Saar Plebiscite Done by Divine and Isabel Background

Saar Plebiscite Done by: Divine and Isabel

Background ● ● 1920 - 1935 Originally part of Germany League of Nations mandate Occupied and governed by the United Kingdom and France ● France controlled its coal mines for fifteen years

Information ● Area taken from Germany ● Demilitarized zone ● On the border between Germany and France ● Valuable area (Contained coalfields, factories and railway centers)

Saarland Residents ● ● ● ● Anti-nazis resided in Saar Communists created a United Front to stay under LON Residing Nazis wanted to return to Germany Created German Front with Catholics Saar police and Gestapo defeated opponents League did not take action Feared Nazi riots

Objectives People of Saar held plebiscite to decide their future 1. Remain under League control 2. Return to Germany 3. Become part of France

Results ● Held in 1935 ● 90. 8% - Reunite with Germany ● 8. 8% - No change (Did not want to be ruled by Nazis) ● 0. 4% - Join France ● Hitler regarded this as a great triumph

“Saarland’s devotedness shows the world how Germans stick together”

Effects ● Validated Nazi regime ● Showed that Germans were not forced to support Nazi ● Germans who lived outside Germany had proved that they hated the TOV and loved their country more than they feared Hitler’s plan ● Difficult for Hitler’s opponents to argue that the German people were not fully supporting him ● Boosted Hitler's status ● Showed the League was scared to confront violence