France began an aggressive policy of expanding eastward, first to the rivers Rhône and Meuse, and when those borders were reached, aiming for the Rhine. Though slotrize casino no deposit bonus little is known about the early history of the Jews of Alsace, there is a lot of information from the 12th century onwards. Strasbourg began to grow to become the most populous and commercially important town in the region.
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They maintained their own customs, Yiddish language, and historic traditions within the tightly knit ghettos; they adhered to Jewish law. By 1790, the Jewish population of Alsace was approximately 22,500, about 3% of the provincial population. The population grew rapidly, from 800,000 in 1814 to 914,000 in 1830 and 1,067,000 in 1846. 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. At the same time, some Alsatians were in opposition to the Jacobins and sympathetic to the restoration of the monarchy pursued by the invading forces of Austria and Prussia who sought to crush the nascent revolutionary republic.
Local Traditions of the Alsace region
- Alsatian is taught in schools (but is not mandatory) as one of the regional languages of France.
- Though the ban has long been lifted and street signs today are often bilingual, Alsace–Lorraine is today predominantly French in language and culture.
- Alsace had changed hands four times within 75 years between France and Germany.
- Alsace is found in eastern France, on the border with Germany to the east and the Lorraine region of France to the west.
- Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Sylvaner, Auxerrois, and Pinot Blanc are among the notable white wines produced.
- Switzerland lies to the south of Alsace, and Germany borders it to the east and north.
After 1918, French was the only language used in schools, particularly primary schools. French lost ground to such an extent that it has been estimated that only 2% of the population spoke French fluently, and only 8% had some knowledge of it (Maugue, 1970). Between 1870 and 1918, Alsace was annexed by the German Empire in the form of an imperial province or Reichsland, and the mandatory official language, especially in schools, became High German. The French language never really managed, however, to win over the masses, the vast majority of whom continued to speak their German dialects and write in German (which we would now call "standard German").citation needed From the annexation of Alsace by France in the 17th century and the language policy of the French Revolution up to 1870, knowledge of French in Alsace increased considerably. During the Lutheran Reform, the towns of Alsace were the first to adopt the German language as their official language instead of Latin.
It crisscrosses through the Alsatian vineyards from north to south from Marlenheim to Thann. Alsatian folk music is essentially orchestral and is closely linked to German, Swiss and particularly Austrian music, due to the history of the region. This traditional symbol of the Alsace region can often be admired at tourist and cultural events. It can change from one village to another, and some areas have their own characteristic costumes which may differ greatly, in particular in the Vosges mountains, the Sundgau and Alsace Bossue. The Alsatian costume as we know it today developed during the 18th century and is reminiscent of rural Alsace, of the region’s history and religious beliefs. However, attendance at Protestant and Catholic services is reflected by the number of churches still open and which can still be visited throughout the region.
As is customary for regional languages in France, neither Alsatian nor the Frankish dialects have any form of official status, although both are now recognized as languages of France and can be chosen as subjects in lycées. Since the 17th century, the region has passed between German and French control numerous times, resulting in a cultural blend. Alsace became one of the French regions boasting a thriving Jewish community and the only region with a noticeable Anabaptist population. Multiconfessional villages appeared, particularly in the region of Alsace bossue. Landowners, who as "local lords" had the right to decide the religion that was allowed on their land, were eager to entice populations from the more attractive lowlands to settle and develop their property. It has regularly increased over time, except in wartime and shortly after the German annexation of 1871 (when many Alsatians who had opted to keep their French citizenship emigrated to France), by both natural growth and immigration.
- Alsace is also the main beer-producing region of France, thanks primarily to breweries in and near Strasbourg.
- Many Alsatians campaigned to obtain some recognition of their local status concerning local administration and dialect.
- The Alsace region is also known for the richness of its gastronomy.
- The Alsatian dialect is estimated to be spoken by a population of 400,000 to 700,000.
- Although German dialects were spoken in Alsace for most of its history, the dominant language in Alsace today is French.
- A network of motorways traverses Alsace, and a regional airport is located in Strasbourg.
The friendly white storks, the iconic emblem of Alsace, are found in large numbers throughout the region. Protected in Italy since 1976, the grey wolf has since entered France through the Maritime Alps. There is now a population of about 900 chamois in the Vosges, particularly in the high ridges of the valley of Munster above 800 metres. From Colmar, next to the foothills and at the base of the Vosges mountains, clouds arriving from the West are forced to rise and fall as precipitation over the high summits, hence protecting the lower area from rain. The topography of Alsace, the Vosges and the Black Forest in Germany all play a major role in the local climate. In the South-West, the Gate of Burgundy opens Alsace to Franche-Comté, while the crest of the Vosges mountains serves as a natural border with Lorraine.
