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 2 ℛ︁ℳ︁—coin depictingPaul von Hindenburg | |
| Unit | |
|---|---|
| Plural | Reichsmark |
| Symbol | ℛ︁ℳ︁ |
| Denominations | |
| Subunit | |
| 1⁄100 | Reichspfennig |
| Plural | |
| Reichspfennig | Reichspfennig |
| Banknotes | 5 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 10 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 20 ℛ︁ℳ︁ 50 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 100 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 1,000 ℛ︁ℳ︁ |
| Coins | 1 ℛ︁₰, 2 ℛ︁₰, 5 ℛ︁₰, 10 ℛ︁₰, 50 ℛ︁₰, 1 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 2 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 3 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 5 ℛ︁ℳ︁ |
| Demographics | |
| Date of introduction | 1924 |
| Replaced | German Rentenmark |
| Date of withdrawal |
|
| Replaced by |
|
| User(s) | |
| Issuance | |
| Central bank | Reichsbank |
| Valuation | |
| Pegged by | Belgian franc,Bohemian and Moravian koruna,Bulgarian lev,Danish krone,French franc,Italian lira,Luxembourg franc,Dutch gulden,Norwegian krone,Polish złoty,Serbian dinar,Slovak koruna (1939–1945),Ukrainian karbovanets inWorld War II as similar rates |
| This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete. | |
TheReichsmark (German:[ˈʁaɪçsˌmaʁk]ⓘ;sign:ℛ︁ℳ︁; abbreviation:RM) was thecurrency ofGermany from 1924 until the fall ofNazi Germany in 1945, and in theAmerican, British and French occupied zones of Germany, until 20 June 1948. The Reichsmark was then replaced by theDeutsche Mark, to become the currency ofWest Germany and then all of Germany after the 1990 reunification. The Reichsmark was used in theSoviet occupation zone of Germany until 23 June 1948, where it was replaced by theEast German mark. The Reichsmark was subdivided into 100Reichspfennig (Rpf or ℛ︁₰).[1] TheMark is an ancient Germanic weight measure, traditionally a half pound, later used for several coins;Reich (realm in English) comes from the official name for the German state from 1871 to 1945,Deutsches Reich.
The Reichsmark was introduced in 1924 as a permanent replacement for thePapiermark. This was necessary due to the1920s German inflation which had reached its peak in 1923. The exchange rate between the oldPapiermark and the Reichsmark was 1 ℛ︁ℳ︁ = 1012 ℳ︁ (one trillion in American English and French, one billion in German and other European languages and British English of the time; seelong and short scale). To stabilize the economy and to smooth the transition, thePapiermark was not directly replaced by the Reichsmark, but by theRentenmark, an interim currency backed by theDeutsche Rentenbank, owning industrial and agricultural real estate assets. The Reichsmark was put on thegold standard at the rate previously used by theGerman mark, with theU.S. dollar worth 4.20 ℛ︁ℳ︁.[2]
During this period a number ofshell companies were created and authorized to issue bonds outside the Reichsmark in order to finance state projects.[3] Nominally exchangeable at a 1:1 rate for Reichsmarks but then discounted by the Reichsbank this created secret monetary expansion without formally renouncing the gold standard of the Reichsmark.[4]
With theannexation of theFederal State of Austria by Germany in 1938, the Reichsmark replaced theAustrian schilling. During theSecond World War, Germany established fixed exchange rates between the Reichsmark and the currencies of theoccupied andallied countries, often set so as to give economic benefits to German soldiers and civilian contractors, who were paid their wages in local currency. The rates were as follows:
| Currency | Date set | Value per 10 ℛ︁ℳ︁ |
|---|---|---|
| Belgian franc | May 1940 | Fr 100 |
| July 1940 | Fr 125 | |
| Bohemia and Moravia crown | April 1939 | K 100 |
| Bulgarian lev | 1940 | Lev 333.33 |
| Danish crown | DKr 10 | |
| French franc | May 1940 | Fr 200 |
| Italian lira | 1943 | Lit 100 |
| Luxembourg franc | May 1940 | Fr 40 |
| July 1940 | Fr 100 | |
| Dutch guilder | 10 May 1940 | ƒ6.66 |
| 17 July 1940 | ƒ7.57 | |
| Norwegian crown | 1940 | NKr 13.33 |
| ? | NKr 17.50 | |
| Polish złoty | 1939 | zł 20 |
| Sterling (Channel Islands) | 1940 | £0 17s 4+1⁄2d |
| Croatian kuna | April 1941 | Kn 200 |
| Slovak crown | 1939 | Sk 100 |
| 1 October 1940 | Sk 116.20 | |
| Finnish mark | 1941 | FMk 197.44 |
After theSecond World War, the Reichsmark continued to circulate in Germany, but with new banknotes (Allied Occupation Marks) printed in the US and in theSoviet Zone, as well as with coins (withoutswastikas). Inflation in the final months of the war had reduced the value of the Reichsmark from 2.50 ℛ︁ℳ︁ = $1US to 10 ℛ︁ℳ︁ = $1US and a barter economy emerged due to the rapid depreciation.
