Treaty of Versailles (1871)

The preliminary Peace of Versailles (official peace preliminaries between the German Empire and France) was concluded on February 26, 1871 between France and the German Empire during the Franco-German War in the Palace of Versailles. This Präliminarfriede was confirmed and complemented in May 1871 by the Treaty of Frankfurt.

The contract includes ten articles. By Article I France renounced many of its department of Bas- Rhin, Haut-Rhin and Moselle and Meurthe two arrondissements in favor of the German Empire, which was founded during the war. The ceded territories were established under the Act in June 1871, the Association of Alsace and Lorraine to the German Empire officially part of the German Empire ( Reich country Alsace- Lorraine). In Article II, France undertook to pay a reparation in the amount of five billion francs. The remaining articles include regulations on the evacuation of occupied territories, the emigration of inhabitants of the ceded territories and the start of peace negotiations.

The contract was signed for Germany by Chancellor Bismarck and the four southern German ministers Bray- Steinburg, Guardian, Wed night and Jolly. For France signed Thiers and Favre.