Happily a successful breeding programme has succeeded in re-introducing them to the region and they are again a popular sight, and a number of towns also have a 'stork park'. At one time every tall roof and steeple seemed to have a resident stork, but these then suffered a serious set-back and almost disappeared from Alsace. To the north-west of Bas-Rhin the landscape changes as you enter the Regional Natural Park of Vosges du Nord. As elsewhere in Alsace you will also find a lot of very pretty villages to explore including Hunspach and Mittelbergheim among the most popular with visitors. Combined with the fertile ground this creates an ideal environment for grape growing and wine production. This blog is run by Pierre Guernier for French Moments Ltd, a company founded by Pierre and Rachel Guernier and based in the south coast of England.
Hotels in Alsace
Alsacea is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in the Grand Est administrative region of northeastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine, next to Germany and Switzerland. ① Ideas & inspiration ② Maps of France ③ Explore by region ④ Route planner ⑤ Places (by dept.) See details of the Alsace Wine Route that visits many of the most popular vineyards and villages Hunspach is one of our favourite Alsace villages, in part because of the many well maintained gardensSee Hunspach Just one of many beautiful villages in Alsace, Eguisheim has numerous traditional half-timbered housesSee Eguisheim As well as its fabulous wine Alsace has some hearty food specialities.
Munster is still being made on either side of the Vosges mountains in Alsace and in Lorraine. In the Vosges mountains, many farmhouses (fermes-auberges) serve an authentic traditional farm meal called “marcaire”, which features pie as a first course and roïgabrageldi (potatoes with smoked pork shoulder) as a main. However, because of its small size compared to the average French region, Alsace ranks 20th for the number of tourists who spend at least one night in the region (11.7 million in 2011). It is estimated that 28,000 jobs are generated by tourism in Alsace, which represents 3.5% of the regional workforce in summer. As in most French regions, the service sector is growing rapidly at the expense of the first two sectors.
However, while French is the major language of the region, the Alsatian dialect of French is heavily influenced by German and other languages such as Yiddish in phonology and vocabulary. The Ministerial Memorandum of 21 June 1982, known as the Circulaire Savary, introduced financial support, over three years, for the teaching of regional languages in schools and universities. In 1951, Article 10 of the Deixonne Law (Loi Deixonne) on the teaching of local languages and dialects made provision for Breton, Basque, Catalan and old Provençal but not for Corsican, Dutch (West Flemish) or Alsatian in Alsace and Moselle. Although Alsace has been part of France multiple times in the past, the region had no direct connection with the French state for several centuries.
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In more recent years, the Alsatian language is again being promoted by local, national and European authorities as an element of the region's identity. The Alsace region is divided into two French 'departments' with Bas-Rhin to the north and including Strasbourg and Haut-Rhin to the south and including Colmar. It is the smallest region in France and very pretty in its location between the Vosges mountains and the Rhine. Alsace is found in eastern France, on the border with Germany to the east and the Lorraine region of France to the west.
French government institutions employ a variety of means to prevent the German-speaking Alsatians from publishing media in their native language. However, the Constitution of France still requires that French be the only official language of the Republic. Today, the territory is in certain areas subject to some laws that are significantly different from the rest of France, which is known as the local law. During the war, 130,000 young men from Alsace and Lorraine were conscripted into the German armies against their will (malgré-nous). In order not to antagonize the Alsatians, the region was not subjected to some legal changes that had occurred in the rest of France between 1871 and 1919, such as the 1905 French law on the separation of Church and State. With the arrival of the French soldiers, many Alsatians and local Prussian/German administrators and bureaucrats cheered the re-establishment of order.
This is due to the region having belonged to the Holy Roman Empire until the 17th century, and also to the fact that the region has passed between German and French control four times between 1870 and 1945. Since 1972, it has been compulsory for wine to be bottled in the region where it is produced. The region has one of France’s lowest unemployment rates (8.4% in 2011). With an annual recorded rainfall of 530mm, Colmar and its region take advantage of one of France’s driest climates, making it ideal for vines to grow on the southern slopes. To the south, the Jura mountains mark the border with Switzerland from Basle to the vicinity of Porrentruy. Being the smallest administrative region of continental France, Alsace stretches from south to north along the Rhine, which borders its eastern flank.
The traditional language of the région is Alsatian, an Alemannic dialect of Upper German spoken on both sides of the Rhine and closely related to Swiss German. Although German dialects were spoken in Alsace for most of its history, the dominant language in Alsace today is French. With the purpose of "Francizing" the region, the Rot-un-Wiss has not been recognized by Paris. As it underlines the Germanic roots of the region, it was replaced in 1949 by a new "Union jack-like" flag representing the union of the two départements. The authentic historical flag is the Rot-un-Wiss; Red and White are commonly found on the coat of arms of Alsatian cities (Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Sélestat…) and of many Swiss cities, especially in Basel's region.