other · France and the Low Countries

Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine

1871 CE – 1918 CE · capital Strasbourg

The territory taken by the German Empire from France in 1871, governed directly from Berlin until it returned to France in 1918.

Origins

By the Treaty of Frankfurt of 1871, which ended the Franco-Prussian War, France ceded Alsace and part of Lorraine, including Metz, to the new German Empire. Instead of joining an existing state, the region became a Reichsland, an imperial territory under the emperor's direct authority.

Rule and society

The territory was administered from Berlin and Strasbourg, and from 1879 by an imperial governor (Statthalter) in Strasbourg, the first being Edwin von Manteuffel. Tens of thousands opted for French citizenship and left. Germany invested in Strasbourg's university and new imperial quarter. A constitution of 1911 created a regional parliament, but the Saverne Affair of 1913, when soldiers abused civilians, revealed lasting tensions.

Decline and legacy

After Germany's defeat in November 1918, councils briefly proclaimed the Republic of Alsace-Lorraine before French troops entered. The Treaty of Versailles of 1919 returned the territory to France, where it still keeps some distinct local laws.

Lineage

Imperial Territory of Alsace-LorraineFrench Third Republic 1870 CE – 1940 CERepublic of Alsace-Lorraine 1918 CE – 1918 CE

Connections (1)

  • Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was part of German Empire1871 CE – 1918 CE

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/imperial-territory-of-alsace-lorraine
MLA
“Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/imperial-territory-of-alsace-lorraine. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/imperial-territory-of-alsace-lorraine.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/imperial-territory-of-alsace-lorraine (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