Читать книгу The GR5 Trail - Vosges and Jura. Schirmeck to Lac Léman, and the GR53 онлайн

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German defeat saw Alsace pass back into French hands in 1918, but it was an uneasy peace. After the invasion in 1940, the Germans considered Alsace to be a true part of the Reich, not part of occupied France; many of the men were conscripted into the German army and sent to the Russian front. Alsace was retaken by the French during the winter of 1944–45.

To the south of Alsace the region that now forms Franche-Comté also has its origins in the same confederation of Germanic states, although this Germanic heritage is less visible in Franche-Comté today. As early as 1295 the region passed into French control, and there followed a period as part of an autonomous Burgundy.

From 1493 to 1635 Franche-Comté was a Spanish possession, although Spain had little effect on day-to-day life, and during this period France still laid claim to the region, making several attempts to annex it. French control was finally established in 1678 and Franche-Comté has remained a part of France ever since. While the lower lands around Belfort and Montbéliard have attracted industry and a dense population, the more exposed uplands of the Jura have always been sparsely populated.