the state, the other being (HTW Saar). The Saar Protectorate was headed by a military governor from 30 August 1945: Gilbert Yves Edmond Grandval (1904–1981), who remained, on 1 January 1948, as High Commissioner, and January 1952 – June 1955 as the first of two French ambassadors, his successor being Éric de Carbonnel (1910–1965) until 1956. Saarland, however, was allowed a regional administration very early, consecutively headed by: a president of the Government: 31 July 1945 – 8 June 1946: Hans Neureuther, non-party a chairman of the (until 15 December 1947, Provisional) Administration Commission: 8 June 1946 – 20 December 1947: Erwin Müller (1906–1968), non-party Minister-presidents (as in any state): 20 December 1947 – 29 October 1955: Johannes Hoffmann (1890–1967), CVP 29 October 1955 – 10 January 1956 Heinrich Welsch (1888–1976), non-party 10 January 1956 – 4 June 1957: Hubert Ney (1892–1984), CDU In 1954, France and the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) developed a detailed plan called the (Saar Statute) to establish an independent Saarland. It was signed as an agreement between the two countries on 23 October 1954 as one of the Paris Pacts, but a plebiscite held on 23 October 1955 rejected it by 67.7%. On 27 October 1956, the Saar Treaty declared that Saarland should be allowed to join the Federal Republic of Germany, which it did on 1 January 1957. This was the last significant international border change in Europe until the fall of Communism over 30 years later. The Saarland's unification with the Federal Republic of Germany was sometimes referred to as the ('little reunification', in contrast with the post-Cold War reunification with the GDR). After unification, the Saar franc remained as the territory's currency until West Germany's Deutsche Mark replaced it on 7 July 1959. The Saar Treaty established that French, not English as in the rest of West Germany, should remain the first foreign language taught in Saarland schools; this provision was still largely followed after it was no longer binding. Since 1971, Saarland has been a member of SaarLorLux, a euroregion created from Saarland, Lorraine, Luxembourg, Rhineland Palatinate, and Wallonia. Geography The state borders France (department of Moselle, which forms part of the region of Grand Est) to the south and west, Luxembourg (Grevenmacher District) to the west and Rhineland-Palatinate to the north and the east. It is named after the river Saar, a tributary of the Moselle (itself a