force of the present Treaty by an arbitrator orarbitrators appointed by the United States of America,due regard being had to the legitimate needs of theparties concerned.

The cessions provided for in the present Articleshall entail a credit of which the total amount, settled ina lump sum by the arbitrator or arbitrators mentionedabove shall not in any case exceed the value of thecapital expended in the initial establishment of theceded material and installations, and shall be set offagainst the total sums due from Germany; inconsequence, the indemnification of the proprietorsshall be a matter for Germany to deal with.

A R T I C L E 3 5 8Subject to the obligation to comply with the

provisions of the Convention of Mannheim or of the

Convention which may be substituted therefor, and tothe stipulations of the present Treaty, France shall haveon the whole course of the Rhine included between thetwo extreme points of the French frontiers:

(a) the right to take water from the Rhine to feednavigation and irrigation canals (constructedor to be constructed) or for any other purpose,and to execute on the German bank all worksnecessary for the exercise of this right;

b) the exclusive right to the power derived fromworks of regulation on the river, subject to thepayment to Germany of the value of half thepower actually produced, this payment, whichwill take into account the cost of the worksnecessary for producing the power, beingmade either in money or in power and indefault of agreement being determined byarbitration. For this purpose France aloneshall have the right to carry out in this part ofthe river all works of regulation (weirs or otherworks) which she may consider necessary forthe production of power. Similarly, the right oftaking water from the Rhine is accorded toBelgium to feed the Rhine-Meuse navigablewaterway provided for below.

The exercise of the rights mentioned under (a) and(b) of the present Article shall not interfere withnavigability nor reduce the facilities for navigation,either in the bed of the Rhine or in, the derivationswhich may be substituted therefor, nor shall it involveany increase in the tolls formerly levied under theConvention in force. All proposed schemes shall belaid before the Central Commission in order that thatCommission may assure itself that these conditionsare complied with.

To ensure the proper and faithful execution of theprovisions contained in (a) and (b) above, Germany:

(1) binds herself not to undertake or to allow theconstruction of any lateral canal or any deriva-tion on the right bank of the river opposite theFrench frontiers;

(2) recognises the possession by France of theright of support on and the right of way overall lands situated on the right bank which maybe required in order to survey, to build, and tooperate weirs which France, with the consentof the Central Commission, may subsequentlydecide to establish. In accordance with such


consent, France shall be entitled to decideupon and fix the limits of the necessary sites,and she shall be permitted to occupy suchlands after a period of two months after simplenotification, subject to the payment by her toGermany of indemnities of which the totalamount shall be fixed by the CentralCommission. Germany shall make it herbusiness to indemnify the proprietors whoseproperty will be burdened with such servitudesor permanently occupied by the works.

Should Switzerland so demand, and if theCentral Commission approves, the same rightsshall be accorded to Switzerland for the part ofthe river forming her frontier with otherriparian States;

(3) shall hand over to the French Government,during the month following the coming intoforce of the present Treaty, all projects, designs,drafts of concessions and of specificationsconcerning the regulation of the Rhine for anypurpose whatever which have been drawn upor received by the Governments of Alsace-Lorraine or of the Grand Duchy of Baden.

A R T I C L E 3 5 9Subject to the preceding provisions, no works

shall be carried out in the bed or on either bank of theRhine where it forms the boundary of France andGermany without the previous approval of theCentral Commission or of its agents.

A R T I C L E 3 6 0France reserves the option of substituting herself

as regards the rights and obligations resulting fromagreements arrived at between the Government ofAlsace-Lorraine and the Grand Duchy of Badenconcerning the works to be carried out on the Rhine;she may also denounce such agreements within aterm of five years dating from the coming into force ofthe present Treaty.

France shall also have the option of causing worksto be carried out which may be recognised as necessaryby the Central Commission for the upkeep or improve-ment of the navigability of the Rhine above Mannheim.

A R T I C L E 3 61Should Belgium within a period of 25 years from

the coming into force of the present Treaty decide tocreate a deep-draught Rhine-Meuse navigablewaterway, in the region of Ruhrort, Germany shall bebound to construct, in accordance with plans to becommunicated to her by the Belgian Government, afteragreement with the Central Commission, the portion ofthis navigable waterway situated within her territory.

The Belgian Government shall, for this purpose, havethe right to carry out on the ground all necessary surveys.

Should Germany fail to carry out all or part ofthese works, the Central Commission shall be entitledto carry them out instead; and, for this purpose, theCommission may decide upon and fix the limits of thenecessary sites and occupy the ground after a periodof two months after simple notification, subject to thepayment of indemnities to be fixed by it and paid by Germany.

This navigable waterway shall be placed under thesame administrative regime as the Rhine itself, and thedivision of the cost of initial construction, including theabove indemnities, among the States crossed therebyshall be made by the Central Commission.

A R T I C L E 3 6 2Germany hereby agrees to offer no objection to

any proposals of the Central Rhine Commission forextending its jurisdiction:

(1) to the Moselle below the Franco-Luxemburgfrontier down to the Rhine, subject to theconsent of Luxemburg;

(2) to the Rhine above Basle up to the Lake ofConstance, subject to the consent ofSwitzerland;

(3) to the lateral canals and channels which maybe established either to duplicate or to improvenaturally navigable sections of the Rhine orthe Moselle, or to connect two naturallynavigable sections of these rivers, and also anyother parts of the Rhine river system whichmay be covered by the General Conventionprovided for in Article 338 above.

O M N I B U S I I I1 0 0

C H A P T E R V: C L A U S E S G I V I N G T O T H E

C Z E C H O - S L OVA K S TAT E T H E U S E O F

N O R T H E R N P O R T S

A R T I C L E 3 6 3In the ports of Hamburg and Stettin Germany shall

lease to the Czecho-Slovak State, for a period of 99years, areas which shall be placed under the generalregime of free zones and shall be used for the directtransit of goods coming from or going to that State.

A R T I C L E 3 6 4The delimitation of these areas, and their

equipment, their exploitation, and in general allconditions for their utilisation, including the amountof the rental, shall be decided by a Commissionconsisting of one delegate of Germany, one delegateof the Czecho-Slovak State and one delegate of GreatBritain. These conditions shall be susceptible ofrevision every ten years in the same manner.

Germany declares in advance that she will adhereto the decisions so taken.

Section III: RailwaysC H A P T E R I : C L A U S E S R E L AT I N G T O

I N T E R N AT I O N A L T R A N S P O R T

A R T I C L E 3 6 5Goods coming from the territories of the Allied

and Associated Powers, and going to Germany, or intransit through Germany from or to the territories ofthe Allied and Associated Powers, shall enjoy on theGerman railways as regards charges to be collected(rebates and drawbacks being taken into account),facilities, and all other matters, the most favourabletreatment applied to goods of the same kind carriedon any German lines, either in internal traffic, or forexport, import or in transit, under similar conditionsof transport, for example as regards length of route.The same rule shall be applied, on the request of oneor more of the Allied and Associated Powers, to goodsspecially designated by such Power or Powers comingfrom Germany and going to their territories.

