Région Alsace
New région flag[1]	Region logo
Location
Administration
Capital	Strasbourg
Regional President	Adrien Zeller (UMP) (since 1996)
Departments	Bas-Rhin Haut-Rhin
Arrondissements	13
Cantons	75
Communes	904
Statistics
Land area1	8,280 km²
Population	(Ranked 14th)
- January 1, 2007 est. Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région In France, the president of the regional council (French Président du conseil régional) is the elected official who heads the Conseil régional Adrien Zeller (born 2 April 1940 in Saverne) is the president of the regional council of Alsace since 1996 In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division Bas-Rhin is a ''département'' of France. The name means "Lower Rhine " Haut-Rhin is a ''département'' of France named after the Rhine river The 100 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic's 341 arrondissements and 100 departments. The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. The following are ranked lists of French regions. Population figures are from the 1999 census To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 The following are ranked lists of French regions. Population figures are from the 1999 census New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.	1,829,000
- March 8, 1999 census	1,734,145
- Density (2007)	221/km²
1 French Land Register data, which exclude lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km² (0. Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) The following are ranked lists of French regions. Population figures are from the 1999 census 386 sq. mi. or 247 acres) as well as the estuaries of rivers

Alsace (French: Alsace, pronounced [alzas]; Alsatian and German: Elsass, pre-1996 German: Elsaß) is one of the 26 regions of France, located on the eastern border of France, on the west bank of the Upper Rhine, adjacent to Germany and Switzerland. An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Alsatian ( Elsässerditsch; Alsacien Elsässisch or Elsässerdeutsch) is a Low Alemannic German dialect spoken in most of Alsace, a region The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. The German spelling reform of 1996 ( Rechtschreibreform) is based on an international agreement signed in Vienna in July 1996 by the governments of the German -speaking France is divided into 26 regions or régions (in French of which 21 are in continental Metropolitan France, one is the island of Corsica, This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The name "Alsace" derives from the Germanic Ell-sass, meaning "Seated on the Ill"^[2], the Ill is a river in Alsace. The Germanic languages are a group of related languages that constitute a branch of the Indo-European (IE Language family. The Ill (all capitals ILL pronounced) is a River in Alsace, in north-eastern France. Its capital and largest city is Strasbourg. Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région Alsace, previously a part of the Holy Roman Empire, changed hands between France and Germany several times between the 17th and 20th century. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar The twentieth century of the Common Era began on

In the course of the 17th century, the entirety of Alsace was gradually annexed under kings Louis XIII and Louis XIV of France and made one of the provinces of France. For the cognac see Louis XIII de Rémy Martin. Louis XIII ( September 27, 1601 – May 14, 1643) Early years Birth and ancestry Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5 1638 and bore the Heir apparent The Kingdom of France was organised into Provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département Alsace is frequently (although now informally) mentioned in conjunction with Lorraine, because possession of these two régions (as Alsace-Lorraine) was often contested in the 19th and 20th century, following a division among the successors of Charlemagne in the 9th century. Lorraine (Lothringen is one of the 26 régions of France. It is the only administrative region with two cities of equal importance Metz and Nancy Alsace-Lorraine (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen generally Elsass - Lothringen) was a territorial entity created by the German Empire in 1871 The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era.

Although Alsace was a German dialect-speaking region for most of its history, today nearly all Alsatians speak French. About 25% of the local population is still fluent in the Alsatian language (as a mother tongue) or in German (as a second language). Alsatian ( Elsässerditsch; Alsacien Elsässisch or Elsässerdeutsch) is a Low Alemannic German dialect spoken in most of Alsace, a region A first language (also mother tongue, native language, arterial language, or L1) is the language a human being learns from birth A second language (L2 is any Language learned after the first language or mother tongue (L1

Geography

Topographic map of Alsace

Topography

Alsace has an area of 8,283 km², making it the smallest région of metropolitan France. France is divided into 26 regions or régions (in French of which 21 are in continental Metropolitan France, one is the island of Corsica, Metropolitan France (France métropolitaine or la Métropole, or colloquially l'Hexagone) is the part of France located in Europe, including It is almost four times longer than it is wide, corresponding to a plain between the Rhine in the east and the Vosges mountains in the west. The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge The Vosges (voːʒ or Vosges Mountains are a Mountain range in eastern France, stretching along the west side of the Rhine valley

It includes the départements of Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin (known previously as Sundgau and Nordgau). In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division Haut-Rhin is a ''département'' of France named after the Rhine river Bas-Rhin is a ''département'' of France. The name means "Lower Rhine " Sundgau (suŋˈɡo in French;[http//mediala-basorg/mp3/020923/22-Alsace-Sundgau It borders Germany on the north and the east, Switzerland and Franche-Comté on the south, and Lorraine on the west. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Franche-Comté ( Franc-Comtois: Fràntche-Comté; Franco-Provençal: Franche-Comtât) the former "Free County" of Burgundy Lorraine (Lothringen is one of the 26 régions of France. It is the only administrative region with two cities of equal importance Metz and Nancy

Several valleys are also found in the région. In Geology, a valley (also called a vale, dale, glen or strath and near or in Appalachia, a draw) is Its highest point is the Ballon de Guebwiller in Haut-Rhin, which reaches a height of 1426m. Le Grand Ballon ( German: Großer Belchen; translates as big balloon) is the apex of the Vosges mountains, located 25  Kilometres Haut-Rhin is a ''département'' of France named after the Rhine river

The ballon de Guebwiller, southern face, since the valley of the Thur

Geology

Alsace is the part of the plain of the Rhine located at the west of the Rhine, on its left bank. Le Grand Ballon ( German: Großer Belchen; translates as big balloon) is the apex of the Vosges mountains, located 25  Kilometres The Thur is a River in the Haut-Rhin department Alsace, France, left tributary of the river Ill. The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge It is a rift or graben, from the Oligocene epoch , associated with its horsts : the Vosges and the Black Forest. In Geology, a rift is a place where the Earth 's crust and Lithosphere are being pulled apart and is an example of Extensional tectonics A graben is a depressed block of land bordered by parallel faults Graben is German for ditch. The Oligocene is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene period and extends from about 33 The geologic time scale is a chronologic schema (or idealized Model) relating Stratigraphy to time that is used by Geologists and other This article refers to the geological form For other uses see Horst. Vosges (voːʒ is a French department, named after the Vosges mountain range. For the suburb of Adelaide, please see Black Forest South Australia; for the CDP in Colorado, please see Black Forest Colorado. The Jura Mountains, formed by slip (induced by the alpine uplift) of the mesozoic cover on the triassic formations goes through the area of Belfort. The Jura Mountains are a small Mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of The Mesozoic Era is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 251 to 199 Ma (million years ago Belfort (Beffert is a town and commune of northeastern France, Préfecture (capital of the Territoire de Belfort

Flora

It contains many forests, primarily in the Vosges and in Bas-Rhin (Haguenau Forest). A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria The Vosges (voːʒ or Vosges Mountains are a Mountain range in eastern France, stretching along the west side of the Rhine valley Bas-Rhin is a ''département'' of France. The name means "Lower Rhine "

Climate

Alsace has a semi-continental climate with cold and dry winters and hot summers. Continental climate is a Climate that is characterized by Winter Temperatures cold enough to support a fixed period of Snow cover each Year There is little precipitation because the Vosges protect it from the west. The Vosges (voːʒ or Vosges Mountains are a Mountain range in eastern France, stretching along the west side of the Rhine valley The city of Colmar has a sunny microclimate; it is the second driest city in France, with an annual precipitation of just 550 mm, making it ideal for vin d'Alsace (Alsatian wine). Colmar (Colmar kɔlmaʁ Alsatian: Colmer pronounced; Colmar between 1871-1918 and 1940-1945 also Kolmar) is a town and commune A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the Climate differs from the surrounding area Alsace wine or Alsatian wine (in French: Vin d'Alsace) is produced in the Alsace region in France and is primarily white

History

Roman Alsace

In prehistoric times, Alsace was inhabited by nomadic hunters, but by 1500 BC, Celts began to settle in Alsace, clearing and cultivating the land. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts By 58 BC, the Romans had invaded and established Alsace as a center of viticulture. Year 58 BC was a year of the pre-Julian calendar. Events By place Rome Consuls Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Viticulture (from the Latin word for Vine) is the Science, production and study of Grapes which deals with the series of To protect this highly valued industry, the Romans built fortifications and military camps that evolved into various communities which have been inhabited continuously to the present day. While part of the Roman Empire, Alsace was part of Germania Superior. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Germania Superior ("Upper Germania " so called for the reason that it lay upstream of Germania Inferior, was a province of the

