# The Germans — The Economic Consequences of the Peace character guide

> The Germans in The Economic Consequences of the Peace by John Maynard Keynes.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Germans, the retreating Germans, some Germans, The Germans

**First appearance:** 0001-the-economic-consequences-of-the-peace

## Snapshot

A people charged with overturning the foundations of Europe, now facing terms that may finish what the war began.

## Who they are

Keynes grants them the initiating guilt — moved by insane delusion and reckless self-regard, they overturned the foundations on which all lived. Yet he refuses to let that guilt justify a peace that would impair the delicate organization through which European peoples must employ themselves and live. Their fate becomes the test case for whether victors can distinguish justice from vengeance.

## Relationships

### [Germany](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/characters/germany)

_family_

Germany and the Germans are a collective identity, with the nation representing its people's suffering and defiance.

### [The French](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/characters/the_french)

_rivalry_

The French and Germans are historic enemies, with deep mutual animosity and distrust after the war.

### [Germany](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/characters/germany)

_family_

Germany and the Germans are a collective identity, with the nation representing its people's suffering and defiance.

## In the story

### [Europe Before the War](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/chapters/ii-europe-before-the-war)

Mentioned as part of the Germanic system enabling Central Europe's dense population.

### [Population](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/chapters/i-population)

The German population increase of about 850,000 annually before the war was only possible through industrial and economic transformation.

### [III: The Conference](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/chapters/iii-the-conference)

Enemy nation whose economic system was targeted for destruction; excluded from discussions at the last moment.

### [Germany's Capacity to Pay](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/chapters/iii-germany-s-capacity-to-pay)

Mentioned in context of potential labor for reconstruction and the impact of war on the population.

### [The Reparation Commission](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/chapters/iv-the-reparation-commission)

German Financial Commission at Versailles criticizes the Commission as annihilating German democracy; the Allies reject this view.

### [V: The German Counterproposals](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/chapters/v-the-german-counterproposals)

The German Delegation is described as obscure and disingenuous in their counterproposals.

### [VI: Europe After the Treaty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/chapters/vi-europe-after-the-treaty)

The German Economic Commission's report is cited, detailing Germany's transformation from agricultural to industrial state and the impact of the treaty.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/chapters/endnotes)

Referenced in the context of surrendering merchant marine and suffering from malnutrition and disease.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/characters/the_germans
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_economic_consequences_of_the_peace_se/characters