Ernst Thälmann Island

{{Short description|Small island off the coast of Cuba}}

{{About|the island|the other uses of this name|Ernst Thälmann (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox islands

| name = Ernst Thälmann Island

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| map = Cuba

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| location = Gulf of Cazones

| coordinates = {{coord|22.03333|-81.4|name=Ernst Thalmann Island|format=dms}}

| archipelago =

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| area_km2 = 7.0

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| country = Cuba

| country_admin_divisions_title = Province

| country_admin_divisions = Matanzas Province

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| population = 0

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{{OSM Location map

| coord = {{coord|22|08|00|N|81|26|00|W}}

| zoom = 10

| width = 258

| height = 300

| caption = Ernst Thälmann island, seen off the south-western coast of Cuba

| mark-coord = {{coord|22.033333|-81.4|name=OSM Ernst Thalmann Island}} T

| label = Ernst Thälmann island

| label-color= black

| label-pos = top

| mark-title = Ernst Thälmann island

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}}

Ernst Thälmann Island ({{langx|es|Cayo Ernesto Thaelmann}} or {{lang|es|Cayo Blanco del Sur}}; {{langx|de|Ernst-Thälmann-Insel}} or {{lang|de|Südliche weiße Insel}}) is a {{cvt|15|km}} long and {{cvt|500|m}} wide island in the Gulf of Cazones. In the 1970s, Cuba promised to donate an island in its archipelago to East Germany, and subsequently renamed Cayo Blanco del Sur after German communist Ernst Thälmann. Because the island was not mentioned in later documents incorporating East Germany into reunified Germany, various parties have argued that it remains a territory of the defunct nation, but Cuba has rejected this argument and claims jurisdiction over it.{{Cite web |date=2016-11-27 |title=Castro's Caribbean island gift to East Germany |url=https://www.dw.com/en/castros-caribbean-island-gift-to-east-germany/a-36539460 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010114816/https://www.dw.com/en/castros-caribbean-island-gift-to-east-germany/a-36539460 |archive-date=Oct 10, 2018 |access-date=2019-09-16 |website=DW |language=en-GB}}

==History==

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L0619-026, Castro, Landkarte Kubas überreicht.jpg, 19 June 1972: Fidel Castro (left) handed over, after the signing of the communiqué, a Cuban map to Erich Honecker (centre). The map shows an island that bears the name "Ernst Thälmann", with the southern area named "GDR Beach" ({{lang|es|Playa RDA}}, {{lang|de|DDR-Strand}}).]]

During a 1970s state visit to East Germany, Cuban prime minister Fidel Castro promised that his country would donate an island to its communist ally. As part of a state visit in June 1972 by East-German general secretary Erich Honecker, Castro renamed {{lang|es|Cayo Blanco del Sur}} ({{langx|en|Southern White Key}}) in honour of German communist politician and activist Ernst Thälmann. According to an article in {{Lang|de|Neues Deutschland}}, he also announced that one of its beaches had been renamed to {{lang|es|Playa República Democrática Alemana}} ({{langx|en|German Democratic Republic Beach}}, {{langx|de|DDR-Strand}}).{{cite web |newspaper=Neues Deutschland |date=20 June 1972 |url=http://www.spiegel.de/media/0,4906,2978,00.pdf |title=Die Insel, die Ernst Thälmann's Namen trägt |access-date=31 January 2014 |language=de |archive-date=14 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014150535/http://www.spiegel.de/media/0,4906,2978,00.pdf |url-status=dead }} East Germany's state television newscast {{Lang|de|Aktuelle Kamera}} reported on the ceremony and the unveiling of a bust of Thälmann in August 1972 in the presence of the East-German ambassador, East-German delegates, and Cuban representatives.{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Matt |date=2021-04-06 |title=The Last Piece Of East Germany - Ernst Thälmann Island |url=https://berlinexperiences.com/the-last-piece-of-east-germany/ |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=Berlin Experiences |language=en-GB}}

In March 1975, the East-German government sent singer Frank Schöbel to Cuba to make music videos. Film footage of the island was also shot, which was later included in a documentary emphasizing the island as a symbol of East-German–Cuban friendship.{{cite web |website=Spiegel Online |url=http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,117432,00.html |title=Schenkte Castro den Deutschen eine Karibikinsel? |trans-title=Did Castro give a Caribbean island to the Germans? |language=de |date=14 February 2001 |access-date=31 January 2014 |first=Matthias |last=Gebauer}}

In 1990, a series of international events led the government of East Germany to dissolve, with its territory added the federal republic of West Germany, incorporating as unified Germany. However, the reunification treaty made no reference to Ernst Thälmann Island as one of the territories joining the combined nation, leading to arguments about its status.{{cite web |date=Oct 22, 2015 |title=6 uninhabited and mysterious islands with bizarre pasts |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/world/6-uninhabited-and-mysterious-islands-bizarre-pasts-161026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204194439/https://www.thedailystar.net/world/6-uninhabited-and-mysterious-islands-bizarre-pasts-161026 |archive-date=Dec 4, 2022 |website=The Daily Star}} Neither of the German states controlled the island during or after the reunification.

The U.S.-based micronation of Molossia had declared a state of war against East Germany in 1983, and after the reunification of Germany its founder has claimed that the island remains a vestigial part of that nation, allowing his passive "war" to continue.{{Cite web |date=2021-09-12 |title=Is an Island Off Cuba the Last Surviving Piece of East Germany? |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/91377/island-cuba-last-surviving-piece-east-germany |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=Mental Floss |language=en-us}}

In 1998, the island was severely hit by Hurricane Mitch, knocking over the bust of Thälmann.

A German online newspaper sought to visit the island in 2001, on the premise that it was German territory, but they were rebuffed. According to the Cuban embassy in Germany the renaming had been a "symbolic act", and the German Foreign Office concurred that it was "not a gift, but a change of name", and the island was never actually transferred from Cuba.