Life in Alsace Lorraine (Short Animated Documentary)

[@HistoryMatters]

Hi all, next week's episodes will be: 'Why did Britain abolish slavery?' and 'Why did Romania Join the Axis?' Hope you enjoy.

[@vlad-ns6yt]

Yay Romania!!!

[@MonsieurDean]

Why not kill two birds with one stone and make a video about "Why Did Britain Abolish the Axis?"

[@FrancisTha1st]

on the topic of Romania and the Axis i'd love a video about the small Axis powers, their leaders, and what life was like in them. Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and of course Romania. I think it's one of the least-discussed topics in WWII and it was awesome to see this video being in the same spirit.

[@_o..o_1871]

Yasss Romaniaaaa

[@catalin90vlad]

Finally there is something about Romania

[@siruranos9172]

0/10 Kaiser Wilhelm II is shown using both arms perfectly

[@kaiserwilhelmll.3634]

*I want to know your location*

[@arfn1973]

@@kaiserwilhelmll.3634 Ja, mein Kaiser!

[@Perririri]

Normie

[@Edmonton-of2ec]

Sir Uranos What are you talking about, the Kaiser is perfectly healthy! *Angry Imperial German Noises*

[@ComradeHellas]

Spot on

[@NoNumbersAfterName]

All because a thousand years ago, Charlemagne's grandsons couldn't share.

[@herrwagnerianer1739]

No, all because Louis XIV annexed it against the people's will in 1648. But no one talks about that. :-)

[@fcalvaresi]

@@herrwagnerianer1739 people's will did not mean anything in 1648.

[@mariano98ify]

@@fcalvaresi and still not matter

[@eingew]

This is why we need federalism.

[@thelastprussian6491]

Karl der Große

[@thomasturner6980]

Life in Alsace Leraine 1900: German 1920: French 1940: German 1960: French 2060: Luxembourgish

[@SamAronow]

Lotharingia 4eva!

[@sandrojones8068]

2060 syrian*

[@dewoitine]

All of the world will be Luxembourg in 2060

[@habertpasternak30]

ThomasTurner69 It will be a prized possession of the intergalactic empire of Liechtenstein

[@explosivereactionstv7414]

ThomasTurner69 2100: Portuguese

[@beyo5]

My Great Grandfather was a German living there. He married a French woman. He couldn't speak French and she refused to speak German. Also he refused to fight in another one of the Kaiser's wars, so they packed up and came to America where they both had to learn to speak English.

[@asifurrahman5014]

@@deprogramm they spoke luxembourgish obviously

[@merouln700]

@@deprogramm (They probably spoke alsacian)

[@jacobpeters5458]

@@deprogramm either huge baguette or huge wallette

[@rambard5599]

@@deprogramm Being unable to speak a language isn't the same as being unable to understand it.

[@Morgoth10101]

Which of those wars are you talking about? Germany didnt have any major wars between 1871 and the First World War. There was the Intervention in the Boxer Rebellion and the Namibian war against the local colonial people but those any had very limited participation by German troops.

[@tf2664]

Napoleon III: losses Alssace-Lorraine Wilhelm II: losses Alssace-Lorraine Hitler: sooon

[@fischlmakesmondstadtgreata7113]

...Losses Alssace-Lorraine Macron: Hold my wife, I got this... *losses Alssace-Lorraine*

[@A_annoying_rodent]

@@fischlmakesmondstadtgreata7113 Steinmeier: well would du look at zis amazing terri- *loses it*

[@cv4809]

Merkel: *S o o n*

[@AnAn-td2cn]

@King Victor Emanuele Martin Sonneborn 👹

[@bullworthstudent9328]

TF2 REICHSKOMMISARIAT ELSAß-LOTHRINGEN

[@BarronVonPeugeot]

Fun fact: Strasbourg FC was founded during this period which technically makes it a French team founded in Germany.

[@Skyline68230]

Kind of the same fact with the car company Bugatti. French company, founded in German Alsace/Elsass by an Italian guy.

[@daskleineskrokodil]

It should join the Bundesliga

[@guilhermeroyama8842]

@@daskleineskrokodil Considering how poorly they have been surviving in Ligue 1, they would hardly last a year in the Bundesliga.

[@daskleineskrokodil]

@@guilhermeroyama8842 yeah , even Hamburg are better

[@esochibuike8477]

@@guilhermeroyama8842 😆😆💔

[@MonsieurDean]

I knew a women named Lorraine once. She worked at Subway and was in charge of all the sauces. That's the only All-Sauce Lorraine I recognize.

[@groundbeef6156]

Bahdum tsk

[@UNION_JACK_THE_RIPPER]

BOOOOOOO

[@aroundhere1200]

BRUH

[@anttibjorklund1869]

Here's your coat, this way to the door ->

[@aaronmarks9366]

*slow yet hearty clap*

[@Aetherguy-cb9bu]

This comment section is basically the Franco-Prussian war in a nutshell.

[@DaDunge]

Germany mobilized while france aren't?

[@arminiuscherusci4410]

@@DaDunge and Belgium raped

[@machtharry]

Such a stupid name for this war btw. The Franco-German war would be so much more accurate.

[@davidandremelchorzavala2100]

machtharry Actually that’s how it’s called in French: Guerre Franco-Allemande (Franco-German War)

[@machtharry]

In german as well. Der Deutsch-Französische Krieg aka the german-frech war. Seems like its just the british that ignore the other german states.

[@Grivian]

"What are you, French, German?" "Ferman"

[@kaffohrt9858]

"Luxembourgisch"

[@Grivian]

@@kaffohrt9858 Nice try Ferman

[@BeryAb]

Grench

[@Faolan03]

Sherman xD

[@Not-Ap]

@@BeryAb I like that one the most. 😄

[@nietname2468]

Wait they seriously wanted to give alsace to switzerland?