International tariffs established in accordancewith the rates referred to in the preceding paragraphand involving through waybills shall be establishedwhen one of the Allied and Associated Powers shallrequire it from Germany.


the High Contracting Parties shall renew, in so far asconcerns them and under the reserves indicated inthe second paragraph of the present Article, theconventions and arrangements signed at Berne onOctober 14, 1890, September 20, 1893, July 16, 1895,June 16, 1898, and September 19, 1906, regarding thetransportation of goods by rail.

If within five years from the date of the cominginto force of the present Treaty a new convention forthe transportation of passengers, luggage, and goodsby rail shall have been concluded to replace the BerneConvention of October 14, 1 890, and the subsequentadditions referred to above, this new convention andthe supplementary provisions for internationaltransport by rail which may be based on it shall bindGermany, even if she shall have refused to take part inthe preparation of the convention or to subscribe to it.Until a new convention shall have been concluded,Germany shall conform to the provisions of the BerneConvention and the subsequent additions referred toabove, and to the current supplementary provisions.

A R T I C L E 3 67Germany shall be bound to co-operate in the

establishment of through ticket services (for passen-gers and their luggage) which shall be required by anyof the Allied and Associated Powers to ensure theircommunication by rail with each other and with allother countries by transit across the territories ofGermany; in particular Germany shall, for thispurpose, accept trains and carriages coming from theterritories of the Allied and Associated Powers andshall forward them with a speed at least equal to thatof her best long-distance trains on the same lines. Therates applicable to such through services shall not inany case be higher than the rates collected onGerman internal services for the same distance, underthe same conditions of speed and comfort.

The tariffs applicable under the same conditionsof speed and comfort to the transportation ofemigrants going to or coming from ports of the Alliedand Associated Powers and using the Germanrailways shall not be at a higher kilometric rate thanthe most favourable tariffs (drawbacks and rebatesbeing taken into account) enjoyed on the said railwaysby emigrants going to or coming from any other ports

The Treaty of Versailles 1 0 1

A R T I C L E 3 6 8Germany shall not apply specially to such through

services, or to the transportation of emigrants going toor coming from the ports of the Allied and AssociatedPowers, any technical, fiscal or administrativemeasures, such as measures of customs examination,general police, sanitary police, and control, the resultof which would be to impede or delay such services.

A R T I C L E 3 6 9In case of transport partly by rail and partly by

internal navigation, with or without through way-bill,the preceding Articles shall apply to the part of thejourney performed by rail.

C H A P T E R I I : RO L L I N G - S T O C K

A R T I C L E 3 7 0Germany undertakes that German wagons shall

be fitted with apparatus allowing:(1) of their inclusion in goods trains on the lines

of such of the Allied and Associated Powers asare parties to the Berne Convention of May 15,1886, as modified on May 18, 1907, withouthampering the action of the continuous brakewhich may be adopted in such countrieswithin ten years of the coming into force of thepresent Treaty, and

(2) Of the acceptance of wagons of such countriesin all goods trains on the German lines.

The rolling-stock of the Allied and AssociatedPowers shall enjoy on the German lines the sametreatment as German rollingstock as regardsmovement, upkeep, and repairs.

CH A P T E R III: CE S S I O N S O F RA I LWAY LI N E S

Article 371Subject to any special provisions concerning the

cession of ports, waterways and railways situated inthe territories over which Germany abandons hersovereignty, and to the financial conditions relating tothe concessionnaires and the pensioning of thepersonnel, the cession of railways will take placeunder the following conditions:

(1) The works and installations of all therailroads shall be handed over complete andin good condition.

(2) When a railway system possessing its ownrolling-stock is handed over in its entirety by

Germany to one of the Allied and AssociatedPowers, such stock shall be handed overcomplete, in accordance with the lastinventory before November 11, 1918, and in anormal state of upkeep.

(3) As regards lines without any special rolling-stock, Commissions of experts designated bythe Allied and Associated Powers, on whichGermany shall be represented, shall fix theproportion of the stock existing on the systemto which those lines belong to be handed over.These Commissions shall have regard to theamount of the material registered on theselines in the last inventory before November 11,1918, the length of track (sidings included),and the nature and amount of the traffic.These Commissions shall also specify thelocomotives, carriages and wagons to behanded over in each case; they shall decideupon the conditions of their acceptance, andshall make the provisional arrangementsnecessary to ensure their repair in Germanworkshops.

(4) Stocks of stores, fittings and plant shall behanded over under the same conditions as therolling-stock.

The provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 above shallbe applied to the lines of former Russian Polandconverted by Germany to the German gauge, suchlines being regarded as detached from the PrussianState System.

C H A P T E R I V: P R OV I S I O N S R E L AT I N G T O

C E R TA I N RA I LWAY L I N E S

A R T I C L E 3 7 2When as a result of the fixing of new frontiers a

railway connection between two parts of the samecountry crosses another country, or a branch linefrom one country has its terminus in another, theconditions of working, if not specifically provided forin the present Treaty, shall be laid down in a conven-tion between the railway administrations concerned.If the administrations cannot come to an agreementas to the terms of such convention, the points ofdifference shall be decided by commissions of expertscomposed as provided in the preceding Article.


A R T I C L E 3 7 3Within a period of five years from the coming into

force of the present Treaty the Czecho-Slovak Statemay require the construction of a railway line inGerman territory between the stations of Schlauneyand Nachod. The cost of construction shall be borneby the Czecho-Slovak State.

A R T I C L E 3 7 4Germany undertakes to accept, within ten years of

the coming into force of the present Treaty, on requestbeing made by the Swiss Government after agreementwith the Italian Government, the denunciation of theInternational Convention of October l3, 1909, relativeto the St. Gothard railway. In the absence ofagreement as to the conditions of such denunciation,Germany hereby agrees to accept the decision of anarbitrator designated by the United States of America.

C H A P T E R V: T R A N S I T O RY P R OV I S I O N S

A R T I C L E 3 7 5Germany shall carry out the instructions given

her, in regard to transport, by an authorised bodyacting on behalf of the Allied and Associated Powers:

(1) For the carriage of troops under the provisionsof the present Treaty, and of material,ammunition and supplies for army use;

(2) As a temporary measure, for the transportationof supplies for certain regions, as well as for therestoration, as rapidly as possible, of the normalconditions of transport, and for the organisationof postal and telegraphic services.