Frankish Alsace

Main article: Duchy of Alsace

With the decline of the Roman Empire, Alsace became the territory of the Alemanni. The Duchy of Alsace was a large political subdivision of the Frankish Empire during the last decade and a half of Merovingian rule The Decline of the Roman Empire, leading to the Fall of the Roman Empire, or the Fall of Rome, was the end of the Western Roman Empire. The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Main river ( Germany The Alemanni were agricultural people, and their language formed the basis of the modern-day Alsatian dialect. Clovis and the Franks drove the Alemanni out of Alsace during the 5th century, culminating with the Battle of Tolbiac, and Alsace became part of the Kingdom of Austrasia. The Franks or Frankish people (Franci or gens Francorum) were West Germanic tribes first identified in the 3rd century as an Ethnic group The 5th century is the period from 401 to 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in Anno Domini / Common Era. The Battle of Tolbiac was fought between the Franks under Clovis I and the Alamanni, traditionally set in 496. Austrasia (rarely Austria, both meaning "eastern land" formed the north-eastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising Under Clovis' Merovingian successors the inhabitants were Christianized. The Merovingians (also Merovings) were a Salian Frankish dynasty that came to rule the Franks in a region (known as Francia in Latin Alsace remained under Frankish control until the Frankish realm, following the Oaths of Strasbourg of 842, was formally dissolved in 843 at the Treaty of Verdun; the grandsons of Charlemagne, formally known as the founder of the Frankish realm, divided the realm into three parts. Francia or Frankia, later also called the Frankish Empire (imperium Francorum Frankish Kingdom (Latin regnum Francorum, "Kingdom of the The Oaths of Strasbourg ( Modern French: les serments de Strasbourg, Modern German: die Straßburger Eide, Latin Sacramenta Events By Place Europe February 14 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German sign a treaty Events By Place Europe The Treaty of Verdun divides the Carolingian Empire between the 3 sons of Louis the In the Treaty of Verdun of 843 the three surviving sons of Louis the Pious, Charlemagne 's grandsons divided his territories the Carolingian Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his Alsace formed part of the Middle Francia, which was ruled by the youngest grandson Lothar I. Middle Francia designates the realm created for Emperor Lothair I (843-855 wedged between East Francia and West Francia. Lothair I ( German: Lothar, French: Lothaire, Italian: Lotario) (795 &ndash 29 September 855) Lothar died early in 855 and his realm was divided into three parts. Events By Place Europe Louis II succeeds Lothar as Western Emperor The part known as Lotharingia, or Lorraine, was given to Lothar's son. --> Lotharingia or Lorraine was a short-lived kingdom in The rest was shared between Lothar's brothers Charles the Bald (ruler of the West Frankish realm) and Ludwig the German (ruler of the East Frankish realm). Charles the Bald ( 13 June 823 – 6 October 877) Holy Roman Emperor (875–877 as Charles II) and King of West Francia West Francia or the West Frankish Kingdom was a short-lived kingdom encompassing the lands of the western part of the Carolingian Empire that came under the undisputed Louis (also Ludwig or Lewis) the German (also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian) (806 &ndash August 28, 876 East ( ern) Francia ( Regnum Francorum orientalium) known variously as Francia Orientalis or the Kingdom of the East Franks, was the The Kingdom of Lotharingia was short-lived, however; the region that was to become Alsace fell to the Holy Roman Empire as part of the Duchy of Swabia in the Treaty of Meersen in 870. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in The following is a list of Dukes of Swabia in southwest Germany The Treaty of Meerssen or Mersen in 870 was an agreement of the division of the Carolingian Empire by the surviving sons of Louis I, Charles

Alsace within the Holy Roman Empire

At about this time the entire region began to fragment into a number of feudal secular and ecclesiastical lordships, a situation which lasted into the 17th century and was a common process in Europe. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed Alsace experienced great prosperity during the 12th and 13th centuries under Hohenstaufen emperors. Frederick I set up Alsace as a province (a procuratio, not a provincia) to be ruled by ministeriales, a non-noble class of civil servants. Frederick I Barbarossa (1122 &ndash 10 June 1190) was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned A province is a territorial unit almost always an Administrative division. Ministerialis (plural ministeriales) a post-classical Latin word used in English, meaning originally servitor, agent, in a The idea was that such men would be more tractable and less likely to alienate the fief from the crown out of their own greed. Under the system of Feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud, feoff, or fee, often consisted of inheritable lands or revenue-producing The province had a single provincial court (Landgericht) and a central administration with its seat at Hagenau. Haguenau (Haguenau agəno Alsatian: Hàwenau, pronounced; Hagenau is a commune located in northeastern France, in the Bas-Rhin Frederick II designated the Bishop of Strasbourg to administer Alsace, but the authority of the bishop was challenged by Count Rudolph of Habsburg, who received his rights from Frederick II's son Conrad IV. Frederick II ( December 26, 1194 &ndash December 13, 1250) of the Hohenstaufen dynasty was a Pretender to the title These persons were Bishop, Archbishop or Prince-bishop of the Archbishopric of Strasbourg: Amandus Justinus von Straßburg Rudolph I, also known as Rudolph of Habsburg ( German: Rudolf von Habsburg, Latin Rudolfus) May 1, 1218 &ndash Conrad IV ( 25 April 1228 &ndash 21 May 1254) was king of Jerusalem (as Conrad II) (1228&ndash1254 of Germany Strasbourg began to grow to become the most populous and commercially-important town in the region. In 1262, after a long struggle with the ruling bishops, its citizens gained the status of free imperial city. In the Holy Roman Empire, a free imperial city (in German: freie Reichsstadt) was a City formally ruled by the Emperor only &mdash A stop on the Paris-Vienna-Orient trade route, as well as a port on the Rhine route linking southern Germany and Switzerland to the Netherlands, England and Scandinavia, it became the political and economic center of the region. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. The Orient is a term which simply means the " East " It originated in Western Asia to describe that part of the world German dialectal mapPNG|right|thumb|200px|Southern Germany roughly corresponds to the area of Germany south of the Speyer line where Upper German dialects are spoken Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well Cities such as Colmar and Hagenau also began to grow in economic importance and gained a kind of autonomy within the "Decapole" or "Dekapolis", a federation of ten free towns. Colmar (Colmar kɔlmaʁ Alsatian: Colmer pronounced; Colmar between 1871-1918 and 1940-1945 also Kolmar) is a town and commune Haguenau (Haguenau agəno Alsatian: Hàwenau, pronounced; Hagenau is a commune located in northeastern France, in the Bas-Rhin

The prosperity of Alsace was terminated in the 14th century by a series of harsh winters, bad harvests, and the Black Death. The Black Death, or the Black Plague, was one of the deadliest Pandemics in human history widely thought to have been caused by a bacterium named Yersinia These hardships were blamed on Jews, leading to the pogroms of 1336 and 1339 . PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ A pogrom is a form of Riot directed against a particular group whether ethnic religious or other and characterized by destruction of their Homes Businesses An additional natural disaster was the Rhine rift earthquake of 1356 , one of Europe's worst. The Upper Rhine valley (Oberrheinische Tiefebene describes the Upper Rhine area on the earth's surface while the Upper Rhine Rift ( Oberrheingraben Prosperity returned to Alsace under Habsburg administration during the Renaissance. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere

Petite-France, Strasbourg

German central power had begun to decline following years of imperial adventures in Italian lands, ceding hegemony in Europe to France, which had long since centralized power. Petite-France is an area in Strasbourg, Alsace, France. It is located on the Grande Île (Main Island where the river Ill Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. France began an aggressive policy of expanding eastward, first to the Rhône and Meuse Rivers, and when those borders were reached, aiming for the Rhine. The Rhone, or the Rhône is one of the major Rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France. Meuse (møːz is a department in northeast France, named after the Meuse River. In 1299, the French proposed a marriage alliance between Philip IV of France's sister and Albert I of Germany's son, with Alsace to be the dowry; however, the deal never came off. Albrecht I of Habsburg (July 1255 &ndash May 1, 1308) sometimes named as Albert I, was King of the Romans, Duke of Austria In 1307, the town of Belfort was first chartered by the Counts of Montbéliard. Belfort (Beffert is a town and commune of northeastern France, Préfecture (capital of the Territoire de Belfort Montbéliard (archaic Mömpelgard is a commune in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France During the next century, France was to be militarily shattered by the Hundred Years' War, which prevented for a time any further tendencies in this direction. The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior After the conclusion of the war, France was again free to pursue its desire to reach the Rhine and in 1444 a French army appeared in Lorraine and Alsace. It took up winter quarters, demanded the submission of Metz and Strasbourg and launched an attack on Basel. Metz (mɛs in French) is a city in the northeast of France, capital of the Lorraine région and Préfecture Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région

In 1469, following the Treaty of St. Omer, Upper Alsace was sold for money by Archduke Sigismund of Austria to Charles of Burgundy. Sigismund of Austria, Duke, then Archduke of Further Austria ( October 26, 1427 &ndash March 4, 1496) was a Charles the Bold or Charles the Rash (Charles le Téméraire ( 21 November 1433 &ndash 5 January 1477) baptised Charles Martin Although Charles was the nominal landlord, taxes were paid to Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor. Frederick III of Habsburg ( September 21 1415 &ndash August 19, 1493) was elected as German King as the successor of The latter was able to use this tax and a dynastic marriage to his advantage to gain back full control of Upper Alsace (apart from the free towns, but including Belfort) in 1477 when it became part of the demesne of the Habsburg family, who were also rulers of the empire. The town of Mulhouse joined the Swiss Confederation in 1515, where it was to remain until 1798. Mulhouse (Mulhouse myluz Alsatian: Milhüsa or Milhüse, pronounced; Mülhausen i Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation

By the time of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, Strasbourg was a prosperous community, and its inhabitants accepted Protestantism in 1523. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Martin Bucer was a prominent Protestant reformer in the region. Martin Bucer (or Butzer) ( 11 November 1491 – 28 February 1551) was a Protestant reformer whose principal ministry was His efforts were countered by the Roman Catholic Habsburgs who tried to eradicate heresy in Upper Alsace. As a result, Alsace was transformed into a mosaic of Catholic and Protestant territories. On the other hand, Mömpelgard (Montbéliard) to the southwest of Alsace, belonging to the Counts of Württemberg since 1397, remained a Protestant enclave in France until 1793. Montbéliard (archaic Mömpelgard is a commune in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France Württemberg, formerly known as Wirtemberg, is an area and a former state in Swabia, a region in southwestern Germany.