[@Grityom]

Switzerland could have annex a lot more territory in the XIX, like part of savoy. And yes alsace Lorraine also

[@miliba]

same german dialect

[@generalaccount6531]

Lol for the modern world we live in, where bloody conflicts occur over a tiny bit of disputed land, it is just absolutely absurd to think how monarchs use to give away their land, divide colonies up with random straight lines, or sell their territories like they were nothing

[@IlGab02]

@@Grityom SAVOIA

[@joelp7665]

@@IlGab02 Savoie?

[@masterchinese28]

As someone who used to live in the region (Strasbourg), I noticed the locals are quick to point out that Alsace and Lorraine are very different one from the other linguistically, culturally and geographically. Alsatian dialect is much closer to German and they have relatively flatland with the Rhine running by. Lorraine is mountainous and isolated by comparison.

[@nicolas2419]

Strasbourg is in a flat aera, but Alsace is not totally flat! You forgot too much that a large part of the Vosges Mountains are in Alsace and the southernmost part of Alsace, Sundgau, my homeland, is hilly! :D

[@masterchinese28]

@@nicolas2419 That is a very nice part of Alsace!

[@lawrencedoliveiro9104]

Alsace also has nicer dogs.

[@Jimmylenaze]

@@lawrencedoliveiro9104 what do u mean?

[@vincentvincenzowehrung5830]

Yes it s exact correct

[@IAmReallyReallyBob]

Hi, I am from Alsace-Lorraine. Parents from Mosel region (Lorraine) and lived my entire life in Alsace. Nice vid! I would just add that the Germans built amazing cultural buildings such as opera or theatres. Also rebuilt the Haut Koenisbourg castle. In the end, alsacians also find themselves as being an exception in France and usually refer the rest of France as “the France of the inside” (France de l’intérieur).

[@nicolas2419]

I'm also from Alsace-Lorraine, but from the area of Mulhouse! Just a remark, Germans built effectively beautiful buildings in Metz and Strasbourg... but sniff... they replaced the previous buildings destroyed by German bombardement during the sieges of these cities in 1870/1871! And Alsace is effectively an exception in France, mainly because this French-German history! :D

[@Cigmacica]

Bonjour chère compatriote Lorrain

[@stadtrepublikmulhausen4121]

@@nicolas2419 its the first time i have somebody else from mulhouse !

[@playsgofficial]

Ah Moselleland!

[@wumbleisthebest3270]

I've been to Haut Koenisbourg before, the view is amazing!

[@misterhansen3799]

Could you also do a video about the germans living in Alsace Loraine after ww1?

[@slanderskovly1029]

Agree!

[@killianweisedesbois]

They had a choice : stay here, learn French and become French or get out.

[@misterhansen3799]

@@killianweisedesbois I know, but it would be intresting if he could go a little bit more in depth

[@DaDunge]

@@killianweisedesbois Diffrence is, the germans did that to 10% of the population the french did it to 90% of the popultion. And also the Germans didn't ban french until 1914 and would likely have permitted it again after the end of the war had they won.

[@LeDogueDeBroceliande]

@@DaDunge The Republic did that to the entire French population, including the one in Alsace and Lorraine.

[@SS5Ghaleon]

Wasnt Bavaria also Catholic? How was life there right after unification?

[@dabbasw31]

In short: Bavaria wasn't a Reichsland but a Kingdom. Bavaria kept its own army, its own foreign policy and a level of autonomy, which Alsace-Lorraine did not have.

[@A_annoying_rodent]

Bavaria was rather poor during that time, in fact the rich bavaria we all know only appeared after ww2, up to 120k people left bavaria for the USA.

[@yarpen26]

@@A_annoying_rodent Bavaria was pretty much a carbon copy of Austria (I mean the actual modern Austria + South Tirol, not the Austrian half of the K.u.K.). They were both Catholic and rural German-speaking areas that never really industrialized (almost the entirety of Austria's industry lay in Bohemia) but which profited tremendouslyafter WWII from the economic shift from the industry onto the service sector. The same thing happened around the same time with the Republic of Ireland (at the expense of Northern Ireland) or Flanders (at the expense of Walloon).

[@karlosdeevs]

wait, could you maybe explain the industrial growth in ireland, because nearly the entire time the republic (south) and the north were seceded (while Waloon & Flanders acted as one)

[@boahkeinbockmehr]

Rhineland is also catholic. South and west are catholic, north and east are protestant.

[@DrWatson610]

For more context: The Alsace-Lorraine territory has gradually been annexed by France from the Holy Roman Empire (and also provinces that left the HRE prior) between roughly 1550-1800 and as such the region was (and to some extent still is) home to a sizeable German speaking population.

[@achillezins6548]

People don’t speak German to much anymore, maybe as a third language. People their speak the local Germanic dialect the local dialect (alsacien) and french. When I speak with my grandparents in Germans and they switch to alsaciens, it sounds very different and I can’t understand.

[@vincentvincenzowehrung5830]

Oui ne pas oublier qui nous sommes , Elsass frei 🇮🇩

[@vincentvincenzowehrung5830]

@Karl Von Lytovski je suis alsacien 🇮🇩 , ich bin Elsässer 🇮🇩

[@nocomment6421]

The German language is pretty much dead there. Seriously Germany did everything to make the people there to hate being German after the second world war it was settled that Elsass and His inhabits are french.

[@Nikioko]

Correct. The territory never belonged to France before Louis XIV's conquest.

[@Korschtal]

I live close to the German/French border and it always amazes me how this region is now at peace. We're in the C-19 pandemic at the moment and French patients are routinely treated in German hospitals. Also, the German dialect is still widely spoken over the border, which surprised me.

[@rao803]

Probably because German language is as strong as French so it is hard to erase the way they did with Occitant, breton, etc.

