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] and the Klaipėda region.]]
The '''Memelland''' (also ]:'''Memelgebiet''', also referred to as '''Memel Territory''' or '''Klaipėda Region''') was for over five centuries a part of Prussia and the ].

Following ] and the ] in 1920 it was put under the administration of the ] and was occupied by French troops. The Memelland was seized by ] in the '']'' of 1923. It was declared an autonomous province of Lithuania, yet martial law was set in effect from 1926 until March 1939 when it was returned to Germany. In all elections, German language ''Memellandish parties'' had received 75% or more of the vote, thus also Lithuanian people had voted for these.


== Geography ==
] and Memelland]]

The Memelland area which was separated from Prussia is located north of ] (Neman, Niemen Nemunas) up to the city of ] (Klaipeda). It comprised three counties of Prussia, ] in the north, ] in the south west, and ] in the south east, with ] as the easternmost village.

After ] the territory became a part of the ]. It is today contained within Lithuania's ] and ], but not identical to these.

The river remained as southern border, since 1946 to Russia's ].


The '''Klaipėda Region''' (]: '''Memelland''' or '''Memelgebiet''') or '''Memel Territory''' was historically a part of Prussia and the ]. Following ] and the ] in 1920 it fell under the administration of the ] and was occupied by French troops. It was seized by ] in the ] of 1923 and remained a part of Lithuania until 1939 when it was annexed by Germany. After ] the territory was a part of the ], and today is contained within Lithuania's ] and ], bordering Russia's ] to the south.


== History == == History ==
The area has historically been a part of various political entities: The area has historically been a part of various political entities:


* ] - ] ] * ] - ] ]{{fact}}
* ] - ] ]
* ] - ] part of the ] * ] - ] part of the ]
* ] ] re- defines the borders between Prussia and Lithuania
* ] - ] part of ], a fief of the ] * ] - ] part of ], a fief of the ]
* ] - ] Ducal Prussia as part of ] * ] - ] Ducal Prussia as part of ]
Line 14: Line 28:
* ] - ] Kingdom of Prussia within the ] * ] - ] Kingdom of Prussia within the ]
* ] - ] Administered by the ] under the ] * ] - ] Administered by the ] under the ]
* ] - ] ] * ] - ] Autonomic Republic of ]
* ] - ] under ] of ]
* ] - ] ] * ] - ] ]
* ] - ] ] * ] - ] ]
Line 22: Line 37:
By the ] in February ], the part of former ] north of the ] up to the the town of Memel. It was designated as the Memel Territory (''Territoire de Memel'', ''Memelland'',''Klaipėda Region''), was separated from ] and passed to an interim supervisor of the states of the ]. The administration and control of the region was exercised by ]. By the ] in February ], the part of former ] north of the ] up to the the town of Memel. It was designated as the Memel Territory (''Territoire de Memel'', ''Memelland'',''Klaipėda Region''), was separated from ] and passed to an interim supervisor of the states of the ]. The administration and control of the region was exercised by ].


In January 1923, three years after Versailles, the Lithuanian inhabitance of the territory rose up against the French administration in the ]. On ] the rebels asked for admission into Lithuania as an autonomous territory (where the Memel Territory would have a separate parliament and government, two official languages, be the administrator of taxes, duties, cultural and religious affairs, would oversee the local judical system, agriculture and forestry, and social security). Lithuania accepted this, and thus the Memel Territory became an autonomous part of Lithuania. This annexation gave Lithuania all year round ice free access to the Baltic. In January 1923, three years after Versailles, the Lithuanian inhabitance of the territory rose up against the French administration in the ]. On ] the rebels asked for admission into Lithuania as an autonomous territory (where the Memel Territory would have a separate parliament and government, two official languages, be the administrator of taxes, duties, cultural and religious affairs, would oversee the local judical system, agriculture and forestry, and social security). Lithuania accepted this, and thus the Memel Territory became an autonomous part of Lithuania.


