Metzeral

Metzeral is a common French, located in the department of the Haut-Rhin and the area Alsace. The inhabitants are called Metzeralois. ; Blazon: Sinople “to the sheaf of gold rye, bordered of sand a money stone wall built” (creation in 1967).

Geography

The village of Metzeral is nested in the middle of the valley of the Fecht, with the junction of the valleys of Mittlach and Sondernach, to 6 km upstream of Munster. The communal territory includes broad band of peaks, even beyond the village close to Mittlach. Metzeral owes its reputation with the mountains which surround it. Located at an altitude of approximately 490 meters, Metzeral counts some 1100 inhabitants. Its typical location in the middle of the Massive of the Vosges in fact a singular and particularly gravitational tourist center.

History

Administrative and political history

Founded in 817, it is the oldest village of the Large valley of Munster. Metzeral for the first time is quoted in XIIe century under the name of “Mezerol”, of Latin “maceriolum”. Its name would originate in the Latin word “Macerolia”, diminutive of “Maceria” which means “small surrounding wall out of dry stones. ”

Old possession of the Abbey of Munster, Metzeral enters in 1287 the community of the Valley and the town of Munster. The locality becomes one of the six large villages of the commune of the city and the valley of Munster, with a provost (Schultheiss), member of the council of the commune. It is indicated “Dorfmeyster zu Meczeral” in 1536. The valley of Munster suffered cruelly from the barbarous acts during the Guerre Thirty Year old (1618 - 1648). The first school is founded in 1737.

The French revolution gives autonomy to each commune of the valley, which is entitled to its Mayor and his Municipal council. Metzeral obtains its independence only in 1801. The land register is established in 1813. The forests are common property; in 1833 starts their division which is carried out in 1847. The village develops at the XIXe century thanks to textile industry. With its apogee, in 1861, Metzeral counts 1801 inhabitants.

After the War of 1870 - 1871, Alsace becomes German. In 1893, on the initiative of the industrialists Hartmann de Munster, the railway line, open between Colmar and Munster in 1868, is prolonged until Metzeral.

Originally included with the round of applause of Metzeral, Mittlach (founded in 1741 by loggers Tyroleans) is set up in commune on April 1st 1908.

During the First World War, Metzeral is the object of a battle which shows a decisive French victory. The commune, as for it, is nothing any more but one cluster of ruins. Most of the village is rebuilt at the following day of the armistice under the authority of the Mayor Jacques Immer.

During the Second world war, a happy combination of circumstance saves the commune of the destruction. Indeed, whereas prepares a German offensive (January 1945), it starts to fall, during three weeks, such an abundance of snowflakes which any military operation becomes impossible. Prevented by snow, the enemy must leave the valley without drawing a rifle shot. Metzeral is released the February 5th 1945.

Religious history

In 896, the Abbaye of Munster makes set up a vault with Muhlbach to avoid with the inhabitants of the bottom of the valley going to the mass in Munster. In 1450, one builds a vault dedicated to Notre-Dame of Snows to the site even of a hermitage founded, according to the legend, by Emma, niece of Charlemagne, at the 9th century, in remembering sound promised in marriage Roland, died in Roncevaux. Consequently, the hill and the primitive vault take the name of Emm , abbreviation of Emma, name which the church carries still today.

With the Middle Ages, the parish of Metzeral is in Muhlbach and, after 1559, becomes Protestant with all the valley. The vault of the Emm remains with the catholics. The Simultaneum is introduced by the French government in 1727 and a long time, the church of Muhlbach is used for the two worships.

Following the destruction of the wars, the vault of the Emm is rebuilt in 1758, under the employers of Saint Blaise. After the French revolution, it is used at the same time to the catholics and for the Protestants.

In 1887, the idea to separate Metzeral from the Protestant parish of Muhlbach, already emitted in 1846, is taken again. In 1895, Metzeral undertakes the construction of an inaugurated Protestant church the October 24th 1897. Destroyed during the First World War, it is rebuilt of 1927 with 1929.

In 1899, the vault becomes again only Catholic church in consequence of the construction of the Protestant church and becomes the parish of Metzeral- Sondernach the February 2nd 1900. During confrontations of 1915, the vault, following the example common neighbors, is completely destroyed. Beautiful a votive church is set up there of 1927 with 1931.