[@Cigmacica]

As someone who was born in lorraine(in Moselle) I have never seen someone speaking German, they teacher german(as a secondary language obviously) but that all.

[@Korschtal]

@@Cigmacica Possibly because it's further across into France. I tend to cycle in the Colmar/Neuf Brisach region and the dialect is very common there.

[@stadtrepublikmulhausen4121]

@@Korschtal its also spoken be a lot of people in mulhouse

[@sachaferrari4440]

@@Korschtal i was born in Strasbourg and have always lived there but I’ve only rarely met people who speak alsacien and they were all 50 or older and lived in the countryside. Sadly, this dialect is dying notably because we can’t learn it in school because of French centralization.

[@anttibjorklund1869]

Spoken: "and" On-screen: "und" :D

[@fralencemelograno]

Perfect!

[@bullworthstudent9328]

Antti Björklund PERFECTO!!!!

[@Faolan03]

Und is german for and

[@anttibjorklund1869]

@@Faolan03 Yes. Well done for explaining the joke.

[@BiglerSakura]

He also spoke "well"

[@Felix0587]

0:55 Well. Literally a well. Nice.

[@TheUaxington]

Well. Literally a well. Aint that swell

[@adamkerman475]

@@TheUaxington Well. Literally a well. Ain’t that swell. What’s that smell?

[@Red_Platinuum]

​@adamkerman475 it's a late gale

[@AncientAccounts]

*_... I for one welxome our new german overlords - Otto from Schonhausen_* im dead lol

[@garthvader9916]

I came here to say that. Glad to see some else saw the reference. 😁

[@corincowley1351]

what its die reference?

[@hoarder1919]

@@corincowley1351 google simpsons overlords

[@ananttiwari1337]

welxome

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

A vid about the Latvian colony in Africa or the USS Pueblo Incident (when DPRK captured a US spy ship) would be nice

[@gabed7407]

It was a Polish-Lithuanian colony. It's unfair to call it just Lithuanian

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Gabe D Technically it’s neither, it’s Latvian

[@gabed7407]

Technically yeah, but the whole livonian region was basically a satellite of the Commonwealth

[@fischlmakesmondstadtgreata7113]

Gonna love the fact that @@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un knows about the Latvian Colony in Africa, he is just such a well educated man.

[@EggertPlays]

Do you mean the duchy of Courland? The prince ruling it was not Latvian and it was also a vassal of the PLC.

[@billybobkingston5604]

love the animation, especially when powerful people are dancing through the daisies, fills me with joy, thank you

[@Jimmylenaze]

hahahahahahaha

[@RYII-mm9gu]

My family lived in Alsace, they were German and at the end of the first world war they became French, of the lesser, of the rejection of France. In 1940 when Alsace became German again, they refused to become Nazis, they joined the Centre national de la résistance (CNR) but was captured in Paris in 1943 and then sent to the camp of Mauthausen

[@darklysm8345]

traitor family

[@absentmindedshirokuma8539]

@@darklysm8345 why would they be traitor when as video pointed out, German state has been discriminating alsace people? Why they demanded to be loyal to a country that didn't even protect them?

[@jamesmccomb9525]

@@darklysm8345 They may be traitors, but that isn't always a bad thing.

[@pinkcheese917]

@@absentmindedshirokuma8539 the amount of kaiserboos in this comment section is astounding tbh.

[@absentmindedshirokuma8539]

@George Nathanael even Bavaria has to face kulturkampf to some degree even they are autonomy kingdom under Prussia. Alsace who always has been Catholic never get such oppression on their religion even under French Republican. Heck, this very reason was main cause Liechtenstein never wiant to be under Prussia or greater germany.

[@u4tiwasdead]

Some of my ancestors were amongst the 50,000 that chose to leave rather than become German. They owned a small textile factory, and when the Germans took over they relocated it in Normandy, with most of the employees choosing to come with them.

[@maltem.2225]

I’m German and my great grandmother was born and raised in French Alsace Lorraine. After the war they had to change their surname, because it sounded too French

[@justinajostin9006]

@Funtime Florian I give plenty actually

[@Botchewlism]

@Funtime Florian we give a pretty good amount of shits.

[@omniscientcammaleon9477]

@Funtime Florian all of them

[@jonmurray7658]

@Funtime Florian *insert carrying bag of shits* Plenty.

[@niarkman6999]

I'm on thé opposite situation. My mother side of thé family comes from Moselle. They were part of thé 50k To run away from thé german annexion. In WW1 and WW2, thé steinmetz part of thé family was always suspected of being spies because of their name. They never changed it though.

[@vascogoncalves8542]

That 'via Belgium' segment cracked me up

[@juliaisafilmbuff123]

One thing this cartoon doesn't mention is the large amount of industrialization which took place in the Moselle (German Lorraine) region during this time. The Moselle was full of natural resources, namely iron ore, which was a significant reason as to why Germany wanted to control the region so badly. It was right after annexation when Berlin began pouring tons of money into the Lorraine mining and steel industries, not only to create more output but to win over the local population (states don't just use the stick, sometimes they use the carrot). I've lived in this exact region before and know the local history.

[@romainwalter4593]

I live there near strasbourg. Its a beautiful region. My great father had to fight for germany in ww2 on the eastern front near leningrad. 1924-2001

[@CatnamedMittens]

Possibly one of the worst places ever to fight?

[@romainwalter4593]

@@CatnamedMittens Yeah it was pretty horrible my father told me he ate his id paper not to get caught but he ended up in the tambov camp. He learned a bit of russian he was then able to say he was french. When he came back after a long travel home where there was nothing to eat but frozen potatos in the ground he said you could count the rescaped on the finger of your hand. Plus when the other came home they ate a lot after being starved and their stomack exploded. My grand father started slowly by eating a bit of soup to let the stomack adapt.

