4. History
• After the Franco-Prussian War
• In 1871, Alsace and Lorraine was annexed into the German Empire as
Germany started to unite
• Left the territory in the hands of the Kaiser
• 1918-Alsace Lorraine declared themselves “The Republic of Alsace-
Lorraine”, in which the French quickly took hold
• Under treaty of Versailles, Germany ceded territory to France
• During & After WWI
• As Germany’s Kaiser abdicated, the Republic of Germany was created
leaving Alsace-Lorraine with no head of power
• The Armistice with Germany ended the war as the Republic of Alsace-
Lorraine was stated
• This sovereignty of the territory was a short period for which French troops
came and took over the city of Mulhausen
• German influence was cut off by the expel of German inhabitants from
1871 and the introduction to French culture.
• Battle of Verdun-One of the longest/ devastating battles of WWI fought in
the northern city of Verdun-sur-Meuse; ended in 306,000 deaths
6. History
• WWII
• After the defeat of France in the spring of 1940, the area was taken
hold of under Berlin until Germany’s defeat in 1945
• During this time, men were drafted into the German army to fight
against the French
• Battle of the Bulge- A major Germany offensive on the Western
Front, for which it was the largest and bloodiest battle of WWII with
heavy losses on the American side
• After WWII-Present
• The previous disputed territory was now in the hands of the
French, although tensions arose between parts of France and
Alsace-Lorraine
• The French has still suppresses German influence, but presently
they try to preserve the Franco-German culture.
8. Major Cities
• Strasbourg:
• The capital and largest city of Alsace Lorraine
• Where “La Marseillaise” (French national anthem) was first sung by
Rouget de Lisle
• Sandstone Gothic cathedrals and astronomical clock
• Strasbourg Cathedral
• Mulhouse:
• 2nd largest city in France
• Known for their automobile museums such as cité de l'automobile
and cité du train
• Metz:
• Capital of the the region of Lorraine
• Nicknamed the “Green City” as an important city in urban ecology
• Big in the automotive as well as steel industries
12. Itinerary
• Day 1: Metz & Nancy
• Saint Stephen gothic cathedral
• Arsenal concert hall
• Thierry Saveurs et Cuisine
• Place Stanislas
• Musée de l'Ecole de Nancy
• Hotel des prélats
• Day 2: Strasburg
• Strasbourg cathédral
• Le Petit France
• Le Gavroche (restaurant)
• Batorama (Boat tour)
• Galeries Lafayette (Department store)
• Cour de Corbeau Hotel
13. Itinerary
• Day 3:Colmar & Mulhouse
• Le route des vins (wine route)
• Koifhus (Old Custom House)
• National Automobile Museum
• Cite de Train (French Railway Museum)
• Hotel de Musee-Gare
14. Well-Known Items
• Mainly German cuisine such as:
• Poultry & Meats (pork, bacon, sausages)
• Dry Rieslings (for sweet white wine)
• Wine (mostly white)
• Beer (Strasburg Breweries) (Fischer, Heineken Int.)
• Use of Hops (bitter taste in beer) & Schnapps (like
American liquor)
• Sauerkraut
• Cheeses (Munster)
15. Additional Facts
•Name origin comes from Ali-saz or Elisaz (meaning
“Foreign Domain” in Old German)
• Alsatian is the regional language, although French is
the official language with German also being taught as
a foreign language
• “La Marseillaise”- written in1792 in Strasbourg as a
revolutionary marching song by Rouget de Lisle after
the Storming of Bastille; This was during the French
Revolution
