Alsting

Alsting is a common French located in the department of the the Moselle and the basin of life of the Moselle-is.

Geography

Alsting is a green village in the middle of an agglomeration of cities, at equal distance from Forbach, Sarreguemines and Saarbrucken.

Located at hillside, it is surrounded by forests: in north Jungenwald, the south Ermerich. At the bottom of the valley a small brook, Simbach runs.

History

The Middle Ages and modern times

Alsting (Alstingen, 1594 - Altzing, 1797) is a commune of the Canton of Forbach since 1790.

Until the War Thirty Year old, the small current hamlet Hessling was an important village of the seigniory of Forbach, centers it of a parish which included/understood the villages of Hesseling, Alsting and Zinzing.

The abbey of Wadgassen has there grounds which are mentioned in 1271 and in 1295:

In 1271, Bornevin Siglerre is provost in Saarbrucken and the heirs gave up for 10 Metzer Pfund all the claims on the goods of Heiselingen (Hesseling) in possession of the abbey.
In 1295, Hellenic Pleban de Vechingen and Jean, known as Capellan, of Hessling, priest of Saint-Arnoual, arbitrated a disagreement between the abbey of Wadgassen, the Ludewich mayor and the brothers Othlo de Güdingen concerning of the goods located close to the mill of Hesseling.

The village of Hessling was destroyed during the Guerre Thirty Year old (1632); only the church was rebuilt, close which the schools (1644 rose later: two schools with 65 boys and 45 girls).

After the ruin of Hessling, Alsting became a large village having Hessling and Zinzing for hamlets.

The collegial one of Saint-Arnoual had grounds there; after its suppression (1569), they were confiscated by the count of Saarbrucken; by the treaties of 1766 and 1768, its successor yielded them to France which had just acquired the duchy of Lorraine in 1766.

Catholic worship

Before the Revolution the parish of Hessling, included/understood in the archpriest of St-Arnoual, had as appendices Alsting and Zinzing.

From 1691 to 1749 the administration of the parish is entrusted to the monks of the abbey of Wadgassen about Prémontré, or Norbertins which managed also Grosbliederstroff, Sarreguemines Neunkirch, Puttelange, Heckenransbach and Small-Ebersviller.

The church, dedicated to the Pierre apostle, was rebuilt after the ruin of the village, and still renovated in 1781. Patronage (nomination of the priest) belonged to Collegial of St-Arnoual and after its suppression in 1569, with the count de Sarrebruck; but since the counts of Saarbrucken passed to Protestantism (1575), the Évêque of Metz reserved the nomination of the priest.

After 1802, the restored parish bears the name of the commune of Alsting, with the appendix of Zinzing. The old church of Hessling, included/understood in the archpriest of Forbach and maintained like parish church, was increased in 1823 and 1853; a new church replaced it in 1881. It was destroyed during the Second world war.

Emigration

In the banat:

In 1765 and 1767: Schlichter Pierre; Kunter Henri; Reiser Jean; Auer Jacob; Buschbach Jean, peasant 4 people; Katerer Blaise, peasant 4 people.

During the revolution:

Ihn Jean Michel, priest of Hessling, native of Haspelschied; Vagner Jean de Zinzing.

The Second world war

In September 1939, evacuation of the commune with Châtelaillon (Charente-Maritime) and Palinges (the Saone and the Loire).

The village was bombarded in 1944 (10 victims, 17 destroyed houses), and was released on February 20th, 1945 by the American troops.

The commune is quoted on November 11th, 1948 with the order of Division: Common Lorraine, whose population was announced by the assistance brought to the prisoners. Facing the threats of the occupant, withdrew from his research a allied aviator. Moreover a heavy tribute with the combat of the release paid, account 23 of his/her killed children, 14 wounded, 10 deportees and 7 expelled, saw the destruction of half of the village. By its attachment in France, by its sufferings was acquired rights to the recognition of the Country. This quotation comprises the attribution of the Military Cross with money Star.

History of the hamlets

Hessling (Esselange, Cecelange, 1429 - Hessling, 1514 - Hesseling, 1779)

The village was destroyed during the Thirty Year old war. In 1700, the round of applause of Hessling was sold to the Teutoniques knights in Hundling who still had it in 1756. By treaties in 1766 and 1768, the counts of Nassau-Saarbrucken gave up said to Alsting and Zinzing in favor of France. The church and the presbytery were destroyed during the second world war.

Zinzing (Zintsingen, 1594 - Zinzingen, 1618)

In 1202, the Collegial one of St-Arnoual has there a farm whose pleasure belongs to Jean Siersberg, dedicated the collegial one. Siebertmühle, mill already mentioned in 1697, bears the name of a former owner; a restaurant is established there today. The old mill, Sauerbachmühle, was destroyed during the Thirty Year old war.

Life of the village

Since 1632, Alsting undergoes the dissensions between the men: in its hearths, the heart of its inhabitants, " In spite of us " - " Volksgemeinschaft " - " Tambow " - " Algeria ".

1917: First bombs with 300 meters of the church of Etzling; first destruction in this village of masons, agricultural and minor workers.

1918: Peace, without horses for the French Army, but agricultural work into ready; without cows too; it will in any event be necessary to find cows to draw the carts on September 1st, 1939.

