Klaipėda Region

The Klaipėda Region (Lithuanian: Klaipėdos kraštas) or Memel Territory (German: Memelland or Memelgebiet) was defined by the 1919 Treaty of Versailles in 1920 and refers to the northernmost part of the German province of East Prussia, when, as Memelland, it was put under the administration of the Entente's Council of Ambassadors. The Memel Territory, together with other areas severed from Germany (the Saar and Danzig), was to remain under the control of the League of Nations until a future date, when the people of these regions would be allowed to vote on whether the land would return to Germany or not. Today, the former Memel Territory is controlled by Lithuania as part of Klaipėda and Tauragė counties.

Klaipėda Region
Klaipėdos kraštas (Lithuanian)
Memelland/Memelgebiet (German)
1919–1923
Flag
Coat of arms
Historical map of Memelland and the northern part of East Prussia.
StatusTerritory under League of Nations protection
CapitalKlaipėda
Common languagesGerman
Low German
Lithuanian
GovernmentSpecial territory
Presidents of the Directorate 
 1920–1921
Arthur Altenberg
 1921–1923
Wilhelm Steputat
 1923
Erdmann Simoneit
LegislatureSeimelis
Historical eraInterwar period
10 January 1919
10–15 January 1923
 Annexed by Lithuania
19 January 1923
Area
 Total
2,657 km2 (1,026 sq mi)
CurrencyPapiermark
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Free State of Prussia
Klaipėda County
Today part ofLithuania
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