Alsace-Lorraine

The region of Alsace-Lorraine consists of the Alsace and Lorraine provinces of France west of the Franco-German border. The Rhine River is the border between the Alsace province and Germany. This region carries the following important aspects of European history.
1. Metz is the capital city of the Lorraine Province, and about 150 km south of the German city of Aachen, where Charlemagne established his Holy Roman Empire in 800 AD. Thus, this region was developed as the heartland of Charlemagne's empire.

2. During the reign of Louis IVX (1643-1713), France became a strong empire and became ready to annex territories beyond the traditional boundaries. On the other hand, Germany was an incoherent collection of small kingdoms, until Bismarck's Prussia emerged as a new empire in 1871. Alsace and Lorraine were two of those independent kingdoms. They became annexed to France during the reign of Louis XVI (1774-1791).

3. After the Franco-Prussian War of 1970-71 , these two provinces became one German province of Alsace-Lorraine. This is the reason why people, including my high-school geography teacher in 1951, talk about these two French provinces as one region.

   This one German province became two French provinces again after World War I in 1918. These two provinces became annexed again to Germany when Hitler's army occupied France in 1939, but came back to France after 1945.

• Charlemagne ran his Holy Roman Empire from 800 to 814 AD in the German city of Aachen. His power was based on righ agricultural resources along the banks of the Rhine River. At his time, no countries in this world had constitutions. Chinese rulers used Confucianism to tell their people how to behave. The Bible served as the constitution in the Western world.

  Charlemagne was a devoted Catholic and ran his empire from his cathedral in Aachen. Here are photos of his cathedral and his statues in Aachen.

  1. This is a model of the cathedral at the church ground.

  2. This is a photo of the church building. I took this photo while I was in Aachen in 2014.

  3. Inside the church with the dome ceiling. This is a beautiful chamber for worship where Charlemagne used to pray. Did he have a heart as beautiful as the interior of this church?

     The answer could be Yes and No. After all, he was a politician and had to demand many things from his people. Did the people like him? The answer is not necessarly Yes. Nobody knows how he looked. There are no portrait of his face.

  4. This means that not many people wanted to construct portraits of his face while he was alive. There are of course many Charlamagne statutes in Germany and France, but they were constructed from imagination.

     Charlamagne deserves a giant statue in his city, but the city has a small statue at the top of a tall fountain. In this way, they city gives a respect for him, while hiding the details of his face. Here is a photo of myself at the Charlmagne fountain and statue in front of Aachen's city hall. This photo tells how small his statue is.

  5. Here is a modern version of a great politician not popular among his own people. Winston Churchill led his country to resist and destroy Hitler's war machine during the years 1939-45. He apparently demanded too much from his people. This is the reason why Churchill was voted out while he was attending the Potsdam conference in July of 1945. Churchill did all the work, but Clement Attlee, along with Truman and Stalin, signed the document for the Potsdam Declaration which called for the unconditional surrender of Japan.

     Attlee was the British prime minister who succeeded Churchil after the July (1945) election in the United Kingdom.

• Charlemagne had three grandsons. After his death in 814, those grandsons went to three different directions, namely to Germany, France, and Italy.
  1. Charlemagne is called Kaiser Karl der Grosse in Germany. I had a photo with my wife in front of his statue in Frankfurt. Frankfurt is on the east bank of the Rhine River about 200 km south-east of Aaachen. Here is the plaque on the base of the statue saying how great he was.

  2. Look at the His statue in Paris, on the front ground of the Notre Dame cathedral. The base of this statue clearly says he is the Charlagmaine.

  3. Look at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg. The construction of this church started one hundred years earlier than the Notre Dame of Paris. Strasbourg has been and still is the capital city of the kingdom or province of Alsace.

Strasbourg is the capital city of the Alsace Province.

Strassburg (1890-1900)

• During the period 1890-1900, this city looked like this (image from the public domain). After World War I (1914-18), the region went back to France.

