The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, was significant as it formally ended World War I and imposed heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany. This treaty marked a shift in international relations and aimed to prevent future conflicts by establishing the League of Nations. However, the punitive nature of the treaty fostered feelings of humiliation and economic hardship in Germany, contributing to the socio-political turmoil that would later enable the rise of Adolf Hitler and the onset of World War II. The treaty's impact reshaped borders in Europe and had longstanding consequences on global politics.