What happened to Alsace-Lorraine after World War I it became part of Germany?

Alsace-Lorraine was a border region located between the Rhine River and the Vosges Mountains. When the war ended, Alsace-Lorraine, a part of the German Empire since 1871, was returned to France.

How did Germany take Alsace-Lorraine from France?

The Franco-Prussian War, which started in July 1870, saw France defeated in May 1871 by the Kingdom of Prussia and other German states. The end of the war led to the unification of Germany. Otto von Bismarck annexed Alsace and northern Lorraine to the new German Empire in 1871.

When did Germany take Alsace-Lorraine region from France in the Franco-Prussian War?

May 10, 1871
By the terms of the final treaty, signed on May 10, 1871, at Frankfurt am Main, Germany annexed the French provinces of Alsace (excluding Belfort) and Lorraine; the French were also ordered to pay an indemnity of five billion francs.

Why was the Alsace-Lorraine region important to Germany?

Because of its ancient German associations and because of its large German-speaking population, Alsace-Lorraine was incorporated into the German Empire after France’s defeat in the Franco-German War (1870–71).

Did Germany return Alsace and Lorraine to France?

Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France in 1919 after World War I. Early in World War II, the collapse of France in 1940 was followed by the second German annexation of Alsace-Lorraine, which was again returned to France in 1945.

Why does Alsace share French and German traditions?

Alsace is a region in north-eastern France that borders Switzerland and Germany. The region has been passed between French and German control several times since 1681, when Strasbourg was conquered by French forces. As a result, Alsatian culture is a unique mix of French and German influences.

How did the Franco-Prussian War lead to German unification?

France was heavily defeated in the Franco-Prussian War. Napoleon III was overthrown by a French rebellion. The circumstances leading to the war caused the southern German states to support Prussia. This alliance led to the unification of Germany.

Did the Franco-Prussian War create Germany?

Franco-German War, also called Franco-Prussian War, (July 19, 1870–May 10, 1871), war in which a coalition of German states led by Prussia defeated France. The war marked the end of French hegemony in continental Europe and resulted in the creation of a unified Germany.

Why did the Germans want Alsace Lorraine?

The main factors were strategic, political and cultural. It is said that economy played a lesser role, even though the loss of Alsace Lorraine was a severe blow to the French economy. It enabled Germany to defend itself against France, which until that time had long been seen as the main threat to Germany.

What happened to Alsace-Lorraine after World War I?

When the war ended, Alsace-Lorraine, a part of the German Empire since 1871, was returned to France. Alsace-Lorraine, a geopolitical amalgam consisting of the former French departments of Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin and Moselle, was annexed by the newly-unified German Empire following its victory over France in 1871.

Where is Alsace-Lorraine located?

Written By: Alsace-Lorraine, German Elsass-Lothringen, area comprising the present French départements of Haut-Rhin, Bas-Rhin, and Moselle. Alsace-Lorraine was the name given to the 5,067 square miles (13,123 square km) of territory that was ceded by France to Germany in 1871 after the Franco-German War.

How did Alsace become part of the German Empire?

The Peace of Westphalia (1648) concluding that war gave control of Alsace-Lorraine to France. Because of its ancient German associations and because of its large German-speaking population, Alsace-Lorraine was incorporated into the German Empire after France’s defeat in the Franco-German War (1870–71).

What was Alsace-Lorraine’s political status under German rule?

Under German rule, Alsace-Lorraine was classified as a Reichsland (imperial state) and was denied effective self-government until 1902. Moreover, its population was initially enthusiastic over the new French republic, and German rule remained unpopular for some years among the inhabitants, who continued to protest…