Even before this annexation Lithuania had all year round ice free access to the Baltic Sea from their coast north of the Memelland, yet did not build a harbour there, unlike Poland did at Gdingen (]).
The ], accepted the status quo and made a bid for the significant autonomy for the region, homologated its incorporation to the Republic of Lithuania. On May 8, 1924 the Convention on the Klaipėda region confirmed the cession and an autonomy agreement was signed in ]. It was recognized as an integral part of The ] by ] in January 29, ] (]). Klaipeda Region however remained an autonomous region inside Lithuania and had a significant German population, also a significant population of people who chose to identify themselves as ] during censuses (see demography information below). Both the Lithuanian and German languages were official in the Region.


In some regions that used to be parts of Germany, ]s were held, but not in areas were the results were expected to be in favour of Germany, like in ] and also in the Memelland. Decisions about these regions were made without regard to the opinion of the population there.
However, during the 16 years of administration the government of ] faced with hearty opposition of the autonomic institutions. Certainly, there was a complex of occasions for this opposition. Seemingly, the fundamental was a political conjuncture in interwar Europe itself, necessitated the revanchistic temperature, reasoned by the desire to regain to the ''memelland'' in all conceivable measures, in the territories, isolated from ]. Sixteen years later ], firstly leaned upon the contingent of Lithuanian descent, tried to integrate and lithuanize the region, regardless of the substantial cultural and religious differences. Meanwhile, the public organizations of region, especially those financially supported by ] prosecuted the disintegration in their movement only. This interwar collision, reflected on a political, cultural and even religious plane, was an essential historical topicality of the period. It was perfectly imaged by an authoress of the region Ieva Simonaitytė, who in the 1930s earned fame when she wrote her first novel about the centuries-old German-Lithuanian relations in the region.


The ] accepted the status quo and made a bid for the significant autonomy for the region, homologated its incorporation to the Republic of Lithuania. On May 8, 1924 the Convention on the Klaipėda region confirmed the cession and an autonomy agreement was signed in ]. It was recognized as an integral part of the ] by ] in January 29, ] (]). Klaipeda Region however remained an autonomous region inside Lithuania and had a significant German population, also a significant population of people who chose to identify themselves as '']''{{citation needed}} during censuses (see demography information below). Both the Lithuanian and German languages were official in the Region.
Nonetheless, ] fully used the makings of Klaipėda port, modernized and adapted it to export its agricultural products. The port reconstruction was certainly the largest long-term investment project realized by the government of Lithuania. Actually, you couldn't even imagine, what could or might have been, since the ] movement been activated in 1933 in ] and subsequently in the Memel Territory. Incriminated in sedition, the leaders of pro-Nazi organizations of the region were put on trial by Lithuania. The so-called proceeding of Neumann and Sass in 1934–35 in Kaunas was presented as the first anti-Nazi trial in Europe. However, the leaders of pro-Nazi organizations were not arraigned for their pro-Nazi ideology but for their undesirable relations with ]. On account of political and economical constraint of Germany in 1936–38 the most part of these leaders were unbound: by late ] Lithuania lost control over the situation in region already. On March 22, ], after a political blackmail of Germany, Lithuanian minister of foreign affairs Juozas Urbšys and his colleague ] signed the Treaty of cession of the Memel Territory to Germany. Germany invaded it even before Lithuanian ratification. Despite of pledge to overlook after Klaipėda and help maintain its position as autonomous part of Lithuania, the United Kingdom was not interested in helping Lithuania, and therefore the ] was forced to approve the annexation of Klaipėda region, that way falsely hoping that Germany won't invade other parts of Lithuania (at least on ]).

However, during the 16 years of administration the government of ] faced with hearty opposition of the autonomic institutions. Certainly, there was a complex of occasions for this opposition. Seemingly, the fundamental was a political conjuncture in interwar Europe itself, necessitated the revanchistic temperature, reasoned by the desire to regain to the Memelland in all conceivable measures, in the territories, isolated from ]. Sixteen years later ], firstly leaned upon the contingent of Lithuanian descent, tried to integrate and lithuanize the region, regardless of the substantial cultural and religious differences. Meanwhile, the public organizations of region, especially those financially supported by ] prosecuted the disintegration in their movement only. This interwar collision, reflected on a political, cultural and even religious plane, was an essential historical topicality of the period. It was perfectly imaged by an authoress of the region Ieva Simonaitytė, who in the 1930s earned fame when she wrote her first novel about the centuries-old German-Lithuanian relations in the region.

