FOCH FERDINAND: (1851-1929) French Marshal of World War I. T.L.S., F. Foch, four pages, folio, G.Q.G.A., 8th January 1920, to The President of the Council, Minister of War, on the printed stationery of the Commander in Chief, Allied Armies, in French. Foch writes concerning the subject of compensation requested by Madame Perrault, widow of Major Perrault, accidentally killed during the October troubles in Saarbrucken, and agrees that Madame Perrault is entitled to the compensation she is requesting although adding 'it does not seem possible to demand compensation from the German Government, as it is not legally responsible for the maintenance of law and order in the Saarland' and further discussing the results of the Commissions set up in Saarbrucken to evaluate the damages and deaths of Major Perrault and two other soldiers, 'After the enquiry of the French Commission....General Andauer....advised the Mayor of Saarbrucken that he considered the local authority of Saarbrucken financially responsible for the events which took place after the strikes, which degenerated into acts of armed pillaging, which the municipal police were unable to control' and explaining that the Mayor is arguing that the town should not have to pay the compensation of 250,000 Francs to Madame Perrault as the police are governed by the State and not the Local Authority. Foch further adds that he has consulted with a political lawyer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and suggests a conclusion to the matter, 'I do not think we can go back to the Local Authority of Saarbrucken: our claim would not be well-founded in law. Major Perrault was in fact killed by a French bullet: a demand for indemnity for this victim would thus seem legally very debatable. I therefore propose that the compensation paid to the widow of Major Perrault be taken from the fines levied on certain towns in the occupied territories during the troubles. The total of these fines amounts currently to almost 320,000 Francs. Regarding the compensation, which I consider should justly be given to the families of the two chasseurs, killed during the Saarbrucken strikes: - that to be given to the family of Chasseur Olivier, who was also killed by a French bullet, would likewise be taken from the fines - the other, that to be granted to the family of Chasseur Tissier, killed by a German rioter, would be charged to the local authority of Saarbrucken, who must then pursue what they consider to be their rightful claim against the German government'. A letter of interesting content. VG €125-190

In 1920, the date of the present letter, Saarbrücken became capital of the Saar Territory and was governed by France and the United Kingdom. Under the Treaty of Versailles (1919), the Saar coal mines were made the exclusive property of France for a period of fifteen years as compensation for the destruction of French mines during World War I. The treaty also provided for a referendum at the end of the fifteen year period, to determine the territory's future status, and in 1935 more than 90% of the electorate voted for reunification with Germany, while only 0.8% voted for unification with France. The remainder wanted to rejoin Germany but not while the Nazis were in power. In 1935, the Saar territory rejoined Germany and formed a district under the name Saarland.