Incorporation into France

This situation prevailed until 1639 when most of Alsace was conquered by France to prevent it falling into the hands of the Spanish Habsburgs, who wanted a clear road to their valuable and rebellious possessions in the Spanish Netherlands. Habsburg Spain refers to the history of Spain over the 16th and 17th centuries (1516-1700 when this country was ruled by the Habsburg dynasty (also associated to The Southern Netherlands (Zuidelijke Nederlanden Países Bajos del Sur Pays-Bas du sud were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain ( Spanish This occurred in the greater context of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). For the Mauritanian Thirty Years' War see Char Bouba war. For the band see The 30 Years War. Beset by enemies and to gain a free hand in Hungary, the Habsburgs sold their Sundgau territory (mostly in Upper Alsace) to France in 1646, which had occupied it, for the sum of 1. Sundgau (suŋˈɡo in French;[http//mediala-basorg/mp3/020923/22-Alsace-Sundgau 2 million Thalers. The Thaler (or Taler or Tolar) was a Silver Coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred Years Its name lives on Thus, when the hostilities finally ceased in 1648 with the Treaty of Westphalia, most of Alsace went to France with some towns remaining independent. The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24 of The treaty stipulations regarding Alsace were Byzantine and confusing; it is thought that this was purposely so that neither the French king or the German emperor could gain tight control, but that one would play off the other, thereby assuring Alsace some measure of autonomy. The term Byzantine was first applied to the eastern Roman Empire by historians in the 16th century decades after the Fall of Constantinople to the forces Supporters of this theory point out that the treaty stipulations were authored by Imperial plenipotentiary Isaac Volmar, the former Chancellor of Alsace. The transfer of most of Alsace to France at the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 marked its start, along with Lorraine, as a contested territory between France and Germany (French-German enmity). The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24 of Lorraine (Lorraine Lothringen is a historical area in present-day northeast France. French–German hereditary enmity (Deutsch–französische Erbfeindschaft Esprit de revanche describes the three centuries of hostile relations and Revanchism

Because warfare had caused large numbers of the population (mainly in the countryside) to die or to flee, numerous immigrants arrived from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Lorraine, Savoy and other areas after 1648 and until the mid-18th century. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich For the two French départements of the region of Savoy see Savoie and Haute-Savoie Savoy ( French Between 1671-1711 Anabaptist refugees came from Switzerland, notably from Bern. Anabaptists ( Greek ανα (again twice + βαπτιζω (baptize thus "re-baptizers" are Christians of the Radical Reformation The city of Berne or Bern (, Berne, Berna, Romansh: Berna, Bernese German: Bärn) is the Bundesstadt ( Federal Strasbourg became a main centre of the early Anabaptist movement.

France consolidated her hold with the 1679 Treaties of Nijmegen, which brought the towns under her control. The Treaties of Peace of Nijmegen ( Négotiations de Nimegue or Négotiations de la Paix de Nimègue) were a series of treaties signed in the Dutch city France occupied Strasbourg in 1681 in an unprovoked action, and from 1688 onwards devastated large parts of southern Germany according to the Brûlez le Palatinat! policy. Ezéchiel du Mas Comte de Mélac (about 1630 - May 10 1704 was a career soldier in the French army under King Louis XIV and war minister Louvois. These territorial changes were reinforced at the 1697 Treaty of Ryswick which ended the War of the Grand Alliance. The Treaty of Ryswick was signed on 20 September 1697 and named after Ryswick (now known as Rijswijk) in the Dutch Republic. The Nine Years' War (1688–97 – often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg – was a major war of the late 17th However, Alsace had a somewhat exceptional position in the Kingdom of France. The German language was still used in local government, school, and education and the German (Lutheran) University of Strasbourg was continued and attended by students from Germany. The University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, founded in 1631 was divided in the 1970s into three separate institutions with a total The Edict of Fontainebleau, which legalized the suppression of French Protestantism, was not applied in Alsace. The Edict of Fontainebleau (October 1685 was an Edict issued by Louis XIV of France, also known as the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes of The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France (or French Calvinists) from the sixteenth to the eighteenth In contrast to the rest of France, there was a relative religious tolerance, although the French authorities tried to promote Catholicism and the Lutheran Strasbourg Cathedral had to be handed over to the Catholics in 1681. Strasbourg Cathedral or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg (Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg Liebfrauenmünster zu Straßburg is a Roman Catholic There was a customs boundary along the Vosges mountains against the rest of France while there was no such boundary against Germany. The Vosges (voːʒ or Vosges Mountains are a Mountain range in eastern France, stretching along the west side of the Rhine valley For these reasons Alsace remained marked by German culture and economically oriented towards Germany until the French Revolution. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an

French Revolution

The year 1789 brought the French Revolution and with it the first division of Alsace into the départements of Haut- and Bas-Rhin. Haut-Rhin is a ''département'' of France named after the Rhine river Bas-Rhin is a ''département'' of France. The name means "Lower Rhine " Alsatians played an active role in the French Revolution. On July 21, 1789, after receiving news of the Storming of the Bastille in Paris, a crowd of people stormed the Strasbourg city hall, forcing the city administrators to flee and putting symbolically an end to the feudal system in Alsace. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World Year 1789 ( MDCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Storming of the Bastille in Paris occurred on 14 July 1789. In 1792, Rouget de Lisle composed in Strasbourg the Revolutionary marching song La Marseillaise, which later became the anthem of France. Year 1792 ( MDCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle ( May 10, 1760 in Lons-le-Saunier, Jura – June 26, 1836 in Choisy-le-Roi, " La Marseillaise " (la maʁsɛˡjɛz in English The Song of Marseille) is the National anthem of France. La Marseillaise was played for the first time in April of that year in front of the mayor of Strasbourg Philippe-Frédéric de Dietrich. Some of the most famous generals of the French Revolution also came from Alsace, notably Kellermann, the victor of Valmy, and Kléber, who led the armies of the French Republic in Vendée. François Christophe Kellermann or de Kellermann 1st Duc de Valmy (28 May 1735 - 23 September 1820) was Marshal of France during The Battle of Valmy, also known as the Cannonade of Valmy, was a tactically indecisive artillery engagement but strategically it ensured the survival of the French Jean Baptiste Kléber ( 9 March, 1753 &ndash 14 June, 1800) was a French general during the French Revolutionary Wars. The War in Vendée ( 1793 to 1796) was a Civil war in Vendée between Royalists and Republicans during the French

At the same time, some Alsatians were in opposition to the Jacobins and sympathetic to the invading forces of Austria and Prussia who sought to crush the nascent revolutionary republic. This page describes the political term "Jacobin" For discussion of the political organization of the French Revolution era see Jacobin Club. Habsburg Monarchy (alternatively Habsburg Empire) refers to the territories ruled by the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg, and then by the successor The Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich Preußen was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and from 1871 was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising Many of the residents of the Sundgau made "pilgrimages" to places like Mariastein Abbey, near Basel, in Switzerland, for baptisms and weddings. Sundgau (suŋˈɡo in French;[http//mediala-basorg/mp3/020923/22-Alsace-Sundgau Mariastein Abbey ( Kloster Mariastein) is a Benedictine monastery in Metzerlen-Mariastein in the Canton of Solothurn, Switzerland. "Basilia" redirects here For the Fly Genus, see Basilia (fly. When the French Revolutionary Army of the Rhine was victorious, tens of thousands fled east before it. The French Revolutionary Army is the term used to refer to the military of France during the period between the fall of the Ancien regime under Louis When they were later permitted to return (in some cases not until 1799), it was often to find that their lands and homes had been confiscated. These conditions led to emigration by hundreds of families to newly-vacant lands in the Russian Empire in 1803-4 and again in 1808. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya A poignant retelling of this tale based on what he had himself witnessed can be found in Goethe's Hermann und Dorothea. ˈjoːhan ˈvɔlfgaŋ fɔn ˈgøːtə (in English generally ˈgɝːtə 28 August 1749 22 March 1832 was a German writer

In response to the restoration of Napoleon I of France, in 1814 and 1815, Alsace was occupied by foreign forces, including over 280,000 soldiers and 90,000 horses in Bas-Rhin alone. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. This had grave effects on trade and the economy of the region since former overland trade routes were switched to newly-opened Mediterranean and Atlantic seaports.