''Nonetheless, ] fully used the makings of Klaipėda port, modernized and adapted it to export its agricultural products.{{citation needed}} The port reconstruction was certainly the largest long-term investment project realized by the government of Lithuania.'' Lithuanian officials, one per two workers, took charge of the harbour authority, in disregard of the Memel statute which had appointed Mr. Kjel­strup of Norway. Most of Lithuanias export was transported via ] or ], despite Lithuanian claims that the port of Memel was vital to its economy .

''Actually, you couldn't even imagine, what could or might have been, since the ] movement been activated in 1933 in ] and subsequently in the Memel Territory.''

''Incriminated in sedition, the leaders of pro-Nazi organizations of the region were put on trial by Lithuania.''

In 1934, activities of all German parties were banned, while parties which were connected to the German Nazi party had never been permitted in the first place. According to british lawyer Sir Alexander Lawrence, the trial of 126 Memelland citizens mainly was done as deterrence.

The so-called proceeding of Neumann and Sass in 1934–35 in Kaunas was presented as the first anti-Nazi trial in Europe. However, the leaders of pro-Nazi organizations were not arraigned for their pro-Nazi ideology but for their undesirable relations with ]. On account of political and economical constraint of Germany in 1936–38 the most part of these leaders were unbound: by late ] Lithuania lost control over the situation in region already. On March 22, ], after a political ''blackmail'' of Germany, Lithuanian minister of foreign affairs Juozas Urbšys and his colleague ] signed the Treaty of cession of the Memel Territory to Germany. Germany troops did not wait for Lithuanian ratification.

Despite of pledge to overlook after Klaipėda and help maintain its position as autonomous part of Lithuania, the United Kingdom was not interested in helping Lithuania, and therefore the ] was forced to approve the treaty about the return of the Memelland which already had been signed.

''that way falsely hoping that Germany won't invade other parts of Lithuania (at least on ]).'' Lithuania was invaded by the Sovietunion in 1939, not by Germany.


== World War II and later == == World War II and later ==
Line 35: Line 66:


== Demography == == Demography ==
According to 1925 census (by subdivisions): According to 1925{{citation needed}} census (by subdivisions):
{| class="wikitable"
! Area
! inhabitants
! local Lithuanians <br>and ''"Klaipėdians"''
! local Germans
! other locals
! foreign citizens
|-
| City of ] / Memel Stadt || 35,854 || 30.3% || 57.2% || 5.5% || 7.0%
|-
| ] / ] || 30,409 || 73.4% || 23.7% || 0.8% || 2.1%
|-
| ] / ] || 36,404 || 55.6% || 41.8% || 0.1% || 2.5%
|-
| ] / ] || 38,987 || 47.5% || 49.2% || 0.2% || 3.1%
|-
| All apskritys, excluding Klaipėda/Memel || 105,804 || 57.8% || 39.3% || 0.3% || 2.6%
|-
| All regions, including Klaipėda/Memel || 141,640 || 50.8% || 43.8% || 1.6% || 3.8%
|}

Overall, Lithuanians were more rural than Germans; the part of Lithuanians in the city of Klaipėda itself increased over time due to urbanization and migration from villages into cities and later also from remaining Lithuania (in the city of Klaipėda, Lithuanian-speaking people made up 21.5% in 1912, 32.6% in 1925 and 38.7% in 1932*). <nowiki>*</nowiki><small>these percentages exclude foreign citizens living in Klaipėda; including foreign citizens would slightly lower the percentages</small>

Foreign citizens might include some Germans, who opted for German citizenship instead of Lithuanian (although at the time German government pressured local Germans to take Lithuanian citizenship, so that German presence would remain).

There were more Lithuanians in the north of the region (Klaipėdos apskritis) and the south west (Šilutės apskritis) than in south east (Pagėgių apskritis). Other locals included people of other nationalities who had citizenship of Lithuania, such as ].