It is the exodus, of night the " Territoriaux" then " Colonial " came to give an opinion in wood one piles up what one can, the necessary one, in the carts, drawn by these cows and these horses which it will be necessary well to kill or give up close to Castle-Saline, at the time of taking the train. Alsting becomes a " No man' S Land " , a dead village; from day, some patrols, a cat, a dog…

The minors are evacuated with Palinges, the others with Châtelaillon-Beach.

In the east, the sea is called Saarbrucken, the beach is called Jugenwald; the " was spoken; Platt " , one was wary of us; the life however is organized, one touches 10 F per day and by anybody, our expelled town hall opens its doors, our Savings bank aussi." It is a village in a city; one places in the hotels then in the unoccupied villas, the kitchen is done jointly; the evening one finds oneself with the coffee, baptized at " Jean Jung " as in Alsting. One follows the evolution of the war, one exchanges the news in dialect.

September 1st, 1940

One can return, to return " in unser Dorf " in two groups. One takes again the train, one embraces knowledge; " One will return to see you… nach dem Krieg ". The voyage lasts 2 days, as at the beginning, there is a gas mask by family; Saint-Dizier: control Germans, first sorting, certain undesirable are driven back; in station of Metz, a station of water, one can be finally washed a little, one is invaded chips; finally Forbach.

German military trucks await us, the soldiers help us to charge; then Alsting, some destroyed houses, others burned. The interior was swept. Pieces of furniture also, but in another way; one will find the beds and the covers in wood. The life begins again, the Germans distribute vivres, some cows, horses; the new Masters impose also their laws.

Obligatory meeting in the coffees, one treats " size of Reich " in German, one is enlisted in the " Volksgemeinschaft " , in l'" Arbeitsdienst" , in the Hitlerjugend; some are " réfractaires" , hide: 11 months between two walls at the bottom of a workshop with corn, a ham, water, if it had been impossible to supply them; then the " start; raids " , excavations of the houses, " they " are required. " One " will not find them, not hidden at the bottom of the mangers of the cows, covered by straw, or in a rabbit burrow; it should be said that the German gendarme Roehmer is there and prevents to cut down the cattle, one needs " die Genehmigung " , " the authorization " some do not yield there and, clandestinely, sometimes the night…

Roehmer also will benefit from it; any lack, especially salt, the yeast and lighting; I know some which manufactured candles with the wax remainders of the cave… a bicycle pump.

December 5th, 1944

The gun, one lives in the cellars; guns, there is each side of it, in north the Germans, in the south English and Americans; one is well placed, just in the medium, from the houses fall, a shell aimed at the farm, one will find the heap of manure on the roof of the house of opposite; in the cattle sheds the animals meuglent, worse are full, it is necessary to go up to milk them; and the gun always thunders the underground life of Alsting will last 3 months.

To 4.000 km another Alsting, rather a camp, called Tambovv; built-in young people of force in Wehrmacht; they were 18 years old into 42; they were with the first cabins on the face of Russia, they were made to prisoners, then exchanged against Russians; their return voyage will last 1 year via Iran, Iraq, Palestine, North Africa, Italy. " One often played small soldiers " and the gun always thunders.

February 20th, 1945 9 hours of the morning

Noise of machine-guns a tank advances, it carries white star; men speak in the street, one does not know this language. They visit all the houses, with one, of the cellar to the attic. They are the Americans; one leaves, often the raised arms, to be controlled; up there, with the skirt of forest, of the tanks gave an opinion, every 50 meters, their guns directed towards Saarbrucken; finally one is supplied; they like eggs, us, clothing, the shoes, the covers; they like also our " Schnapps " , that helps. Saarbrucken, constantly bombarded, will fall only one month later; it is finished, one breathes.

Almost also finished the village; the church lay down, the encumbered streets of rubble, the houses bleed, perforated, decapitated, in ruins; ruins under which certain inhabitants closed the eyes; then comes March, spring, the cherry trees refleurissent, the masons of Alsting put themselves at the task; the village is rectified, breathed, saw; and Simbach sings again but in French.

He sings, but other children left into 57 they hear it in Arabic, he is called Oued; they cross Kabylie and think of it by looking at the Tunisian border; it is electrified in the middle of the numbered hills; the mail arrives every 14 days; the supply every 8 days; comrades fall, the different ones are wounded, and two years under these conditions mark a man and leave traces, sometimes until in its flesh; finally one returns to the country. One finds oneself.

14-18 and Verdun, 39-45 and Tambovv, Algeria; but what remains? Names, a monument, old photographs, uniforms, memories, the Friendly one of the War veterans.

And Simbach always sings.

Administration

Demography

Places and monuments

Alsting counts many fountains.
the catholic presbitaire is very old.

Personalities related to the commune

Community life

Alsting counts a score of sports associations and cultural and the following equipment:

Versatile room
Village hall
Ground of foot
Three courts of tennis
an associative room
a local television channel
a riding school

The children can be provided education for as of the age of two year and half, in a nursery school which counts 3 classes.

After which they will be able to attend the elementary school Louis Pasteur with his seven classes. The course hardly continues with the college of Grosbliederstroff located at five kilometers.

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