Country of Bitche

The Country of Bitche ( Bitscherland in Rhenish Francique, Germanic dialect still very much used in the country of Bitche), is a natural Région of France, located at the North-eastern of the department of the the Moselle. It constitutes the Lorraine part of the the Vosges of North, classified world reserve of the biosphere by UNESCO for the richness of their natural heritage and the many actions of protection and education in favor of the environment.

The Country of Bitche, whose capital is Bitche, is composed of the three cantons of Bitche, Rohrbach-lès-Bitche and Volmunster and gathers 47 communes.

Geography

detailed Article: Geography of the Country of Bitche

With the borders of the Lorraine Eastern, the Country of Bitche advances towards the Alsace, passing from the vast horizons of the Lorraine plate to the forest of the the Vosges of North. It is bordering in the south on the uneven Alsace, in the east of the Country of Haguenau and in addition to-Forest, in the north of the Palatinat while in the west it is joined together with the remainder of the Lorraine by narrow corridor a five kilometers broad occupied by the town of Sarreguemines. Primarily forest area, Bitscherland seems somewhat lost with the borders of the Lorraine territory .

The Country of Bitche is distinguished from the neighbouring areas by a striking duality, resulting from its geological constitution. Bitscherland recovers two very different geographical entities, separated by an imaginary line uniting Rahling in South-west with Liederschiedt in the North-East. One thus finds in the west a not very broken country, extending as far as the eye can see, the country discovered ( Imgau ), where the Calcaire dominates. To the east on the other hand, one enters in covered country ( Wasgau ), which is characterized by a breaking into white horses of wooded hills where reign the sandstone.

Country discovered

The country discovered belongs to the geological formations triastic, which are made up of limestones of the Muschelkalk , intersected with marnes with gypseous lenses, and limestones with cératites and entroques, the unit being covered with silt S and Lœss. Modelled, here, is that of the Lorraine in its Eastern part, variable plate between 300 and 400 meters. This landscape, with a little heavy forms, is hardly barred by the coast of Muschelkalk, of about fifty meters of unevenness, which develops between Erching and Rahling, while passing by Rimling and Rohrbach-lès-Bitche.

Covered country

The covered country, which constitutes the great originality of Bitscherland, belongs as for him to the triassic Buntsandstein , whose sandy formations gave rise to a varying plate of 200 with more than 450 meters, strongly parcelled out by many, deep and very ramified valleys, and roughcast ruiniform bars and rock sproutings, offering a picturesque landscape.

The impermeability of the rocks and the abundance of water supported as of the Moyen-âge the multiplication of artificial ponds, large providers of Truite S and carp S, which constitutes also one of the originalities of the Country of Bitche. At the end of the 16th century, there was of it already good around fifty, but today one counts of it pre of a thousand, located for the majority in the sandy area . A certain number of them actuated mills with grain, oil, with fuller, sawmills and forging mills, like the Grafenweiher with Sturzelbronn or the pond of Münzthal to Saint-Louis-the-Bitche.

Prehistory

Sites of the Paleolithic means even lower overdrafts than Rimling and Obergailbach attest presence of the Man of Néandertal (between - 200.000 and - 35.000 years before Jesus-Christ). They are thus there the oldest human occupations of the Countries of Bitche to date known. Several Mesolithic and Neolithic layers were also discovered. More: See hereafter: detailed article History of the Country of Bitche. See also following Internet site:

History

detailed Article: History of the Country of Bitche

Antiquity

At the time Gallo-Roman, whereas the Country of Bitche belongs to the city of the Médiomatriques, in Gaulle Belgium, at the border of the Germanie and the Triboques of Alsace, the indices of occupation multiply. rural villas (110 listed by the Company of History and Archeology of Bitche) are primarily established in country discovered , their figure which can rise with a dozen as with Bettviller. Their distribution appears denser in the Canton of Volmunster and in the Western part of the canton of Rohrbach. In the oriental party of the country, the prospections prove more difficles because of the broken relief and forest cover.

The Middle Ages

The first mention of the name of Bitis is in a letter dated from the middle of 12th century and in which the duke of Lorraine, Ferry Ier request with the count of Sarrewerden to respect the limits as well as the inhabitants of its seigniory. In this Gothic written letter in letters S, but in Latin, the limits of this seigniory is perfectly established (see this letter in Wikisource: Seigniory of Bitche in 1196). As of 1170, a Bitis Castrum (castle of Bitche) appears in a document where Frederic Ier names itself like " Dominus de Bites " (Lord of Bitche).

At the 13th century, the seigniory of Bitche was the only territory of the duke of Lorraine to be in the linguistic field German and because of the parcelling out of the possessions of the counts of Zweibrücken, it was geographically insulated. The count Eberhard II of Zweibrücken then proposed an agreement of exchange to the duke of Lorraine. This transaction was done by two treaties: that of the May 13rd 1297 and that of July 1st 1302.

