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WW11. ALSACE, FRANCE
At the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, France was forced to cede the region of Alsace to the German Empire. Then again, after the First World War, Alsace was incorporated into France through the Treaty of Versailles. The region switched hands often throughout history, so it is no wonder that its cultural heritage is unique — not distinctly French nor specifically German — but rather a mix of the two countries it sits between.
- Alsace was a target of the Nazi regime as soon as they looked westward. By 1940, the Third Reich had annexed Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and much of France. Alsace, however, was different. As the rest of France was simply placed under Nazi control, Alsace was incorporated into the Reich and would not again be united with France until 1944.