AfterV-E Day, the Reichsmark's value decreased to 200 per dollar. While for German civilians one Allied Occupation Mark was equivalent to one Reichsmark, soldiers selling things civilians wanted on theblack market could receive Reichsmarks, exchange them for Allied Occupation Marks, then exchange Allied Occupation Marks at ten per dollar. A carton of American cigarettes thepost exchange sold to soldiers for $0.50 was worth 150 marks or $15 to German civilians;matches were the change.[5]
TheCurrency Reform of 1948 replaced the Reichsmark with theDeutsche Mark at a rate of 10:1 (1:1 for cash and current accounts) in June 1948 in theTrizone[6] and later in the same year by theEast German mark in the Soviet Occupation Zone (colloquially also "Ostmark", since 1968 officially "Mark der DDR"). The reform under the direction ofLudwig Erhard is considered the beginning of theWest German economic recovery; however, the secret plan to introduce the Deutsche Mark in the Trizone was formulated by economistEdward A. Tenenbaum of theUS military government, and was executed abruptly on 21 June 1948. Three days later, the new currency also replaced the Reichsmark in thethree Western sectors of Berlin. In November 1945, the Reichsmark was superseded by the Second Austrianschilling in Austria. In 1947, theSaar mark, later replaced with theSaar franc, was introduced in theSaar.[7]
In 1924, coins were introduced in denominations of1 ℛ︁₰, 2 ℛ︁₰,5 ℛ︁₰, 10 ℛ︁₰, and50 ℛ︁₰, and 1 ℳ︁ and 3 ℳ︁.[8]
4 Reichspfennig coins were issued in 1932 as part of a failed attempt by theReichskanzlerHeinrich Brüning to reduce prices through use of 4 ℛ︁₰ pieces instead of 5 ℛ︁₰ coins. Known as theBrüningtaler orArmer Heinrich ('poor Heinrich'), they were demonetized the following year. SeeBrüningtaler(in German). The quality of the Reichsmark coins decreased more and more towards the end of World War II and misprints happened more frequently.[9][10] Since the 4 ℛ︁₰ coin was only slightly larger than the 1 ℳ︁ coin and the imperial eagle looked similar, an attempt was made to pass it off as a 1-reichsmark coin by silvering the 4 ℛ︁₰ coin.[11]
| Value | 10Reichspfennig |
|---|---|
| Mass | 3.52 g |
| Diameter | 21 mm |
| Thickness | 1.5 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Composition | 100%Zn |
| Years of minting | 1940–1945 |
| Obverse | |
 | |
| Design | Reichsadler withswastika. Lettering: Deutsches Reich 1940 |
| Reverse | |
| |
| Design | Denomination and two oak leaves.Mintmark below the denomination and between leaves. Lettering: 10 Reichspfennig J |
The zinc10Reichspfennig coin was minted byNazi Germany between 1940 and 1945 during World War II, replacing the aluminium-bronze version, which had a distinct golden colour. It is worth1⁄10 or .10 of a Reichsmark. Made entirely ofzinc, the 10 ℛ︁₰ is an emergency issue type, similar to the zinc 1 ℛ︁₰ and5 ℛ︁₰, and thealuminium50 ℛ︁₰ coins from the same period.