Section IV: Disputes and Revision ofPermanent ClausesA R T I C L E 3 7 6

Disputes which may arise between interestedPowers with regard to the interpretation and applica-tion of the preceding Article shall be settled asprovided by the League of Nations.

A R T I C L E 3 7 7At any time the League of Nations may

recommend the revision of such of these Articles asrelate to a permanent administrative regime.

A R T I C L E 3 78The stipulations in Articles 321 to 330, 332, 365,

and 367 to 369 shall be subject to revision by theCouncil of the League of Nations at any time after fiveyears from the coming into force of the present Treaty.

Failing such revision, no Allied or AssociatedPower can claim after the expiration of the aboveperiod of five years the benefit of any of the stipula-tions in the Articles enumerated above on behalf ofany portion of its territories in which reciprocity is notaccorded in respect of such stipulations. The periodof five years during which reciprocity cannot bedemanded may be prolonged by the Council of theLeague of Nations.

Section V: Special ProvisionA R T I C L E 3 7 9

Without prejudice to the special obligationsimposed on her by the present Treaty for the benefitof the Allied and Associated Powers, Germanyundertakes to adhere to any General Conventionsregarding the international regime of transit,waterways, ports or railways which may be concludedby the Allied and Associated Powers, with theapproval of the League of Nations, within five years ofthe coming into force of the present Treaty.

Section VI: Clauses Relating to the Kiel CanalA R T I C L E 3 8 0

The Kiel Canal and its approaches shall bemaintained free and open to the vessels of commerceand of war of all nations at peace with Germany onterms of entire equality.

A R T I C L E 3 81The nationals, property and vessels of all Powers

shall, in respect of charges, facilities, and in all otherrespects, be treated on a footing of perfect equality inthe use of the Canal, no distinction being made to thedetriment of nationals, property and vessels of anyPower between them and the nationals, property andvessels of Germany or of the most favoured nation.

No impediment shall be placed on the movement ofpersons or vessels other than those arising out of police,customs, sanitary, emigration or immigration regulationsand those relating to the import or export of prohibitedgoods. Such regulations must be reasonable and


uniform and must not unnecessarily impede traffic

A R T I C L E 3 8 2Only such charges may be levied on vessels using

the Canal or its approaches as are intended to coverin an equitable manner the cost of maintaining in anavigable condition, or of improving, the Canal or itsapproaches, or to meet expenses incurred in theinterests of navigation. The schedule of such chargesshall be calculated on the basis of such expenses, andshall be posted up in the ports.

These charges shall be levied in such a manner as torender any detailed examination of cargoes unnecessary,except in the case of suspected fraud or contravention.

A R T I C L E 3 8 3Goods in transit may be placed under seal or in

the custody of customs agents; the loading andunloading of goods, and the embarkation anddisembarkation of passengers, shall only take place inthe ports specified by Germany.

A R T I C L E 3 8 4No charges of any kind other than those provided

for in the present Treaty shall be levied along thecourse or at the approaches of the Kiel Canal.

A R T I C L E 3 8 5Germany shall be bound to take suitable

measures to remove any obstacle or danger to naviga-tion, and to ensure the maintenance of goodconditions of navigation. She shall not undertake anyworks of a nature to impede navigation on the Canalor its approaches.

A R T I C L E 3 8 6In the event of violation of any of the conditions of

Articles 380 to 386, or of disputes as to the interpre-tation of these Articles, any interested Power canappeal to the jurisdiction instituted for the purpose bythe League of Nations.

In order to avoid a reference of small questions tothe League of Nations, Germany will establish a localauthority at Kiel qualified to deal with disputes in thefirst instance and to give satisfaction so far as possibleto complaints which may be presented through theconsular representatives of the interested Powers.

Part XIIILabour

Section I: Organisation of LabourWhereas the League of Nations has for its object

the establishment of universal peace, and such apeace can be established only if it is based uponsocial justice;

And whereas conditions of labour exist involvingsuch injustice, hardship, and privation to largenumbers of people as to produce unrest so great thatthe peace and harmony of the world are imperilled;and an improvement of those conditions is urgentlyrequired: as, for example, by the regulation of thehours of work, including the establishment of amaximum working day and week, the regulation ofthe labour supply, the prevention of unemployment,the provision of an adequate living wage, the protec-tion of the worker against sickness, disease and injuryarising out of his employment, the protection ofchildren, young persons and women, provision for oldage and injury, protection of the interests of workerswhen employed in countries other than their ownrecognition of the principle of freedom of association,the organisation of vocational and technicaleducation and other measures;

Whereas also the failure of any nation to adopthumane conditions of labour is an obstacle in the wayof other nations which desire to improve theconditions in their own countries;

The HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES, moved bysentiments of justice and humanity as well as by thedesire to secure the permanent peace of the world,agree to the following:

C H A P T E R L : O R G A N I S AT I O N

A R T I C L E 3 8 7A permanent organisation is hereby established for

the promotion of the objects set forth in the Preamble.The original Members of the League of Nations

shall be the original Members of this organisation, andhereafter membership of the League of Nations shallcarry with it membership of the said organisation.

A R T I C L E 3 8 8The permanent organisation shall consist of:(1) a General Conference of Representatives of


the Members and,(2) an International Labour Office controlled by

the Governing Body described in Article 393.

A R T I C L E 3 8 9The meetings of the General Conference of

Representatives of the Members shall be held fromtime to time as occasion may require, and at least oncein every year. It shall be composed of fourRepresentatives of each of the Members, of whom twoshall be Government Delegates and the two othersshall be Delegates representing respectively theemployers and the workpeople of each of the Members.

Each Delegate may be accompanied by advisers,who shall not exceed two in number for each item on theagenda of the meeting. When questions speciallyaffecting women are to be considered by the Conference,one at least of the advisers should be a woman.

The members undertake to nominate non-Government Delegates and advisers chosen inagreement with the industrial organisations, if suchorganisations exist, which are most representative ofemployers or workpeople, as the case may be, in theirrespective countries.

Advisers shall not speak except on a request madeby the Delegate whom they accompany and by thespecial authorisation of the President of theConference, and may not vote.

A Delegate may by notice in writing addressed tothe President appoint one of his advisers to act as hisdeputy, and the adviser, while so acting, shall beallowed to speak and vote.

The names of the Delegates and their advisers willbe communicated to the International Labour Officeby the Government of each of the Members.

The credentials of Delegates and their advisersshall be subject to scrutiny by the Conference, whichmay, by two-thirds of the votes cast by the Delegatespresent, refuse to admit any Delegate or adviserwhom it deems not to have been nominated inaccordance with this Article.

A R T I C L E 3 9 0Every Delegate shall be entitled to vote individu-

ally on all matters which are taken into considerationby the Conference.

