THE GERMAN ARMY, ARMAMENTS, ETC.
The German army must be demobilized within two months of the peace.
Its strength may not exceed 100,000 including 4,000 officers, to be
devoted exclusively to maintaining internal order and control of
frontiers. The great German General Staff is abolished. The army
administrative service is reduced to one-tenth of the total in 1913
budget.
Customs officers, coast guards, etc., may not exceed the number in
1913. Local police may be increased with growth in population only,
and none of these may be assembled for military training.
Within three months of the peace all establishments manufacturing arms
and munitions of war except those specifically excepted must be closed
and their personnel dismissed. The amount of armament and munitions
allowed Germany is laid down in detail tables, all in excess to be
surrendered or rendered useless. The manufacture or importations of
asphyxiating, poisonous, or other gases is forbidden, as well as
importations of arms, munitions, and war material. Germany may not
manufacture such material for foreign governments.
Conscription is abolished. The enlisted personnel is to be maintained
by voluntary enlistments for a term of twelve consecutive years.
Officers remaining in the service must agree to serve to the age of
forty-five. Newly appointed officers agree to serve for twenty-five
years.
No military schools but those indispensable shall exist in Germany two
months after the peace. No associations, such as societies of
discharged soldiers, shooting or touring clubs, etc., may occupy
themselves with military matters. All measures of mobilization are
forbidden.
All fortified works in German territory within a zone of fifty
kilometers east of the Rhine shall be dismantled within three months.
Construction of new fortifications is forbidden. Fortified works on
southern and eastern front may remain. Interallied commissions will
see to the execution of the provisions for which a time limit is set,
the maximum named being three months. Germany must afford them every
facility to go to any part of Germany, pay their expenses, and cost of
labor and material necessary in destruction or surrender of army
equipment.
THE GERMAN NAVY.
The German navy must be demobilized within two months of the peace.
She will be allowed six small battleships, six light cruisers, twelve
destroyers, twelve torpedo boats and no submarines, either military or
commercial, with a personnel of 15,000 men, including officers, and no
reserve force of any character. Conscription is abolished, only
voluntary service being permitted, with a minimum period of
twenty-five years' service for officers and twelve for men. No member
of the German mercantile marine will be permitted any naval training.
All German vessels of war in foreign ports and the German high-sea
fleet interned at Scapa Flow will be surrendered, the final
disposition to be decided upon by the Allied and Associated Powers.
Germany must surrender forty-two modern destroyers, fifty modern
torpedo boats, and all submarines with their salvage vessels. War
vessels under construction must be broken up, other war vessels may be
placed in reserve, or used in commerce. Ships cannot be replaced
except those lost, until at the end of twenty years for battleships,
and fifteen years for destroyers. The largest armored ship permitted
Germany will be 10,000 tons. All German fortifications in the Baltic
defending the passages through the belts must be demolished. For three
months after the peace German wireless stations at Nauen, Hanover, and
Berlin will be permitted to send commercial messages only under
supervision of the Associated and Allied Powers, and no more may be
built.
CABLES--AIR FORCES.
Germany renounces all title to specified cables, the value of such as
were privately owned being credited to her against reparation
indebtedness. The armed forces of Germany must not include air forces
for more than 100 unarmed seaplanes. No dirigibles shall be kept. All
the air personnel must be demobilized within two months except for
1,000 men retained until October 1, 1919. No aviation grounds or
dirigible sheds are allowed within 150 kilometers of the Rhine, or the
eastern or southern frontiers. Existing installations will be
destroyed. Manufacture of aircraft is forbidden for six months. All
military and naval aeronautical material must be surrendered within
three months, except the 100 planes specified.
PRISONERS.
Repatriation of German prisoners and interned civilians will be
carried out without delay at Germany's expense by a mixed commission
of Allies and Germans. The Allies have the right to hold German
officers until Germany has surrendered persons guilty of offenses
against the laws and customs of war. Repatriation is conditional on
the immediate release of any Allied subjects still in Germany. Germany
is to restore all property belonging to Allied prisoners.
GRAVES.
Both parties will respect and maintain the graves of soldiers and
sailors buried on their territory and assist commissions charged with
identifying, registering, etc., erecting monuments over the graves,
and to afford each other facilities for repatriating the remains of
their soldiers.