Saarland

Saarland . It is one of the sixteen federal states of Germany , the fourth smallest after Bremen , Hamburg and Berlin . The history of the Saarland, like that of Alsace and Lorraine , has swung between France , Flanders (the Spanish Netherlands) and Germany . Even between 1945 and 1956 , the Saarland was an almost independent state that participated in several Olympics and could have become the capital of Europe . Finally, pressure from Bonn and a referendum in 1956 caused it to be definitively included in the FRG .

Summary

[ disguise ]

• 1 History
• 2 World War I
• 3 World War II
• 4 Paris Agreements
  • 1 Saar Treaties
• 5 Cities
• 6 Culture
• 7 Industrial past
• 8 Ceramics
• 9 Nature
  • 1 Thermalism
• 10 Gastronomy
• 11 Curiosities
• 12 Fonts

History

The Saar had always been a territory where German and French interests were disputed since the Middle Ages . The War of the Spanish Succession caused it to no longer depend on France in the 18th century . But the French Revolution ended this situation, since in 1792 the French army conquered the region, as a result of the revolutionary counteroffensive due to the invasion of the absolutist powers in France . The Revolution administratively divided the region into three parts. While the west became part of the Moselle Department , the center was designated as the Saar Department and, finally, the east became part of the Mont-Tonnerre Department . Well, after Napoleon was defeated , the redesign of the European map at the Congress of Vienna meant that the Saarland, in 1814 , ceased to belong to France. Most of the Saar became one of the western possessions of Prussia , although part of the eastern Saar would be assigned to Bavaria and, finally, a portion of the northeast would be administered by the Duke of Oldenburg .

Napoleon III questioned this map when the Franco-Prussian War began. On the last day of July 1870, French troops crossed the Saar River and occupied the territory, but Prussia reacted vigorously and not only were the French evicted, but they were decisively defeated. Thus, in January 1871 , the Saarland was incorporated into the brand new German Empire .

First World War

The Saarland changed hands again with the German defeat in the Great War. In 1919 , by the Treaty of Versailles , it was decided that the territory would be administered by the League of Nations . Thus, in 1920 British and French troops occupied this territory, in addition to others known as the Prussian Rhine and the Bavarian Palatinate. The Saarland was effectively administered by France, taking advantage of its economic wealth. In 1920, a fifteen-year mandate was established by the League of Nations. With the arrival of the Nazis to power in Germany , the Saarland became a place where opponents of the regime fled. In this sense, anti-Nazism mobilized to try to keep the Saarland administered by France in the face of German demands that it return to its sovereignty. These attempts did not resonate with the population of the Saarland, who had always been in favor of returning to Germany. The term of office ended, and a plebiscite was organized on January 13 , 1935 , won by almost 91% by those in favor of returning to Germany . Thus, the territory was returned.

Second World War

At the outbreak of the Second World War , in the same month of September 1939 , while Germany attacked and occupied Poland , the French army entered, precisely, into the Saar, occupying, without great difficulty, some areas, but withdrawing shortly after. According to the Morgenthau Plan for the division of Germany, the Saarland was to become dependent on France, although this project was not carried out. But, certainly, at the end of the Second World War the Saarland became administered by France. The Americans agreed with France’s annexationist claims as a reward for the three times it had been invaded by Germany.

The Saar industries were dismantled as in the Ruhr, in line with the policy of limiting German industrial power. The Saarland was administered by a military governor. In any case, a provincial and municipal administration was allowed, allowing the establishment of political parties, and a constitution was approved.

Paris Agreements

The Paris Agreement of October 1954 established the end of the occupation of West Germany , establishing that the Saarland would be an autonomous state under European control, within the general framework in which the EEC was being developed, making the Saarland the axis or capital of the new Europe . A European Statute would be created for the Saarland, which would enshrine this political autonomy, but with economic dependence on France. To do this, a new referendum had to be held.

Saar Treaties

The problem arose because the plebiscite, held on October 23 , 1955 , rejected this solution, and the agreement had not foreseen this fact. This caused France to understand that it had to return the territory to the Federal Republic of Germany . This was signed in the Saar Treaty of October 27 , 1956 . The effective union with the FRG took place on January 1 of the following year, that is, 1957 .

Cities

The main cities are located on the banks of the Saar, an ancient border, communication and trade channel, and an essential resource for industry. Saarbrücken, the capital, is the economic and cultural center of the länder. It has 180 thousand inhabitants, but more than 350 thousand including nearby cities. Industrial and mining center (coal), industrial reconversion forces the city to change its economic and cultural orientation.

