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German Micronesia

Considering the political situation of Germany in the time before 1870, there could not be any colonial undertakings but those of single German states. Only through Germany’s political union, and the creation of the German Empire, was she enabled to acquire colonies. The current FSM passed into the hands of Germany (which controlled the neighboring Marshall Islands) passed to German control in 1899.

After the defeat by the USA in 1898 and subsequent loss of the Philippines, Spain sold these islands and its other minor Pacific possessions to Germany. On 10 September 1898 Spain agreed to sell its possessions in the Caroline Islands to Germany. And on 12 February 1899 Germany agreed to pay Spain 25,000,000 pesetas (16,600,000 marks) for its possessions in the Caroline, Palau and Mariana Islands (except Guam).

The Marshall Islands, between 4° 30' and 12° north, and between 161° and 172° east longitude, were placed under German protection on 15th October, 1885, and the island of Nauru on the 16th April, 1888. According to the treaty with Great Britain of 16th April, 1886, the German sphere of interest was extended over the West Ralik and East Radack group of islands, the Brown and Providence Islands, and the above-mentioned island of Nauru, between the Marshall and Solomon Islands; altogether about 160 square miles of land, with 13,000 inhabitants, of whom forty-three were Germans, and 121 white people, on 1st January, 1898.

The Mariane Islands, with about 15,000 inhabitants, are situated north of the Caroline Islands, and consist of a great number of small islands, of which the Guam Island was ceded to the United States by Spain after the late war.

The islands of Pala’u are seven in number, with an area of 193 square miles, and situated west of the Caroline Islands. The Caroline Islands, with about 35,000 inhabitants, were divided into two parts, East and West Caroline Islands, and the most important one is the island of Yap, in the West Caroline group. All the three groups were administered by the Governor of German New Guinea, and divided into three districts :—

1. East Caroline: principal station Ponape.
2. West Caroline: principal station Yap.
3. Mariane Islands: principal station Saypan.

Yap Island was a major German naval communications centre in the early 20th century up to teh Great War and was an important international hub for cable telegraphy. Yap Island formed part of the Menado-Yap-Guam-Shanghai undersea cable route and this route meant that Germany was no longer reliant on British-controlled (“All Red”) telegraph cables in the Pacific.

The Versailles Peace Treaty, which came into force on 10 January 1920, stipulated that the Mariana Islands, the Palau Islands, the Caroline Islands and the Marshall Islands excluding Nauru, were entrusted to Japan as administering power under a C-mandate from the League of Nations as holder of sovereignty.