On This Day

Belgium annexes Eupen-Malmedy

Eupen-Malmedy is a small, predominantly German-speaking region in eastern Belgium.

Eupen-Malmedy is a small, predominantly German-speaking region in eastern Belgium. It consists of three administrative cantons around the towns of Eupen, Malmedy, and Sankt Vith which encompass some 730 square kilometres (280 sq mi). Elsewhere in Belgium, the region is commonly referred to as the East Cantons (French: Cantons de l'Est, Dutch: Oostkantons).

Eupen-Malmedy became part of Belgium in the aftermath of World War I. The region, which had formerly been part of Prussia and the German Empire, was allocated to Belgium by the Treaty of Versailles. It was formally annexed after a controversial referendum in 1920, becoming part of Liège Province in 1925. Agitation by German nationalists during the interwar period led to its re-annexation by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Historical Significance

Eupen-Malmedy is a small, predominantly German-speaking region in eastern Belgium.

Events Before

  1. Battle of Jutland: British naval commander David Beatty is promoted to full admiral

    The Battle of Jutland (German: Skagerrakschlacht, lit. 'Battle of the Skagerrak') was a naval battle between Britain's Royal Navy Grand Fleet, under Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, and the Imperial German...

  2. J. D. Salinger is born

    J. D. Salinger, American author, known for american author, was born on 1919-01-01.

  3. German Workers' Party forms, precursor to the National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi)

    The German Workers' Party (German: Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, DAP) was an obscure far-right political party established in the Weimar Republic after World War I.

  4. The 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, authorizing the prohibition of alcohol, is ratified by a majority of US state

    The 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, authorizing the prohibition of alcohol, is ratified by a majority of US states

  5. German theoretical physicist Physicist Albert Einstein (39) divorces Serbian physicist and mathematician Mileva Marić (4

    German theoretical physicist Physicist Albert Einstein (39) divorces Serbian physicist and mathematician Mileva Marić (43) after 16 years of marriage

Events After

  1. Republic of Turkey is declared from the remnants of the Ottoman Empire

    Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a smaller part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe.

  2. Charlie Chaplin releases his first full-length feature, "The Kid," a silent film starring Charlie Chaplin and 6-year-old

    Charlie Chaplin releases his first full-length feature, "The Kid," a silent film starring Charlie Chaplin and 6-year-old Jackie Coogan

  3. Actor Jack Haley (22) weds Florence McFadden

    Actor Jack Haley (22) weds Florence McFadden

  4. Comedian Oliver Hardy (29) marries actress Myrtle Reeves (24)

    Comedian Oliver Hardy (29) marries actress Myrtle Reeves (24)

  5. French army captain, and future president, Charles de Gaulle (30) weds Yvonne Vendroux (20) in the Notre-Dame de Calais

    French army captain, and future president, Charles de Gaulle (30) weds Yvonne Vendroux (20) in the Notre-Dame de Calais church

More from the 1920s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 29, 1920?
Eupen-Malmedy is a small, predominantly German-speaking region in eastern Belgium. It consists of three administrative cantons around the towns of Eupen, Malmedy, and Sankt Vith which encompass some 730 square kilometres (280 sq mi). Elsewhere in Belgium, the region is commonly referred to as the East Cantons (French: Cantons de l'Est, Dutch: Oostkantons).
Why is Belgium annexes Eupen-Malmedy significant?
Eupen-Malmedy is a small, predominantly German-speaking region in eastern Belgium.

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