[@CatnamedMittens]

@@romainwalter4593 smart man

[@lolexplosions4214]

Deadly sieges World War II.

[@mathiaspoelman1493]

When did he fight at Leningrad? Was it around 1944 (when the city was liberated)? That means he must have undergone quite some Soviet attacks at 18 (?) years old. That is a lot for such a young age.

[@gabed7407]

Can you make the video on the Polish-Lithuanian Commanwealth like you said you were before? Love your vids by the way.

[@sopmodo8122]

What place of poland are you from?

[@gabed7407]

@@sopmodo8122 Białystok area, by Sokółka

[@Ponanoix]

@@sopmodo8122 Wrocław

[@sopmodo8122]

@@Ponanoix Breslau*

[@Ponanoix]

@Thomas Meyer Wrocław**

[@NewsHistorian]

These videos are a wonderful intermediate primer on historical events with the cute cartoon figures and sardonic humor.

[@cormacsmithy3975]

I love how you end every video as though it was a happy ending forever after and then show hitler or napoleon. A nice pinch of foreshadowing.

[@JamesTilsley1]

“What flag flies in Strasbourg now?” “The Tricolor flies there.” “Ah, so they won. They had their revanche. That must have been a great triumph for them.” “It cost them their life blood,” I said.” From the Dream by Winston Churchill.

[@SpadeRZA]

Isn't it the blue one with the yellow stars?

[@colonelkurtz5397]

fernando jose gonzalez olguin no, Strasbourg.

[@wildfire9280]

@fernando jose gonzalez olguin Stromboliniberg.

[@davidandremelchorzavala2100]

@fernando jose gonzalez olguin that ain’t real

[@11Survivor]

@fernando jose gonzalez olguin Fuck Luxembourg, glory to the Republic of Alsace Lorraine.

[@makaan1932]

Elsaß-Lothringen is written without an Ö. Is that a joke?

[@TheChosenFailure]

apparently it isn't written with an ö. it's Alsaß-Lotharingen and not Alsaß-Lötharingen

[@sganarellelevalet7479]

Anyway you wrote the wrong orthograph too, it's Alsace Lorraine

[@TheChosenFailure]

@@sganarellelevalet7479 we are talking about the German version of it aren't we? so raus.

[@makaan1932]

@@TheChosenFailure german. Boy. Its german and it is correct the way I spell it cause I'm German.

[@arminiuscherusci4410]

@@TheChosenFailure In german: Elsaß-Lothringen In french: Alsace-Lorraine From a native german :)

[@luisdergroe8944]

Just a little mistake I noticed: Elsass Lothringen is written with a "o" and not a "ö". On the other hand you pronounced the ö quite nice, a thing most people don't, thinking these two letters are interchangeable. Regardless I think this video covers a less known topic very well.

[@bjarkel.993]

Elsaß-Lothringen was the öld German spelling. Nöw yöu just göt the new Anglö spelling: Elsass-Löthringen. Lol

[@seethrough_treeshrew]

Löl

[@jpc7118]

@@seethrough_treeshrew Lmaö

[@batonnetdecannelle]

Could it possibly add a certain "gothic" charm, putting 'Umlaut'-dots where they don't belong? Metal bands: YES!

[@huaba8804]

@@batonnetdecannelle ë

[@mehmetkaan8255]

I love the "Soon" look

[@JessDoby]

My family immigrated to the USA from Pfalsbourg and Strasbourg before WW2,and identified as Protestant Germans. They lived in the area for centuries under French and German rule .My Great Grandparents missed their homeland so much,they had Natives of Alsace Lorraine on their headstones . I always found it strange that they used the French spelling . My theory is that the American who made the headstone spellled it the French. way ... I’m not trying to start the age old debate,but think it is unusual. I still have family in Strasbourg . As a kid i thought it was strange that I have ancestors with French first names such as Jaques and our German surnames . Luckily I have a cousin in Strasbourg who is a great family historian and translated records to English from French and German .

[@someguy7723]

Could have been the funeral firm had a anti-german dude working that night or somthing like that

[@vincentvincenzowehrung5830]

great story, never forget the story of our ancestors there is a lot of sadness and strength , Elsass 🇮🇩

[@SouthpawZer0]

My Great-Great-Grandfather lived in Alsace-Lorraine prior to WWI. He was an engineer in the textile industry.

[@victorviereck4117]

History matters: The channel that made "Sky ship hell" a legit name. I am probably gonna name my kid that.

[@dumkopf]

SkyChapelle *

[@Cjnw]

Oof

[@johnforsyth7987]

I love your characters holding the sign saying "Soon."

[@quasar4780]

Nice video. Do you plan on talking about either the Algerian War, the Sino-French War or the Paris Commune ?

[@aaronmarks9366]

Yesss, Sino-French war was nuts

[@reds.victim1023]

Français ne soyons plus esclaves!

[@f_f_f_8142]

Next: Life in the Saar Region (Short Animated Documentary)

[@karlosdeevs]

Later: the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion

[@kaffohrt9858]

Maggi!

[@SirSoloQ]

U get married to ur sister.

[@haltdieklappe7972]

Life in paris

[@Nikolaj11]

I appreciate the local perspective. Especially the detail "not all germans wanted to be part of germany." My family mostly live in Denmark now, but were originally danish-oriented, but low-german speaking Schleswig-Holsteiners. Their opinion was formed from a political standpoint rather than a cultural one; they viewed the Danish monarchy as the more liberal and democratic of the two. The formation of Germany very often boils down to "Prussia vs. Austria," but the political awakening within the HRE is a fascinating topic in off itself.

[@Nikolaj11]

@Hugin If the video and the comment is written in English, then you probably should do so too.

