View source for German ostmark

{{for|the East German currency|East German mark}}
{{Infobox currency
| currency_name_in_local = {{native name|de|Ostmark}}<br/>{{native name|pl|ostmarka}}<br/>{{native name|et|idamark}}<br/>{{native name|ru|остмарка|italics=no}}<br/>{{native name|lt|ostmarkė}}|
| image_1 = Ostmark.jpg
| image_background_1 = 
| image_title_1 = 
| image_2 = Reverse Ostmark.jpg
| image_background_2 = 
| image_title_2 = 
| issuing_authority = {{lang|de|Darlehnskasse, [[Kaunas|Kowno]]}}
| date_of_introduction = 4 April 1918
| date_of_introduction_source = 
| date_of_withdrawal = 1922
| using_countries = {{Plainlist}}
* {{flagicon|German Empire}} {{lang|de|[[Ober Ost]]}}
* {{flagicon|Courland}} [[Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1918)|Duchy of Courland and Semigallia]]
* {{flag|United Baltic Duchy}}
{{Endplainlist}}
| unofficial_users = {{Plainlist}}
* {{flag|Lithuania}} <small>(1918–22)</small>
* {{flag|Estonia}} <small>(1918–19)</small>
{{Endplainlist}}|
| subunit_ratio_1 = {{frac|1|100}}
| subunit_name_1 = {{native name|de|[[pfennig]]}}<br/>{{native name|pl|fenig, fenigów}}<br/>{{native name|lv|feniņš}}
| symbol = ℳ
| symbol_subunit_1 = <!--₰-->
| plural_slavic = 
| used_coins = 
| used_banknotes = {{frac|1|2}}ℳ, 1ℳ, 2ℳ, 5ℳ, 20ℳ, 50ℳ, 100ℳ, 1,000ℳ
| obsolete = yes
| footnotes = Circulated alongside [[German ostrubel|German {{lang|de|Ostrubel|nocat=y}}]], with {{lang|de|2= 2 Ostmark = 1 Ostrubel}}
}}
'''{{lang|de|Ostmark|nocat=y}}''' ({{IPA|de|ˈɔstmaʁk|lang|De-Ostmark.oga}}) is the name given to a [[currency]] denominated in {{lang|de|Mark}} which was issued by [[German Empire|Germany]] in 1918 for use in a part of the eastern areas under German control at that time, the {{lang|de|[[Ober Ost]]}} area. The currency consisted of [[banknote|paper money]] issued on 4 April 1918 by the {{lang|de|Darlehnskasse}} in {{lang|de|Kowno}} ([[Kaunas]]) and was equal to the [[German Papiermark|German {{lang|de|Papiermark|nocat=y}}]]. The {{lang|de|Ostmark}} circulated alongside the [[Rouble|Imperial rouble]] and the {{lang|de|[[German ostrubel|Ostrubel]]}}, with two {{lang|de|Ostmark}} equal to one {{lang|de|Ostrubel}}.

==Denominations==
[[File:GER-R134-Darlehnskassenschein-1000 Mark (1918).jpg|thumb|{{lang|de|1,000 Ostmark}} from Lithuania, 1918]]
The denominations available were:
* {{frac|1|2}} mark;
* 1 mark;
* 2 marks;
* 5 marks;
* 20 marks;
* 50 marks;
* 100 marks;
* 1000 marks.

The reverse sides of the {{lang|de|Darlehnskassenscheine}} carry a warning against forging banknotes in German, Latvian and Lithuanian.

==Aftermath==
The Ostmark and Ostrubel continued to circulate in [[Lithuania]] from the end of [[World War I]] until 1 October 1922, when they were replaced by the {{lang|lt|[[Lithuanian litas|litas]]}}. The names {{lang|lt|skatikas}} and {{lang|lt|auksinas}} were used for {{lang|de|Pfennig}} and {{lang|de|Mark}}, for example, on [[postage stamp]]s. The reason for the replacement was the link to the {{lang|de|Papiermark}}, which already suffered from inflation (and would spiral into [[hyperinflation]] in 1923). The {{lang|lt|litas}} was [[fixed exchange-rate system|pegged]] to the [[United States dollar|U.S. dollar]].

==Bibliography==
* {{lang|de|Gerhard Hahne, Die Inflation der Markwährungen und das postalische Geschehen im litauisch-polnischen Raum, Forschungsgemeinschaft Litauen im Bund Deutscher Philatelisten e.V., Uetze, (1996)}} {{in lang|de}}
* N. Jakimovs and V. Marcilger, ''The Postal and Monetary History of Latvia 1918–1945'', own book, 1991, pp.&nbsp;14–13 - 14–15.

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060206104855/http://aes.iupui.edu/RWISE/countries/germany1.html German banknotes, a.o. Ostrubels and Ostmarks.]

{{Portal|Money|Numismatics}}

{{Mark}}

[[Category:Currencies of Germany]]
[[Category:Currencies of Lithuania]]
[[Category:German Empire in World War I]]
[[Category:Modern obsolete currencies]]
[[Category:1918 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:1922 disestablishments]]
[[Category:Currencies introduced in 1918]]