Nazi Germany had a number of mints. Each mint location had its own identifiable letter. It is therefore possible to identify exactly which mint produced what coin by noting the mint mark on the coin. Not all mints were authorized to produce coins every year. The mints were also only authorized to produce a set number of coins with some mints allocated a greater production than others. Some of the coins with particular mint marks are therefore scarcer than others. With the silver 2 ℛ︁ℳ︁ and 5 ℛ︁ℳ︁ coins, the mint mark is found under the date on the left side of the coin. On the smaller denomination Reichspfennig coins, the mint mark is found on the bottom center of the coin.[12]
| Mint mark | Mint location | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | State MintBerlin, Germany | Capital of Germany | [12] |
| B | Austrian MintVienna, Austria | Capital of Austria | |
| D | Bavarian Central MintMunich, Germany | Capital of Bavaria | |
| E | Muldenhütten Mint [de] nearDresden, Germany | Capital of Saxony | |
| F | State Mint [de]Stuttgart, Germany | Capital of Württemberg | |
| G | State Mint [de]Karlsruhe, Germany | Capital of Baden | |
| J | Mint ofHamburg, Germany |
| Year | Mintage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 A | 212,948,000 | |
| 1940 B | 76,274,000 | |
| 1940 D | 45,434,000 | |
| 1940 E | 34,350,000 | |
| 1940 F | 27,603,000 | |
| 1940 G | 27,308,000 | |
| 1940 J | 41,678,000 |
| Year | Mintage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1941 A | 240,284,000 | |
| 1941 B | 70,747,000 | |
| 1941 D | 77,560,000 | |
| 1941 E | 36,548,000 | |
| 1941 F | 42,834,000 | |
| 1941 G | 28,765,000 | |
| 1941 J | 30,525,000 |
| Year | Mintage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1942 A | 184,545,000 | |
| 1942 B | 16,329,000 | |
| 1942 D | 40,852,000 | |
| 1942 E | 18,334,000 | |
| 1942 F | 32,690,000 | |
| 1942 G | 20,295,000 | |
| 1942 J | 29,957,000 |
| Year | Mintage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1943 A | 157,357,000 | |
| 1943 B | 11,940,000 | |
| 1943 D | 17,304,000 | |
| 1943 E | 10,445,000 | |
| 1943 F | 24,804,000 | |
| 1943 G | 3,618,000 | Rare |
| 1943 J | 1,821,000 |
| Year | Mintage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1944 A | 84,164,000 | |
| 1944 B | 40,781,000 | |
| 1944 D | 30,369,000 | |
| 1944 E | 29,963,000 | |
| 1944 F | 19,639,000 | |
| 1944 G | 13,023,000 |
| Year | Mintage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1945 A | 7,112,000 | Rare |
| 1945 E | 4,897,000 | Rare |
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The first Reichsmark banknotes were introduced by theReichsbank and state banks such as those ofBavaria,Saxony andBaden. The first Reichsbank issue of 1924 came in denominations of 10 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 20 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 50 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 100 ℛ︁ℳ︁, and 1,000 ℛ︁ℳ︁. This was followed by a second issue in the same denominations, dated between 1929 and 1936. The second issue commemorated persons who made contributions to German agriculture, industry, economy, science, and architecture: 10 ℛ︁ℳ︁ issued in 1929 commemorated agronomistAlbrecht Thaer; 20 ℛ︁ℳ︁ issued in 1929 commemorated engineer, inventor, and industrialistWerner von Siemens; 50 ℛ︁ℳ︁ issued in 1933 commemoratedPrussian politician and bankerDavid Hansemann; 100 ℛ︁ℳ︁ issued in 1935 commemorated chemist and "father of fertilizer industry"Justus von Liebig; 1,000 ℛ︁ℳ︁ issued in 1936 commemoratedPrussian architectKarl Friedrich Schinkel.
A newer version of 20 ℛ︁ℳ︁ note was introduced in 1939, using a design taken from an unissued AustrianS100 banknote type. 5 ℛ︁ℳ︁ notes were issued in 1942. Throughout this period, the Rentenbank also issued banknotes denominated in Rentenmark, mostly in RM 1 and RM 2 denominations.
