Copy of the ballot paper used during the referendum held on 23 October 1955 on the European Saar Statute, proposing the establishment of an independent Saarland under the auspices of Western European Union (WEU).

On 24 October 1955, the Dutch daily newspaper Het Parool analyses the consequences of the rejection by the voters in the Saar of the European Statute for the Saar as part of Western European Union (WEU), as provided for by the Paris Agreements of 23 October 1954, and considers the future of Franco-German relations.

On 11 May 1955, in Paris, the Council of Western European Union (WEU) adopts a resolution on the organisation of the referendum on the Saar Statute.

German poster from 1955 against French annexation of the Saar: ‘Auf die Saar verzichten? Niemals!’ [‘Give up the Saar? Never!’]

On 25 October 1955, following the result of the referendum on the Saar Statute, the German daily newspaper Die Welt analyses the implications of returning the Saar to Germany and recalls the importance of maintaining good relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and France.

On 13 October 1955, the Saar Christian People’s Party (CVP) calls on citizens to vote ‘Yes’ in the referendum on the Saar Statute to be held on 23 October.

On 11 May 1955, the Council of Western European Union (WEU) establishes a supervisory commission for the referendum on the Saar Statute. In October 1955, several posters displayed in the city of Saarbrücken call on voters to reject or accept the Statute.

On 28 July 1955, Heinrich Schneider, first President of the Democratic Party of the Saar (DPS), publishes an article in the Deutsche Saar, the newspaper of the DPS, in which he condemns the threats posed by the future Statute of the Saar.

From August to October 1955, the Saar Christian People’s Party (CVP) publishes a series of posters in the regional periodical CVP-Rundschau calling on voters in the Saar to vote ‘Yes’ in the referendum held on 23 October 1955 on the future Saar Statute.