The seigniory of Bitche becomes Lorraine

Until the beginning of the 16th century, the seigniory of Bitche ultimately depended on the Germanic Roman Holy roman Empire. When Reinhard de Bitche died, in 1531, its two sons shared its field. But well quickly, they were scrambled and quarreled so that the Duc of Lorraine started to have aimings on this seigniory. In the final analysis, Amélie de Bitche, girl of fire Simon Wecker and marries Philippe de Limange, sold the ground of Bitche to the duke of Lorraine Charles II for the sum of 50.000 ecus ".

Philippe V of Hanau-Lichtenberg then claimed the heritage of his/her Jacob father-in-law. The duke of Lorraine recognized to him. However, the new lord, protesting, wanted to impose this religion on his subjects according to the rule which wanted at the time one marries the religion of the sovereign. He put such an amount of strength at it, going until imprisoning the superior of the Abbaye of Sturzelbronn, which he inconvenienced the Duke of Lorraine which convened it in front of bases of Nancy. Philippe refused to go there and was declared félon. The duke of Lorraine made besiege Bitche in 1572. At the end of a few days, the castle went but Philippe could flee. The troops of the duke of Lorraine took even in the tread the castle of Lemberg (Palatinat) and the villages surrounding, obliging the population to lend oath to the Duke. Thus, this episode contributed to confirm the authority of the duke of Lorraine on the area of Bitche.

French domination

In 1678, the Traité of Nimègue put an end to the war between the Holland and the France. The Lorraine was restored with the emperor of Germany. Charles V, successor of Charles IV of Lorraine did not accept these terms of the treaty of Nimègue, and at once, the King of France occupied the Country of Bitche what reinforced its empire on this side.

Vauban thus made strengthen the Schlossberg and it also made surround the town of reinforced ramparts of bastions. This work attracted many workmen. A decree of the Council of State of Louis XIV made it possible our area to live again. Indeed, this decree allowed all the inhabitants of the county and all those which agreed to settle there to clear as many grounds as they could cultivate some with exemption of all taxes during 10 years. In little time, 60 villages created for themselves or took again life.

The reign of Stanislas Leszczinski

In 1735 and 1736 were signed agreements specifying that the Duke of Lorraine François Stephan renonçait with the duchies of Bar and Lorraine to the profit of the king of Poland in exile: Stanislas Leszczyński whose girl had married the king of France Louis XV. The deposed king thus settled with Lunéville and took the title of duke of Lorraine. Louis XV authorized to rebuild the fortified town of Bitche within Vauban. And under the direction of the Marshal of Bournay. When this one died in 1740, it was replaced by a providential man for the town of Bitche, the count Henri François de Bombelles.

As of 1741, Bombelles was put at the work and when in 1744 the mercenaries guerroyant for the Austria approached Bitche, it were pushed back. Work of fortification lasted until in 1754. To died of Stanislas Leszczyński, the February 28th 1766, the duchies of Lorraine and Bar were officially attached to the France. Bitche became French.

German annexation

First World War

Inter-war period

Second world war

Since 1945

communes and organizations

Communes of the Country of Bitche and their appendices by canton.

Canton of Volmunster

Canton of Rohrbach-lès-Bitche

  • Achen and its appendices: Altmuhl, Gallenmuehle, Ohligmuehle, Valley of Achen and Walkmuehle.
  • Bettviller and its appendices: Hoelling, Guising Altmuehle, Kleinmuehle, Firm Mehling and Neumuehle.
  • Bining and its appendices: Altkirche, Firm Bombacherhof, Felsenhof, Mittelstemuehle, Mohrenhof, Unterste Muehle.
  • Enchenberg and its appendices Guisberg and the Heiligenbronn Farm.
  • Etting and its Bellevue appendix.
  • Large-Réderching and its appendices: Singling, Firm Brandelfing, Firm Olferding, Kleinmuehle, Mitters Muehle, Singling, Welschhof.
  • Kalhausen and its appendices: Hutting, Weidersheim and Welschmuehle.
  • Lambach and its appendix Glasenberg.
  • Montbronn and its appendices: Hoernerhof, Metschbrueck, Montbronner Muehle and Ziegelhutte.
  • Small-Réderching and its appendices: Meyerhof, Horspiegelhof, Judenhof and Fromuehle
  • Rahling and its appendices: Firm Finkhoff, Firm Janau, Neumatt, Obere Muehle and Untere Muehle.
  • Rohrbach-lès-Bitche and its appendices: Luxenmuehle and Mathis Muehle.
  • Schmittviller
  • Siersthal and its appendices: Holbach, Frohmuehle and Rothmuehle.
  • Soucht and its appendices: Speckbronn, Oligmuehle, Mill of Soucht, Neudorf and Paulusmuehle.