If one of the Members fails to nominate one of thenonGovernment Delegates whom it is entitled to

nominate, the other non-Government Delegate shallbe allowed to sit and speak at the Conference, but notto vote.

If in accordance with Article 389 the Conferencerefuses admission to a Delegate of one of theMembers, the provisions of the present Article shallapply as if that Delegate had not been nominated.

A R T I C L E 3 9 1The meetings of the Conference shall be held at

the seat of the League of Nations, or at such otherplace as may be decided by the Conference at aprevious meeting by two-thirds of the votes cast by theDelegates present.

A R T I C L E 3 9 2The International Labour Office shall be

established at the seat of the League of Nations aspart of the organisation of the League.

A R T I C L E 3 9 3The International Labour Office shall be under

the control of a Governing Body consisting of twenty-four persons, appointed in accordance with thefollowing provisions:

The Governing Body of the International LabourOffice shall be constituted as follows:

Twelve persons representing the Governments;

Six persons elected by the Delegates to theConference representing the employers;

Six persons elected by the Delegates to theConference representing the workers.Of the twelve persons representing the

Governments eight shall be nominated by theMembers which are of the chief industrialimportance, and four shall be nominated by theMembers selected for the purpose by the GovernmentDelegates to the Conference, excluding the Delegatesof the eight Members mentioned above.

Any question as to which are the Members of thechief industrial importance shall be decided by theCouncil of the League of Nations.

The period of office of the Members of theGoverning Body will be three years. The method offilling vacancies and other similar questions may bedetermined by the Governing Body subject to theapproval of the Conference.


The Governing Body shall, from time to time, electone of its members to act as its Chairman, shallregulate its own procedure and shall fix its own timesof meeting. A special meeting shall be held if a writtenrequest to that effect is made by at least ten membersof the Governing Body.

A R T I C L E 3 9 4There shall be a Director of the International

Labour Office, who shall be appointed by theGoverning Body, and, subject to the instructions of theGoverning Body, shall be responsible for the efficientconduct of the International Labour Office and forsuch other duties as may be assigned to him.

The Director or his deputy shall attend allmeetings of the Governing Body.

A R T I C L E 3 9 5The staff of the International Labour Office shall

be appointed by the Director who shall, so far as ispossible with due regard to the efficiency of the workof the Office, select persons of different nationalitiesA certain number of these persons shall be women.

A R T I C L E 3 9 6The functions of the International Labour Office

shall include the collection and distribution ofinformation on all subjects relating to the interna-tional adjustment of conditions of industrial life andlabour, and particularly the examination of subjectswhich it is proposed to bring before the Conferencewith a view to the conclusion of international conven-tions, and the conduct of such special investigationsas may be ordered by the Conference.

It will prepare the agenda for the meetings ofthe Conference.

It will carry out the duties required of it by theprovisions of this Part of the present Treaty in connec-tion with international disputes.

It will edit and publish in French and English, andin such other languages as the Governing Body maythink desirable, a periodical paper dealing withproblems of industry and employment of interna-tional interest.

Generally, in addition to the functions set out inthis Article, it shall have such other powers and dutiesas may be assigned to it by the Conference.

A R T I C L E 3 9 7The Government Departments of any of the

Members which deal with questions of industry andemployment may communicate directly with theDirector through the Representative of theirGovernment on the Governing Body of theInternational Labour Office, or failing any suchRepresentative, through such other qualified officialas the Government may nominate for the purpose.

A R T I C L E 3 9 8The International Labour Office shall be entitled to

the assistance of the Secretary-General of the League ofNations in any matter in which it can be given.

A R T I C L E 3 9 9Each of the Members will pay the travelling and

subsistence expenses of its Delegates and theiradvisers and of its Representatives attending themeetings of the Conference or Governing Body, as thecase may be.

All the other expenses of the International LabourOffice and of the meetings of the Conference orGoverning Body shall be paid to the Director by theSecretary-General of the League of Nations out of thegeneral funds of the League.

The Director shall be responsible to the Secretary-General of the League for the proper expenditure ofall moneys paid to him in pursuance of this Article.

C H A P T E R I I : P R O C E D U R E

A R T I C L E 4 0 0The agenda for all meetings of the Conference

will be settled by the Governing Body, who shallconsider any suggestion as to the agenda that may bemade by the Government of any of the Members or byany representative organisation recognised for thepurpose of Article 389.

A R T I C L E 4 01The Director shall act as the Secretary of the

Conference, and shall transmit the agenda so as toreach the Members four months before the meetingof the Conference, and, through them, the non-Government Delegates when appointed.

A R T I C L E 4 0 2Any of the Governments of the Members may

formally object to the inclusion of any item or items in


the agenda. The grounds for such objection shall beset forth in a reasoned statement addressed to theDirector, who shall circulate it to all the Members ofthe Permanent Organisation.

Items to which such objection has been madeshall not, however, be excluded from the agenda, if atthe Conference a majority of two-thirds of the votescast by the Delegates present is in favour of consid-ering them.

If the Conference decides (otherwise than underthe preceding paragraph) by two-thirds of the votescast by the Delegates present that any subject shall beconsidered by the Conference, that subject shall beincluded in the agenda for the following meeting.

A R T I C L E 4 0 3The Conference shall regulate its own procedure,

shall elect its own President, and may appointcommittees to consider and report on any matter.

Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Part ofthe present Treaty, all matters shall be decided by asimple majority of the votes cast by the Delegates present.

The voting is void unless the total number of votescast is equal to half the number of the Delegatesattending the Conference.

A R T I C L E 4 0 4The Conference may add to any committees

which it appoints technical experts, who shall beassessors without power to vote.

A R T I C L E 4 0 5When the Conference has decided on the adoption

of proposals with regard to an item in the agenda, it willrest with the Conference to determine whether theseproposals should take the form: (a) of a recommenda-tion to be submitted to the Members for considerationwith a view to effect being given to it by national legisla-tion or otherwise, or (b) of a draft internationalconvention for ratification by the Members.

In either case a majority of two-thirds of the votescast by the Delegates present shall be necessary on thefinal vote for the adoption of the recommendation ordraft convention, as the case may be, by the Conference.

In framing any recommendation or draft conven-tion of general application the Conference shall havedue regard to those countries in which climaticconditions, the imperfect development of industrial

organisation or other special circumstances make theindustrial conditions substantially different and shallsuggest the modifications, if any, which it considersmay be required to meet the case of such countries.

A copy of the recommendation or draft conven-tion shall be authenticated by the signature of thePresident of the Conference and of the Director andshall be deposited with the Secretary-General of theLeague of Nations. The Secretary-General willcommunicate a certified copy of the recommendationor draft convention to each of the members.

