ALLENSTEIN-MARIENWERDER, a region composed of districts of the former Prussian provinces of East and West Prussia.
Articles 94-98 of the Treaty of Versailles (q.v.) provided that the East Prussian Circles (Kreise) of Allenstein, Ortelesburg, Osterode, Sensburg, Johannisburg, Lotzen, Lyck and Neidenburg, in so far as they had not already been ceded to Poland, and further the West Prussian Circles of Marienwerder (east of the Vistula), Stuhm, Rosenburg and the section of the Circle Marien burg situated east of the Nogat, should declare by a plebiscite whether they desired to belong to Germany or Poland. Until the plebiscite should take place the administration of these Circles was taken over by inter-Allied commissions for East and West Prussia respectively, supported by Allied garrisons.
The plebiscite held on July II, 1920, was preceded by much agi tation and band warfare. In the East Prussian region 98% of the population voted for Germany, in the West Prussian 92%. Both districts were assigned to Germany on the basis of the vote; but, in accordance with the terms of the Treaty pf Versailles, a zone 5om. broad and some 3om. long on the east bank of the Vistula near Marienwerder and four villages with the harbour of Kurzebrack on the same river were assigned to Poland in order to secure for the Polish state, at this point, the sovereignty over the course of the Vistula accorded to it by the treaty. The in habitants of the adjacent East Prussian territory are at all times to have access for themselves and their boats to the Vistula. Three frontier communes in the south-west of East Prussia were also assigned to Poland. On Aug. 16 both the inter-Allied corn missions left the plebiscitary areas.