republic · France and the Low Countries

Republic of Alsace-Lorraine

1918 CE – 1918 CE · capital Strasbourg

A short-lived republic declared in Strasbourg as German rule collapsed in November 1918, swept away when French troops arrived days later.

Origins

As the German Empire collapsed in November 1918, soldiers' and workers' councils formed in Strasbourg and other towns of the Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine. On 11 November the regional parliament constituted itself as a national council, and a republic was declared amid competing plans for autonomy.

Rule and society

Power was divided between the soldiers' councils, some influenced by revolutionary socialism, and the national council and Strasbourg's socialist mayor, Jacques Peirotes. The new authorities tried to keep order as German troops withdrew, but the republic had no recognition or real administration.

Decline and legacy

French troops entered Strasbourg on 22 November 1918 and the councils dissolved. The Treaty of Versailles confirmed the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France.

Lineage

Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine 1871 CE – 1918 CERepublic of Alsace-Lorraine

Connections (1)

More states of France and the Low Countries →

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

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