Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg sounds like the name of a German town, but it is part of France, or at least it has been since 1944. In 1940, Germany’s Third Reich took over the city, which, in preparation for war, had been evacuated by the French the previous year. In 1918, Strasbourg had been “liberated” by the French from the Germans, who had captured the city in 1870 after almost 200 years of French rule.

The Holy Roman Empire lost the Thirty Year War to Louis XIV’s France in 1681, after the Holy Roman Empire had held the prize for eight centuries. It had been captured in 870 for the Holy Roman Empire by Louis II, a German grandson of Charlemagne. The Franks had held it since 496, when King Clovis won the city from the Romans, who had set up a military camp in what would become Strasbourg in 12 BC.

During all those years of changing hands, a little history unfolded here besides the battles that altered nationalities. Masons began building a Cathedral in 1176 which, when the spire was completed in 1439, was reportedly the tallest building in the world. Somehow, I think somebody from Royal Caribbean must have been involved in building it, since Royal Caribbean seems to be obsessed with evolving through a series of the world’s largest cruise ships. (Okay, I know they weren’t involved, but as a cruise agent, I wanted to slip at least the name of a cruise line in somewhere).

In 1518, German Monk Martin Luther’s theses were put on display at the Strasbourg Cathedral, marking the arrival of the Reform Movement. Luther claimed salvation is a free gift of God and essentially that no intermediary is required between man and God’s Word. This theory didn’t sit well with the Catholic Church. They ex-communicated him in 1521. Luther translated the Bible into what would become the common German language.





Languages in most countries were divided between regional dialects until someone brought the best parts together into what we now think to be those languages. In the case of German, it was Luther’s Bible that probably had the most influence.

For almost 1500 years following the birth of Christ, however, few people could read or write. In fact, there was little to read even if someone had the ability. The Bible was written in Latin, and in order to make a copy, a priest had to meticulously write it out, letter by letter and word by word, with a quill pen dipped in ink.

This brings up another famous fellow from the history of Strasbourg, Johann Gutenburg, who in 1450 invented the first printing press with moveable type. Strasbourg historians claim Gutenburg invented it there, while Mainz, Germany, claims he developed it upon returning to their town, where he was born, and so that is where it was invented. In any case, Gutenberg undoubtedly lived in Strasbourg and at least thought about his method of mass printing there. His first project was a Latin version of The Bible.

If you’ve seen the old Humphrey Bogart movie “Casablanca,” you’re familiar with “The Marseillaise,” the song which the French people rise up to sing in Rick’s Bar to overpower a German song being sung by NAZIs. That song was reportedly first sung in 1792 to entertain the Mayor of Strasbourg and his guests.

More recently, in 1949 Strasboug was selected as the Seat of the Council of Europe, and in 1992 Strasbourg was confirmed as headquarters for the European Union, the only directly elected body of the European Union. Strasbourg is one of three places where the European Parliament meets (along with Brussels and Luxembourg).

On a more personal note, as a teenager I asked my grandparents on my dad’s side from what country our family had immigrated. Surprisingly, my grandmother said, "They came over from France.” I couldn’t help chuckling, thinking to myself, “Right. It should be pronounced with a French accent, along the lines of Charlemagne.” 

My grandmother gave me a steely look and repeated the fact.

Years later, computers made it possible to do research on genealogy, and I saw where my great grandparents signed in at Ellis Island in the late 1800s. Their place of origin was listed as France. I haven’t done extensive research on this, but I assume the area around Strasbourg must have been where the quarter of my ancestral roots who weren’t English lived before coming to America.

By the way, the city of Strasbourg and the surrounding area are beautiful and well worth visiting for that reason alone, much less all the history that unfolded there. The last few photos were taken at our quaint Bed & Breakfast in the countryside outside Strasbourg. It was one of the best of our trip.