London ultimatum

© pmsa Memorial for the British Prime Minister Lloyd George in Cardiff

On 5 May 1921, the British Prime Minister David Lloyd George delivers the „London Ultimatum“ to the German ambassador in London. The allies had decided a few days before to require the German Reich to make obligatory reparation payments in the astronomical amount of 132 billion gold marks in 66 annual instalments, to hasten demilitarisation as required by the Versailles Peace Treaty of 1919, and to extradite a number of war criminals. In the absence of German cooperation, the allies threaten to occupy the Ruhr District. On 11 May 1921, the government of Reich Chancellor Joseph Wirth and the Reichstag will unconditionally agree to the demands.