ALSACE-LORRAINE (Al-sas-16-ran') A naturally rich and historically inter esting region, with fertile soil and ac tive industries. It was ceded by France to Germany in 1871, and awarded to France by the Treaty of Versailles, 1919. Its utmost length from N. to S. is 123 miles; its breadth varies between 22 and 105 miles; and its area is 5,580 square miles, of which 1,353 belong to Upper Alsace (in the S.), 1,844 to Lower Al sace (N. E.), and 2,383 to Lorraine (N. W.). Pop. about 2,000,000. The French speaking population is mainly in the larger towns and in Lorraine. The Rhine flows 115 miles north-by-eastward along all the eastern boundary, and re ceives, below Strasbourg, the Ill from Alsace, 127 miles long. Other rivers are the Moselle, flowing through Lorraine past Metz, and its affluent, the Saar. About 48.5 per cent. of the entire area is arable, 11.6 meadow and pasture, and 30.8 under wood. Alsace-Lorraine pro duces much wine, grain, and tobacco; it is rich in mines, iron and coal; and manufactures iron, cotton, wool, silks, chemicals, glass, and paper. It contains the important cities of Strasbourg (pop. about 200,000); Mulhouse (pop. about 115,000); Metz (pop. about 85,000). As a French province, Alsace was divided into the departments of Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin. Lorraine fell into the depart ments of Meuse, Moselle, Meurthe, and Vosges.
In Caesars time Alsace-Lorraine was occupied by Celtic tribes, and formed part of ancient Gaul; but during the decline of the empire the Alemanni and other tribes from beyond the Rhine oc cupied and largely Germanized it. From
the 10th century it formed part of the German empire, under various sover eign dukes and princes, latterly of the house of Hapsburg; till a part of it was ceded to France at the Peace of West phalia (1648), and the rest fell a prey to the aggressions of Louis XIV., who seized Strasbourg (1681) by surprise in time of peace. By the Peace of Ryswick (1697), the cession of the whole was ratified. In 1814-1815 Russia would not hear of the restitution of Alsace-Lor raine to Germany; and not till 1871, after the Franco-Prussian war, were Al sace and German Lorraine, by the treaty of Frankfort, incorporated in the new German Empire. The great mass of the population were strongly against the change, and 160,000 elected to be French, though only 50,000 went into actual exile, refusing to become German subjects. For, at least since the era of the Revolution, Alsace in sentiment was wholly French. To France she gave the bravest of her sons—Kellermann, Kleber, and many another hero. Strasbourg first heard the "Marseillaise"; and MM. Erckmann-Chatrian, Lorrainers both, have faithfully represented their coun trymen's love of La Patrie in the days of the third as of the first Napoleon.
France long cherished the hope of re gaining the lost territories, but had re signed herself to the inevitable when the war of 1914-1918 suddenly thrust on her by Germany enabled her, through the victory of the Allies, to realize her dream. See FRANCE; WORLD WAR.