Alsace is a region and former province of north-east France on the Rhine.
Alsace was originally a part of ancient Gaul. It afterwards became a dukedom of the German empire. In 1268, the line of its dukes becoming extinct, it was parcelled out to several members of the empire. By the peace of Westphalia, in 1648, a great part of it was ceded to France, which afterwards seized the rest of it, this seizure being recognized by the peace of Ryswick, in 1697. Henceforth, the Germans long desired the return of Alsace. The inhabitants mostly speak German, and are of German race. Before the French revolution Alsace was a province of France, afterwards constituting the French departments of Haut-and Bas-Rhin, and subsequently to the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 to 1871 the region was reunited to Germany, and incorporated in the province of Elsass-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine). After the Great War, the region was returned to France in 1919, and was again occupied by Germany from 1939 until 1944.
Alsace is generally a level country, though there are several ranges of low hills richly wooded. The principal river is the Ill. Traditionally corn, flax, tobacco, grapes, and other fruits were grown. At the end of the 19th century Alsace was notorious as a haunt of criminals and outlaws.
Abbreviations
Gazetteer
Research Alsace