The population grew rapidly, from 800,000 in 1814 to 914,000 in 1830 and 1,067,000 in 1846. The combination of factors meant hunger, housing shortages and a lack of work for young people. Thus, it is not surprising that people left Alsace, not only to Paris, where the Alsatian community grew in numbers, with famous members such as Baron Haussmann, but also to far away places like Russia and the Austrian Empire to take advantage of new opportunities offered there. Georges-Eugène Haussmann ( March 27, 1809 &ndash January 11, 1891) who called himself Baron Haussmann, was a French For the history of these states before 1804 see Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Monarchy, and articles on each of the component countries. Austria had conquered lands in Eastern Europe from the Ottoman Empire and offered generous terms for colonists in order to consolidate their hold on the lands. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Many Alsatians also began to sail for the United States, where after 1807 slave importation had been banned and new workers were needed for the cotton fields. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Between France and Germany

Main article: Alsace-Lorraine

France had declared the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), and was defeated not only by the Kingdom of Prussia, but also by other German states which at the end of the war led to the unification of Germany. Alsace-Lorraine (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen generally Elsass - Lothringen) was a territorial entity created by the German Empire in 1871 The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War ( 19 July, 1870 — 10 May, 1871 The Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich Preußen was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and from 1871 was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising The unification of Germany took place on January 18, 1871, when Prussian Chief Minister Otto von Bismarck managed to unify a number of independent Otto von Bismarck annexed Alsace and northern Lorraine to the new German Empire in 1871; unlike other members states of the German federation, which had governments of their own, the new Imperial territory of Alsace-Lorraine was under the sole authority of the Kaiser, administered directly by the imperial government in Berlin. Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen Duke of Lauenburg Prince of Bismarck ( April 1, 1815 July 30, 1898) The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification Alsace-Lorraine (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen generally Elsass - Lothringen) was a territorial entity created by the German Empire in 1871 Kaiser is the German title meaning " Emperor " with Kaiserin being the female equivalent " Empress " Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Between 100,000 to 130,000 Alsatians (of a total population of about a million and a half) chose to remain French citizens and leave Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen, many of them resettling in French Algeria. Alsace-Lorraine (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen generally Elsass - Lothringen) was a territorial entity created by the German Empire in 1871 French rule of Algeria lasted from 1830 to 1962 under a variety of governmental systems Only in 1911 was Alsace granted some measure of autonomy, which was manifested also in a flag and an anthem (Elsässisches Fahnenlied). The Elsässisches Fahnenlied ("The Alsatian Flag's song" was written by Emil Woerth (1870-1926 in German when Alsace was part of the German In 1913, however, the Saverne Affair showed the limits of this new tolerance of the Alsatian identity. The Saverne Affair (German Zabern-Affäre, French Affaire de Saverne) was a crisis of domestic policy which occurred in the German Empire at the end of

During World War I, many Alsatians served as sailors in the Kaiserliche Marine, and took part of the Naval mutinies that led to the abdication of the Kaiser in November 1918 which left Alsace-Lorraine without a nominal head of state. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Kaiserliche Marine or Imperial Navy was the German Navy created by the formation of the German Empire. The sailors returned home and founded a republic. A self-proclaimed government of Alsace-Lorraine declared independence as the "Republic of Alsace-Lorraine", but French troops entered Alsace less than a week later. Alsace-Lorraine (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen generally Elsass - Lothringen) was a territorial entity created by the German Empire in 1871 At the sight of cheering Alsatian crowds welcoming back the French Army and mostly under the pressure of the French military, Wilson and the other allies dropped their suggestions of organizing a plebiscite. Although U. S. President Woodrow Wilson had insisted that the région was self-ruling by legal status, as its constitution had stated it was bound to the sole authority of the Kaiser and not to the German state, France tolerated no plebiscite, as granted by the League of Nations to some eastern German territories at this time, because Alsatians were considered by the French public as fellow Frenchmen liberated from German rule. Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28 1856—February 3 1924 was the twenty-eighth President of the United States. Kaiser is the German title meaning " Emperor " with Kaiserin being the female equivalent " Empress " The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 Germany ceded the region to France under the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I.

An Alsatian woman in traditional costume.

After World War I, the establishment of German identity in Alsace was reversed, as all Germans who had settled in Alsace since 1871 were expelled. Policies forbidding the use of German and requiring that of French were introduced. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people However, in order not to antagonize the Alsatians, the region was not subjected to some changes that had been made from 1871 to 1919 in French law, such as the 1905 Law of Separation of Church and State. The 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and State ( French: Loi du 9 décembre 1905 concernant la séparation des Églises et de l'État) was passed by

German stamps of Hindenburg marked with "Elsaß" (1940)

The région was effectively annexed by Germany in 1940 during World War II, and reincorporated into the Greater German Reich, which had been restructured into Reichsgaue. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers A Reichsgau (plural Reichsgaue) was an administrative sub-division created in a number of the areas annexed to Nazi Germany between 1938 and Alsace was merged with Baden, and Lorraine with the Saarland, to become part of a planned Westmark. Baden is a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the right bank of the Rhine. Saarland (ˈzaːɐ̯lant in German; French: Sarre) is one of the 16 federal states (German Bundesländer) of Germany. The annexation, while putting a halt to the anti-German discrimination in the région, subjected it to the cruel Nazi dictatorship, which was loathed by most of the people. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German The German government never negotiated or declared a formal annexation, however, in order to preserve the possibility of an agreement with the West.

France regained control of the war-torn area in late 1944 and resumed its policy of promoting the French language with uncompromising vigor. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people For instance, from 1945 to 1984 the use of German in newspapers was restricted to a maximum of 25%.

In more recent years, as nationalistic emotions have receded, Alsatian is again being promoted by local authorities as an element of the region's identity. Alsatian is taught in schools (but not mandatory) as one of the regional languages of France. German is also taught as a foreign language in local kindergartens and schools. ( German, literally means "children's garden" is a form of education for young children which serves as a transition from home to the commencement of more formal schooling A school (from Greek σχολεῖον - scholeion) is an Institution designed to allow and encourage Students (or "pupils"

Timeline

Administrative divisions

The Alsace region is divided into 2 departments, 13 departmental arrondissements, 75 cantons (not shown here), and 904 communes:

Politics

Alsace is one of the most conservative régions of France. Haut-Rhin is a ''département'' of France named after the Rhine river The arrondissement of Altkirch is an arrondissement of France located in the Haut-Rhin département, in the Alsace The arrondissement of Mulhouse is an arrondissement of France located in the Haut-Rhin département, in the Alsace The arrondissement of Colmar is an arrondissement of France located in the Haut-Rhin département, in the Alsace région The arrondissement of Ribeauvillé is an arrondissement of France located in the Haut-Rhin département, in the Alsace The arrondissement of Guebwiller is an arrondissement of France located in the Haut-Rhin département, in the Alsace The arrondissement of Thann is an arrondissement of France located in the Haut-Rhin département, in the Alsace région It is one of just two régions in metropolitan France where the conservative right won the 2004 région elections and thus controls the Alsace Regional Council. Metropolitan France (France métropolitaine or la Métropole, or colloquially l'Hexagone) is the part of France located in Europe, including Regional elections were held in France on March 21 and March 28, 2004. The Alsace Regional Council is the Conseil régional of Alsace ( France) Conservative leader Nicolas Sarkozy got his best score in Alsace (over 65%) in the second round of the French presidential elections of 2007. The president of the Regional Council is Adrien Zeller, a member of the Union for a Popular Movement. Adrien Zeller (born 2 April 1940 in Saverne) is the president of the regional council of Alsace since 1996 The frequently changing status of the région throughout history has left its mark on modern day politics in terms of a particular interest in national identity issues. A nation is a Human Cultural and Social Community. In as much as most members never meet each other yet feel a common bond it may be considered Alsace is also one of the most pro-EU regions of France. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in It was one of the few French regions that voted 'yes' to the European Constitution in 2005. The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE commonly referred to as the European Constitution, was an unimplemented international Treaty intended

Economy

According to INSEE, Alsace had a gross domestic product of 44. INSEE ( French: I nstitut N ational de la S tatistique et des É tudes É conomiques; inse (not) in French is the 3 billion euros in 2002. With a GDP per capita of €24,804, it was the second-place région of France, losing only to Île-de-France. Île-de-France ( pronounced /il d̪ə fʁɑ̃s/ literally "Island of France" is one of the twenty-six administrative regions of France. 68% of its jobs are in the services; 25% are in industry, making Alsace one of France's most industrialised régions. For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a Pre-industrial society into an industrial one

Alsace is a région of varied economic activity, including:

• viticulture (mostly in the centre of the région, between Sélestat and Colmar);
• hop harvesting and brewing (half of French beer is produced in Alsace, especially in the vicinity of Strasbourg, notably in Kronenbourg, Schiltigheim and Obernai);
• forestry development
• automobile industry (Mulhouse)
• life sciences, as part of the Alsace Biovalley and
• tourism

• Alsace has many international ties and 35% of firms are foreign companies (notably German, Swiss, American, Japanese and Scandinavian). Viticulture (from the Latin word for Vine) is the Science, production and study of Grapes which deals with the series of Sélestat (Sélestat selɛsta Alsatian: Schlettstadt, pronounced; Schlettstadt is a Colmar (Colmar kɔlmaʁ Alsatian: Colmer pronounced; Colmar between 1871-1918 and 1940-1945 also Kolmar) is a town and commune The hop ( Humulus) is a small genus of Flowering plants native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Brewing is the production of Alcoholic beverage and Alcohol fuel through fermentation. Brasseries Kronenbourg is a French Brewery founded in 1664 by Jérôme Hatt in Strasbourg. Schiltigheim (Schiltigheim ʃiltikajm and sometimes by non-local speakers of French Alsatian: Schílige, pronounced; Schiltigheim is a commune Obernai (Obernai Alsatian: Owernah; Oberehnheim is a town and commune in Alsace, France. Mulhouse (Mulhouse myluz Alsatian: Milhüsa or Milhüse, pronounced; Mülhausen i Foundations of modern biology There are five unifying principles Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well

• 570 million tons of potassium chloride and phosphates have been mined in the past century and a museum of the industry can be found in Wittelsheim. The Chemical compound potassium chloride (KCl is a Metal Halide salt composed of Potassium and Chlorine. A phosphate, an Inorganic chemical, is a salt of Phosphoric acid. A museum is a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development open to the public which acquires conserves researches communicates and exhibits the Wittelsheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin département, in Alsace, northeastern France.