The battle of Metzeral (June 1915)

The August 3rd 1914, the Germany declares the war with the France. Theaters of secondary operations, the Alsace, area eminently symbolic system, and the the Vosges in particular, do not remain about it less the place of wild combat which will mark the ground as much as the spirits.

After intense fights, military operations move in the Large valley (beginning 1915) whereas in the same time of the fierce combats take place to the Hartmannswillerkopf, which becomes the symbol of the battle of the Vosges.

Lately named with the command of the 47e division, the general of Pouydraguin obtains the authorization to combine his forces with those of the Serret general to the head of the 66e division. The purpose of these operations were to drive back the enemy troops beyond the high valley of Fecht. After vain attempts, the two generals decide for a great offensive.

The June 9th the population of Metzeral and Sondernach is evacuated. The June 15th the attack is carried out. The troops of the 47e division get going. Mountain dwellers of Savoy, the Dauphine , the Massif Central and Provence leave to the attack. The 66e division as for it encounters a sharp resistance to Hilsenfirst.

The attack on Metzeral is given the June 20th and 21st by two divisions. The combat takes place in the village-even. One fights with the body with body, with blow of stick, bayonet to take again streets, the cemetery, the station… A German official statement of the June 23rd gives a report on the catch of the two localities of Metzeral and Sondernach and the 24, the battle of Metzeral is officially gained by the French troops. Metzeral and the high valley of Fecht is in ruins. One month hardly passed that another battle starts, that of the Linen (July 20th 1915) called to become the tomb of thousands of Alpine hunters…

From the end of the year 1915 the engagements in the Vosges lose of their intensity, but the assessment is heavy as the various military cemeteries testify some which strew the the Vosges. The necropolis main road of the " Millet" oak; (2632 bodies) located between Metzeral and Mittlach is a perfect illustration.

The commune is titular Military Cross 1914-1918 ( Official journal of November 6th, 1921, p. 12417).

Demography

Data :

Of the villages of Cassini to the communes of today

Administration

; Communal round of applause: Originally the round of applause was wider (more than 4000 ha), but when Mittlach became common in 1908, it was reduced of more than 1000 ha (currently: 3043 ha).

Imposing tops of the High-Vosges belong to the round of applause of Metzeral, like Large the Hohneck (1364 Mr.), Small Hohneck, the Kastelberg (1345 Mr.), as well as the old glacial lakes of the Fischboedlé, the Schiessrothried and the Altenweiher, the famous Alpine peaks of Spitzkoepfe and the picturesque valley of the Wormsa.

Inheritance and curiosities

The church-memorial of the Emm

the history of the church-memorial of the Emm :

The military cemetery of the Oak Millet

Familiarly called the “Oak Millet”, this cemetery is a necropolis main road, as well as the necropoles, out of ground of Alsace, Cernay, Guebwiller, Moosch, the “Maettlé” (Sondernach), of the “Duchesne Crossroads” (with Orbey), of the “Vieil Armand” (with the top of Cernay and of the “Linen” (with Orbey).

This cemetery is located between the communes of Metzeral and Mittlach, vis-a-vis the imposing landscapes of the Wormsa (classified site) and of the Hohneck (1364 Mr.).

Of a surface of 14.300 m ², it contains 2632 bodies. 2630 French soldiers (primarily of the Alpine hunters) including 855 in the ossuary, at the top of the cemetery, and 2 Russians. It relates to the trench warfare in High-Alsace (1914 - 1918) with knowing the engagements of the valley of the Fecht, Braunkopf, Hilsenfirst, Sillacker, Reichackerkopf, and gathers bodies exhumed on the battle fields and in the old military cemeteries of Metzeral, Sondernach, Breitenbach, Stosswihr, Gaschney etc

Formerly waste land charged with brambles and spines, this ground became a crowned place of the memory. Its name comes from the passage, in 1868, of the famous painter Jean-François Millet (1814 - 1875) visits some at Frederic Hartmann (industrial and mayor of Munster). Sketches testify in particular to its attachment for a group of oaks very close to the current cemetery. The necropolis was created in 1920, was increased and arranged between 1920 and 1924.