In preparation for the occupation of Germany, the United States issued occupation banknotes dated 1944, printed by the Forbes Lithograph Printing Company of Boston. These were printed in similar colours with different sizes for groups of denominations. Notes were issued for1⁄2 ℳ︁, 1 ℳ︁, 5 ℳ︁, 10 ℳ︁, 20 ℳ︁, 50 ℳ︁, 100 ℳ︁, and 1,000 ℳ︁. The issuer was theAlliierte Militärbehörde ('Allied military authorities') withIn Umlauf gesetzt in Deutschland ('in legal circulation in Germany') printed on the obverse.
These notes were convertible to US dollars at a rate of 10:1. Seeing an opportunity to procure foreign hard currency, theSoviet Union demanded copies of the engraving plates, ink, and associated equipment in early 1944, and on 14 April 1944Henry Morgenthau andHarry Dexter White of theU.S. Treasury Department authorized the air transfer of these to the USSR. Using a printing plant in occupiedLeipzig, the Soviet authorities printed large runs of occupation marks to fill Soviet coffers with dollars causing inflation and financial instability. An investigation by theUnited States Congress (Occupation Currency Transactions Hearings before the Committee on Appropriations, Armed Services and Banking and Currency,U.S. Senate, 1947) found that about $380,000,000 "more currency than there were appropriations for" had been circulated.
In 1947Rhineland-Palatinate issued 5₰ and 10₰ notes withGeldschein on them.
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Coins and banknotes for circulation in the occupied territories during the war were issued by theReichskreditkassen. Holed, zinc coins in 5 ℛ︁₰ and 10 ℛ︁₰ denominations were struck in 1940 and 1941. Banknotes were issued between 1939 and 1945 in denominations of 50 ℛ︁₰, 1 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 2 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 5 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 20 ℛ︁ℳ︁, and 50 ℛ︁ℳ︁. These served as legal tender alongside the currency of the occupied countries.
The coins were originally planned in great numbers of 100 million and 250 million each of the 5 ℛ︁₰ and 10 ℛ︁₰ coins respectively. The first embossing order, which was issued in April 1940, was about 40 million × 5 ℛ︁₰ and 100 million × 10 ℛ︁₰. The total amount was divided between each of the seven German mints after the embossing key of 1939. The contract was stopped in August 1940 as the Wehrmacht, which had requested the coins for Belgium and France, had no more need of it. When the embossing stopped, only Berlin ("A") and Munich ("D") produced significant quantities, but they still came to only a small extent of original production plans. The majority were melted down due to the limited supply of metal and thus, most mint marks are now quite rare (except for 1940 5 A and D, and 1940 10 A).
Various special issues of Reichsmark currency were issued for use inconcentration andprisoner of war (POW) camps (Stalag). None were legal tender in Germany itself. From 1942 to 1943 tokens were struck for use within theŁódź Ghetto.[14][citation needed]
Special issues of Reichsmark currency were issued for use by theWehrmacht from 1942 to 1944. The first issue was denominated in 1 ℛ︁₰, 5 ℛ︁₰, 10 ℛ︁₰, and 50 ℛ︁₰ and 1 ℛ︁ℳ︁, but was valued at 1 military Reichspfennig = 10 civilian Reichspfennig. This series was printed on only one side. The second issue notes of 1 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 5 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 10 ℛ︁ℳ︁, and 50 ℛ︁ℳ︁ were equal in value to the ordinary German Reichsmark and were printed on both sides.