Demographics

Alsace's population increased to 1,829,000 in 2007. It has regularly increased over time, except in wartime, by both natural growth and migration. Human migration denotes any movement by Humans from one locality to another sometimes over long distances or This growth has even accelerated at the end of the 20th century. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on INSEE estimates that its population will grow 12. INSEE ( French: I nstitut N ational de la S tatistique et des É tudes É conomiques; inse (not) in French is the 9% to 19. 5% between 1999 and 2030.

With a density of 221/km², Alsace is the third most densely populated région in metropolitan France. Metropolitan France (France métropolitaine or la Métropole, or colloquially l'Hexagone) is the part of France located in Europe, including

Transportation

Roads

Pont Couverts, Strasbourg

Most major car journeys are made on the A35 autoroute (with intermittent areas of dual carriageways), which links Saint-Louis on the Swiss border to Lauterbourg on the German border. Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région The A35 autoroute is a toll free highway in north eastern France A dual carriageway or divided highway is a road or Highway in which the two directions of traffic are separated by a central barrier or strip of land known as a

The A4 toll-road (towards Paris) begins 20 km northwest of Strasbourg and the A36 toll-road towards Lyon, begins 10 km west from Mulhouse. This article is about the French motorway A4. For information about other roads of the same name or other meanings see A4. Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région The A36 autoroute is a toll motorway in north eastern France connecting the German border with Burgundy. Mulhouse (Mulhouse myluz Alsatian: Milhüsa or Milhüse, pronounced; Mülhausen i

Spaghetti-junctions (built in the 1970s and 1980s) are prominent in the comprehensive system of motorways in Alsace, especially in the outlying ares of Strasbourg and Mulhouse. These cause a major buildup of traffic and are the main sources of pollution in the towns, notably in Strasbourg where the motorway traffic of the A35 was 170,000 per day in 2002.

At present, plans are being considered for building a new dual carriageway west of Strasbourg, which would reduce the buildup of traffic in that area by picking up north- and southbound vehicles and getting rid of the buildup outside of Strasbourg. A dual carriageway or divided highway is a road or Highway in which the two directions of traffic are separated by a central barrier or strip of land known as a The line plans to link up the interchange of Hœrdt to the north of Strasbourg, with Innenheim in the southwest. Hœrdt is a Village and commune in the Bas-Rhin département of north-eastern France. Innenheim is a French commune, located in the département of Bas-Rhin and the région of Alsace. The opening is envisaged at the end of 2011, with an average usage of 41,000 vehicles a day. Estimates of the French Works Commissioner however, raised some doubts over the interest of such a project, since it would pick up only about 10% of the traffic of the A35 at Strasbourg.

To add to the buildup of traffic, the neighbouring German state of Baden-Württemberg plans to impose a tax on heavy-goods vehicles using their roads. Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states ( Bundesländer) of the Federal Republic of Germany. Thus, HGVs travelling from north Germany to Switzerland or southern Alsace would most probably bypass the A5 on the Alsace-Baden-Württemberg border and use the untolled, French A35 instead.

Trains

Place de l'Homme de Fer Tram Station

TER Alsace is the rail network serving Alsace. TER Alsace is the Regional rail network serving the région of Alsace, eastern France. Its network is articulated around the city of Strasbourg. It's one of the most developed rail network in France, financially sustained partly by the French railroad SNCF, and partly by the région Alsace. SNCF ( Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français) (French National Railway Company is a French public enterprise

Because the Vosges are surmountable only by the Col de Saverne, it has been suggested that Alsace needs to open up and get closer to France in terms of its rail links. The Col de Saverne ( Pass of Saverne or Saverne Pass) is a natural pass in the Vosges mountains, near Saverne, which permits travel

The TGV Est (Paris - Strasbourg) was brought into service in June 2007, and different plans are due to be implemented:

• the TGV Rhin-Rhône or a Dijon-Mulhouse line (to start in construction in 2006, with anticipated completion in 2011);
• an interconnection with the German InterCityExpress, as far as Kehl and/or Ottmarsheim;
• a tram-train system in Mulhouse (May 2006), then Strasbourg (2011). The LGV Est européenne (sometimes referred to as LGV Est) is an extension to the French high-speed TGV network connecting Paris and Strasbourg The LGV Rhin-Rhône is a high-speed Railway line under construction running between Strasbourg and Lyon, in France. Dijon ( diʒɔ̃ is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or departement and of the Bourgogne region The InterCityExpress or ICE (German pronunciation) is a system of high-speed trains predominantly running in Germany and neighbouring countries Kehl is a town in southwestern Germany in the Ortenaukreis, Baden-Württemberg. Ottmarsheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin département, in Alsace, northeastern France.

However, the abandoned Maurice-Lemaire tunnel towards Saint-Dié-des-Vosges was rebuilt as a toll-road. Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, commonly referred to as Saint-Dié, is a commune of northeastern France.

Rivers

Saint-Louis-Arzviller inclined plane

Port traffic of Alsace exceeds 15 million tonnes, of which about three quarters is centred on Strasbourg, which is the second busiest French fluvial harbour. The Saint-Louis-Arzviller inclined plane is a part of the Marne-Rhine Canal. The enlargement plan of the Rhine-Rhône channel, intended to link up the Mediterranean Sea and Central Europe (Rhine, Danube, North Sea and Baltic Sea) was abandoned in 1998 for reasons of expense and land erosion, notably in the Doubs valley. Central Europe is the Region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj The North Sea is a marginal, Epeiric sea of the Atlantic Ocean on the European Continental shelf. The Baltic Sea is a Brackish inland sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N Latitude and from 20°E to 26°E Longitude.

Air traffic

There are two international airports in Alsace:

• the international airport of Strasbourg in Entzheim;
• the international EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, which is the seventh largest French airport in terms of traffic. An international airport is an Airport typically equipped with Customs and Immigration facilities to handle international flights to and from other Entzheim is a French commune, located in the département of Bas-Rhin and the région of Alsace. EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is an international airport near Basel ( Switzerland) Mulhouse ( France) and Freiburg (

The city is also two hours away from one of the largest European airports, Frankfurt Main.

Religion

Temple Saint-Étienne, the main Lutheran church of Mulhouse

Most of the Alsatian population is Roman Catholic, but largely because of the région's German influence, a significant Protestant community also exists: today, the EPAL (local Lutheran-Reformed union-church) is France's second largest Protestant church. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Mulhouse (Mulhouse myluz Alsatian: Milhüsa or Milhüse, pronounced; Mülhausen i Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Unlike the rest of France, the Alsace-Moselle territory still adheres to the Napoleonic Concordat of 1801, which provides public subsidies to the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Calvinist churches, as well as to Jewish synagogues; public education in these faiths is offered. Alsace-Moselle is the current legal name of the Alsace-Lorraine territory the part of France that was part of Germany from 1871 to 1919 (and then Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The Concordat of 1801 is a reflection of an agreement between Napoleon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII that reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church as the majority Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ This divergence in policy from the French majority is due to the région having been administered by Imperial Germany when the 1905 law separating the French church and state was instituted (for a more comprehensive history, see: Alsace-Lorraine). The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification Alsace-Lorraine (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen generally Elsass - Lothringen) was a territorial entity created by the German Empire in 1871 Controversy erupts periodically on the appropriateness of this legal disposition, as well does the exclusion of other religions from this arrangement.

Following the Protestant Reformation, promoted by local reformer Martin Bucer, the principle of cuius regio, eius religio led to a certain amount of religious diversity in the highlands of northern Alsace. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Martin Bucer (or Butzer) ( 11 November 1491 – 28 February 1551) was a Protestant reformer whose principal ministry was Cuius regio eius religio is a phrase in Latin that means "Whose region his Religion " Landowners, who as "local lords" had the right to decide which religion was allowed on their land, were eager to entice populations from the more attractive lowlands to settle and develop their property. Many accepted without discrimination Catholics, Lutherans, Calvinists, Jews and Anabaptists. Anabaptists ( Greek ανα (again twice + βαπτιζω (baptize thus "re-baptizers" are Christians of the Radical Reformation Multiconfessional villages appeared, particularly in the region called Crumpled Alsace (fr: Alsace bossue). Alsace became one of the French regions boasting a thriving Jewish community, and the only region with a noticeable Anabaptist population. The schism of the Amish under the lead of Jacob Amman from the Mennonites occurred in 1693 in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines. The Amish (ˈɑːmɪʃ are members of an Anabaptist Christian denomination best known for Simple living, Plain dress and resisting modern conveniences Jakob Ammann (also Jacob Amman) (1644? - before 1730 was an Anabaptist leader and namesake of the Amish Religious movement. The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after Menno Simons (1496&ndash1561 though his teachings were a relatively Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines (German Markirch) is a commune of the Haut-Rhin département, in France. The strongly Catholic Louis XIV tried in vain to drive them from Alsace. Early years Birth and ancestry Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5 1638 and bore the Heir apparent When Napoleon imposed military conscription without religious exception, most emigrated to the American continent. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe.

In 1707, the simultaneum was established, by which many Reformed and Lutheran church buildings were forced to allow Catholic services. About 50 such "simultaneous churches" still exist in modern Alsace, though they tend to hold Catholic services only occasionally.