Following the example the whole of the necropoles main roads, the “Oak Millet” is maintained with perpetuity with the expenses the State by the ministry for the War veterans and War victims mentioned in the decree the May 26th 1993 published in the Official journal the August 3rd 1993.

Picturesque sites

Glaciated valley of the Wormsa (classified site), lakes of the Fischboedle, the Schiessrothried and the Altenweiher, solid mass of the Hohneck (registered site), Alpine peaks of the Spitzkoepfe.

Many hiking trails.

Others

the Town hall (inaugurated the May 2nd 1926 - architect: Voelkel-Wolf) and its place.
the Protestant church (1929).
chorus of men the founded Vogésia in 1850.
the intersection of the 48e parallel northern and the 7th Méridien in the east of Greenwich is on the territory of the commune (see also the Degree Junction Project ).

Personalities related to the commune

Martin Béhé (1887 - 1963), priest-builder of the church-memorial of Emm in Metzeral- Sondernach.
Hans Karl Abel (1876 Baerenthal/the Moselle - 1951 Muhlbach-on-Munster). Poet, storyteller and novelist of German and dialectal language. Establishes in Metzeral, it founds in particular an open-air theater for which it will write parts in dialect. It was, its life during, an impassioned cantor of the High-Vosges.
Daniel Blumenthal (1860 - 1930), mayor of Colmar of 1905 with 1914, appointed Strasbourg with the Reichstag and senator of the Alsace-Lorraine. It rests with the cemetery of Metzeral.

Lodging & Restoration

; Hotels with restaurants:

Hotel with restaurant “Of the Bridge”
Hotel with restaurant “With the two keys”/“the clarines of money”
Hotel with restaurant “With the Gold sun”
Inn and Chalets of Wormsa
Inn of Braunkopf
Ranch Inn of Hinterberg

; Farm inns:

Farm inn Huss
inn Kastelberg
Farm inn Salzbach
Farm inn Schiessroth
Farm inn Steinwasen
Farm inn Uff Rain
“With the Large Beech” (Schnepfenried)

; Center vacancy:

Vacation center S.n.c.f.

; Riding school

EquiVallée

Services

; Medical departments:

Medical Group: 03 89 77 63 16.
Pharmacy Barthelemy: 03 89 77 61 47

; Trade:

Baker's and confectioner's shop
Grocer - general Food, COOP
Hairdressing salon Lucienne
Tobacco-Press-Bazaar

; Services:

Bank Crédit Mutuel
Garage Citroen

; Public equipment:

Town hall: 03 89 77 60 03/metzeral@wanadoo.fr
Primary schools and nursery school
La Poste
forest House
Station S.N.C.F. (terminus - Colmar-Metzeral)

Industry, craft industry

Farms, manufacture of cheese of Munster.
Many craftsmen (joinery, electricity, construction, tiling…).

Small valley : machine spring water congestion of mountain founded in 1995. This water is sold under various names. One finds this source in other bottles, such the Crystalline one, for example.
Factory Beautiful-Air industry (nets curtain and fabrics dyed and printed). Klein father and wire founded in 1859 a spinning mill which passed in 1903 to Jacques Immer and became the Immer-Klein house. It occupied a hundred workmen. Destroyed by the First World War, it was rebuilt in 1920, and, after the paralysis of the Second War, was taken again in 1952 by the weaving of Bourtzwiller (tibline), then by the Godde-Bedin establishments. The factory took the name of Bel Air industry. In 1998 the three sites of Bel Air Winnowing machine, Mulhouse and Metzeral are integrated within the Turkish industry group Zorlu.
New Careers of Alsace .

The associative sector

Société of Music Ilienkopf
Association Fishes & Pisciculture
Sapeurs Firemen (Metzeral - Help center)
Clique Sappers Firemen
Secouristes of the Large valley
Association Sports and Leisures
War veterans UNC AFN
Chorale Vogesia 1850
Ski-Club Sondernach-Metzeral-Mittlach
Friends of Nature
Holy Chorale Cecile
Association of the Artists
Fires of Wormsa (Fire of summer in July)
Association of Quilleurs
Association “Trolles” (extra-curricular reception)
Amicale of the Seniors
Friends of the Emm (cultural Events around the new one organ of the church of the Emm )

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