Hitler wanted to unite all Germans (i.e. German-speaking) into one Greater Germany (GG), but why wasn't his aim to make Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Luxemburg part of GG? Liechtenstein is totally German-speaking, and it is the biggest language in Switzerland and Luxebourg.
Anyone knows?
Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Luxemburg
-
Walther Darré
- Member
- Posts: 114
- Joined: 02 Apr 2002, 16:13
- Location: European Union
-
walterkaschner
- In memoriam
- Posts: 1588
- Joined: 13 Mar 2002, 02:17
- Location: Houston, Texas
German annexation of Luxemburg
Marcus, I think your memory is quite correct. Upon the invasion of Luxemburg in May 1940 Germany formally stated that she did not intend presently or in the future to impair the integrity or independence of the Grand Duchy.
Nonetheless, Luxemburg was promptly placed under the administration of a German Gau and a process commenced attempting to "Germanize" the Grand Duchy. The French language, which had been one of Luxemburg's official languages, was banned from schools and all publications; German was proclaimed the official language; the VolksDeutsche Bewegung was proclaimed the only legal political party; Luxemburg's workers were forced into the Deutsche Arbeiter Front; the Constitution abolished and Parliament dissolved; German currency and postage stamps replaced Luxemburg's own; etc., etc. - until finally in August 1942 Luxemburg was formally annexed into the Reich as Gau Moselle. This led, if memory serves, to a general strike which was called off after the Germans shot some two dozen hostages.
BTW I visited Luxemburg for a few days last year and found it bustling and charming, but the local dialect - Letzebergsch - although clearly of Germanic origin was virtually unintelligible to at least this German (albeit non-native) speaker.
Regards, Kaschner
Nonetheless, Luxemburg was promptly placed under the administration of a German Gau and a process commenced attempting to "Germanize" the Grand Duchy. The French language, which had been one of Luxemburg's official languages, was banned from schools and all publications; German was proclaimed the official language; the VolksDeutsche Bewegung was proclaimed the only legal political party; Luxemburg's workers were forced into the Deutsche Arbeiter Front; the Constitution abolished and Parliament dissolved; German currency and postage stamps replaced Luxemburg's own; etc., etc. - until finally in August 1942 Luxemburg was formally annexed into the Reich as Gau Moselle. This led, if memory serves, to a general strike which was called off after the Germans shot some two dozen hostages.
BTW I visited Luxemburg for a few days last year and found it bustling and charming, but the local dialect - Letzebergsch - although clearly of Germanic origin was virtually unintelligible to at least this German (albeit non-native) speaker.
Regards, Kaschner
-
Walther Darré
- Member
- Posts: 114
- Joined: 02 Apr 2002, 16:13
- Location: European Union
...
Really? As far as I know Luxemburg was only occupied, but I am not THAT read-through in WWII knowledge. But you could be right, certainly.
Walterkraschner, have you heard the Alemannic dialect, the one spoken in Lie.? That one is interesting! Schywzerdütsch is ugly...
Walterkraschner, have you heard the Alemannic dialect, the one spoken in Lie.? That one is interesting! Schywzerdütsch is ugly...
-
Walther Darré
- Member
- Posts: 114
- Joined: 02 Apr 2002, 16:13
- Location: European Union
Oh, by the way
By the way, what areas were annexed to Greater Germany and what areas were just proctectorates/occupied?
Germany, Austria, Luxemburg obviously, those I know, and then also Sudeten; did he annex whole Czechia? And Alsace-Lorraine/Elsass-Lothringen, was that annexed? You wouldn't happen to have a map that shows what was seen as Greater Germany you guys?
Germany, Austria, Luxemburg obviously, those I know, and then also Sudeten; did he annex whole Czechia? And Alsace-Lorraine/Elsass-Lothringen, was that annexed? You wouldn't happen to have a map that shows what was seen as Greater Germany you guys?
To Walther Darré:
The areas united with Germany between 1938 and 1943 were:
1-Dantig.
2-Memel.
3-West Prussia.
4-Posen (Wartheland) including Lodsch.
5-"South Prussia" an area between the Vistula river and East Prussia.
6-Suwalki.
