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Currency history

German mark — 1871–1948 continuity

German mark: a historical unit of account.

Dates in use
Introduction and ending not established
Ancestry branch
Prussian thaler

Its place in the family

All ancestors and descendants ↗
German mark — 1871–1948 continuity: documented and qualified family connections PARENTS THIS CURRENCY CHILDREN Austrian schilling — 1925–1938 currencyAustrian schilling 1938 · DocumentedLater contribution or absorptionAustria adopted the Reichsmark at 1.5Documented connection · 1938 · Austria adopted the Reichsmark at 1.5 schillings per Reichsmark. Prussian thaler — nineteenth-century unitPrussian thaler 1873 · DocumentedDocumented connection · 1873 South German florin — nineteenth-century unitSouth German florin 1873 · DocumentedDocumented connection · 1873 Lithuanian litas — interwar currencyLithuanian litas 1922 · DocumentedDocumented connection · 1922 Austrian schilling — postwar currencyAustrian schilling 1945 · DocumentedPostwar Austrian schillings replacedReichsmarks at 1:1 under restrictedDocumented connection · 1945 · Postwar Austrian schillings replaced Reichsmarks at 1:1 under restricted exchange rules. One of two incoming monetary instruments; no exclusive single parent assigned. Deutsche MarkDeutsche Mark 1948 · DocumentedDocumented connection · 1948 German mark — 1871–1948 continuityGerman mark Currency history

The diagram shows up to three parents and three children. Every direct connection is listed below.

Parents 4

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German mark

This currency

Children 7

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The story

The mark became the common currency of the German Reich. [1]

Turning points

Multiple currency unification

Prussian thalers entered the imperial mark at three marks per thaler. Conversion framework; not an instantaneous withdrawal of every coin. [2]

Multiple currency unification

South German florins entered at twelve marks per seven florins. Exact rational stated in prose; no rounded decimal valuation. [3]

Convertibility suspension

Gold redemption ended; the mark continued on an inconvertible basis. An internal monetary-regime change, not a new currency born at par. [4]

Currency authorisation

The monetary legislation established the Reichsmark framework. [5]

Parallel unit parity

Rentenmark notes continued alongside Reichsmarks at equal unit value. Not immediate extinction of Rentenmark notes. [6]

Territorial adoption

Austria adopted the Reichsmark at 1.5 schillings per Reichsmark. [7]

Sources and evidence

  1. Deutsche Bundesbank · Purchasing power comparisons — history of German money C881 ↗
  2. Deutsche Bundesbank · Purchasing power comparisons — history of German money C879 ↗
  3. Deutsche Bundesbank · Purchasing power comparisons — history of German money C880 ↗
  4. Deutsche Bundesbank · Purchasing power comparisons — history of German money C882 ↗
  5. Deutsche Bundesbank · Das Papiergeld im Deutschen Reich 1871–1948 C885 ↗
  6. Deutsche Bundesbank · Das Papiergeld im Deutschen Reich 1871–1948 C887 ↗
  7. Oesterreichische Nationalbank · OeNB history C847 ↗

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Cite this page

“German mark — 1871–1948 continuity.” The Family Tree of Money. © Field Technologies, Inc. Reader edition 2026-10-13; research dataset v44. https://familytreeofmoney.org/currency/FTM000309.html

Editorial evidence supplement · Download dataset v44

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