[@Nikolaj11]

@Hugin Sorry mate, I had German in school but I haven't used it in something like 13 years. You folks are too good at English now for it to be a useful language to remember. I'd like to pick it up again some day though :) I can still understand some, to some degree. The reason why I ask you to do English wasn't on that part. If I had to guess then I think you said something along the lines of "Liberalism and demokracy was bad for the Germans. Germans remain brothers and belong toegther," or something to that degree. Feel free to correct me!

[@qwertzuiopu8161]

@@Nikolaj11 Your right. But I would say the German Empire wasn't as undemocratic as often said.

[@billymartin2220]

I love your quick image-word paring. It keeps me laughing and learning

[@Daniel-kq4bx]

My Grand Grandpa fought together with solidiers from Alsace Lorraine but he said they werent less brave then others. However he said the Austrians and Chechz behaved shit and snitched often in The POW Camps

[@11Survivor]

Having a Gestapo officer personally threaten your family can be quite the motivator...

[@J-IFWBR]

​@@11Survivor Austrians and chechz were fighting alongside the germans i think, not against them? Just like the Rumanians and Fins did too. I think (in case i remember it wrong I AM RLY SRY) xd. So it would rather have been a KGB or redarmy officer threatening them inside a POW Camp. Also their families were not with them there. Edit:wait are we talking first or second WW here?

[@11Survivor]

@@J-IFWBR Second WW In Alsace, they threatened deportation for the families of those who refused to present themselves for conscription

[@hubertsavio9356]

Not true, my tip grand father got several medals!!!

[@Daniel-kq4bx]

@@hubertsavio9356 Im not trying to generalize, these are heavily subjective Impressions. However it seems logical that the Czechs were leaning more to that, considering they were subjugated under Habsburg Rule

[@asierescobal1248]

Alsace-Lorraine: We're french again Adolf: Hold my Munich beer 245 likes?! WOW thank you so much!

[@asierescobal1248]

@@pancakemacbuttery9142 Hitler, I apllied a bit of autocensorship, just in case

[@aaronmarks9366]

@@pancakemacbuttery9142 Really man?

[@garmenlin5990]

Charles de Gaulle: Hold my wine!

[@barney6888]

Winston Churchill: Let go of my whiskey!

[@karlosdeevs]

I thought Bulldog was more a brandy-type

[@jameskelly8586]

My ancestors were German speaking Catholics who lived in Elsass for generations until the French Revolution in the late 1700s, when the French took over their land and expelled them. They then travelled by ox cart across Europe to the Ukraine where they established a farming commune called Elsass, near to the Black Sea. It's a whole thing--the Black Sea Germans--you can look it up. My grandfather fled from there, circa 1900, when as a young man he was being pressed into the Tsar's army and would likely have died on some battle field against people he had no grievance with. He then came to Canada, to a German speaking farm community on the prairies.

[@vincentvincenzowehrung5830]

Very interesting story, makes me want to know more.

[@MaGioZal]

This is a proof that loyalties to a state goes beyond of merely “speaking the same language”.

[@11Survivor]

Alsatian isn't even german. It's a common misconception. As an indigenous alsatian, I can tell you the language, orally, sounds a lot different to the guys on the other side of the river. Additionally, alsatian actually predates german.

[@asifurrahman5014]

Yep

[@uekiguy5886]

@@11Survivor -- At that point in history, did the majority of Alsatians wish to be part of France or Germany? Thank you.

[@11Survivor]

@@uekiguy5886 They wished to be part of France, as evidenced by the 'elected protestors' they'd elect as their representatives. I'm alsatian by birth, by name, and by family history, my great-grandparents were there.

[@uekiguy5886]

@@11Survivor -- I see. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer. Hello from Kansas, U.S.

[@Lcgmatheus]

i love those "soon" plates

[@adrianred236]

I love how History Matters clears up things in minutes that I've wondered about for years.

[@danielhale1]

Sadly moping through the flower field was a fantastic subversion of your own running joke! Keep it coming, HistoryMatters! You're the best!

[@aaronmarks9366]

Can you propose some Americas topics for future videos? Some ideas: - the Red River Rebellion and Northwest Rebellion in Canada - the English colonization of the Carolinas - the North American theaters of the War of the Spanish Succession or the War of the Austrian Succession - the First Mexican Empire under Agustín de Iturbide - the joining and breakup of Central America after independence from Spain - the War of the Triple Alliance, the bloodiest conflict in South American history

[@Xindet]

American history is for the Most part Not important AT all sry

[@aaronmarks9366]

@@Xindet lmao

[@Toast0808]

Make your own

[@joaov_ds]

Would be awesome. A shame that eurocentric people think they're the only ones in the world who deserve some praise...

[@josesandoval1440]

@@Xindet American history is the only reason you're speaking English instead of German

[@PhilWood82]

Switzerland: Oh no, you're not drawing me into this mess!

[@reschi56]

Giving Elsass to Switzerland would've probably been the best decision as the people in Elsass spoke the same dialect as people in Switzerland.

[@guardiadecivil6777]

@@reschi56 imagine ww1 and ww2 then when theres a switzerland is cucking you out of the country you're attacking

[@11thstalley96]

Reschi I can confirm. My family emigrated from Thurgau and Appenzell to Elsass after the Thirty Years War. I never met my great grandparents who emigrated to the US after the Franco Prussian War, but my Dad said that the German they spoke was very different from the German spoken in their neighborhood in St. Louis.

[@thedwightguy]

@@reschi56 Elsass would have one big time, with the view of current history. But there are many dialects of German in Switzerland. My buddy speaks German but it sounds like Italian.

[@joueurspectateur]

@@reschi56 you do realize that if any country was given Alsace it would have most likely went to war with France. So if they wanted to stay neutral, they would have refused the offer.

