Alsace-Lorraine
Elsass-Lothringen, French Alsace-Lorraine was the territory ceded by France to the newly-unified Germany under the 1871 Treaty of Frankfurt, which ended the Franco-Prussian War and restored to France after World War I by the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. Its legal name is Alsace-Moselle.Lothringen or French language Lorraine had been a part of the HRR German empire roughly for 1000 years from c 800 to mid 17th century, when it was taken by France. In 1871 Lothringen became a part of the German empire.
The transferred area corresponded to the French dÃÂépartements of Moselle, Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin. While the two latter corresponded to nearly all of the historical province of Alsace, most of the traditional Lorraine remained within France. French desire to recover the provinces was a major cause of the tragic alliance system that led to World War I.
Under the German Empire of 1871-1918, the territory constituted the autonomous Reichsland or Imperial Province of Elsass-Lothringen. The area had considerable autonomy under the federal German Empire, and had its own legislature and laws. These privileges were partly lost when the area was restored to France.
It was again under German administration in 1940-45 during World War II.
Until today, the territory enjoys laws different from the rest of France on certain issues, see the statute of Alsace-Moselle.