Canton of Bitche

Organizations

Population

With the census of 1999, the Country of Bitche counted 35873 inhabitants for 47 communes

Economy

detailed Article: Economy of the Country of Bitche

Country of Glass and the Crystal

In the field of industries, the glass activity occupies the choice place since it is oldest and most widespread. The natural conditions are particularly favorable to its establishment: presence of Sand and Wood in abundance, but also possibility of extracting the Potash from the Heather S and the Fougère S. the glassmakings all was rested by German glassmakers come from Hesse, Souabe and Spessart, and they are itinerant because of the rarefaction of the fuel wood at the end of a few years. The War Thirty Year old their door a fatal blow and it is necessary to await the beginning of the 18th century to see new glassmakings, from now on sedentary, to be established with Soucht, Meisenthal (1702), Goetzenbruck (1721) and Saint-Louis-the-Bitche (1767), their productions remaining however the same ones.

Nowadays, one witnesses little by little a concentration of the companies which pass under the control of powerful companies. There remains however of many craftsmen installed in residence, who continue to work the Verre and the crystal.

Iron and steel activity

The iron and steel Industry , for its part, was born from a will of the dukes of Lorraine to exploit the mining richnesses of this area supported by the presence of Bois and Eau in abundance.

As of the first years of the 17th century, Louis de Bettainvillers, Master of the forging mills of Moyeuvre, and minors of Holy-Marie-with-Mines are sent in the county for " to discover some appearance of mine " . In the east, on the Zinsel of North, a forging mill is created in 1760 with Baerenthal to transform the cast iron come from Franche-Comté, while with Bellerstein, a sawmill installed on the Falkensteinerbach is reconverted in 1765 in " Manufacture of Sheet, Iron beaten and blades of bonds " .

Transport

Highway network

The Country of Bitche is crossed of is in west by the Trunk road 62, connecting Haguenau to Sarreguemines, and of which the portion Niederbronn - Bitche is built between 1824 and 1826.

Railway network

The line of Railroad connecting Haguenau to Sarreguemines is built between 1866 and 1869 and allows an opening-up partial of the area. The portion Bitche - Niederbronn is not served currently any more by the SNCF, but a network of bus ensures the connection.

Places and monuments

The principal sites of the Country of Bitche are:

Culture

The industrial past of the area (and more particularly the Country of Glass and the Crystal) are still very present although today does not remain any more but the Cristallerie of Saint-Louis-the-Bitche. The glass trades remain still numerous with in particular a great number of tailors of crystal.

The Country of Bitche, just like the remainder of the the Moselle and the Alsace, also is very marked by the many changes of nationalities of its inhabitants. Indeed, the area rocked 6 times of nationality between 1870 and 1945.

This double Franco-German culture remains very present. It is thus not rare to meet elderly very badly still speaking, even at all the French, because of German education which was lavished to them but also owing to the fact that in the country of Bitche, just like in a broad part of the Moselle, the dialect francic is still very much used.

From the linguistic point of view, Bitscherland comes under the field of the Means-German. One speaks there the Lorraine Rhenish dialect francic as in the zone going about Saint-Avold (the Moselle) to the uneven Alsace (area of Saar-Union and Drulingen) included. One roughly speaking distinguishes 3 varieties from the Bitscherlänner Platt or Bitscherlänner Ditsch :

  • the dialect of the rural area (majority of the population)

  • that of the glass villages (small island Enchenberg, Lemberg, Goetzenbruck, Montbronn)
  • that of the townsmen of stock of the town of Bitche

The francic rural one of Bitscherland is characterized by a particular Diphtongaison when a vowel is followed of a " r": òar, ìar, iar ùar, uar, äar, èar,… (a " a" intercalate yourself between the vowel and the " r" who according to the speakers is more or less marked: Ich hòn Dùa (R) scht/I am thirsty), by the abundance of open vowels and a multitude of serious sounds corresponding to open vowels.

The dialect of the glass villages, repopulated after the thirty year old war by German-speaking families come from Souabe and Bohemia, is characterized by non-existent Diphtongue S in the remainder from Bitscherland:

Glass villages: méi néies Hous/Remainder of Bitscherland: min néies Hus (German standard: mein neues French Haus/: my new house)

The town dialect of Bitche does not know the diphthongs of the two other varieties. The “R” preceded by a vowel are more audible there and in a general way, the pronunciation approaches that of the remainder of the east native of the Moselle region.

Political life

The Country of Bitche was traditionally of center right. Since 1995, it evolves/moves and brings massively its votes to the national right-hand side. In 2007, it makes elect with an explosive score Nicolas Sarkozy and the local deputy.

See too

External bonds

  • Countries of Bitche and the Saar
  • Official site of the Welcome city and the Country of Bitche
  • in the Country of Bitche!
  • interactive Chart of Bitscherland
  • ABC of written Platt and rural sight in Bitscherland

Sources

  • mills and sawmills of the Country of Bitche , Joel Beck, 1999.
  • Country of Bitche 1900-1939 , Joel Beck, 2005.
  • Country of Bitche , Didier Hemmert 1990.
  • Bitche and its country , Andre Schutz 1992.
  • grelots of the wind, images and mirages of the Country of Bitche , abbot Bernard Robin 1984.
  • a sand glass of fogs , abbot Bernard Robin, 1989.
  • Coats of sandstone and laces of fir tree , abbot Bernard Robin 1992.
  • Bitche and sound canton, of the origins at 1945 , Francis Rittgen 1988.

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