Saar Plebiscite

​Q1: What was the Saar region?

• The Saar was an important coal-rich industrial area in western Germany.
  
• After WWI, it was placed under League of Nations control for 15 years (from 1920 to 1935).
  
• During this time, France controlled its coal mines as part of war reparations.
  

Q2: What was the Saar plebiscite?

• In January 1935, a public vote (plebiscite) was held to decide the region’s future.
  
• The people of the Saar could vote to:
  
  • Return to Germany
    
  • Remain under League of Nations control
    
  • Join France
    

Q3: What was the result?

• Over 90% voted to return to Germany.
  
• The vote was peaceful and legal, supervised by an international force.
  

Q4: Why was the Saar plebiscite good for Hitler?

• It was a major propaganda victory – showed that people wanted to be part of Germany again.
  
• Gave Hitler a morale and popularity boost – he claimed it as support for the Nazi regime.
  
• It was a legal success, unlike some of his later aggressive moves.
  
• Returned a valuable industrial area to Germany, boosting the economy.
  
• Gave Hitler more confidence to pursue further expansion and defiance of the Treaty of Versailles.
  

Q5: How did the international community react?

• Britain and France accepted the result as fair and legitimate.
  
• It made it harder for them to criticise Hitler’s future actions immediately afterward.