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Saar, is a state in Germany on the Franco German border. The Saar covers 994 square miles (2,574 square kilometers) and has 1,073,000 people. It is named after the Saar River, which flows through the area. The region is also called the Saar Territory, or the Saar Basin. The German name for the Saar is Saarland. The Saar is valuable for its many coal mines and steel plants. The capital of the Saar is Saarhrücken.
Before World War 1 (1914-1918), the Saar belonged to Germany. After the war, France wanted to annex the Saar in payment for war damages. The Treaty of Versailles gave France the use of the Saar coal mines for fifteen years in payment for French losses. The League of Nations governed the Saar during the French occupation. The governing body included a French citizen, a German, and three people of other nationalities. Germany protested, and in 1930 the League ordered an end to allied control. Most of the region's people were Germans. They voted in 1935 to become part of Germany. As a result of Germany's defeat in World War 11 (1939-1945), France occupied the Saar in 1945. Germany was divided into West Germany and East Germany. France directed the Saar's defense and foreign relations and controlled its heavy industries. The Saar also joined in a customs and currency union with France. The Saar was allowed partial self-government in 1947. In October 1955, the people voted against transferring the responsibilities of defense and foreign relations from France to the Western European Union. On Dec. 18, 1955, they elected a parliament pledged to unite the Saar with West Germany. By agreement between France and West Germany, this union occurred on Jan. 1, 1957. West Germany and East Germany united in 1990. Saar began printing stamps in January 1920. The first Stamps of Mary were printed in 1925. * Taken from The World Book Encyclopedia. (Chicago: World Book, Inc.), pg 175. |
