how did the germans interpret the article?
It was considered to be unfair demands, and a "violation of honour".
Treaty of Versailles
considered to be unfair demands, and a "violation of honour",
paragraph 231 of the versailles treaty dealt with It was the opening article of the reparations section of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended the First World War between the German Empire and the Allied and Associated Powers. who wrote it? Norman Davis and John Foster Dulles which countries were part of this empire? The empire  consisted of 26 states, most of them ruled by royal families. which languages did they speak? German, Polish, Danish, Dutch and Frisian etc and which religions did they follow? Christianity, protestants, Muslims etc what is 'sonderweg'? Many historians have emphasized the central importance of a German or "special path" (or "exceptionalism") as the root of Nazism and the German catastrophe in the 20th century. name some of their colonies German East Africa, Kenya, Rhodesia and Portuguese Mozambique. who were part of the allied powers? The United States and France who signed off on the original treaty? The armistice
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Treaty of Versailles [SEP] Germany
On 29 April, the German delegation under the leadership of the Foreign Minister Ulrich Graf von Brockdorff-Rantzau arrived in Versailles. On 7 May, when faced with the conditions dictated by the victors, including the so-called "War Guilt Clause", von Brockdorff-Rantzau replied to Clemenceau, Wilson and Lloyd George: "We know the full brunt of hate that confronts us here. You demand from us to confess we were the only guilty party of war; such a confession in my mouth would be a lie." Because Germany was not allowed to take part in the negotiations, the German government issued a protest against what it considered to be unfair demands, and a "violation of honour", soon afterwards withdrawing from the proceedings of the peace conference.