Germany's Currency Before the Euro: The Deutsche Mark

Deutsche Mark (DM) — 1948 to 2002

The **Deutsche Mark (DM)** was West Germany's (later unified Germany's) official currency from the **1948 currency reform** until **January 1, 2002**, when euro cash entered circulation. Fixed conversion: **1 EUR = 1.95583 DM**.

The Mark symbolized post-war recovery, stability, and Bundesbank credibility—becoming a global reserve currency alongside the USD.