Treaty of Saarlouis

The **Treaty of Saarlouis**, known as the **Treaty of Sarrelouis** by the French was a peace treaty signed in October of 1920 between the newly created German syndicalist government and the governments of France, Russia, and the United Kingdom.

## Uncertain times (August, 1920)

When the German Civil War was over with the socialists in power, Europe was unquestionably spooked by this event. The fact that a state was successfully created that was run by the working class had threatened the traditional European state apparatus that sat comfortably for decades, even centuries. Although the Entente was spooked by this outcome, no one was willing to challenge the new German government. Britain was still fighting in the Cairo War, France was suffering from the weakening of the Franco-British relationship and an increase of protests and strikes by the people, spurred on by the recent activity in Germany. Russia was busy consolidating its power with its new Republican government, and so all 3 nations realized it would be better to recognize the new order in Germany rather than not accept the new status quo.

The Entente was hoping to leverage power against the syndicalists to force them into submission, but the Entente was quite weakened from numerous events from 1917 and onward. The Republican government was in shambles in exile in Sweden, while the Germans didn’t recognize the French invasion of the Saarland. With all this in mind, London, Moscow and Paris asked Berlin to sign a permanent peace with each other, and Berlin agreed to the idea, meeting in the small French occupied city of Saarlouis.

## Terms of the treaty

With all sides not strong enough to come out on top, negotiations dragged on. The Entente still wanted reparations, especially Britain which was bankrupt from the Cairo War, but with Germany so damaged they always shot down those arguments with the fact that they simply couldn’t repay any type of reparations. They also argued that the German people were not responsible for the war, and instead the Kaiser and his government were, acknowledging that the entire European working class, not just the german working class suffered from the war.

Unable to pressure Berlin into their demands, the Entente finally yielded and accepted some German demands but Germany also yielded to a few Entente demands, mostly the situation in the Saarland. The terms are as follows:

*Germany accepts the territorial losses made from the Treaty of Versailles, and recognizes the new reorganization of Russian and French territory from previously German occupied land.*

*Germany renounces all claims in said territory.*

*Berlin recognizes the French invasion of Sarrbrücken, and its troops evacuate the rest of the Saarland within 2 weeks and recognizes the French annexation of the land. Germany also agrees to not intervene in the region as to not stir up rebellion in the already tense province.*

*The Entente (United Kingdom, Republic of France and Russia) recognize the new German government as legitimate.*

*Russia agrees to give special autonomy to ethnic Germans and special protections to prevent them from migration from now Russian lands.*

*Almost all reparations levied against the Republican government will be canceled and not be used against the new socialist government. However, Berlin will still have to repay the Entente about 6 billion golden marks.*

*A non-aggression pact is signed between Germany and the Entente powers, guaranteeing indefinite peace in Europe.*

## Aftermath

Although this peace treaty made the Entente recognize the new german government, as well as most of their reparations being canceled, many Germans still were frustrated that Berlin had to pay a certain amount of reparations and had to give up full jurisdiction to the Saarland. Whereas the Entente was angry that they couldn’t receive most of the reparations they hoped for, all sides were somewhat agitated by the end, but they were at least satisfied with the fact that indefinite peace carried on. As Germany began to lift itself up and began to be a powerful nation again, they also began to test the waters against France Britain and Russia. In 1927, when the Russian socialists established peace with Moscow, Germany controversially canceled all reparations with Russia, but agreed to still pay the French and British. The French and British were dealing with their internal problems and moved away from strong ties with Russia. And so, both nations begrudgingly accepted what Germany did, and it was a move which many would later “appeasement”, as neither state was willing to challenge the growing German hegemony.