Culture

Today we have opted for culture, recovering the industrial past and nature. Several contemporary urban projects have changed the image of the city, giving pre-eminence to the Saarland. In terms of heritage, many of the city’s monuments are influenced by or built by the baroque architect Friedrich-Joachim Stengel . The Church of Ludwigskirche , St. John’s, stands out among the religious monuments ; the Basilica of the same saint; the Castle Church . Of the civilians the Saarbrücken Castle ; the Old Bridge; the Town Hall square; the Regional Parliament; the St Juan market; the old building of the Saarland Mines Directorate, now converted into a shopping center and the National Theater of Saarland. Other cities of interest are, Völklingen with its immense steelworks, a UNESCO monument ; Mettlach and Saarrelouis (city created by Vauban in 1680 and which was French until 1815. The old Walls of Vauban , the market square with the Kommandantur and the Church of Saint Louis, are the most important monuments.

industrial past

Hutte steelworks in Volklinger in the Saarland, example of large factories

The Völklingen Hütte steelworks is an immense industrial complex, reminiscent of the industrial greatness of the region. This steel complex is included in the UNESCO Universal Heritage . The factory was built in 1873 and operated until 1986 . More than 600,000 m2 of surface, a 5 km railway network, blast furnaces more than 40 meters high, elevators, everything illustrates the grandeur of the place. A theme park shows the transformation of iron into steel. Another example of the recovery of the industrial past is the ScienceCenter Ferrodrom. A museum, knowledge center of the world of iron and steel that allows you to discover the entire world of metallurgy and steelmaking thanks to small experiments and tests.

Ceramics

Before the arrival of heavy industry, the Saarland area was already a manufacturing center. Ceramics were very renowned. One of the museums commemorating this work is located in the Villeroy & Boch Museum, located in the former Benedictine Abbey of Mettlach . Almost three centuries of ceramic tradition are shown in the evolution of techniques, models and objects produced, tiles, terrazzo pieces, fine ceramics, kitchen utensils, tableware, etc. One of the characteristics of the museum is that it is a museum café, one of the most beautiful in the world.

Nature

If there is a well-known and photographed site in the Saarland, it is its famous almost 360-degree meander. Among the most notable natural sites are the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park, created in 2015 and with more than 10,000 hectares of forests, plains and fields between the Saarland and Rhineland – Palatinate. Other important parks are the Saar-Hunsruck Nature Park . Among the best-known routes we mention the Panoramaweg Perl that runs through the Hammelsberg Nature Reserve with lush forests, rare orchids and sunny hills that allow panoramic views of the Moselle Valley , Luxembourg and France . Another of the most popular routes is the Offizierspfad, with views of the Schaumberger Land. Forests and pastures, wooded areas and meadows follow one another near the border with Rhineland . The Saar-Hunsrück-Steig route leaves Perl and borders the Moselle , passing through Idar-Oberstein (a town famous for its precious stone work) until reaching Trier, ending in Boppar on the banks of the Rhine.

Thermalism

The natural thermal waters and the taste for spas led to the appearance of several thermal establishments in the länder in the 18th and 19th centuries. The new taste for spas that has developed in the 21st century has regained interest in these spas.

Gastronomy

Dibbelabbes, a dish made with gratin potatoes and cream with speck ham.

Gastronomy is very varied in the Saarland, partly due to French, Belgian, Dutch and German influences. The star dish is a sausage, the Lyoner, emblem of the Lander. Meat, fish or vegetables roasted in Schwenken. The vineyards were planted on the hills bordering the Moselle at the end of the First World War and today the dry and sparkling whites stand out. Included in the Côtes de Moselle designation of origin, Burgunder and Pinots stand out. In Germany, beer is always present, and the Saarland has a long brewing history. Of all types and aromas, white, toasted, blonde and almost black, the Saarland has several very old factories such as Bruch, founded in 1702 and Karslberg founded in 1878 , but also other smaller ones of equal interest. A visit to the Saarland must necessarily include a tour that includes several of these factories and some biergartens, the typical German restaurant where you eat, drink and listen to music.

Curiosities

A curiosity from the Saarland is Camelina Oil , a medicinal plant rich in Omega three, which the Celts already used and whose cultivation and consumption has been recovered in Germany.