Each of the Members undertakes that it will,within the period of one year at most from the closingof the session of the Conference, or if it is impossibleowing to exceptional circumstances to do so withinthe period of one year, then at the earliest practicablemoment and in no case later than eighteen monthsfrom the closing of the session of the Conference,bring the recommendation or draft convention beforethe authority or authorities within whose competencethe matter lies, for the enactment of legislation orother action.

In the case of a recommendation, the Memberswill inform the Secretary-General of the action taken.

In the case of a draft convention, the Member will, ifit obtains the consent of the authority or authoritieswithin whose competence the matter lies, communicatethe formal ratification of the convention to the Secretary-General and will take such action as may be necessary tomake effective the provisions of such convention.

If on a recommendation no legislative or otheraction is taken to make a recommendation effective,or if the draft convention fails to obtain the consent ofthe authority or authorities within whose competencethe matter lies, no further obligation shall rest uponthe Member.

In the case of a federal State, the power of whichto enter into conventions on labour matters is subjectto limitations, it shall be in the discretion of thatGovernment to treat a draft convention to which suchlimitations apply as a recommendation only, and theprovisions of this Article with respect to recommen-dations shall apply in such case.

The above Article shall be interpreted inaccordance with the following principle:

In no case shall any Member be asked or required,as a result of the adoption of any recommendation ordraft convention by the Conference, to lessen the


protection afforded by its existing legislation to theworkers concerned.

A R T I C L E 4 0 6Any convention so ratified shall be registered by the

Secretary-General of the League of Nations, but shallonly be binding upon the Members which ratify it.

A R T I C L E 4 0 7If any convention coming before the Conference

for final consideration fails to secure the support oftwo-thirds of the votes cast by the Delegates present, itshall nevertheless be within the right of any of theMembers of the Permanent Organisation to agree tosuch convention among themselves.

Any convention so agreed to shall be communi-cated by the Governments concerned to theSecretary-General of the League of Nations, who shallregister it.

A R T I C L E 4 0 8Each of the Members agrees to make an annual

report to the International Labour Office on themeasures which it has taken to give effect to theprovisions of conventions to which it is a party. Thesereports shall be made in such form and shall containsuch particulars as the Governing Body may request.The Director shall lay a summary of these reportsbefore the next meeting of the Conference.

A R T I C L E 4 0 9In the event of any representation being made to

the International Labour Office by an industrialassociation of employers or of workers that any of themembers has failed to secure in any respect theeffective observance within its jurisdiction of anyconvention to which it is a party, the Governing Bodymay communicate this representation to theGovernment against which it is made and may invitethat Government to make such statement on thesubject as it may think fit.

A R T I C L E 410If no statement is received within a reasonable

time from the Government in question, or if thestatement when received is not deemed to be satisfac-tory by the Governing Body, the latter shall have theright to publish the representation and the statement,if any, made in reply to it.

A R T I C L E 411Any of the Members shall have the right to file a

complaint with the International Labour Office if it isnot satisfied that any other Member is securing theeffective observance of any convention which bothhave ratified in accordance with the foregoing Articles.

The Governing Body may, if it thinks fit, beforereferring such a complaint to a Commission ofEnquiry, as hereinafter provided for, communicatewith the Government in question in the mannerdescribed in Article 409.

If the Governing Body does not think it necessaryto communicate the complaint to the Government inquestion, or if, when they have made such communi-cation, no statement in reply has been received withina reasonable time which the Governing Body considersto be satisfactory, the Governing Body may apply forthe appointment of a Commission of Enquiry toconsider the complaint and to report thereon.

The Governing Body may adopt the sameprocedure either of its own motion or on receipt of acomplaint from a Delegate to the Conference.

When any matter arising out of Articles 410 or 411 isbeing considered by the Governing Body, theGovernment in question shall, if not already representedthereon, be entitled to send a representative to take partin the proceedings of the Governing Body while thematter is under consideration. Adequate notice of thedate on which the matter will be considered shall begiven to the Government in question.

A R T I C L E 412The Commission of Enquiry shall be constituted

in accordance with the following provisions:

Each of the Members agrees to nominatewithin six months of the date on which thepresent Treaty comes into force three personsof industrial experience, of whom one shall bea representative of employers, one a represen-tative of workers, and one a person ofindependent standing, who shall togetherform a panel from which the Members of theCommission of Enquiry shall be drawn.The qualifications of the persons so nominated shall

be subject to scrutiny by the Governing Body, which maybe two-thirds of the votes cast by the representativespresent refuse to accept the nomination of any person


whose qualifications do not in its Opinion comply withthe requirements of the present Article.

Upon the application of the Governing Body, theSecretary-General of the League of Nations shallnominate three persons one from each section of thispanel, to constitute the Commission of Enquiry, andshall designate one of them as the President of theCommission. None of these three persons shall be aperson nominated to the panel by any Memberdirectly concerned in the complaint.

A R T I C L E : 413The Members agree that, in the event of the

reference of a complaint to a Commission of Enquiryunder Article 411, they will each, whether directlyconcerned in the complaint or not, place at thedisposal of the Commission all the information intheir possession which bears upon the subject-matterof the complaint.

A R T I C L E 414When the Commission of Enquiry has fully

considered the complaint, it shall prepare a reportembodying its findings on all questions of factrelevant to determining the issue between the partiesand containing such recommendations as it maythink proper as to the steps which should be taken tomeet the complaint and the time within which theyshould be taken.

It shall also indicate in this report the measures, ifany, of an economic character against a defaultingGovernment which it considers to be appropriate, andwhich it considers other Governments would bejustified in adopting.

A R T I C L E 415The Secretary-General of the League of Nations

shall communicate the report of the Commission ofEnquiry to each of the Governments concerned in thecomplaint, and shall cause it to be published.

Each of these Governments shall within onemonth inform the Secretary-General of the League ofNations whether or not it accepts the recommenda-tions contained in the report of the Commission- andif not, whether it proposes to refer the complaint tothe Permanent Court of International Justice of theLeague of Nations.

A R T I C L E 416In the event of any Member failing to take the

action required by Article 405, with regard to arecommendation or draft Convention, any otherMember shall be entitled to refer the matter to thePermanent Court of International Justice.

A R T I C L E 417The decision of the Permanent Court of

International Justice in regard to a complaint ormatter which has been referred to it in pursuance ofArticle 415 or Article 416 shall be final.

A R T I C L E 418The Permanent Court of International Justice may

affirm, vary or reverse any of the findings orrecommendations of the Commission of Enquiry, ifany, and shall in its decision indicate the measures, ifany, of an economic character which it considers to beappropriate, and which other Governments would bejustified in adopting against a defaulting Government.