{| class="wikitable"
! Ethnic groups
! 1925 census
! census
|-
| German || 45.2% || 41,9%
|-
| Memellandish|| 24.2% || 27,1%
|-
| Lithuanian || 26.5% || 26,6%
|-
| other || 4.1% || 4,4%
|-
! Religion || ||
|-
| ]|| 95 % || 95 %
|-
| other || 5 % || 5 %
|}

== Elections ==
''Landtagswahlen'': Elections for the ] of the Memelland which had 29 seats, one per 5,000 inhabitants. Men and women of age 24 could vote.


In each election, at least 75% of the votes were for parties that had ] names, yet they named themselves with ''Memelland'' or ''Memelgebiet'' (Memel territory), not ''German'' or ''of Germany'', thus putting emphasis on the identity of their homeland, in contrast to the term "Klaipėda Region" which was used by officials from Lithuanian. Among the parties designated as ''Lithuanian'' were also supporters of autonomy (''Lithuanian Autonomists'').
*City of ] - 35,854 inhabitants, 30.3% local Lithuanians and "Klaipėdians", 57.2% local Germans, 5.5% other locals, 7.0% foreign citizens.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
*] - 30,409 inhabitants, 73.4% local Lithuanians and "Klaipėdians", 23.7% local Germans, 0.8% other locals, 2.1% foreign citizens.
!
*] - 36,404 inhabitants, 55.6% local Lithuanians and "Klaipėdians", 41.8% local Germans, 0.1% other locals, 2.5% foreign citizens.
! ] <br><small>Memelländische<br>Landwirtschaftspartei</small>
*] - 38,987 inhabitants, 47.5% local Lithuanians and "Klaipėdians", 49.2% local Germans, 0.2% other locals, 3.1% foreign citizens.
! ] <br><small>Memelländische<br>Volkspartei</small>
*All apskritys, excluding Klaipėda city - 105,804 inhabitants, 57.8% local Lithuanians and "Klaipėdians", 39.3% local Germans, 0.3 other locals, 2.6% foreign citizens.
! ] <br><small>Sozialdemokratische<br>Partei des Memelgebietes</small>
*All region - 141,640 inhabitants, 50.8% local Lithuanians and "Klaipėdians", 43.8% local Germans, 1.6% other locals, 3.8% foreign citizens.
! ] / ] <br><small>Kommunistische Partei<br>Arbeiterpartei<br>des Memelgebietes</small>
! others
! ]-] <br><small>Lithuanian<br>Parties</small>
|-
| ]||38,1% - 11 seats||36,9% - 11 seats||16,0% - 5 seats|| ||9,0% - 2 seats||
|-
| ]||33,6% - 10 seats||32,7% - 10 seats||10,1% - 3 seats||7,2% - 2 seats|| ||13,6% - 4 seats
|-
| ]||31,8% - 10 seats||27,6% - 8 seats||13,8% - 4 seats||4,2% - 2 seats|| ||22,7% - 5 seats
|-
| ]||37,1% - 11 seats||27,2% - 8 seats||7,8% - 2 seats||8,2% - 3 seats|| ||19,7% - 5 seats
|-
!
! colspan=4 | United German ] <small>Deutsche Einheitsliste </small>
! colspan=2 | Lithuanian Parties
|-
| ] || colspan=4 align="center" | 81,2% - 24 seats || colspan=2 align="center" | 18,8% - 5 Sitze
|-
| ] || colspan=4 align="center" | 87,2% - 25 seats || colspan=2 align="center" | 12,8% - 4 Sitze
|}
''The rest of the votes up to 100% were for parties that did not gain a seat''


