1939 German ultimatum to Lithuania
On the 20th of March 1939, Nazi Germany's foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop presented an oral ultimatum to Juozas Urbšys, the foreign minister of Lithuania. Germany demanded that Lithuania give up the Klaipėda Region, also known as the Memel Territory, or face invasion by the Wehrmacht and bombing of Kaunas. This region had been detached from Germany after World War I under Article 28 of the Treaty of Versailles. France assumed administration while Lithuania lobbied for control, claiming it belonged there due to its significant Lithuanian population. Poland also laid claim to the territory. As the Allies hesitated, Lithuania organized the Klaipėda Revolt in January 1923 with support from Soviet Russia and Germany. The region became an autonomous territory attached to Lithuania, covering about 2,450 square kilometers and housing approximately 140,000 people.
During the 1920s, Lithuania and Germany maintained a relatively normal relationship united by anti-Polish sentiment. In January 1928, they signed a border treaty leaving Klaipėda on the Lithuanian side. Tensions rose sharply in February 1934 when the Lithuanian government arrested dozens of pro-Nazi activists. Germany responded by declaring a boycott of Lithuanian agricultural imports. This boycott caused an economic crisis in Suvalkija, where farmers organized violent protests. After the Saar referendum, most pro-Nazi prisoners received amnesty. Lithuanian prestige suffered both abroad and within Klaipėda, allowing Germany to strengthen its influence in the region. By spring 1938, Adolf Hitler stated that gaining Klaipėda was one of his highest priorities, second only to acquiring the Sudetenland.
Rumors reached the Lithuanian government that Germany had specific plans to take over Klaipėda. On the 12th of March, Foreign Minister Urbšys attended Pope Pius XII's coronation in Rome. He stopped in Berlin hoping to clarify growing rumors. On the 20th of March, Ribbentrop agreed to meet with Urbšys but excluded Kazys Škirpa, who waited in another room. The conversation lasted about 40 minutes. Ribbentrop demanded the return of Klaipėda and threatened military action if Lithuania resisted. Urbšys relayed this verbal ultimatum to the Lithuanian government. Because no written deadline existed, some historians describe it as merely a set of demands rather than a true ultimatum. Force would be used should Lithuania resist, and they were warned not to seek help from other nations.
Lithuania secretly informed signatories of the Klaipėda Convention about these demands since technically transfer required their approval. Italy and Japan supported Germany openly while the United Kingdom and France expressed sympathy without offering material assistance. They followed a well-publicized policy of appeasing Hitler. The UK treated the issue identically to how it handled the Sudeten Crisis, making no plans to assist Lithuania or other Baltic States if attacked by Germany. The Soviet Union supported Lithuania in principle but did not wish to disrupt relations with Germany at that point. Without any material international support, Lithuania had no choice but to accept the ultimatum. German diplomats hoped Lithuania would voluntarily give up the troubled region, avoiding public disturbance during sensitive discussions with Poland over an anti-Communist alliance against the Soviet Union.
At 1:00 a.m. on the 23rd of March 1939, Urbšys and Ribbentrop signed a treaty effective the 22nd of March 1939 stating Lithuania was voluntarily transferring the Klaipėda Region to Germany. Before signing, German soldiers had already entered the port of Klaipėda. Adolf Hitler arrived aboard the cruiser Deutschland and personally toured the city giving a short speech. The armada included the cruiser Admiral Graf Spee, light cruisers Nürnberg, Leipzig, and Köln, two destroyer squadrons, three torpedo boat flotillas, and one tender flotilla. At that time, the Lithuanian navy possessed only one warship, the Prezidentas Smetona, a 580-ton converted minesweeper. While Germans celebrated returning the city, European politicians expressed fears that the Free City of Danzig would be Hitler's next target.
The loss of its only port to the Baltic Sea delivered a major blow to the Lithuanian economy. Between 70% and 80% of foreign trade passed through Klaipėda. The region represented only about 5% of Lithuania's territory yet contained a third of its industry. Lithuania lost heavy investments in the port's infrastructure. About 10,000 refugees, mostly Jews, left the region seeking shelter from the Lithuanian government. In March and April, bank deposit withdrawals totaled almost 20% of total deposits. President Antanas Smetona's unconditional acceptance of a second ultimatum within little over a year became a major source of dissatisfaction with his authoritarian rule. The German ultimatum triggered a political crisis replacing the passive cabinet of Vladas Mironas with one headed by General Jonas Černius. Four generals joined the cabinet alongside opposition members Leonas Bistras and Jurgis Krikščiūnas.
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Common questions
Who presented the 1939 German ultimatum to Lithuania?
Nazi Germany's foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop presented an oral ultimatum to Juozas Urbšys, the foreign minister of Lithuania. This meeting occurred on the 20th of March 1939 in Berlin.
What territory did Nazi Germany demand from Lithuania in 1939?
Germany demanded that Lithuania give up the Klaipėda Region, also known as the Memel Territory. This region covered about 2,450 square kilometers and housed approximately 140,000 people before its transfer.
When was the treaty signed transferring Klaipėda to Germany?
Urbšys and Ribbentrop signed a treaty effective the 22nd of March 1939 at 1:00 a.m. on the 23rd of March 1939. German soldiers had already entered the port of Klaipėda before this signing took place.
Why did Lithuania accept the German ultimatum without resistance?
Lithuania accepted the ultimatum because no material international support existed despite sympathy from France and the United Kingdom. The Soviet Union supported Lithuania in principle but refused to disrupt relations with Germany at that point.
How did the loss of Klaipėda affect the Lithuanian economy?
Between 70% and 80% of foreign trade passed through Klaipėda before its loss. The region contained a third of Lithuania's industry while representing only about 5% of its territory.