A R T I C L E 419In the event of any Member failing to carry out

within the time specified the recommendations, if any,contained in the report of the Commission of Enquiry,or in the decision of the Permanent Court ofInternational Justice, as the case may be, any otherMember may take against that Member the measuresof an economic character indicated in the report ofthe Commission or in the decision of the Court asappropriate to the case.

A R T I C L E 4 2 0The defaulting Government may at any time

inform the Governing Body that it has taken the stepsnecessary to comply with the recommendations of theCommission of Enquiry or with those in the decisionof the Permanent Court of International Justice, as thecase may be, and may request it to apply to theSecretary-General of the League to constitute aCommission of Enquiry to verify its contention. In thiscase the provisions of Articles 412, 413, 414, 415, 417and 418 shall apply, and if the report of theCommission of Enquiry or the decision of thePermanent Court of International Justice is in favourof the defaulting Government, the other Governmentsshall forthwith discontinue the measures of aneconomic character that they have taken against the


defaulting Government.

C H A P T E R I I I : G E N E R A L P R E S C R I P T I O N S

A R T I C L E 4 21The Members engage to apply conventions which

they have ratified in accordance with the provisionsof this Part of the present Treaty to their colonies,protectorates and possessions which are not fullyself-governing:

(1) Except where owing to the local conditions theconvention is inapplicable, or

(2) Subject to such modifications as may be necessary to adapt the convention to local conditions.

And each of the Members shall notify to theInternational Labour Office the action taken inrespect of each of its colonies, protectorates andpossessions which are not fully self-governing.

A R T I C L E 4 2 2Amendments to this Part of the present Treaty

which are adopted by the Conference by a majority oftwo-thirds of the votes cast by the Delegates presentshall take effect when ratified by the States whoserepresentatives compose the Council of the League ofNations and by three-fourths of the Members.

A R T I C L E 4 2 3Any question or dispute relating to the interpreta-

tion of this Part of the present Treaty or of anysubsequent convention concluded by the Members inpursuance of the provisions of this Part of the presentTreaty shall be referred for decision to the PermanentCourt of International Justice.

C H A P T E R I V: T R A N S I T O RY P R OV I S I O N S

A R T I C L E 4 2 4The first meeting of the Conference shall take

place in October, 1919. The place and agenda for thismeeting shall be as specified in the Annex hereto.

Arrangements for the convening and the organi-sation of the first meeting of the Conference will bemade by the Government designated for the purposein the said Annex. That Government shall be assistedin the preparation of the documents for submission tothe Conference by an International Committeeconstituted as provided in the said Annex.

The expenses of the first meeting and of allsubsequent meetings held before the League of

Nations has been able to establish a general fund,other than the expenses of Delegates and theiradvisers, will be borne by the Members in accordancewith the apportionment of the expenses of theInternational Bureau of the Universal Postal Union.

A R T I C L E 4 2 5Until the League of Nations has been constituted all

communications which under the provisions of theforegoing Articles should be addressed to the Secretary-General of the League will be preserved by the Directorof the International Labour Office, who will transmitthem to the Secretary-General of the League.

A R T I C L E 4 2 6Pending the creation of a Permanent Court of

International Justice disputes which in accordancewith this Part of the present Treaty would besubmitted to it for decision will be referred to atribunal of three persons appointed by the Council ofthe League of Nations.

A N N E X

FIRST MEETING OF ANNUAL LABOUR CONFERENCE, 1919The place of meeting will be Washington.The Government of the United States of America

is requested to convene the Conference.The International Organising Committee will

consist of seven Members, appointed by the UnitedStates of America, Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan,Belgium and Switzerland. The Committee may, if itthinks necessary, invite other Members to appointrepresentatives.

Agenda:(1) Application of principle of the 8-hours day or

of the 48-hours week.(2) Question of preventing or providing against

unemployment.(3) Women’s employment:

(a) Before and after child-birth, including thequestion of maternity benefit;

(b) During the night;(c) In unhealthy processes.

(4) Employment of children:(a) Minimum age of employment;(b) During the night;(c) In unhealthy processes.

(5) Extension and application of the International


Conventions adopted at Berne in 1906 on theprohibition of night work for womenemployed in industry and the prohibition ofthe use of white phosphorus in the manufac-ture of matches.

Section II: General PrinciplesA R T I C L E 4 2 7

The High Contracting Parties, recognising that thewell-being, physical, moral and intellectual, ofindustrial wage-earners is of supreme internationalimportance, have framed, in order to further this greatend, the permanent machinery provided for in SectionI and associated with that of the League of Nations.

They recognise that differences of climate, habits,and customs, of economic opportunity and industrialtradition, make strict uniformity in the conditions oflabour difficult of immediate attainment. But, holdingas they do, that labour should not be regarded merelyas an article of commerce, they think that there aremethods and principles for regulating labourconditions which all industrial communities shouldendeavour to apply, so far as their special circum-stances will permit.

Among these methods and principles, thefollowing seem to the High Contracting Parties to beof special and urgent importance:

First. The guiding principle above enunci-ated that labour should not beregarded merely as a commodity orarticle of commerce.

Second. The right of association for all lawfulpurposes by the employed as well as bythe employers.

Third. The payment to the employed of a wageadequate to maintain a reasonablestandard of life as this is understood intheir time and country.

Fourth. The adoption of an eight hours day or aforty-eight hours week as the standardto be aimed at where it has not alreadybeen attained.

Fifth. The adoption of a weekly rest of at leasttwenty-four hours, which shouldinclude Sunday wherever practicable.

Sixth. The abolition of child labour and theimposition of such limitations on thelabour of young persons as shall permit

the continuation of their education andassure their proper physical develop-ment.

Seventh. The principle that men and womenshould receive equal remuneration forwork of equal value.

Eighth. The standard set by law in eachcountry with respect to the conditionsof labour should have due regard to theequitable economic treatment of allworkers lawfully resident therein.

Ninth. Each State should make provision for asystem of inspection in which womenshould take part, in order to ensure theenforcement of the laws and regulationsfor the protection of the employed.

Without claiming that these methods and princi-ples are either complete or final, the High ContractingParties are of opinion that they are well fitted to guidethe policy of the League of Nations; and that, if adoptedby the industrial communities who are members of theLeague, and safeguarded in practice by an adequatesystem of such inspection, they will confer lastingbenefits upon the wage-earners of the world.

Part XIVGuarantees

Section I: Western EuropeA R T I C L E 4 2 8

As a guarantee for the execution of the presentTreaty by Germany, the German territory situated tothe west of the Rhine, together with the bridgeheads,will be occupied by Allied and Associated troops for aperiod of fifteen years from the coming into force ofthe present Treaty.