The 5 Mark note pictured, front and back, is Allied military currency ("AMC") printed at Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Company in Boston for occupied Germany. There were different AMCs for each liberated area of Europe.[15]
| Preceded by: Rentenmark Reason:hyperinflation Ratio: 1 Rentenmark = 1,000,000,000,000 Papiermark, and 4.2 Rentenmark =US$1 | Currency of Germany (Weimar Republic borders) 1924 – 1948 Note: In parallel withRentenmark | Succeeded by: East German Mark Reason: reaction to the changeover inTrizone (later West Germany andWest Berlin) Ratio: 1 Mark = 7 Rentenmark on the first 70 Rentenmark for private individuals, otherwise 1 Kuponmark = 10 Rentenmark |
| Succeeded by: Deutsche Mark Reason: intended to protect West Germany from the second wave ofhyperinflation and stop the rampant barter andblack market trade Ratio: 1 Deutsche Mark = 1 Rentenmark for first 600 ℛ︁ℳ︁, 1 Deutsche Mark = 10 Rentenmark thereafter, plus each person received 40 Deutsche Mark | ||
| Succeeded by: Polish złoty Reason: Transfer of theRecovered Territories toPoland Ratio: None | ||
| Succeeded by: Soviet ruble Reason: Transfer of modernKaliningrad Oblast toSoviet Union Ratio: None | ||
| Preceded by: French franc Reason: annexation toGermany Ratio: ? | Currency ofSaarland 1935 – 1947 Note: In parallel withRentenmark | Succeeded by: Saar mark Reason: creation of theprotectorate Ratio: ? |
| Preceded by: Austrian schilling Reason:annexation to Germany Ratio: 1 Mark = 1.5 Schilling | Currency of Austria 1938 – 1945 Note: In parallel withRentenmark | Succeeded by: Austrian schilling Reason: restoration of independence Ratio: 1:1 for first 150 Schilling |
| Preceded by: Czechoslovak koruna Reason: annexation toGermany Ratio: ? | Currency ofSudetenland 1938 – 1945 Note: In parallel withRentenmark | Succeeded by: Czechoslovak koruna Reason: re-integration toCzechoslovakia Ratio: ? |
| Preceded by: Lithuanian litas Reason: annexation toGermany Ratio: 1 Mark = 2.5 litas | Currency ofKlaipėda (Memel) 1939 – 1945 Note: In parallel withRentenmark | Succeeded by: Soviet ruble Reason: re-integration toSoviet Union Ratio: ? |
| Preceded by: Danzig gulden Reason: annexation toGermany Ratio: 1 Mark = 1.43 Gulden | Currency of theFree City of Danzig 1939 – 1945 Note: In parallel withRentenmark | Succeeded by: Polish złoty Reason: annexation toPoland Ratio: ? |
| Preceded by: Polish złoty Reason: annexation toGermany Ratio: 1 Mark = 2 złote | Currency ofPolish areas annexed by Nazi Germany 1939 – 1945 | Succeeded by: Polish złoty Reason: re-integration toPoland Ratio: ? |
| Preceded by: Belgian franc Reason: annexation toGermany Ratio: 1 Mark = 12.5 franc | Currency ofEupen-Malmedy 1940 – 1945 Note: In parallel withRentenmark | Succeeded by: Belgian franc Reason: re-integration to Belgium Ratio: 1 Mark = 12.5 franc |
| Preceded by: Luxembourgish franc Reason: annexation toGermany Ratio: 1 Mark = 10 Franc | Currency ofLuxembourg 1940 – 1945 Note: In parallel withRentenmark | Succeeded by: Belgian franc Luxembourgish franc Reason: restoration of independence Ratio: ? |
| Preceded by: French franc Reason: annexation toGermany Ratio: ? | Currency ofAlsace-Lorraine 1940 – 1945 Note: In parallel withRentenmark | Succeeded by: French franc Reason: re-integration to France Ratio: ? |
| Preceded by: Yugoslav dinar Reason: annexation toGermany Ratio: 1 Mark = 20 dinars | Currency of northernSlovenia 1941 – 1945 Note: In parallel withRentenmark | Succeeded by: Yugoslav dinar Reason: re-integration toYugoslavia Ratio: ? |
| Preceded by: Italian lira Reason: annexation toGermany Ratio: ? | Currency of southernSlovenia 1943 – 1945 Note: In parallel withRentenmark | Succeeded by: Yugoslav dinar Reason: re-integration toYugoslavia Ratio: ? |
| Preceded by: Soviet ruble Reason: annexation toRomania Ratio: ? | Currency ofTransnistria 1941 – 1945 | Succeeded by: Soviet ruble Reason: re-integration toSoviet Union Ratio: ? |
| Circulating | |
|---|---|
| Obsolete and historical | |
| Generic placeholder | |