Culture

Spatial distribution of dialects in Alsace prior to the expansion of standard French in the 20th century. Standard French (in French le français standard, le français neutre French or even by the Misnomer le français international French

Tarte Flambée

Historically part of the Holy Roman Empire, the région has passed between French and German control numerous times, resulting in a rich cultural blend.

Language

Although Germanic languages were dominant in Alsace for most of its history, the main language spoken in Alsace today is French. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people

The traditional language of the région is Alsatian, an Alemannic dialect of Upper German and thus closely related to Swiss German. Alsatian ( Elsässerditsch; Alsacien Elsässisch or Elsässerdeutsch) is a Low Alemannic German dialect spoken in most of Alsace, a region Upper German Oberdeutsch is a family of High German Dialects spoken primarily in southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Northern Swiss German ( Schweizerdeutsch, Schwyzerdütsch, Schwiizertüütsch, Schwizertitsch) is any of the Alemannic dialects spoken Some Frankish dialects of West Central German are also spoken in the extreme north of Alsace. West Central German ( Westmitteldeutsch) belongs to the Central, High German dialect family in the German language. Neither Alsatian nor the Frankish dialects have any form of official status, as is customary for regional languages in France, although both are now recognized as languages of France and can be chosen as subjects in lycées. France has one Official language, the French language. The French government does not regulate the choice of language in publications by individuals but A regional language is a Language spoken in an area of a Nation state, whether it be a small area a federal State or Province, or There are a number of languages of France. The French language is by far the most widely spoken and the only Official language of France, but several

Following WWII, the French government pursued, in line with its traditional language policy, a campaign to suppress the use of German as part of a wider a Francization campaign. France has one Official language, the French language. The French government does not regulate the choice of language in publications by individuals but Francization or Gallicization (and informally Frenchification) is a process of Cultural assimilation that gives a French character to a Both the German language and Alsatian were for a time banned from public life (street and city names, official administration, the educational system, etc). Largely due to this policy, Alsace-Lorraine is today very French in language and culture. Few young people speak Alsatian today, though the closely-related Alemannic German survives on the opposite bank of the Rhine, in Baden, and especially in Switzerland. Alemannic German ( Alemannisch) is a group of Dialects of the Upper German branch of the Germanic language family. Baden is a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the right bank of the Rhine. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation However, while French is the major language of the region, the Alsatian dialect of French is heavily influenced by German, in phonology and vocabulary.

More often assumed to be a bilingual area (French/Alsatian), Alsace has in fact moved toward a situation of total French monolingualism. This is documented in Le declin du dialecte alsacien, a study funded by the General Council of Alsace and carried out in twenty secondary schools by Calvin Veltman and M. Calvin Veltman is an American Sociologist, Demographer and Sociolinguist at the Université du Québec à Montréal. N. Denis. People above 70 still speak Alsatian at home, but the younger generations use French even at home, and the vast majority of people below 30 do not understand Alsatian anymore. This situation has spurred a movement to preserve the Alsatian language, which is perceived as endangered, a situation paralleled in other régions of France, such as Brittany or Occitania. Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into Occitania ( Occitan: Occitània) refers to the lands where Occitan is the traditional language in use though more recently viewed as a minority language Alsatian is now taught in French high schools, but the overwhelming presence of French media make the survival of Alsatian uncertain among younger generations. Increasingly, French is the only language used at home and at work, whereas a growing number of people have a good knowledge of standard German as a foreign language learned in school. Standard German ( German: Hochdeutsch) is the standard varieties of the German language used as a Written language, in formal contexts

Cuisine

Alsatian cuisine, strongly influenced by the Germanic culinary traditions, is marked by the use of pork in various forms. Cuisine (from French cuisine, "cooking culinary art kitchen" ultimately from Latin coquere, "to cook" is a specific set Pork' is the Culinary name for Meat from the domestic Pig ( Sus scrofa) often specifically the fresh meat but can be used as an all-inclusive Traditional dishes include baeckeoffe, tartes flambées (flammekueche), choucroute, and fleischnackas. Baeckeoffe is a typical dish from the French province of Alsace. Tarte flambée is an Alsatian dish composed of thin bread dough rolled out in a circle or a rectangle which is covered by Crème fraîche Choucroute garnie ( French for dressed sauerkraut; choucroute is a phonologically francophonic form of Alsatian Sürkrüt, c Fleischnacka is an Alsatian dish consisting of minced beef (or sometimes other meats rolled in fresh noodle dough and cut into slices which are then cooked in stock The south of Alsace, also called Sundgau, is characterized by carpe frite. Sundgau (suŋˈɡo in French;[http//mediala-basorg/mp3/020923/22-Alsace-Sundgau Carp is a common name for various Freshwater Fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large

The festivities of the year's end involve the production of a great variety of biscuits and small cakes called bredalas as well as pain d'épices (gingerbread), especially from Gertwiller, which are given to children starting on Saint Nicholas Day. Pain d'épices ("bread of spices" sometimes translated as Gingerbread, is a French Cake whose ingredients contain a large dose Gingerbread is a sweet that can take the form of a Cake or a Cookie in which the predominant flavors are ginger and raw Sugar. Gertwiller is a French commune, located in the département of Bas-Rhin and the région of Alsace. Saint Nicholas (Άγιος Νικόλαος, Agios Nikolaos, "victory of the people" is the common name for Nicholas of Myra, a Christian Saint

Riesling Grapes

A wine-producing région, Alsace wines are primarily white. This list of wine-producing regions catalogues significant Growing regions where Vineyards are planted Alsace wine or Alsatian wine (in French: Vin d'Alsace) is produced in the Alsace region in France and is primarily white Its wines, which have a strong Germanic influence, are called vins d'Alsace. Alsace wine or Alsatian wine (in French: Vin d'Alsace) is produced in the Alsace region in France and is primarily white It produces some of the world's most noted dry rieslings and is the only région in France to produce mostly varietal wines identified by the names of the grapes used (wine from Burgundy is also mainly varietal, but not normally identified as such), typically from grapes also used in Germany. Riesling is a white Grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. Varietal describes Wines made primarily from a single named Grape variety. For the Tokyo University supercomputer see Gravity Pipe. GRAPE, or GRA phics P rogramming E nvironment is Burgundy wine ( is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The most notable example is gewurztraminer. Gewürztraminer (ɡəˈvʏrtstraˈminɚ guh-VURTS-trah-MEE-ner in English is an aromatic Wine Grape variety that performs best in cooler climates

Alsace is also the main beer-producing région of France, thanks primarily to breweries in and near Strasbourg. Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of Beer, though beer can be made in the home and has been for much of beer's history Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région These include those of Kronenbourg, Fischer, Heineken International, Météor, and Kanterbräu. Brasseries Kronenbourg is a French Brewery founded in 1664 by Jérôme Hatt in Strasbourg. Heineken International is a Dutch Brewing company, founded in 1864 by Gerard Adriaan Heineken in Amsterdam. Paris Métro Line 14 of Paris metro crosses the center of Paris and currently runs between the Saint Lazare and Olympiades stations Hops are grown in Kochersberg and in northern Alsace. Hops are the female Flower cones of the hop plant ( Humulus lupulus) Schnapps is also traditionally made in Alsace, but it is in decline because home distillers are becoming less common and the consumption of traditional, strong, alcoholic beverages is decreasing. Schnapps is a type of distilled Alcoholic beverage. The word schnapps is derived from the German word Schnaps (plural Schnäpse) which can Distillation is a method of separating Mixtures based on differences in their volatilities in a boiling liquid mixture

Alsatian food is synonymous with conviviality, the dishes are substantial and served in generous portions and it has one of the richest regional kitchens. The gastronomic symbol of the région is undoubtedly Sauerkraut. Sauerkraut ( English:, German:, Yiddish: ˈzɔi̯əʀˌkʀɔi̯t is finely shredded Cabbage that has been fermented by various

The word "Sauerkraut" in Alsatian has the form "Sûrkrût (Saurkraut)", which means "sour cabbage" as its German equivalent. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. This word was included into the French language as choucroute. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people

To make it, the cabbage is finely shredded, layered with salt and juniper and left to ferment in wooden barrels. Sauerkraut can be served with poultry, pork, sausage or even fish.

Traditionally it is served with pork, Strasbourg sausage or frankfurters, bacon, smoked pork or smoked Morteau or Montbéliard sausages or a selection of pork products. Served alongside are often roasted or steamed potatoes or dumplings.

Additionally, Alsace is known for its fruit juices and mineral waters.

A Jewish influence can also be noted in its goods, and in the names of them, through the Yiddish language.

Architecture

Colmar's old town

The traditional habitat of the Alsatian lowland consists of houses constructed with walls in half-timbering and cob and roofing in flat tiles. Colmar (Colmar kɔlmaʁ Alsatian: Colmer pronounced; Colmar between 1871-1918 and 1940-1945 also Kolmar) is a town and commune This type of construction can be seen in other areas of France, but their particular abundance in Alsace is owed to several reasons:

1. The proximity to the Vosges where the wood can be found. Vosges (voːʒ is a French department, named after the Vosges mountain range.
2. Wood was used more than stone because it resisted earthquakes better, due to its greater flexibility. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer
3. During periods of war and bubonic plague, villages were often burned down, so to prevent the collapse of the upper floors, stone ground floors were built and the upper floors built in half-timberings to prevent the spread of fire.
4. During most of the part of its history, a great part of Alsace was flooded by the Rhine every year. Half-timbered houses were easy to knock down and to move around during those times (a day was necessary to move it and a day to rebuild it in another place).

