Eupen-Malmedy

Eupen-Malmedy, or the East Cantons is a group of cantons in Belgium. They are the former Prussian districts of Malmedy and Eupen, together with the Neutral Moresnet. French-speaking Belgians also once called them the Redeemed Cantons. These territories were added to Belgium in 1920 by the Versailles Treaty.

Eupen Malmedy border changes between 1920 and 1945

Chronology

6 March 1815 : Malmedy part of Prussia (from 1871 Germany).
1918 - 1920 : Under Allied occupation (British to Aug 1919, then Belgian).
28 June 1919 : Given to Belgium by Germany under Treaty of Versailles.
20 September 1920 : Eupen, Malmedy and Sankt-Vith added (fully re-incorporated 1925).
1926 The Belgian government wants to "sell" the East Cantons to the Weimar Republic. France objects strongly.
29 July 1940 - Feb 1945 : Eupen, Malmedy and Sankt-Vith are added to Germany, together with the Luxembourg village of Bého (renamed Bocholz) and former Neutral Moresnet.
1956 Belgo-German peace treaty. The Federal Republic of Germany recognizes the illegality of the 1940 annexation.
1960-1964 The Belgian language border is fixed and finally divides the East Cantons. Eupen, Sankt Vith and others become German-speaking with special privileges for French speakers, Malmedy and Waimes join Aubel, Welkenraedt, Bleiberg and Baelen as French-speaking with (potential) special privileges for German speakers.
18 July 1966 Belgian law on the language use by local and national government. The "region of the German language" is mentioned. Federal Government services to answer German questions from a member of the general public in German.
1973 The Rat der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft is set up.
1989 New amnesty law, undoing the legal effects of the annexation and its voiding.
1993 The Executive of the Rat der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft is recognized as one of the Belgian regional governments in the new federal constitution. The German-speaking area remains a part of the Walloon economic area.
2005 The authority of the Rat is increased by giving it the right of teaching over religious institutions and over its nine communities.