Saarland : Germany

An eventful history. The political evolution of the smallest German state (apart from the city-states) mirrors The vicissitudes of German history in the 20th century. After World War I, upon the entry into force of the Treaty of Versailles in 1920, this coal and steel region was detached from the German Reich and placed under the administration of the League of Nations. In 1935 the people of the Saar voted by a majority of more than 90 percent in favor of its political reintegra-tion into Germany.

The same thing happened after World WarII. France, the occupying power, closed off the border between the Saarland and the rest of Germany. In a referendum held in 1955, the Saar-landers again voted by a large majority in favor of the of the Saar to the Federal Republic. France’s consent to this wish was a milestone in the process of Franco-German reconciliation. The reintegration of the Saarland on 1 January 1957 was effected in accordance with Article 23 of the Basic Law (the German constitution) - setting a precedent for the process of German unification in 1990.