Geschichte des Saarlandes

Since its accession to the Federal Republic on January 1, 1957, Saarland has been the youngest of the "old" federal states. The region along the middle Saar has been one of the most densely populated areas in Europe since the Iron Age: iron, coal, and precious stones were mined and processed here, and charcoal, glass, and ceramics were produced. In the 19th and 20th centuries, it was a center of heavy industry. Due to its border location and excellent industrial development, it was repeatedly the target of French annexation policies and a staging area for German attacks on the neighboring country.