Saar (protectorate)

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The Saar, corresponding to the current German state of Saarland, was a protectorate under French control between 1947 and 1956.

[edit] History

Under the Treaty of Versailles the Saar had earlier been governed by the League of Nations for a period of 15 years from 1920, and its coalfields administered by France. When the original 15-year-term was over, a plebiscite was held in the territory on January 13, 1935 and 90.3 percent of the voters cast their ballot for a return to Germany. After incorporation into the Third Reich in 1935 it was included in the Gau of Saar-Palatinate (Saarpfalz) until 1942, when it was changed to Westmark.

The territory had also been under French administration during the Napoleonic Wars, when it had been included in the French Empire under as the département of Sarre between 1798 and 1814.

[edit] Politics

After World War II, in 1947, control of the territory was once again returned to France. As was the case from 1920 to 1935, postage stamps were issued specially for the territory 1947–1959 (see postage stamps and postal history of the Saar for details).

In the general elections of December 1952, a clear majority expressed their support for the parties who wanted to remain autonomous under France, although 24 percent cast blank ballots in support of banned pro-German parties.

In the Paris Accords of 23 October 1954, France offered to establish an independent "Saarland", under the auspices of the Western European Union (WEU), but a referendum held on 23 October 1955 rejected this plan by 67.7% to 32.3% (out of a 96.5% turnout: 423,434 against, 201,975 for). Instead, the people of the Saar opted for the return of the Saar to the Federal Republic of Germany.[1]

On October 27, 1956, the Saar Treaty established that Saarland should be allowed to rejoin West Germany, which it did on January 1, 1957.

The principal reason for the French desire for economic control of the Saar was its large coal deposits. To satisfy this, the French were offered compensation for the return of the Saar to Germany: the Saar treaty permitted France to extract coal from the Warndt coal deposit until 1981.

The currencies used in the Saar were the Saar mark, introduced in 1947, and the Saar franken, on par with the French franc, introduced in coins in 1954. Although the Saar rejoined West Germany (as Saarland) on January 1, 1957, the Deutsche mark was not valid in Saarland until July 6, 1959.

The conflict between France and Germany over control of the Saarland led to the European flag being given 12 stars instead of the originally proposed 15.

[edit] Sport

The Saar competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, and the Saarland national football team [2] participated in the qualifying section of the 1954 FIFA World Cup, but failed after coming second to the West German team, but ahead of Norway. Legendary coach Helmut Schön was the manager of the Saarland team from 1952 until Saarland became a part of West Germany in 1957.

[edit] See also

• Saar, a League of Nations governed territory (1920-1935)
• Sarre, a département of France (1798-1814)
• Saar River

[edit] External links

• interets-union-economique-franco-sarroise-1952 Documents relating to the Saar-France Issue.
• Morgenthau (post surrender) Plan from 1944 Purpose of proposed Saar transfer is to weaken German industry.
• Restatement of Policy on Germany. Secretary of State James F. Byrnes. Stuttgart. September 6, 1946 Statement in favour of the transfer of the Saar To France.
• France, Germany and the Struggle for the War-making Natural Resources of the Rhineland Describes the contest for the Saar over the centuries.
• Foreign relations of the United States, 1947. Council of Foreign Ministers; Germany and Austria Pg. 1073 onwards deals with "Attitude of the United States Regarding the Detachment of the Saar from Germany and its Integration into the French Economy"