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. In a plebiscite held in the territory at the end of this 15-year term, on January 13, 1935, 90.3 percent of the voters cast their ballot in favour of a return to Germany. After incorporation into the Third Reich in 1935 it was included in the Gau of Saar-Palatinate (Saarpfalz) which was renamed Westmark in 1942.

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

[edit] Politics

After World War II the Saarland came under French administration again, as the Saar Protectorate.

Under the "Monnet Plan" France attempted to gain economic control of the remaining German industrial areas with large coal and mineral deposits; the Ruhr area and the Saar area (Germany's second largest centre of mining and industry, Upper Silesia, had been handed over to Poland by the Allies for occupation and the German population was being forcibly expelled). French attempts to gain control of or internationalize the Ruhr area ultimately failed. The attempt to gain control over the Saar was more successful.

In the speech Restatement of Policy on Germany, held in Stuttgart on September 6, 1946, the United States Secretary of State James F. Byrnes stated the U.S. motive in detaching the Saar from Germany as "The United States does not feel that it can deny to France, which has been invaded three times by Germany in 70 years, its claim to the Saar territory". (see also the "Morgenthau plan" for U.S. and UK designs for the Saar area)

As had been the case from 1920 to 1935, postage stamps were issued specially for the territory from 1947–1959 (see postage stamps and postal history of the Saar for details).

Under the French, pro-German parties were banned.

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 treaty also stated that economic union with West Germany was to be completed by 1960.

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.

Germany also had to agree to the channelization of the Moselle. This reduced French freight costs of the Lorraine steel industry.

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 German 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.[2][3]

[edit] Sport

The Saar competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, and the Saarland national football team participated in the qualifying section of the 1954 FIFA World Cup, but failed to qualify after coming second to the West German team, but ahead of Norway. Helmut Schön was the manager of the Saarland team from 1952 until Saarland became a part of West Germany in 1957.[4]

[edit] See also

• Saar, a League of Nations governed territory (1920-1935)
• Sarre, a département of France (1798-1814)
• Saar River
• Monnet Plan Plan for the detachment of German industrial regions for the benefit of France

[edit] Further reading

• Jacques Freymond, "The Saar Conflict, 1945-1955", Stevens, London, 1960.

[edit] External links

• French proposal regarding the detachment of German industrial regions September 8, 1945
• 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"
• THE SAAR CONFLICT 1945-1955 at Questia