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Saarland Plebiscite Badge
Jan 13, 1935
German Was, German Is, German Remains the Saar: This is a rarely seen tinnie, tombac, 34 x 37 mm, reverse ding, moderate wear.
Price ... $75 SOLD - Pirgit L
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The Saarland (pop 800,000 in 1933) is a small territory in southwest Germany, west of the Rhine, bounded by France, Luxembourg, and the German Rhineland. The capital is Saarbrücken, a city on the Saar River. The Saarland was very important to Germany because of its rich coal mines and heavy industry.
After Germany's defeat in World War I, the Treaty of Versailles gave the Saarland to France to be administered until 1935 when a plebiscite would determine its final status. The NSDAP campaigned tirelessly for the return of this territory.
The Saarland Plebiscite was held January 13, 1935. Over 90 percent voted for union with Germany. The vote reflected the population's desire to rejoin Germany. It did not matter what party or government held power in Berlin. The Saarlanders were the first German speakers to rejoin Germany under nazi rule. Goebels and his propaganda machine proclaimed the vote as a huge NSDAP accomplishment. The whole process was totally legal under the terms of the Versailles Treaty. Following the vote, Hitler announced that Germany had no further territorial demands to make of France.
On January 17 1935 the Leage of Nations Council approved the re-union with Germany. On March 1, Hitler appointed Josef Bürckel as "Imperial Commissioner for the re-union of the Saarland.