Party abbreviations:
Overall, Lithuanians were more rural than Germans; the part of Lithuanians in the city of Klaipėda itself increased over time due to urbanization and migration from villages into cities and later also from remaining Lithuania (in the city of Klaipėda, Lithuanian-speaking people made up 21.5% in 1912, 32.6% in 1925 and 38.7% in 1932*). Foreign citizens might include some Germans, who opted for German citizenship instead of Lithuanian (although at the time German government pressured local Germans to take Lithuanian citizenship, so that German presence would remain). There were more Lithuanians in the north of region (Klaipėdos apskritis and Šilutės apskritis) than in south (Pagėgių apskritis). Other locals included people of other nationalities who had citizenship of Lithuania, such as ].
*MLP = ''Memelländische Landwirtschaftspartei'' (Memel Territory Farmers' Party, ])
*MVP = ''Memelländische Volkspartei'' (Memel Territory People's Party, German nationalist)
*SPM = ''Sozialdemokratische Partei des Memelgebietes'' (Social-Democratic Party of Memel Region)
*AP = ''Arbeiterpartei'' (Workers' Party, communist)
*LA-LVP = ''Litauische Autonomisten - Litauische Volkspartei'' (Lithuanian Autonomists - Lithuanian People's Party)
*DEL = ''Deutsche Einheitsliste'' (German Unity List, est. 1935, coalition of MLP and MVP)


== References ==
<nowiki>*these percentages exclude foreign citizens living in Klaipėda; including foreign citizens would slightly lower the percentages</nowiki>
*http://www.gonschior.de/weimar/Memelgebiet/Uebersicht_LTW.html
*J. Falter, T. Lindenberger, S. Schumann: ''Wahlen und Abstimmungen in der Weimarer Republik: Materialien zum Wahlverhalten, 1919 – 1933''; München, Beck, 1986


== External links == == External links ==
*{{de icon}} *{{de icon}}
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*{{de icon}}
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*{{fr icon}}
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== See also == == See also ==

Revision as of 18:11, 4 June 2006

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It has been suggested that this article be merged with Klaipėda Revolt. (Discuss)

The Memelland (also German:Memelgebiet, also referred to as Memel Territory or Klaipėda Region) was for over five centuries a part of Prussia and the German Empire.

Following World War I and the Treaty of Versailles in 1920 it was put under the administration of the Council of Ambassadors and was occupied by French troops. The Memelland was seized by Lithuania in the Klaipėda Revolt of 1923. It was declared an autonomous province of Lithuania, yet martial law was set in effect from 1926 until March 1939 when it was returned to Germany. In all elections, German language Memellandish parties had received 75% or more of the vote, thus also Lithuanian people had voted for these.


Geography

Historical map of East Prussia and Memelland

The Memelland area which was separated from Prussia is located north of Memel river (Neman, Niemen Nemunas) up to the city of Memel (Klaipeda). It comprised three counties of Prussia, Landkreis Memel in the north, Landkreis Heydekrug in the south west, and Landkreis Pogegen in the south east, with Schmalleningken as the easternmost village.

After World War II the territory became a part of the Lithuanian SSR. It is today contained within Lithuania's Klaipėda County and Tauragė County, but not identical to these.

The river remained as southern border, since 1946 to Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast.


History

The area has historically been a part of various political entities:

History between the wars

By the Treaty of Versailles in February 1920, the part of former East Prussia north of the Niemen River up to the the town of Memel. It was designated as the Memel Territory (Territoire de Memel, Memelland,Klaipėda Region), was separated from Germany and passed to an interim supervisor of the states of the Council of Ambassadors. The administration and control of the region was exercised by France.

In January 1923, three years after Versailles, the Lithuanian inhabitance of the territory rose up against the French administration in the Klaipėda Revolt. On January 19 the rebels asked for admission into Lithuania as an autonomous territory (where the Memel Territory would have a separate parliament and government, two official languages, be the administrator of taxes, duties, cultural and religious affairs, would oversee the local judical system, agriculture and forestry, and social security). Lithuania accepted this, and thus the Memel Territory became an autonomous part of Lithuania.

Even before this annexation Lithuania had all year round ice free access to the Baltic Sea from their coast north of the Memelland, yet did not build a harbour there, unlike Poland did at Gdingen (Gdynia).

In some regions that used to be parts of Germany, plebiscites were held, but not in areas were the results were expected to be in favour of Germany, like in Alsace-Lorraine and also in the Memelland. Decisions about these regions were made without regard to the opinion of the population there.

