After the Franco-Prussian War of 1871, almost all of Alsace and the northeastern part of Lorraine were transferred to Germany under the Frankfurt Treaty. Controversial areas, the historical affiliation of which is ambiguous, have repeatedly changed their masters, personifying a symbol of interstate conflict. Today, Alsace and Lorraine are located in eastern France. They became the main crossroads of Europe, where many international organizations and pan-European institutions are located.
Between France and Germany
The rich history of the two regions located between France and Germany can hardly give clear answers about their affiliation. At the turn of our era, the population of Alsace and Lorraine consisted of Celtic tribes. During the invasion of the Germanic tribes into Gaul in the 4th century, the territory of Lorraine fell under the rule of the Franks, while Alsace was occupied by Alemans. The conquered local population underwent linguistic assimilation.
During the reign of Charles the Great, the possessions of the Frankish kings were united into a single large state. However, after the death of King Aquitaine (Charles' successor) in 840, the kingdom was divided between his sons, which subsequently led to the division of Lorraine in accordance with the Treaty of Mersen. Alsace became part of the East Frankish state, which later transformed into Germany.
From the 10th to the 17th centuries, as history shows, Alsace and Lorraine were under German influence (mainly through dynastic ties) and were part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation. However, in the XVII – XVIII centuries, France again succeeded in gradually adding to its territories the main lands of ancient Australia. This period was especially difficult for Alsace, which became a theater of operations in the confrontation of several states at once.
In 1674, French troops succeeded in occupying 10 imperial cities. A few years later, through political manipulation and intimidation, he takes the oath of France and Strasbourg. And in 1766, Lorraine entered its composition.
As part of the German Empire
The Franco-Prussian conflict of 1870-1871, provoked by the Prussian chancellor O. Bismarck, ended in the complete defeat of France. After the signing of the peace treaty in Frankfurt, Alsace and part of Lorraine were transferred to the German Empire, proclaimed a united German state.
The new division of borders gave the empire military-strategic superiority. Now the border with France, thanks to Alsace, was moved beyond the Rhine and the Vosges mountains and in case of an attack was an insurmountable obstacle. Lorraine, on the other hand, became a convenient bridgehead if an attack on France was necessary.
The German government, ignoring the protests of the population, tried to thoroughly consolidate the selected areas within the empire. Huge resources were allocated for post-war reconstruction, work at the University of Strasbourg resumed, and destroyed castles were reconstructed. Along with this, the use of the French language was strictly prohibited, the press was published only in German, the localities were renamed. There was a tough pursuit of separatist sentiments.
Imperial land status
The German empire, finally securing the status of imperial in disputed territories in 1879, united them into a single region. Previously, the Alsatians and Lorraines were invited to independently choose in which state they want to live. More than 10% of the population preferred French citizenship, but only 50 thousand people were able to emigrate to France.
The administrative division of Alsace-Lorraine included three large districts: Lorraine, Upper Alsace and Lower Alsace. In turn, the districts were divided into districts. The total area of the region amounted to 14496 square meters. km with a population of over 1.5 million people. The former city of France - Strasbourg - becomes the capital of imperial land.
It should be noted that Germany did not abandon attempts to win the sympathy of the inhabitants of the annexed territories and in every possible way showed concern for them. In particular, the infrastructure was improved and much attention was paid to the educational system. However, the imposed regime continued to cause discontent among the population of the region, brought up in the spirit of the French revolution.
Government structure of Alsace-Lorraine
At first, administrative power in the subject territory was exercised by the chief emperor appointed by the emperor, who had the right to maintain order by all means, not excluding military force. At the same time, Alsace-Lorraine did not have local government bodies, it was offered 15 seats in the German Reichstag, and for the first decades they belonged entirely to the candidates of the left-bourgeois protest party. Representatives of the region were absent in the Union Council of the empire.
Relief came in the late 70s of the XIX century, and the military regime softened a bit. As a result of the reorganization of the administration, a local representative body was formed (Landesausschus), and the governor's post was replaced by the governor (staffing). However, in 1881 the situation was again tightened, new restrictions were introduced, in particular regarding the use of the French language.
On the road to autonomy
In Alsace-Lorraine, supporters of the autonomy of the region within the framework of the German Empire gradually began to gain votes. And in the elections to the Reichstag in 1893, the protesting party had no previous success: 24% of the votes were cast by the Social Democratic movement, which contributed a lot to the Germanization of the population. A year earlier, the dictatorship paragraph of the law of 1871 was repealed, and from that time on, imperial lands began to be under the influence of common law.
By 1911, Alsace-Lorraine received some autonomy, which provided for a constitution, a local legislative body (Landtag), its own flag and anthem. The region received three seats in the Reichsrat. However, the policy of Germanization and discrimination of the local population did not stop, and in 1913 led to serious clashes (Zabersky incident).
Industrial province
On the territory of Alsace-Lorraine was one of Europe's largest iron ore basins. However, Bismarck and his associates were not greatly perplexed by the development of local industry; the priority was to strengthen the alliance between the German lands, using this region. The Chancellor of the Empire divided the local coal mines among the governments of the German lands.
The empire tried to artificially restrain the development of Alsatian deposits in order to prevent competition for companies in Westphalia and Silesia. Provincial entrepreneurs systematically met with refusals from the German authorities to their applications for the organization of railway lines and waterways. However, Alsace-Lorraine contributed well to the economic development of Germany in the late XIX - early XX centuries. And the influx of German capital helped bring the local bourgeoisie closer to the German one.
"Without us!"
The territorial conflict of Germany and France was one of the reasons for the outbreak of world war in 1914. The unwillingness of the latter to come to terms with the lost regions ruled out any possibility of reconciliation between them.
With the outbreak of hostilities, the Alsatians and Lorraine categorically refused to fight in the German army, in every way ignoring the general mobilization. Their motto is the laconic phrase: “Without us!” Indeed, for them, this war for the most part seemed fratricidal, since members of many families of the province served in both the German and the French army.
The empire introduced a regime of harsh military dictatorship into the imperial lands: an absolute ban on the French language, strict censorship of personal correspondence. The military in this region was constantly under suspicion. They were not involved in outposts, they were hardly allowed to leave, and the terms of their vacations were cut. In early 1916, soldiers of Alsace-Lorraine were sent to the Eastern Front, which led to the aggravation of problems with this area.
The liquidation of the imperial province
The Versailles Peace Treaty of 1919 was the official conclusion of the First World War of 1914-1918, where Germany recognized its complete surrender. One of the conditions of the world was the return of France to previously selected regions - Alsace and Lorraine - to their borders of 1870. The long-awaited revenge of the French became possible thanks to the troops of the allies, including the United States of America.
On October 17, 1919, Alsace-Lorraine, as the imperial province of the German Empire and an independent geographical unit, was abolished. Territories with a mixed German-French population became part of the French Republic.