7-East Upper Silesia including the old counties of Auschwitz and Saybusch.
8-So-called Sudetenland.
9-Austria.
10-South Styria and East Carinthia, plus Northern Carniola.
11-Alsace-Lorraine.
12-Luxemburg.
13-Eupen, Malmedy and Bucholz from Belgium.
14-Occupied and de facto annexed although not the jure were (after 1943) the South Tirol and Trentino with the Belluno province, the rest of Carniola, Istria with Triest and the Friul.
15-A "General Gouvernment" was formed with some parts of Poland and was divided into five provinces: Krakow, Warsaw, Radom, Lublin and Lemberg/Lwow. As a matter of fact but not of jure a sixth province, Byalistok, came to be administrated under the "General Gouvernment".
16-The Proctorate of Bohemia-Moravia/Czechia.
Contrary to Loki statement Germany didn't annexed any territory from Denmark.
The areas united with Germany between 1938 and 1943 were:
1-Dantig.
2-Memel.
3-West Prussia.
4-Posen (Wartheland) including Lodsch.
5-"South Prussia" an area between the Vistula river and East Prussia.
6-Suwalki.
7-East Upper Silesia including the old counties of Auschwitz and Saybusch.
8-So-called Sudetenland.
9-Austria.
10-South Styria and East Carinthia, plus Northern Carniola.
11-Alsace-Lorraine.
12-Luxemburg.
13-Eupen, Malmedy and Bucholz from Belgium.
14-Occupied and de facto annexed although not the jure were (after 1943) the South Tirol and Trentino with the Belluno province, the rest of Carniola, Istria with Triest and the Friul.
15-A "General Gouvernment" was formed with some parts of Poland and was divided into five provinces: Krakow, Warsaw, Radom, Lublin and Lemberg/Lwow. As a matter of fact but not of jure a sixth province, Byalistok, came to be administrated under the "General Gouvernment".
16-The Proctorate of Bohemia-Moravia/Czechia.
Contrary to Loki statement Germany didn't annexed any territory from Denmark.
-
walterkaschner
- In memoriam
- Posts: 1588
- Joined: 13 Mar 2002, 02:17
- Location: Houston, Texas
Reply to Walther Darré
No, I have not heard the Alemannic dialect, and certainly don't profess to know much of anything about Germanic dialects, although I have had some contact with Plattdeutsche (my wife was from Schleswig-Holstein) and with Swyzerdütsch (the wife of my senior partner in Paris was Swiss-German). Neither of which do I find a particularly euphonious - nor do I German, for that matter.
As to Alsace-Lorraine, I don't know if the those territories were ever formally annexed to Germany or not, but they went through the same process of gradual Germanization as did Luxemburg. Teaching, publishing and official communications in French or Alsacien (the local patois) was forbidden; currency was the Reichmark; the post, telephone, telegraph and railroad systems were all integrated with the German; the male populace was subject to conscription; each of Elsass and Lothringen had its own Gauleiter; etc. etc. Early on, Vichy France considered them annexed de facto if not de jure.
As early as September 3, 1940 the Vichy Government sent a formal note of protest to Germany, reading in part as follows:
My translation:
Source: Robert Aron, "Histoire de Vichy", Les Productions de Paris (no publication date indicated) at 200. All of my other French sources also speak of an "annexation de fait" i.e. de facto.
Czechia - Bohemia-Moravia (Böhmen und Mähren) was technically a "Protectorate" and not annexed. It kept its own currency and certain other trappings of internal administration, unlike Luxemburg.
There were also certain other areas, such as Danzig and Memeland, which had been taken from Germany by the Treaty of Versailles, which were reannexed before or during WWII.
Sorry, but I don't know of a good map which shows this info in accurate detail.
Regards, Kaschner
As to Alsace-Lorraine, I don't know if the those territories were ever formally annexed to Germany or not, but they went through the same process of gradual Germanization as did Luxemburg. Teaching, publishing and official communications in French or Alsacien (the local patois) was forbidden; currency was the Reichmark; the post, telephone, telegraph and railroad systems were all integrated with the German; the male populace was subject to conscription; each of Elsass and Lothringen had its own Gauleiter; etc. etc. Early on, Vichy France considered them annexed de facto if not de jure.
