Alsace-Lorraine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine
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| Imperial Territory of the German Empire | |||||||||
| 1871–1918 | |||||||||
 Flag
 Coat of arms
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.svg) Alsace-Lorraine within the German Empire |
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| Anthem | |||||||||
| Elsässisches Fahnenlied "The Alsatian Flag's song" |
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| Capital | Straßburg (Strasbourg) | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
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• 1910
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14,496 km2 (5,597 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
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• 1910
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1,874,014 | ||||||||
| Government | |||||||||
| • Type | Federal territory | ||||||||
| Reichsstatthalter | |||||||||
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• 1871–1879
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Eduard von Möller (first) | ||||||||
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• 1918
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Rudolf Schwander (last) | ||||||||
| Legislature | Landtag | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
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• Treaty of Frankfurt
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10 May 1871 | ||||||||
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• Disestablished
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1918 | ||||||||
| 28 June 1919 | |||||||||
| Political subdivisions | Bezirk Lothringen, Oberelsass, Unterelsass | ||||||||
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| Today part of |  France |
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Alsace-Lorraine was a special region in Europe. It was created by the German Empire in 1871. This happened after Germany won the Franco-Prussian War against France.
The area got its name because it was made up of most of Alsace and part of Lorraine. These were regions that belonged to France. France took Alsace-Lorraine back in 1918. It officially became part of France again in 1919 because of the Treaty of Versailles.
Later, during World War II, Nazi Germany took control of it in 1940. But France got it back for good in 1945. Since then, Alsace-Lorraine has been part of France. In 2016, it became part of a larger French region called Grand Est.
Contents
What Was Alsace-Lorraine?
Alsace-Lorraine was a territory that existed from 1871 to 1918. It was not a regular state within Germany. Instead, it was an "Imperial Territory." This meant it was directly controlled by the German Empire. Its capital city was Strasbourg.
Why Was It Created?
The German Empire created Alsace-Lorraine after winning the Franco-Prussian War. This war happened from 1870 to 1871. As part of the peace agreement, France had to give up these lands to Germany. This was written in the Treaty of Frankfurt.
Life Under German Rule
For nearly 50 years, Alsace-Lorraine was part of Germany. The people there spoke both German and French. Germany tried to make the region more German. They built new buildings and changed some names. Many people in Alsace-Lorraine felt a strong connection to France. This caused some tension.
Government and People
The territory was led by a "Reichsstatthalter." This was like a governor appointed by the German Emperor. The first one was Eduard von Möller. The last one was Rudolf Schwander in 1918. The region also had its own local parliament, called the Landtag. In 1910, about 1.8 million people lived in Alsace-Lorraine.
Returning to France
After Germany lost World War I in 1918, the situation changed. French troops moved into Alsace-Lorraine. The people there welcomed them. The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, officially gave the territory back to France. This treaty also ended World War I.
Later Changes
During World War II, Germany took control of Alsace-Lorraine again. This happened in 1940. However, after the war ended in 1945, France regained control. The region has been a part of France ever since. Today, it is part of the Grand Est region of France.
Images for kids
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An 1898 American political cartoon that depicts the dispute over Alsace-Lorraine as a medieval romance.
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The neo-Romanesque Metz railway station, built in 1908. Kaiser Wilhelm II instigated the construction of various buildings in Alsace–Lorraine supposedly representative of German architecture.
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German patrol during the Saverne Affair
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An Alsatian woman in traditional dress and a French officer, c. 1919
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Metz and the Lorraine returned to France, front page of Le Petit Journal dated 8 December 1918
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Monument to the Malgré-nous in Obernai, Alsace
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Spatial distribution of dialects in Alsace–Lorraine before the expansion of standard French in the 20th century
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Photo of a statue in the Place Maginot Nancy that personifies the loss of Alsace as separation of a mother and daughter.
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The Black Stain (1887) by Albert Bettannier.
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The general government of Elsass (1875) by A. Petermann.
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1887 German map, using German place-names, of Alsace-Lorraine.
See also
In Spanish: Territorio Imperial de Alsacia y Lorena para niños