• Bank of Alsace. If you are in Strasbourg, you are in the French province of Alsace.
  1. Arts of Alsace. Alsace gift shop.
  2. Alsace Railroad covers the Alsace-Lorraine region.
  3. Alsace wine shop. This region produces delicious grapes, and consequently delicious wines.
  4. Brasserie Alsace at the Kleber Plaza (main city square) in Strasbourg.
  5. Alsace restaurant at the Champ Elysee in Paris.

• The Notre Dame Cathedral is the No. 1 address in this city. The construction of this Cathedral started in 1015, one hundred years earlier than the Notre Dame of Paris. The building is taller and more extensive than its counterpart in Paris.
  1. This photo shows how tall this Cathedral is.
  2. The Cathedral seen from several blocks away.
  3. The church altar is as elegant as can be.
  4. The church organ is hanging on the wall.
  5. The Last Supper, with Judas in a more visible position.

• Students at the Univ. of Strasbourg also called Louis Pasteur University. This is their physics building. I went there in April of 2012.
  1. I had a photo with this group of students in front of the University's central library.
  2. This the Law School Building of this University.
  3. I had this photo with the Law School students.
  4. In 2005, I met this Turkish lawyer at the Ankara airport, who is a graduate of this Law School. She was going to Strasbourg for a vacation. She was going to see her old school friends there. She is a human-right lawyer.

• Three French students at the Kleber Plaza (main city plaza) in Strasbourg. Jean-Baptiste Kleber served as the commander of Napoleon's army in Egypt. He was born in Strasbourg. They seem to have their concrete career plans.
  1. Korean students studying in Heidelberg (Germany). They came here to spend a weekend. I met them at the Kleber Plaza.
  2. Two High School Students in Strasbourg.
  3. Three more students. I like to chat with students wherever I go.
  4. Two Students in front of the statue of Johannes Gutenberg. Gutenberg's home base was Mainz (Germany), but he completed the invention of his printing machine while in Strasbourg. Did you know this?

• L'Ami Chutz is one of the representative restaurants in Strasbourg. Its name consists of a combination of French and German words.
  1. This restaurant is located at a very scenic area of Strasbourg.
  2. As you can see in this photo, I was greeted by a very intelligent young lady. But, it is not enough. See this photo. I became attractive to her because I told her I knew about the region of Alsace-Lorraine from my high school days in Korea (1951-54).
  3. The German dish called pig knuckle with sauerkraut came from this Alsatian area. This restaurant is expensive, and people are somewhat formally dressed. They knew I came from the United States from the way I was dressed.

• Receptionist at the Hotel Mercure in Strasbourg. Ladies in this area are very kind and warm-hearted.
  1. French Lawyer of Turkish origin. I met her on a metro train. She came from Istanbul, and she became very happy when I talked about her Turkish city.
  2. Immigrants from Turkey. They maintain this well-organized convenience store in Strasbourg. I asked them whether they are Moslems. They said Yes. I then asked them whether I could post this photo on my webpage. They said "please." A very pleasant Turkish couple!
  3. At a tram stand, I was sitting next to this lady. I proposed a photo. She said Yes. A very pleasant moment.
  4. In front of the Jewish Center, I met this lady. She kindly explained about this center and its vicinity. I then asked whether she is a Jewish lady. She said No. Jewish folks seem to be doing well in Strasbourg, and the Center if flying the French national flag very prominently.
  5. In the morning for breakfast, it is a pleasure to exchange kind words with shop keepers at a French pastry shop.
  6. In 2002, I met this art-loving French lady from Strasbourg at the Matisse Museum in Nice, France. A very kind lady indeed. I was not allowed to photograph the paintings inside the museum, but I was ver happy to produce this photo of two living humans.