[@hannofranz7973]

The local dialect in Lorraine/Lothringen is also a Germanic dialect. It belongs to the model-franconian dialects and is by no means further away from German dialects than Alsatian. Alsatian belongs to the Alemannic dialect group whereas Lorraine to the Franconian. That's the main difference. Even though, there aren't that many speakers. Both have been widely wiped out by French.

[@edmerc92]

Most of Lorraine didn't speak a Germanic dialect, only the department of Moselle did (and even then, the city of Metz did not)..

[@liennitram9291]

My 3X great grandparents immigrated from Alsace in 1872. There name was Lueckel and they ended up in Tell City / Cannelton Indiana. I've always wondered what was their reason to pack up and move half way across the planet to rural Indiana. Thank you for sharing this.

[@jwasserman762]

The parking lot between the French and German language houses at my uni was designated "Alsace-Lorraine."

[@lindsayhengehold5341]

My Family is of German origin but was from this region of France pre unification and moved to America in the mid 19th century.

[@septillion.]

The french when Germany invades Alsace Lorraine: "Stop, you're trying to kidnap what I've rightfully stolen!"

[@MrDonut-ch8dr]

@Clear Kim Elsaß Lothringen is german

[@Greey16]

@@MrDonut-ch8dr Elsass is Elsass, not german, not french, Elsass

[@Faolan03]

@Clear Kim why should it? Alsace lorraine was german speaking since the end of the roman empire and the french conquered it in 1700 when the HRE was weak and couldn't defend it.

[@ImEazyE]

Elsass Frei

[@Faolan03]

@Clear Kim at what point did the world stay like it was? Literally never in History

[@tobiwan001]

Sorry, but Franco-German relations were not permanently bad starting with 1871. The Napoleonic wars that completely destroyed the German states were not popular in Germany either. It's safe to say that it has had a long history.

[@juwebles4352]

Not to even mention the division between west and east Francia

[@jacobinfier9407]

Most of germans before 1812 liked France very well because we brought political progress. And few random guy not really famous like Hegel, Kant or Goethe were all huge fans of Napoleon.

[@Antarctide]

@@jacobinfier9407 We all saw and keep seeing what that "progress" was truly for and it's anything but glorious...

[@camm8642]

@@jacobinfier9407 nah bismark and the like held resement over french domination over german lands int he Napoleonic age

[@edmerc92]

But there were individual German states that were pro-French, especially the south. This ended with the unification of Germany, where Prussia now set foreign policy.

[@oliversherman2414]

I love your channel keep up the great stuff!!!

[@brettsh.2545]

One of your funniest videos I've seen. Nice work.

[@sachin2744]

I had a chapter in English class in high school called "The last lesson". The story revolved around this annexation.

[@theMcWOPPER]

"Totally settled forever " 🤣🤣🤣

[@christophers_verified]

2:31 "...the region was returned to France and the issue over who owned it was totally settled for ever" 😂🤣😅

[@EvanSeal]

Been really enjoying these styles of videos recently!

[@l.u.i.s._.8452]

French men: bonjour🙂 German soldier: Also hast du den Tod gewählt🔫😑

[@darrenbutler9819]

I'm swiss and can you imagine how interesting it'd be if the Kaiser said yes.

[@gutentagichliebebretzel2571]

I live in alsace and I also wonder alot

[@someguy7723]

100% chance France would have tried taking it back

[@ekmalsukarno2302]

Please make a video on the Republic of China from 1911 to 1949. Please accept my request.

[@mygl4490]

You can suggest an idea and but ultimately he lets the community (sometimes patreon sometimes youtube) vote on what gets made. He might list it as a voting option.

[@TheLocalLt]

Ekmal Sukarno bro there are tons of videos on that in the Between Two Wars series from Timeghost’s channel

[@mtlicq]

dare to make a video about Germany between 1945 and 1951, especially 1945 to 1948

[@nickmiesch4845]

My great grandparents came from Mulhouse (Mülhausen) in the early 1900’s. My grandpa told me that they generally considered themselves as Germans and we consider ourselves a family of German immigrants. But on our records they put down their nationalities as ‘Alsatian’ all the way up to the 1960’s. It’s almost as if they didn’t even consider themselves Germans or French at all. I could tell they had a lot of love and pride for Alsace and I can relate too for being proud of being from the southern United States. I hope I get to visit this region soon and Europe.

[@katequinn8195]

My great grandfather was born there, I know his father and brother lived with him. He was born around 1835, but by about 1870, he'd married a woman in Canada. He was German (very German first and last name, but I read somewhere that he said that he was French. Some of this is from free ancestor information sites online, so I don't know if he really thought himself French. But moving from Alsace to Canada might mean that he wanted to stay French. The woman he married had the last name Nichols, I believe she was German, also. I had wanted to live there for years, then finding that he was born there, maybe I'm meant to go back?

[@richardthomas5362]

So, Germany annexed an area which was 90% German speaking and the Kaisers, mostly Wilhelm II, managed to screw that up.

[@edmerc92]

They spoke Alsatian, which is a Germanic language but not quite the same.

[@matthiasbehrendt6112]

​​@@edmerc92It's a German dialect. The emergence of standard German as an everyday language happened primarly after the invention of mass media. Btw. that's what is true for almost every standard language.

[@alilshotofrhum]

Well, to be more accurate, the German empire didn't annex Alsace-Lorraine because that doesn't make any sense at all. In reality, they annexed Alsace, almost all of Moselle and a bit of Meurthe et Moselle (Moselle and Meurthe et Moselle are two of the four departements of the Lorraine region). The Moselle and Meurthe and Moselle aren't the entire Lorraine region, i know it because i live there. I don't why this mistake perpetuates but it's a huge geographical error.

[@stevenwills4660]

Maybe do a video on the british vietnam, the Malay emergency.

