re: 70th Anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation: German Perspective

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Treaty of Versailles is largely to blame for Germany being completely gutted economically speaking.

Their paper currency was more valuable to use as firewood than as actual currency. Think about that.

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I don't know if I agree with the popular notion that the harshness of Treaty of Versailles was what was to blame. That was a mistake in that it was empty insults that allowed the morale of Germany to be very high come 1930s. But its just as reasonable to say the leniency of the WW1 resolution was more to blame. Germany never really lost the war. I think there's a much better case to be made for them having came out better.

Basically France lost their will to fight, got their land ravaged and industry destroyed, and lost far more people Germany's industry was left completely in tact because the fighting wasn't really done in Germany. They still had a massive, skilled workforce and a huge population of fighting age men. The disadvantages amounted to France and England suggesting that Germany consider keeping their military budget down and not occupy lands with ethnic German populations. Hitler told them thanks for their input but Germany was going to opt for a different direction.