However, half-timbering was found to increase the risk of fire, which is why from the 19th century, it began to be rendered. In recent times, villagers started to paint the rendering white in accordance with Beaux-Arts movements. To discourage this, the régions's authorities gave financial grants to the inhabitants to paint the rendering in various colors, in order to return to the original style and many inhabitants accepted (more for financial reasons than by firm belief).

Symbolism

The stork is a main feature of Alsace and was the subject of many legends told to children. Storks are large long-legged long-necked wading Birds with long stout bills, belonging to the family Ciconiidae. A legend ( Latin, legenda, "things to be read" is a Narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to The bird practically disappeared around 1970, but re-population efforts are continuing. They are mostly found on roofs of houses, churches and other public buildings in Alsace.

Tourism

Having been early and always densely populated, Alsace is famous for its high number of picturesque villages, churches and castles and for the various beauties of its three main towns, in spite of severe destructions suffered throughout five centuries of wars between France and Germany. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

Alsace is furthermore famous for its vineyards (especially along the Route du vin from Marlenheim to Colmar) and the Vosges mountains with their thick and green forests and picturesque lakes.

Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg

The main entrance from the Ouvrage Schoenenbourg of the Maginot Line

• Old towns of Strasbourg, Colmar, Sélestat, Guebwiller, Saverne, Obernai
• Smaller cities and villages : Molsheim, Rosheim, Riquewihr, Ribeauvillé, Kaysersberg, Wissembourg, Neuwiller-lès-Saverne, Marmoutier, Rouffach, Soultz-Haut-Rhin, Hunspach, Seebach
• Churches (as main sights in otherwise less remarkable places) : Thann, Andlau, Murbach, Ebersmunster, Niederhaslach, Sigolsheim, Lautenbach, Epfig, Altorf, Ottmarsheim, Domfessel, and the fortified church at Hunawihr
• Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg
• Other castles : Ortenbourg, Hohlandsbourg, Fleckenstein, Haut-Barr (above Saverne), Saint-Ulrich (above Ribeauvillé), Lichtenberg, Wangenbourg, Castles of Eguisheim, Pflixbourg, Wasigenstein, Château d'Andlau, Grand Geroldseck, Ramstein, Wasenbourg
• Musée de l'automobile de Mulhouse
• Cité du train museum in Mulhouse
• The EDF museum in Mulhouse
• Ungersheim open air museum
• Muséee historique in Haguenau, largest museum in Bas-Rhin outside of Strasbourg
• Bibliothèque humaniste in Sélestat, one of the oldest public libraries in the world
• Christmas markets in Kaysersberg, Strasbourg, Mulhouse and Colmar
• Departmental Centre of the History of Families (CDHF) in Guebwiller
• Struthof concentration camp
• The Maginot Line: Ouvrage Schoenenbourg
• Mount Ste Odile
• Alsace Wine Route
• Mémorial d'Alsace-Lorraine in Schirmeck
• The Struthof, the only deportation camp on the French territory during WWII
• Famous mountains: Massif du Donon, Grand Ballon, Petit Ballon, Ballon d'Alsace, Hohneck, Hartmanswillerkopf
• National parks : Parc naturel des Vosges du Nord

Administration

Main article: Alsace Regional Council

Notable Alsatians

Statue of Martin Schongauer by Frédéric Bartholdi in front of the Unterlinden Museum, Colmar

Major communities

Sister provinces

There is an accord de coopération internationale between Alsace and the following regions ^[3] :

• Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
• Lower Silesia, Poland
• Quebec, Canada
• Jiangsu, China
• Moscow, Russia
• Vest, Romania

