Germany lost the most land after World War I. The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, imposed severe territorial losses on Germany. These losses included:
- Alsace-Lorraine, which was returned to France.
- The Saar Basin, which was placed under the administration of the League of Nations for 15 years.
- Eupen-Malmedy, which was given to Belgium.
- Northern Schleswig, which was transferred to Denmark after a plebiscite.
- West Prussia, Posen, and Upper Silesia, which were given to Poland.
- The city of Danzig (now Gdańsk), which became a free city under the League of Nations.
- Memel, which was placed under French administration and later annexed by Lithuania.
- All of Germany’s overseas colonies, which were distributed among the Allied powers as mandates.
These territorial losses significantly reduced Germany’s size and influence in Europe, contributing to the economic and political instability that followed.