[@HistoryMatters]

Definitely.

[@stevenwills4660]

@@HistoryMatters Wooo thats the first Heart i've gotten from a youtuber, love your videos keep up the great work!

[@itrthho]

That sounds interesting...

[@karlosdeevs]

more interesting than the Aden bloodbath

[@Edmonton-of2ec]

I wouldn’t exactly call it “Britain’s Vietnam” because unlike the Americans, they comparatively succeeded, and no communist regime ever ruled in Malaysia

[@FoxTrotteur]

One of My Great-Great grandfather (3 out of 8 were Alsacians) was a "Malgré-nous". That means "Against-us". It was the name that alsacians gave to those of them who were enrolled against their will in the Deutsches Heer. The two others hid for years in a barn or in a cellar to avoid being enrolled in the German army.

[@geheimleise]

Great sum-up. What do you think about a video about Alsace Lorraine's neighbour Saarland, who was passed between french and german controll as well, under "french"/international control/influence after WW1 and WW2? ^^

[@Marhakon]

was mostly used by France as war reparation and coal mining . Unlike Alsace Lorraine, france never seriously planned on anexing the territory as it was 100% german.

[@geheimleise]

@@Marhakon I know (I'm from the region), but still things like Hitler's effort to regain the territory and especially and especially the way it was handled after WW2 and the election over the "Saarstatut" (the idea europe-isation of the region as neither german nor french) still make for an interesting topic nonetheless^^ (Though there were people and groups with that goal in mind)

[@Marhakon]

@@geheimleise it would be a nice subject to study on nonetheless

[@quasar4780]

Nice idea, I always wondered what really happened during the French occupation of the Saarland after WW2.

[@onurbschrednei4569]

@@Marhakon not what I heard, after WW2 they did start making all the streetsigns in french and invested money in the region to persuade them to become french..

[@ericmiller6056]

47 years (1871-1918) of Prussian rule achieved what the previous 200 years of French rule could not: it made even the German-speaking Alsatians into enthusiastic citizens of France.

[@karlscher5170]

That's just anglo-saxon bullshit propaganda

[@stadtrepublikmulhausen4121]

@@karlscher5170 no that's true.

[@mikaelb.2070]

Actually by the 1900s loyalty to France had diminished completely.

[@ericmiller6056]

@@mikaelb.2070 What's your evidence?

[@mikaelb.2070]

@@ericmiller6056 Laicism and the spread of socialism had alienated catholics from France, the Dreyfus-affair alienated the jews from France while at the same time A-L was given more autonomy and rights within Germany, plus the rapid economic growth and wealth convinced people to accept Germany.

[@Argacyan]

and after ww1 when Alsace Lorraine was annexed by France they occupied it militarily and cleansed it from the german dialect, german culture and german history up until fairly recently when people were allowed to use the german alsacian dialect again. The dialect is still having a hard time as a result of decades long repression.

[@guguss3804]

Argacyan German teaching was allowed again in 1952, but Yeah « decades of oppression »

[@LessnoIVe]

the germans were the ones who banned alsatian

[@r.v.b.4153]

@@LessnoIVe How did they ban Alsatian?

[@Kookanoodles]

​@@r.v.b.4153 Forcing everyone to speak Hochdeutsch instead of Alsatian dialect, I imagine.

[@boahkeinbockmehr]

@@kartoffelmensch519 he is right you know. It all started under the nazis and their school reform. They wanted to get rid of dialects to make people forget that we were actually a federation of hundreds of different people and make us become one people instead. So no more bavarians, ripuarians and saxons, but only germans. You also find it everywhere in the propaganda of the time. (Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer - one people, one empire, one leader) sadly that trend was continued after the war and even the generation of my father still got the dialect literally beaten out of them in school in the 70s and 80s. Even in my generation (1992) we were still shunned for even using mundart, so high german with a strong accent, not to speak of dialect, as most of us never learned to speak it to begin with.

[@erick64bosck3]

I'm French and my granmother was from Alsace with a german name,but she was proud to be french

[@laurentlachaussee5678]

1:01 Happy Kaiser killed me xD

[@tombowers6713]

My dad's side of the family is from this region they moved to the USA in late 1800s. What a turbulent place in 19th and 20th centuries.

[@py8554]

Impact to life for Frenchmen in the Alsace Lorraine after annexation by Germany? The first thing that came to my mind is THE LAST LESSON by Alphonse Daudet. I learned about this story when I was in junior high and made a deep impression on me. It fascinated me so much that I went on to learn about the Franco-Prussian War and the unique history of the Alsace Lorraine region.

[@cryogenical_]

The alsace area is amazing to visit, definitely worth a couple of days if you're ever close by!

[@crkcrk702]

Germany and France : have best relationship History Matters : oh yes ? We will see that in the comments after my video 😎

[@Narwaro]

My great-grandma changed nationality four times in her lifetime despite never going anywhere: Deutsches Reich until 1921, independent Saargebiet 1921-1935, Deutsches Reich again 1935-1947, independent Saarland 1947-1957, and German Federal Republic until her death.

[@Ponanoix]

Why did you call modern Germany by its english name, but earlier states by their german name

[@paulc6471]

I’m glad these historical points of friction are settled forever. Don’t want it to bleed over into another episode.

[@venkelos6996]

There's just something about the looming "Soon!" signs.😁

[@Koellenburg]

Life in Elsaß 0500: Alemanns 0700: Franks 0843: midfrank 0870: german 0913: french 0925: german 1648: french 1871: german 1918: french 1940: german 1945: french .. thats why you should think things through, when writing the last will. (i am looking to you Louis the Pious) ^^

[@bazzatheblue]

Wasnt the last german veteran of ww1 actually a Elsasser,his name was Karl something,when Elsass became Alsace again he changed his name to Charles and i think he joined the French army in ww2 Bizarre times.

