Research Paper

Submitted By kevinmclee35
Words: 828
Pages: 4

Kevin McLee
English 101
Essay #3

Alsace – Lorraine

What is the Alsace – Lorraine? Most people don’t even know how to pronounce Alsace – Lorraine let alone what it actually is, so when a person like me who have never heard or seen this region have to find out its origins and history, you’ll come across a lot that you may have never known before, and in my case everything that I learned and found out about Alsace – Lorraine was new. There are many interesting facts about the Alsace – Lorraine region that are actually mind blowing, not just on how it once used to be and how it is now but as well as the geographic history it has that dates back from hundreds years ago to now. The Alsace – Lorraine region is located in “present day“ France, which is now known as “Bas Rin” or “lower Rhine” and what most people doesn’t know is that it once was belonged to both France and Germany and some may to think how? This area was a German territory where a lot of the German population was located and where a lot of German immigrants moved too. It originally was part of the Holy Roman Empire during and up until 1648. But over time, this area gradually became part of France after the “30 Years War” and after “The Peace Of Westphalia” which brung an end to the “30 Years War” as well as giving control of Alsace – Lorraine to France.
But after the war between France and Germany, (The Franco – German War) in 1870 and 1871 it was now annexed by the newly created German empire in 1871 after they defeated France in the Franco – German War. The area stayed under German Control up until World War One. With France losing Alsace – Lorraine, they suffered major blows in their economy because everything that they once had in this area was now controlled by Germany. Under German Rule, Alsace – Lorraine was now classified as an “imperial state” and was denied self-government until 1902. But since the population was still basically all French, the German rule was very unpopular between the French people in that region, which made the people protest the German annexation. Thousands of French people, who lived there at the time, eventually immigrated over this time period to other places to avoid being alienated by the German Empire and their Rule. But by 1905 most of the Roman Catholics had been alienated by the French republic’s policies when the French took Alsace – Lorraine away from from Germany, which they shifted their aspirations toward an autonomous Alsace-Lorraine within the German Empire. Thereafter, especially with the grant of a constitution in 1911, some progress was made toward Germanization in the region. In 1919, Alsace – Lorraine was returned to France after World War One and after the “Treaty of Versailles”. In 1940, early in World War Two the collapse of France was followed by the second annexation of Alsace – Lorraine by Germany. But in 1945, Alsace – Lorraine was once again annexed by France after World War Two and ever since 1945, it has remained under French control ever since. Over this span, Alsace – Lorraine changed hands several times between Germany and