See also

• Alsace-Lorraine
• Elsässisches Fahnenlied, anthem of 1911

Footnotes

Bibliography

• Schwengler, Bernard: Le Syndrome Alsacien, 158 p. The château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg is located at Orschwiller, Alsace, France, in the Vosges mountains just west of Sélestat. Ouvrage Schoenenbourg is a Maginot Line fortification It is located in the Hunspach and Ingolsheim districts in the French departement of Bas-Rhin The Maginot Line (IPA, Ligne Maginot named after French Minister of Defense André Maginot, was a line of concrete Fortifications tank obstacles artillery Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région Colmar (Colmar kɔlmaʁ Alsatian: Colmer pronounced; Colmar between 1871-1918 and 1940-1945 also Kolmar) is a town and commune Sélestat (Sélestat selɛsta Alsatian: Schlettstadt, pronounced; Schlettstadt is a Guebwiller (Guebwiller gebvilɛʁ Alsatian: Gàwiller, pronounced; Gebweiler is a commune of the Haut-Rhin département Saverne (Saverne savɛʁn Alsatian: Zawere, pronounced; Zabern is a town and commune of France in the région of Obernai (Obernai Alsatian: Owernah; Oberehnheim is a town and commune in Alsace, France. Molsheim is a commune of the Bas-Rhin département in the Alsace region of France. Rosheim is a small town and commune in Alsace, France. It lies in the Bas-Rhin département, 25km south-west of Strasbourg Riquewihr (Reichenweier is a village and commune in Alsace. A popular tourist attraction for its historical Architecture. Not to be confused with Ribeauville, in the Aisne department Ribeauvillé ( Alsatian: Rappschwihr; Rappoltsweiler is Kaysersberg (Kaisersberg is a small town and commune in the Haut-Rhin département, in Alsace, France. Wissembourg (in Wissembourg visɑ̃buʁ in South Franconian: Weisseburch, pronounced; in Weißenburg is a small town and commune situated on the Neuwiller-lès-Saverne is a Village and commune in the Bas-Rhin département of north-eastern France. See Marmoutier Abbey (Tours for the former abbey in Tours. Marmoutier (Maursmünster is a commune of the Bas-Rhin Rouffach is a commune in the Haut-Rhin département, in Alsace, northeastern France. Soultz-Haut-Rhin is a French town, located in the département of Haut-Rhin and the region Alsace. Hunspach is a French commune, located in the département of Bas-Rhin in the région of Alsace. Thann is a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Haut-Rhin département, in France. Andlau is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in northeastern France. Murbach is a village and commune in the Haut-Rhin département of north-eastern France. Ebersmunster is a Village and commune in the Bas-Rhin département of north-eastern France. Niederhaslach is a French commune, located in the département of Bas-Rhin and the région of Alsace. Sigolsheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin département, in Alsace, northeastern France. Lautenbach is a town in the district of Ortenau in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Epfig is a French commune, located in the département of Bas-Rhin and the région of Alsace. Altorf (Altdorf is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in northeastern France. Ottmarsheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin département, in Alsace, northeastern France. Domfessel is a French commune, located in the département of Bas-Rhin and the région of Alsace. Hunawihr is a commune in the Haut-Rhin département, in Alsace, northeastern France. The château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg is located at Orschwiller, Alsace, France, in the Vosges mountains just west of Sélestat. Eguisheim (Egisheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin département of Alsace, France. The Château d'Andlau is a Medieval Castle in the commune of Andlau, in the Bas-Rhin département Haguenau (Haguenau agəno Alsatian: Hàwenau, pronounced; Hagenau is a commune located in northeastern France, in the Bas-Rhin A Christmas market, also known as Christkindlmarkt, Christkindlesmarkt, Christkindlmarket, and Weihnachtsmarkt Natzweiler-Struthof was a Nazi Concentration camp, located in the Vosges Mountains close to the Alsatian village of Natzwiller The Maginot Line (IPA, Ligne Maginot named after French Minister of Defense André Maginot, was a line of concrete Fortifications tank obstacles artillery Ouvrage Schoenenbourg is a Maginot Line fortification It is located in the Hunspach and Ingolsheim districts in the French departement of Bas-Rhin Saint Odile (or Odilia and or Ottilia) is the name of two saints venerated in the Roman Catholic Church, both patronesses of good eyesight Saint Odilia Schirmeck is a commune of the Bas-Rhin département, in France. Natzweiler-Struthof was a Nazi Concentration camp, located in the Vosges Mountains close to the Alsatian village of Natzwiller A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution The Alsace Regional Council is the Conseil régional of Alsace ( France) Martin Schongauer (c 1448 &ndash February 2, 1491) was a German Engraver and painter. Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi ( August 2, 1834 – October 4, 1904) was a French sculptor. The Unterlinden Museum (officially Musée d'Unterlinden, also cited in English as Musée Unterlinden) is located in Colmar, France, in the M P Appell is the same person it stands for Monsieur Paul Appell. Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi ( August 2, 1834 – October 4, 1904) was a French sculptor. Max Bense (born February 7, 1910 in Strasbourg, died April 29, 1990 in Stuttgart) was a German philosopher Hans Albrecht Bethe (/hans ˈalbʀɛçt ˈbeːtə/ ( July 2 1906 &ndash March 6, 2005) was a German - American Physicist Sebastian Brant (also Brandt) (1457 &ndash May 10, 1521) Alsatian humanist and Satirist, was born in Strasbourg Martin Bucer (or Butzer) ( 11 November 1491 – 28 February 1551) was a Protestant reformer whose principal ministry was Mireille Delunsch (born 2 November 1962 in Mulhouse, France) is an opera Soprano. Alfred Dreyfus (9 October 1859 &ndash 12 July 1935 was a French artillery officer of Jewish background whose trial and conviction in 1894 on charges of treason Blessed Charles Eugène de Foucauld ( Strasbourg, 15 September 1858 &ndash Tamanrasset, 1 December 1916 Charles Friedel ( March 12, 1832 &ndash April 20, 1899) was a French Chemist and mineralogist. Georges Friedel (born 19 July 1865 in Mulhouse; died 11 December 1933 in Strasbourg) was a French mineralogist and crystallographer Charles Frédéric Girard ( March 8, 1822 - January 29, 1895) was a French Biologist specializing on Ichthyology Gottfried von Strassburg (died c 1210 is the author of the Middle High German Courtly romance Tristan, which is regarded alongside Wolfram Alfred Kastler ( May 3, 1902 &ndash January 7, 1984) was a French Physicist, and Nobel Prize laureate. Johann Geiler von Kaisersberg ( Schaffhausen, March 16, 1445 &ndash Strasburg March 10, 1510) was a Swiss-born François Christophe Kellermann or de Kellermann 1st Duc de Valmy (28 May 1735 - 23 September 1820) was Marshal of France during Jean Baptiste Kléber ( 9 March, 1753 &ndash 14 June, 1800) was a French general during the French Revolutionary Wars. Katia Krafft ( Mulhouse, 17 April 1942 – 3 June 1991) and her husband Maurice Krafft ( Guebwiller, 25 Johann Heinrich Lambert ( August 26, 1728 &ndash September 25 1777) was a Swiss Mathematician, Physicist and Jean-Marie Lehn (born September 30, 1939) is a French Chemist. Pope Julius Leber ( 16 November 1891 - 5 January 1945) was a German Politician of the SPD and a member of the Career Early career Loeb was born in Haguenau, Alsace, and grew up in Oberhoffen-sur-Moder. Philip James de Loutherbourg, also seen as Philippe-Jacques and Philipp Jakob and with the appellation the Younger ( 31 October 1740 Marcel Marceau (born Marcel Mangel) ( 22 March 1923 &ndash 22 September 2007) was a well-known French Mime artist Johannes Mentelin, sometimes also spelled Mentlin, (born around 1410 in Schlettstadt today Sélestat; died December 12, 1478 in Strasbourg Paul Meyer (born 1965 in Mulhouse) is a French Clarinetist. Meyer is possibly the most well-known contemporary solo clarinetist from France WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Charles Münch (September 26 1891 &ndash November 6 1968 was an Viktor (or Victor) Ernst Nessler ( 28 January, 1841 &ndash 28 May, 1890) was an Alsatian Composer J F Oberlin ( August 31, 1740 &ndash June 1, 1826) was an Alsatian Pastor and Philanthropist. François-Joseph d'Offenstein ( July 27 1760 - September 27 1837) Baron of the Ist Empire, was a French general and military Martin Schongauer (c 1448 &ndash February 2, 1491) was a German Engraver and painter. Albert Schweitzer, MD, OM, (January 14 1875 &ndash September 4 1965 was an Alsatian theologian, Musician, Philosopher Sebastian (or Sébastien) Stoskopff (born July 13 1597 in Strasbourg; died February 10 1657 in Idstein Jacob (or Jakob, or Jacques) Sturm von Sturmeck ( August 10, 1489 - October 30, 1553) German Tomi (Jean-Thomas Ungerer (born November 28, 1931) in Strasbourg is a French illustrator best known for his erotic and political illustrations Jean-Jacques Waltz (b Colmar, 23 February 1873 - 10 June, 1951 also known as " Oncle Hansi " or simply " Hansi Arsène Wenger OBE (born October 22, 1949 in Strasbourg) is a French football manager, in charge of Arsenal Alfred Werner ( December 12, 1866 - November 15, 1919) was a Swiss chemist who was a professor at the University Robert "Bob" Wollek ( 4 November 1943 – March 16 2001) nicknamed "Brilliant Bob" was a race car driver from Strasbourg William Wyler ( July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a four-time Academy Award -winning motion picture director Yvan Muller (born August 16 1969, in Altkirch, Alsace) is a French Auto racing driver most noted for success in Touring Bischheim is a commune in the department of Bas-Rhin in Alsace, France with a population of 17700 Colmar (Colmar kɔlmaʁ Alsatian: Colmer pronounced; Colmar between 1871-1918 and 1940-1945 also Kolmar) is a town and commune Guebwiller (Guebwiller gebvilɛʁ Alsatian: Gàwiller, pronounced; Gebweiler is a commune of the Haut-Rhin département Haguenau (Haguenau agəno Alsatian: Hàwenau, pronounced; Hagenau is a commune located in northeastern France, in the Bas-Rhin Illkirch-Graffenstaden is a commune in the département of Bas-Rhin and the Alsace region of France Illzach is a commune of the Haut-Rhin département, in France. Lingolsheim is a town near Strasbourg in the French department of Bas-Rhin in Alsace. Mulhouse (Mulhouse myluz Alsatian: Milhüsa or Milhüse, pronounced; Mülhausen i Saint-Louis is a town and commune of the Haut-Rhin département, in Alsace, France. Saverne (Saverne savɛʁn Alsatian: Zawere, pronounced; Zabern is a town and commune of France in the région of Schiltigheim (Schiltigheim ʃiltikajm and sometimes by non-local speakers of French Alsatian: Schílige, pronounced; Schiltigheim is a commune Sélestat (Sélestat selɛsta Alsatian: Schlettstadt, pronounced; Schlettstadt is a Strasbourg (Strasbourg stʁazbuʁ Alsatian: Strossburi,; Straßburg) is the capital and principal City of the Alsace région Wittenheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin département, in Alsace, northeastern France. Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang is a province in eastern South Korea. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Lower Silesian Voivodeship (also known as Lower Silesia Province or by its Polish name of województwo dolnośląskie {{IPA-pl|d|o|l|n|o|'|ś|l|ą|s|k|j|e}} Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page ( Postal map spelling: Kiangsu) is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Moscow Oblast (Моско́вская о́бласть Moskovskaya oblast) or Podmoskovye (ru Подмоско́вье Podmoskovye) is a Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Vest ( West) is a development region in Romania created in 1998 Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Alsace-Lorraine (Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen generally Elsass - Lothringen) was a territorial entity created by the German Empire in 1871 The Elsässisches Fahnenlied ("The Alsatian Flag's song" was written by Emil Woerth (1870-1926 in German when Alsace was part of the German , Éditions Oberlin, Strasbourg 1989. ISBN 2-85369-096-2
• Das Elsass. Ein literarischer Reisebegleiter, 251 S. , mehr. Abb. Insel Verlag, Frankfurt a.  M. 2001. ISBN 3-4583-4446-2 − Elsässische Impressionen von fünfzig Schriftsteller/-innen aus fünf Jahrhunderten
• Assall, Paul: Juden im Elsass, 252 S. , zahlr. SW-Abb. Rio Verlag, Zürich. ISBN 3-907668-00-6
• Erbe, Michael (Hrsg. ): Das Elsass. Historische Landschaft im Wandel der Zeiten, 198 S. , Ill. , Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 2002. ISBN 3-17-015771-X
• Faber, Gustav: Elsass. Artemis-Cicerone Kunst- und Reiseführer, München 1989 (vergriffen)
• Gerson, Daniel: Die Kehrseite der Emanzipation in Frankreich. Judenfeindschaft im Elsass 1778 bis 1848, 332 S. Klartext, Essen 2006. ISBN 3-89861-408-5
• Haeberlin, Marc: Elsass, meine große Liebe, 279 S. , zahlr. Farbfotos. Orselina, La Tavola 2004. ISBN 3-9099-0908-6
  − Rezension über das „Schlaraffenland“ Elsass
• Herden, Ralf Bernd: Straßburg Belagerung 1870", 198 S. , mit zeitgenössischen Bildern und Anekdoten um das Elsaß und seine wechselvolleGeschichte,BoD Norderstedt 2007, ISBN 978-3-8334-5147-8
• Mehling, Marianne (Hrsg. ): Knaurs Kulturführer in Farbe Elsaß, 259 S. , überw. ill. Droemer Knaur, München 1984. (vergriffen)
• Schreiber, Hermann: Das Elsaß und seine Geschichte, eine Kulturlandschaft im Spannungsfeld zweier Völker, 358 S. , ill. Weltbild, Augsburg 1996. (vergriffen)
• Ungerer, Tomi (2004): Elsass. Tomi (Jean-Thomas Ungerer (born November 28, 1931) in Strasbourg is a French illustrator best known for his erotic and political illustrations Das offene Herz Europas, DNA, 48 S. , 40 farb. Abb. Édition La Nuée Bleue, Straßburg. ISBN 2-7165-0618-3
• Ungerer, Tomi / Brison, Danièle / Schneider, Tony: Die elsässische Küche. 60 Rezepte aus der Weinstube L'Arsenal, ill. von Tomi Ungerer, 120 S. , 60 Abb. , gebunden. Édition DNA, Straßburg 1994. ISBN 2-7165-0341-9
• Vogler, Bernard / Lersch, Hermann: Das Elsass, 127 S. , 240 meist farb. Abb. Éditions Ouest-France, Morstadt 2000. ISBN 3-8857-1260-1

External links

• Tourism-Alsace.com Infos from the Alsace Tourism Board
• Official website of the Alsace regional council
• Alsace at the Open Directory Project
• Statistics and figures on Alsace on the website of the INSEE
• Alsace.net: Directory of Alsatian Websites (French)
• Jews and Judaism in Alsace (French)
• The museums of Alsace
• Churches and chapels of Alsace (pictures only)
• Medieval castles of Alsace (pictures only)
• Synagogues of Alsace (French)
• The organs of Alsace
• The Alsacian Library of the Crédit Mutuel