Belgian annexation plans after the Second World War

On 1 April 1949 (prior to the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany), the border areas in the territories of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate were temporarily divested to Belgium.

According to the Allied order of 26 March 1949, several populated places and the Vennbahn, which was of special interest for Belgium (as it had become permanent Belgian territory in 1922 under an article of the Treaty of Versailles) should be handed over.

Because establishing the Vennbahn railway would require huge resources over the years, as had been assessed by Belgium, it was decided to refrain from adding adjacent villages to the military administration.

[citation needed] In January 2008, it was announced by Belgian Deputy District Commissioner Marcel Lejoly that the planned removal of the Vennbahn rails could have "international consequences", and it was speculated that the neighbouring areas had to be returned to Germany.

The German-Belgian border treaty of 1956 cited by the Foreign Office does, however, not contain any indications as to what should happen if the railway facilities mentioned in the contract cease to exist.