As early as September 3, 1940 the Vichy Government sent a formal note of protest to Germany, reading in part as follows:
[/u]Fort de son droit, le gouvernement français élève une protestation solennelle contre les mesures prises, en violation de la Convention de la armistice, à l'egard des départements alsaciens et lorrains et de leurs populations, et qui constituent une annexation de fait de ces territoires.
My translation:
Firm in its right, the French Government assets a solemn protest against those measures taken, in violation of the Armistice Agreement, with regard to the Departments of Alsace and Lorraine and their population, which constitute an annexation in fact of those territories.
Source: Robert Aron, "Histoire de Vichy", Les Productions de Paris (no publication date indicated) at 200. All of my other French sources also speak of an "annexation de fait" i.e. de facto.
Czechia - Bohemia-Moravia (Böhmen und Mähren) was technically a "Protectorate" and not annexed. It kept its own currency and certain other trappings of internal administration, unlike Luxemburg.
There were also certain other areas, such as Danzig and Memeland, which had been taken from Germany by the Treaty of Versailles, which were reannexed before or during WWII.
Sorry, but I don't know of a good map which shows this info in accurate detail.
Regards, Kaschner
-
Scott Smith
- Member
- Posts: 5602
- Joined: 10 Mar 2002, 22:17
- Location: Arizona
- Contact:
Schleswig-Holstein
Wasn't a part of Schleswig-Holstein ceded to Denmark after Versailles reclaimed by Germany?
-
Christian Ankerstjerne
- Forum Staff
- Posts: 14050
- Joined: 10 Mar 2002, 15:07
- Location: Denmark
- Contact:
-
walterkaschner
- In memoriam
- Posts: 1588
- Joined: 13 Mar 2002, 02:17
- Location: Houston, Texas
Hi Scott and Ferdinand,
Well, the Treaty of Versailles dictated that a portion of Schleswig-Holstein was to have a plebescite to determine whether to accede to Denmark or Germany. It was divided into two zones, the Northern one voting to go with Denmark, the Southern to go with Germany. These did not, however, coincide with the divisions of Schleswig-Holstein between Austria and Prussia made after the 1864 war against Denmark, the genesis of which is far too complex for my poor head to fully comprehend or to try to go into here (however interesting it may be as a minor piece of history). But I do not recall that after its conquest of Denmark in WWII the Third Reich annexed the Northern portion that it lost due to the Versailles Treaty plebiscite. There may have been some minor border adjustments, but I don't recall anything major. Perhaps one of our Danish friends can cite us with chapter and verse on the question.
Regards, Kaschner
Well, the Treaty of Versailles dictated that a portion of Schleswig-Holstein was to have a plebescite to determine whether to accede to Denmark or Germany. It was divided into two zones, the Northern one voting to go with Denmark, the Southern to go with Germany. These did not, however, coincide with the divisions of Schleswig-Holstein between Austria and Prussia made after the 1864 war against Denmark, the genesis of which is far too complex for my poor head to fully comprehend or to try to go into here (however interesting it may be as a minor piece of history). But I do not recall that after its conquest of Denmark in WWII the Third Reich annexed the Northern portion that it lost due to the Versailles Treaty plebiscite. There may have been some minor border adjustments, but I don't recall anything major. Perhaps one of our Danish friends can cite us with chapter and verse on the question.
Regards, Kaschner
-
ziggy wiseman
- Member
- Posts: 122
- Joined: 10 Mar 2002, 13:52
- Location: Canada
annexion
How about Nice,in southern France?
-
Geheime Feldpolizei
- Member
- Posts: 145
- Joined: 07 Apr 2002, 15:57
- Location: United States
Gau Liechtenstein?
Many years ago, I remember reading an article in a (non-scholarly) periodical concerning Liechtenstein during the Third Reich. Apparently an attempt was made by local Liechtensteiner Nazis to stage a coup in the capital city, Vaduz, shortly after the Anschluss of Austria. This small group of Liechtenstein Nazis was confronted by a Catholic priest (Liechtenstein is heavily Roman Catholic) and told to "go home." Thus ended the dreams of Gau Liechtenstein.