Article 231 (War Guilt Clause)

Article 231, known as the War Guilt Clause, is a part of the Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919 after World War I. It states that Germany and its allies accept full responsibility for causing the war. This clause aimed to justify the reparations imposed on Germany, which required them to compensate the Allied nations for the damage caused during the conflict. The article became deeply controversial, as many Germans viewed it as a humiliation and a false narrative, contributing to political and social unrest in Germany and laying groundwork for future tensions leading to World War II.