A R T I C L E 4 2 9If the conditions of the present Treaty are

faithfully carried out by Germany, the occupationreferred to in Article 428 will be successivelyrestricted as follows:

(1) At the expiration of five years there will beevacuated: the bridgehead of Cologne and theterritories north of a line running along theRuhr, then along the railway Julich, Duren,Euskirchen, Rheinbach, thence along the roadRheinbach to Sinzig, and reaching the Rhine


at the confluence with the Ahr; the roads,railways and places mentioned above beingexcluded from the area evacuated.

(2) At the expiration of ten years there will beevacuated: the bridgehead of Coblenz and theterritories north of a line to be drawn from theintersection between the frontiers of Belgium,Germany and Holland, running about from 4kilometres south of Aix-la-Chapelle, then toand following the crest of Forst Gemund, theneast of the railway of the Urft valley, then alongBlankenheim, Valdorf, Dreis, Ulmen to andfollowing the Moselle from Bremm to Nehren,then passing by Kappel and Simmern, thenfollowing the ridge of the heights betweenSimmern and the Rhine and reaching thisriver at Bacharach; all the places valleys, roadsand railways mentioned above being excludedfrom the area evacuated.

(3) At the expiration of fifteen years there will beevacuated: the bridgehead of Mainz, thebridgehead of Kehl and the remainder of theGerman territory under occupation.

If at that date the guarantees against unprovokedaggression by Germany are not considered sufficientby the Allied and Associated Governments, theevacuation of the occupying troops may be delayed tothe extent regarded as necessary for the purpose ofobtaining the required guarantees.

A R T I C L E 4 3 0In case either during the occupation or after the

expiration of the fifteen years referred to above theReparation Commission finds that Germany refusesto observe the whole or part of her obligations underthe present Treaty with regard to reparation, thewhole or part of the areas specified in Article 429 willbe reoccupied immediately by the Allied andAssociated forces.

A R T I C L E 4 3 1If before the expiration of the period of fifteen

years Germany complies with all the undertakingsresulting from the present Treaty, the occupyingforces will be withdrawn immediately.

A R T I C L E 4 3 2All matters relating to the occupation and not

provided for by the present Treaty shall be regulatedby subsequent agreements, which Germany herebyundertakes to observe.

Section II: Eastern EuropeA R T I C L E 4 3 3

As a guarantee for the execution of the provisionsof the present Treaty, by which Germany acceptsdefinitely the abrogation of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty,and of all treaties, conventions and agreements enteredinto by her with the Maximalist Government in Russia,and in order to ensure the restoration of peace andgood government in the Baltic Provinces and Lithuania,all German troops at present in the said territories shallreturn to within the frontiers of Germany as soon as theGovernments of the Principal Allied and AssociatedPowers shall think the moment suitable, having regardto the internal situation of these territories. Thesetroops shall abstain from all requisitions and seizuresand from any other coercive measures, with a view toobtaining supplies intended for Germany, and shall inno way interfere with such measures for nationaldefence as may be adopted by the ProvisionalGovernments of Esthonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

No other German troops shall, pending theevacuation or after the evacuation is complete, beadmitted to the said territories.

Part XVMiscellaneous ProvisionsA R T I C L E 4 3 4

Germany undertakes to recognise the full force ofthe Treaties of Peace and Additional Conventionswhich may be concluded by the Allied andAssociated Powers with the Powers who fought on theside of Germany and to recognise whatever disposi-tions nay be made concerning the territories of theformer Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, of the Kingdomof Bulgaria and of the Ottoman Empire, and torecognise the new States within their frontiers asthere laid down.

A R T I C L E 4 3 5The High Contracting Parties, while they

recognise the guarantees stipulated by the Treaties of1815, and especially by the Act of November 20, l815,in favour of Switzerland, the said guarantees consti-tuting international obligations for the maintenance


of peace, declare nevertheless that the provisions ofthese treaties, conventions, declarations and othersupplementary Acts concerning the neutralized zoneof Savoy, as laid down in paragraph 1 of Article 92 ofthe Final Act of the Congress of Vienna and inparagraph 2 of Article 3 of the Treaty of Paris ofNovember 20, 1815, are no longer consistent withpresent conditions. For this reason the HighContracting Parties take note of the agreement reachedbetween the French Government and the SwissGovernment for the abrogation of the stipulationsrelating to this zone which are and remain abrogated.

The High Contracting Parties also agree that thestipulations of the Treaties of 1815 and of the othersupplementary Acts concerning the free zones ofUpper Savoy and the Gex district are no longer consis-tent with present conditions, and that it is for Franceand Switzerland to come to an agreement togetherwith a view to settling between themselves the statusof these territories under such conditions as shall beconsidered suitable by both countries.

A N N E X

I. The Swiss Federal Council has informed theFrench Government on May 5, 1919, that afterexamining the provisions of Article 435 in a likespirit of sincere friendship it has happily reachedthe conclusion that it was possible to acquiesce init under the following conditions and reservations:(1) The neutralised zone of Haute-Savoie:

(a) It will be understood that as long as theFederal Chambers have not ratified theagreement come to between the twoGovernments concerning the abrogation ofthe stipulations in respect of theneutralised zone of Savoy, nothing will bedefinitively settled, on one side or the other,in regard to this subject.

(b) The assent given by the Swiss Governmentto the abrogation of the above mentionedstipulations presupposes, in conformitywith the text adopted, the recognition ofthe guarantees formulated in favour ofSwitzerland by the Treaties of 1815 andparticularly by the Declaration ofNovember 20, 1815.

(c) The agreement between the Governmentsof France and Switzerland for the abroga-

tion of the above mentioned stipulationswill only be considered as valid if theTreaty of Peace contains this Article in itspresent wording. In addition the Parties tothe Treaty of Peace should endeavour toobtain the assent of the signatory Powers ofthe Treaties of 1815 and of the Declarationof November 20, 1815, which are notsignatories of the present Treaty of Peace.

(2) Free zone of Haute-Savoie and the districtof Gex:(a) The Federal Council makes the most

express reservations to the interpretation tobe given to the statement mentioned in thelast paragraph of the above Article forinsertion in the Treaty of Peace, whichprovides that ,,the stipulations of theTreaties of 1815 and other supplementaryacts concerning the free zones of Haute-Savoie and the Gex district are no longerconsistent with present conditions.,, TheFederal Council would not wish that itsacceptance of the above wording shouldlead to the conclusion that it would agreeto the suppression of a system intended togive neighbouring territory the benefit of aspecial regime which is appropriate to thegeographical and economical situationand which has been well tested.