The Council of Ambassadors accepted the status quo and made a bid for the significant autonomy for the region, homologated its incorporation to the Republic of Lithuania. On May 8, 1924 the Convention on the Klaipėda region confirmed the cession and an autonomy agreement was signed in Paris. It was recognized as an integral part of the Republic of Lithuania by Germany in January 29, 1928 (Lithuanian - German border treaty). Klaipeda Region however remained an autonomous region inside Lithuania and had a significant German population, also a significant population of people who chose to identify themselves as Klaipėdians during censuses (see demography information below). Both the Lithuanian and German languages were official in the Region.

However, during the 16 years of administration the government of Lithuania faced with hearty opposition of the autonomic institutions. Certainly, there was a complex of occasions for this opposition. Seemingly, the fundamental was a political conjuncture in interwar Europe itself, necessitated the revanchistic temperature, reasoned by the desire to regain to the Memelland in all conceivable measures, in the territories, isolated from Germany. Sixteen years later Lithuania, firstly leaned upon the contingent of Lithuanian descent, tried to integrate and lithuanize the region, regardless of the substantial cultural and religious differences. Meanwhile, the public organizations of region, especially those financially supported by Germany prosecuted the disintegration in their movement only. This interwar collision, reflected on a political, cultural and even religious plane, was an essential historical topicality of the period. It was perfectly imaged by an authoress of the region Ieva Simonaitytė, who in the 1930s earned fame when she wrote her first novel about the centuries-old German-Lithuanian relations in the region.

Nonetheless, Lithuania fully used the makings of Klaipėda port, modernized and adapted it to export its agricultural products. The port reconstruction was certainly the largest long-term investment project realized by the government of Lithuania. Lithuanian officials, one per two workers, took charge of the harbour authority, in disregard of the Memel statute which had appointed Mr. Kjel­strup of Norway. Most of Lithuanias export was transported via Königsberg or Libau, despite Lithuanian claims that the port of Memel was vital to its economy .

Actually, you couldn't even imagine, what could or might have been, since the Nazi movement been activated in 1933 in Germany and subsequently in the Memel Territory.

Incriminated in sedition, the leaders of pro-Nazi organizations of the region were put on trial by Lithuania.

In 1934, activities of all German parties were banned, while parties which were connected to the German Nazi party had never been permitted in the first place. According to british lawyer Sir Alexander Lawrence, the trial of 126 Memelland citizens mainly was done as deterrence.

The so-called proceeding of Neumann and Sass in 1934–35 in Kaunas was presented as the first anti-Nazi trial in Europe. However, the leaders of pro-Nazi organizations were not arraigned for their pro-Nazi ideology but for their undesirable relations with Nazi Germany. On account of political and economical constraint of Germany in 1936–38 the most part of these leaders were unbound: by late 1938 Lithuania lost control over the situation in region already. On March 22, 1939, after a political blackmail of Germany, Lithuanian minister of foreign affairs Juozas Urbšys and his colleague Joachim von Ribbentrop signed the Treaty of cession of the Memel Territory to Germany. Germany troops did not wait for Lithuanian ratification.

Despite of pledge to overlook after Klaipėda and help maintain its position as autonomous part of Lithuania, the United Kingdom was not interested in helping Lithuania, and therefore the Seimas was forced to approve the treaty about the return of the Memelland which already had been signed.

that way falsely hoping that Germany won't invade other parts of Lithuania (at least on March 30). Lithuania was invaded by the Sovietunion in 1939, not by Germany.

World War II and later

18,000 Jews and Lithuanians, for fear of executions, all Lithuanian institutions and organizations deserted the region. From 1939–45 Memel was a part of the Third Reich again. It was a navy base and a fortress. The failed German invasion of USSR determined the fate of entire East Prussia. During 1944–45 all inhabitants of Klaipėda without distinction had to forsake their homeland and were drawn to Germany. From 1944-45 the former Klaipėda region became a part of Lithuanian SSR.

