How Do You Spell REICHSMARK?

Pronunciation: [ɹˈa͡ɪxsmɑːk] (IPA)

The word "reichsmark" is a German currency term that was in use prior to World War II. The phonetic transcription of the word begins with the voiced alveolar fricative consonant /z/, followed by the monophthong vowel /aɪ/ and the voiceless velar stop consonant /k/. The second syllable contains the voiceless bilabial plosive /p/ and the voiced velar nasal /ŋ/, and the final syllable has the voiceless alveolar fricative /s/ and the voiceless velar stop consonant /k/. The word is typically spelled as "reichsmark" in English language texts.

REICHSMARK Meaning and Definition

1. The Reichsmark was the official currency of Germany from 1924 to 1948. Derived from the German word "Reich," meaning empire or realm, and "Mark," referring to the basic monetary unit, the term Reichsmark broadly signified the currency of the German Reich, specifically during the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany eras.

   Introduced as a replacement for the old Papiermark in 1924, the Reichsmark aimed to stabilize German currency following the severe inflation experienced during World War I and the subsequent economic crisis. The new currency, issued and controlled by the Reichsbank, had 100 Reichspfennig as its subunit.

   During the hyperinflationary period of the Weimar Republic, one US dollar was equivalent to billions of Reichsmarks. However, with the onset of the Nazi regime in 1933 and the implementation of economic policies focusing on rearmament and autarky, the value of the Reichsmark stabilized relative to other currencies.

   Following World War II, the currency was replaced by the Deutsche Mark in West Germany and the East German Mark in the Soviet-controlled German Democratic Republic. The Reichsmark ceased to be legal tender and was replaced by the new currency at a pre-determined exchange rate.

   Today, the Reichsmark holds historical significance as a symbol of the economic and political turmoil faced by Germany during the interwar and World War II periods.

Etymology of REICHSMARK

The word "reichsmark" has its roots in the German language and is composed of two components: "reichs" and "mark".

1. "Reichs": The term "reichs" comes from the Middle High German word "rieches", which means "empire" or "kingdom". It is derived from the Old High German word "rihhi", meaning "ruler" or "king". In the context of "reichsmark", "reichs" refers to the German Reich, specifically the Third Reich, which was established under Adolf Hitler's rule in 1933.

2. "Mark": The word "mark" is derived from several Germanic languages, including Old English, Old Norse, and Old High German. It originally referred to a unit of weight for precious metals, such as silver. Over time, it evolved to represent a unit of currency.

Plural form of REICHSMARK is REICHSMARK OR REICHSMARKS