• The European Parliament occupies a chunk of land in Strasbourg. I do not know whether it is an independent administrative region, but it is within the city's tram network.
  1. There are many buildings on the banks of a scenic river. I am not able to tell much about the organizations of the European Union, European council, European etc. Neither am I able to tell why those agencies are also in Brussels (Belgium). In either case, there are many people working for the Strasbourg offices.
  2. The main building circular cylindrical, but top floors remain unfinished, presumably due to the lack of money. Not a uncommon event in Europe.
  3. A side view of the main building. It is OK!
  4. Flags of the member countries. I did not count.
  5. This Bulgarian lady is working at one of these buildings. I met her at a tram station, and we were waiting for the tram going to the same place. I went there to take photos, and she was going there to work.
  6. I had a photo with a German couple with their daughter at the Parliament ground. They came from Stuttgart to see their daughter who is working at the Parliament.

Metz is the capital city of the Lorraine Province.

• It takes one hour and twenty minutes for an Alsace train to go to Metz from Strasbourg. I look OK in this photo with the train and its engineer.
  1. The route to Metz is along rich farm lands. I was travelling in the Alsace-Lorraine region. This region now has new machines called wind generators.
  2. This is the Metz railroad station. It looks like the staion in the German city of Aachen. Presumably these two stations were built by the same German company when Metz was a German city during the period 1871-1918.
  3. This protestant church tells the German influence is very strong in Metz. Here is another photo of this church the Wikipedia (public domain).

• I am now in the Lorraine Province. I am standing in front of a pleasure boat in the central lake of Metz.
  1. These are swans on the bank of the lake.
  2. French dish called "Quiche" came came this Lorraine province. Even these days, the Quiche Lorraine is something special.
  3. Lorraine Wines are also special to the wine lovers.
  4. Lorrain Magazine Store. If Lorain for a boy and Lorraine is for a girl.

• St. Stephens Cathedral was the starting point for the city.
  1. The Cathedral viewed from the Metz Lake.
  2. Side view of the Cathedral.
  3. Entrance of the Cathedral.
  4. Gothic-style interior of the Cathedral.
  5. One of the side windows seen from inside.

  6. Another beautiful church in the residential area of the city.

• Brasserie New York is a popular place for young people who like to meet old and new friends. I am not young, but am quite able to talk to those young people.
  1. Two French ladies working for the city hall of Metz. I met them at one of the restaurants in Metz. They are competent administrators, and they know how people live. We had very interesting conversations on many things in the world.
  2. I also met a group of female students in their traditional Moslem dresses. They speak fluent French and also fluent English. They are both intelligent and cheerful. I had photos with them, but I am not posting them. I respect their culture.
  3. Little Italy is in New York. They seem to know.
  4. All-American Menu with New York specialties.
  5. Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe are their American icons.
  6. Texaco gas pump. There used to a petroleum company called Texaco in the United States, but no longer. I was very happy to spot this Texaco pump in Metz. These charming French ladies think it is still a major petroleum company in the United States.

• The Pompidu Center is the major art gallery in the Lorraine region. This center is a provincial branch of the George Pompidu Center in Paris. George Pompidu was the president of France from 1969 to 1974.
  1. At the Pompidu Center, it It was a pleasure to have a chat with these two artists and have this photo. They are in charge of putting up exhibitions at the Center.
  2. Modern art sculpture near the city center square.
  3. Old water tower is at the center of the city, near the railroad station.
  4. This tower looks much better with the Metz railroad station.
  5. This old gate also stands as a witness to the city's history, although I am not able to tell the history.

• French ladies in masks. I spotted them in Metz (Lorraine Region). I joined them and produced this photo (2012).
  1. Two French ladies at a pastry store in Metz. French pastry stores are like art museums.
  2. At the town square, I had a photo with this young couple.
  3. This receptionist at Metz's Ibis hotel is saying Good Bye to me.
  4. At the Metz railroad station, I met this French lady from Paris. While waiting for a train to Paris, we exchanged many interesting conversations. She knew what she was talking about.

How did I talk to Einstein? copyright@2012 by Y. S. Kim, unless otherwise specified. You may send your comments to yskim@ysfine.com. The map of Alsace-Lorraine is from the public domain. Click here for his home page. His photo-biography. His Einstein page. His Princeton page. His Style page. Best High School in the World? I received my PhD degree from Princeton in 1961, seven years after high school graduation in 1954. This means that I did much of the ground work for the degree during my high school years.