Demography

According to 1925 census (by subdivisions):

Area inhabitants local Lithuanians
and "Klaipėdians" 		local Germans other locals foreign citizens
City of Klaipėda / Memel Stadt 35,854 30.3% 57.2% 5.5% 7.0%
Klaipėdos apskritis / Landkreis Memel 30,409 73.4% 23.7% 0.8% 2.1%
Šilutės apskritis / Landkreis Heydekrug 36,404 55.6% 41.8% 0.1% 2.5%
Pagėgių apskritis / Landkreis Pogegen 38,987 47.5% 49.2% 0.2% 3.1%
All apskritys, excluding Klaipėda/Memel 105,804 57.8% 39.3% 0.3% 2.6%
All regions, including Klaipėda/Memel 141,640 50.8% 43.8% 1.6% 3.8%

Overall, Lithuanians were more rural than Germans; the part of Lithuanians in the city of Klaipėda itself increased over time due to urbanization and migration from villages into cities and later also from remaining Lithuania (in the city of Klaipėda, Lithuanian-speaking people made up 21.5% in 1912, 32.6% in 1925 and 38.7% in 1932*). *these percentages exclude foreign citizens living in Klaipėda; including foreign citizens would slightly lower the percentages

Foreign citizens might include some Germans, who opted for German citizenship instead of Lithuanian (although at the time German government pressured local Germans to take Lithuanian citizenship, so that German presence would remain).

There were more Lithuanians in the north of the region (Klaipėdos apskritis) and the south west (Šilutės apskritis) than in south east (Pagėgių apskritis). Other locals included people of other nationalities who had citizenship of Lithuania, such as Jews.

Ethnic groups 1925 census census
German 45.2% 41,9%
Memellandish 24.2% 27,1%
Lithuanian 26.5% 26,6%
other 4.1% 4,4%
Religion
Lutheran 95 % 95 %
other 5 % 5 %

Elections

Landtagswahlen: Elections for the diet of the Memelland which had 29 seats, one per 5,000 inhabitants. Men and women of age 24 could vote.

In each election, at least 75% of the votes were for parties that had German language names, yet they named themselves with Memelland or Memelgebiet (Memel territory), not German or of Germany, thus putting emphasis on the identity of their homeland, in contrast to the term "Klaipėda Region" which was used by officials from Lithuanian. Among the parties designated as Lithuanian were also supporters of autonomy (Lithuanian Autonomists).

MLP
Memelländische
Landwirtschaftspartei 		MVP
Memelländische
Volkspartei 		SPM
Sozialdemokratische
Partei des Memelgebietes 		KPM / AP
Kommunistische Partei
Arbeiterpartei
des Memelgebietes 		others LA-LVP
Lithuanian
Parties
1925-10-19 38,1% - 11 seats 36,9% - 11 seats 16,0% - 5 seats 9,0% - 2 seats
1927-08-30 33,6% - 10 seats 32,7% - 10 seats 10,1% - 3 seats 7,2% - 2 seats 13,6% - 4 seats
1930-10-10 31,8% - 10 seats 27,6% - 8 seats 13,8% - 4 seats 4,2% - 2 seats 22,7% - 5 seats
1932-05-04 37,1% - 11 seats 27,2% - 8 seats 7,8% - 2 seats 8,2% - 3 seats 19,7% - 5 seats
United German Slate Deutsche Einheitsliste Lithuanian Parties
1935-08-30 81,2% - 24 seats 18,8% - 5 Sitze
1938-12-11 87,2% - 25 seats 12,8% - 4 Sitze

The rest of the votes up to 100% were for parties that did not gain a seat

Party abbreviations:

  • MLP = Memelländische Landwirtschaftspartei (Memel Territory Farmers' Party, centrist)
  • MVP = Memelländische Volkspartei (Memel Territory People's Party, German nationalist)
  • SPM = Sozialdemokratische Partei des Memelgebietes (Social-Democratic Party of Memel Region)
  • AP = Arbeiterpartei (Workers' Party, communist)
  • LA-LVP = Litauische Autonomisten - Litauische Volkspartei (Lithuanian Autonomists - Lithuanian People's Party)
  • DEL = Deutsche Einheitsliste (German Unity List, est. 1935, coalition of MLP and MVP)

References

External links

See also

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