In the opinion of the Federal Councilthe question is not the modification of thecustoms system of the zones as set up bythe Treaties mentioned above, but only theregulation in a manner more appropriateto the economic conditions of the presentday of the terms of the exchange of goodsbetween the regions in question. TheFederal Council has been led to make thepreceding observations by the perusal ofthe draft Convention concerning thefuture constitution of the zones which wasannexed to the note of April 26 from theFrench Government. While making theabove reservations the Federal Councildeclares its readiness to examine in themost friendly spirit any proposals whichthe French Government may deem itconvenient to make on the subject.


(b) It is conceded that the stipulations of theTreaties of 1815 and other supplementaryacts relative to the free zones will remain inforce until a new arrangement is come tobetween France and Switzerland toregulate matters in this territory.

II. The French Government have addressed to theSwiss Government, on May 18, 1919, the followingnote in reply to the communication set out in thepreceding paragraph:

In a note dated May 5 the Swiss Legation inParis was good enough to inform the Governmentof the French Republic that the FederalGovernment adhered to the proposed Article to beinserted in the Treaty of Peace between the Alliedand Associated Governments and Germany.

The French Government have taken note withmuch pleasure of the agreement thus reached,and, at their request, the proposed Article, whichhad been accepted by the Allied and AssociatedGovernments, has been inserted under No. 435 inthe Peace conditions presented to the GermanPlenipotentiaries.

The Swiss Government, in their note of May5 on this subject, have expressed various viewsand reservations.

Concerning the observations relating to the freezones of Haute-Savoie and the Gex district, theFrench Government have the honour to observethat the provisions of the last paragraph of Article435 are so clear that their purport cannot bemisapprehended, especially where it implies thatno other Power but France and Switzerland will infuture be interested in that question.

The French Government, on their part, areanxious to protect the interests of the Frenchterritories concerned, and, with that object, havingtheir special situation in view, they bear in mindthe desirability of assuring them a suitablecustoms regime and determining, in a mannerbetter suited to present conditions, the methods ofexchanges between these territories and theadjacent Swiss territories, while taking intoaccount the reciprocal interests of both regions.

It is understood that this must in no wayprejudice the right of France to adjust her customsline in this region in conformity with her politicalfrontier, as is done on the other portions of her

territorial boundaries, and as was done bySwitzerland long ago on her own boundaries inthis region

The French Government are pleased to noteon this subject in what a friendly disposition theSwiss Government take this opportunity ofdeclaring their willingness to consider any Frenchproposal dealing with the system to be substitutedfor the present regime of the said free zones,which the French Government intend toformulate in the same friendly spirit.

Moreover, the French Government have nodoubt that the provisional maintenance of theregime of 1815 as to the free zones referred to inthe above mentioned paragraph of the note fromthe Swiss Legation of May 5, whose object is toprovide for the passage from the present regime tothe conventional regime, will cause no delaywhatsoever in the establishment of the newsituation which has been found necessary by thetwo Governments. This remark applies also to theratification by the Federal Chambers, dealt with inparagraph 1 (a), of the Swiss note of May 5, underthe heading “Neutralised zone of Haute-Savoie.”

A R T I C L E 4 3 6The High Contracting Parties declare and place

on record that they have taken note of the Treatysigned by the Government of the French Republic onJuly 17, 1918, with His Serene Highness the Prince ofMonaco defining the relations between France andthe Principality

A R T I C L E 4 3 7The High Contracting Parties agree that, in the

absence of a subsequent agreement to the contrary,the Chairman of any Commission established by thepresent Treaty shall in the event of an equality of votesbe entitled to a second vote.

A R T I C L E 4 3 8The Allied and Associated Powers agree that

where Christian religious missions were beingmaintained by German societies or persons interritory belonging to them, or of which the govern-ment is entrusted to them in accordance with thepresent Treaty, the property which these missions ormissionary societies possessed, including that of


trading societies whose profits were devoted to thesupport of missions, shall continue to be devoted tomissionary purposes. In order to ensure the dueexecution of this undertaking the Allied andAssociated Governments will hand over suchproperty to boards of trustees appointed by orapproved by the Governments and composed ofpersons holding the faith of the Mission whoseproperty is involved.

The Allied and Associated Governments, whilecontinuing to maintain full control as to the individ-uals by whom the Missions are conducted, willsafeguard the interests of such Missions.

Germany, taking note of the above undertaking,agrees to accept all arrangements made or to be madeby the Allied or Associated Government concernedfor carrying on the work of the said missions ortrading societies and waives all claims on their behalf.

A R T I C L E 4 3 9Without prejudice to the provisions of the present

Treaty, Germany undertakes not to put forward directlyor indirectly against any Allied or Associated Power,signatory of the present Treaty, including those whichwithout having declared war, have broken off diplomaticrelations with the German Empire, any pecuniary claimbased on events which occurred at any time before thecoming into force of the present Treaty.

The present stipulation will bar completely andfinally all claims of this nature, which will bethenceforward extinguished, whoever may be theparties in interest.

A R T I C L E 4 4 0Germany accepts and recognises as valid and

binding all decrees and orders concerning Germanships and goods and all orders relating to thepayment of costs made by any Prize Court of any ofthe Allied or Associated Powers, and undertakes notto put forward any claim arising out of such decreesor orders on behalf of any German national.

The Allied and Associated Powers reserve theright to examine in such manner as they may

determine all decisions and orders of German PrizeCourts, whether affecting the property rights o,nationals of those Powers or of neutral Powers.Germany agrees to furnish copies of all thedocuments constituting the record of the cases,including the decisions and orders made, and toaccept and give effect to the recommendations madeafter such examination of the cases.

THE PRESENT TREATY, of which the French andEnglish texts are both authentic, shall be ratified.

The deposit of ratifications shall be made at Parisas soon as possible.

Powers of which the seat of the Government isoutside Europe will be entitled merely to inform theGovernment of the French Republic through theirdiplomatic representative at Paris that their ratifica-tion has been given; in that case they must transmitthe instrument of ratification as soon as possible.

A first proces-verbal of the deposit of ratificationswill be drawn up as soon as the Treaty has beenratified by Germany on the one hand, and by three ofthe Principal Allied and Associated Powers on theother hand.

From the date of this first proces-verbal the Treatywill come into force between the High ContractingParties who have ratified it. For the determination ofall periods of time provided for in the present Treatythis date will be the date of the coming into force ofthe Treaty.

In all other respects the Treaty will enter into force foreach Power at the date of the deposit of its ratification.

The French Government will transmit to all thesignatory Powers a certified copy of the proces-verbaux of the deposit of ratifications.

IN FA I T H WH EREO F the above-namedPlenipotentiaries have signed the present Treaty.

Done at Versailles, the twenty-eighth day of June,one thousand nine hundred and nineteen, in a singlecopy which will remain deposited in the archives of theFrench Republic, and of which authenticated copieswill be transmitted to each of the Signatory Powers.

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