Reichsmark

The Reichsmark was the currency of the German Reich from 1924 to 1948. It replaced the Papiermark as part of a stabilization program following the hyperinflation of 1923, and was issued by the Reichsbank. The currency was divided into 100 Reichspfennig to 1 Reichsmark and circulated as the standard medium of exchange throughout the country, including the territories under German control during World War II.

The Reichsmark emerged from the earlier Rentenmark reform. Introduced in 1924, it was initially backed by foreign reserves and assets held by the Reichsbank, and it remained the predominant monetary unit in the Weimar Republic and the Nazi era. Banknotes and coins were produced for everyday transactions, and the Reichsmark functioned as the primary unit of account both for civilian life and state finance during this period.

Following Germany’s defeat in World War II, Allied occupation authorities implemented currency reforms that effectively ended the Reichsmark. In the western zones, the Reichsmark was replaced by the Deutsche Mark at a fixed rate; in the Soviet-occupied zone, a separate postwar currency was introduced. The Reichsmark thus ceased to be legal tender in the areas that would become West Germany and East Germany, marking the end of its use.

Today, the Reichsmark is of historical interest and is collected by numismatists. It remains a symbol of a tumultuous period in German history, spanning the late Weimar era, the Nazi regime, and the immediate postwar transition.