[@niklashaselmann2944]

If this is true we NEED a video immediatly 🤯

[@niklashaselmann2944]

@historymatters

[@hubby00n6]

You forgot that in 1911 Elsass-Lothringen won their own constitution and were considered as a german land! This was a major concession from the germans and Elsass-Lothringen had years ahead with the social security and several other laws. So much better than in France

[@gryfalis4932]

Yeah that was so much better they wholeheartedly abandonned their loyalty to France and became germans with no resistance or altercation whatsoever. Truly Germany was the best choice for the region. /s

[@hubby00n6]

@@gryfalis4932 indeed all my great-grandfathers had German uniform, won EK 2nd class medals and fought at the French front. One of them was close to expulsion in 1919, as German speaking only

[@karlscher5170]

@@gryfalis4932 So my salty frenchman, when the loyalty for France was so big, why didn't France dared to make a democratic referendum and settle the issue in a civilised way?

[@Papepatine]

​@@karlscher5170 Why would they ? There was no independentist movement. If Germany did one tho, they would have chosen France

[@karlscher5170]

@@Papepatine sounds childish

[@michaelr3583]

I love that "totally settled forever" with a strange little mustached guy saying soon😅

[@Sams-li8tj]

"The issue is settled forever." For now.

[@lucienaras2165]

Next time France take rhenanie too, as it should be.

[@colonelkurtz5397]

Sams Alsace Lorraine don’t want to be german and Germany don’t have the power to take it.

[@Sams-li8tj]

@@colonelkurtz5397 It's just a joke bro. And moreover, nothing is set in stone.

[@colonelkurtz5397]

Sams I know, but after seeing like 100 000 comments of kaiserboo, it starts to be annoying (i live in alsace lorraine) and anyway, Germany and France are good friends, and no one in Europe want to start another war..

[@Sams-li8tj]

@@colonelkurtz5397 I don't know what kaiserboo is and I won't even ask since it sounds like bad news. Here's to continued peace in Europe, tschüss!

[@martonk]

Great video, is it not simply called Elsaß-Lothringen though ?

[@joshi3334]

Yes. Either Elsaß-Lothringen or Elsass-Lothringen. Both are technically correct. But not Löthringen.

[@mzudemartin]

This area changed even before 1871 sides or am I wrong? Who took it first?

[@martonk]

@@mzudemartin Well I'm sure the first were the Celts or something xD.

[@hornysanders6244]

@@mzudemartin Celts -> Roman Empire -> Charlemagnes empire -> HRE -> France -> Germany -> France -> Germany -> France . Probably forget a few periods

[@DaDunge]

​@@hornysanders6244 The problem comes from the fact that the region got conquered by the duchy of Burgundy which is a vassal of france but following Charles V the duke of Burgundy was also the Holy roman emperor.

[@fclp67]

that newspaper at 1:16 tho XDDDDD

[@pubusi4253]

What about "Life in Carpathian Ruthenia"?

[@Edmonton-of2ec]

Dear god

[@sergioperez5730]

I love al your videos!! It’s so awesome!

[@docjoe86]

1:05 My great great great grandmother was one of them. She died in 1919. My great grandmother knew her and said that she was happy to have lived to see Alsace returned to France after World War I.

[@sourabhsumandas9930]

I m from India.. I studied a chapter on my 12th class (the last lesson) which is written by Alphonso daudet.. Where a little boy name franz telling his last day of his France language school.. After studied that chapter i feel so sad about France people who lived in 1871..

[@ishouldbestudyingrightnow5368]

France conquered the region in 1648. When the army was in vienna to defend the city from the turks france invaded the kingdom of lorraine who was a german ally AND alsace. peace to india and hope there wont be fight with china

[@sourabhsumandas9930]

@@ishouldbestudyingrightnow5368 Yes bro.. And bro this is Record that india doesn't attack first to any Country... And if Anyone Attack first to india Then we will Destroy that Country Just like Corona Country China and Pakistan...

[@romain6275]

@@ishouldbestudyingrightnow5368 Lorraine was not a kingdom but a duchy. The duchy didn't rule all the Lorraine area.

[@edmerc92]

@@ishouldbestudyingrightnow5368 Vienna wasn't threatened by the Turks in 1648. It was in 1683.

[@pinkcrewmate8103]

Hey thanks for this video and the Franco Prussian war video both of these are helping me HUGELY on my final history project

[@nifixer7026]

Small correction to the whole video, it is Alsace-Moselle which was annexed and not Alsace-Lorraine (80% of Lorraine remained French, only a small part, Moselle was annexed).

[@nicolas2419]

Yes, but in fact the annexed part was called "Alsace-Lorraine/Elsaß-Lothringen" by both countries between 1871 and 1919! The notion of "Alsace-Moselle" is more a post-Great War concept, maybe for describing the body of laws specific to the departments of Alsace (Haut-Rhin/Bas-Rhin) and Moselle : "Droit local d'Alsace-Moselle".

[@nifixer7026]

@@nicolas2419 Lorraine or Lothingen in German has a thousand year old history before the annexation and its territory has never had anything to do with Moselle alone (the historical capital of Lorraine being even Nancy, not in Moselle), in short to speak of the concept of Alsace-Lorraine remains a historical error even if this error was common at the time and to continue to convey it is rather problematic (I am from Lorraine and I am a little tired of explaining that my ancestors were not German at that time)

[@matthiasbehrendt6112]

​@@nifixer7026We say Elsaß-/Elsass-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine) because we don't care about artificial French Départements.

[@ULHIS]

I absolutely adore the animations 💙😂

[@Numba003]

The not-skipping through flowers at 1:11 is great lol. Stay well out there everybody, and God bless you friends. :)