Meurthe
Encyclopedia
Meurthe is a former département of France
. Its préfecture
(capital) was Nancy. It ceased to exist following the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine
by Germany
in 1871.
, out of a part of the former province
of Lorraine
. It took its name from the Meurthe River
flowing through it.
As of 1866, Meurthe had 714 communes. Its area was 6,070 km² (2,344 sq. miles). It was divided into 5 arrondissements: Nancy, Château-Salins
, Lunéville
, Sarrebourg
and Toul
.
of 1870-1871, the northeastern part of the Meurthe département was annexed to the German Empire
by the Treaty of Frankfurt
. On May 18, 1871, about one-third of the Meurthe, corresponding approximately to the arrondissements of Château-Salins and Sarrebourg in the northeast of the département, were detached from Meurthe and annexed to Germany, becoming part of the Reichsland of Elsaß-Lothringen
.
The remaining two-third of Meurthe were merged with the one-fifth of the Moselle
département (arrondissement of Briey
, in the extreme west of Moselle, to the northwest of Meurthe) which had escaped German annexation, and on September 7, 1871, the merger gave birth to the new Meurthe-et-Moselle
département (area: 5,246 km², compared to 6,070 km² for the former Meurthe), with its préfecture at Nancy.
In 1919, with the French victory in the First World War, Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France by Germany at the Treaty of Versailles
. However, it was not decided to recreate the old départements of Meurthe and Moselle by reverting to the old département borders of before 1871. Instead, Meurthe-et-Moselle was left untouched, and the one-third of Meurthe and four-fifth of Moselle that had been annexed by Germany in 1871 were merged to create the new département of Moselle, whose name is the same as the old département of Moselle, but whose borders are quite different.
At the 1999 French census, if Meurthe still existed it would have had a population of 647,307 inhabitants. On the other hand, in 1999 Meurthe-et-Moselle had a population of 713,779 inhabitants (the industrial area of Briey and Longwy
merged in 1871 is more populated than the rural areas of Château-Salins and Sarrebourg lost in 1871).
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Its préfecture
Préfecture
A prefecture in France can refer to :*the Chef-lieu de département, the town in which the administration of a department is located;*the Chef-lieu de région, the town in which the administration of a region is located;...
(capital) was Nancy. It ceased to exist following the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
by Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1871.
General characteristics
The department of Meurthe was created on March 4, 1790, during the French RevolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, out of a part of the former province
Provinces of France
The Kingdom of France was organised into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces. The provinces of France were roughly equivalent to the historic counties of England...
of Lorraine
Lorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
. It took its name from the Meurthe River
Meurthe River
The Meurthe is a river in north-eastern France, right tributary to the river Moselle. Its source is in the Vosges mountains, near the Col de la Schlucht in the Vosges département...
flowing through it.
As of 1866, Meurthe had 714 communes. Its area was 6,070 km² (2,344 sq. miles). It was divided into 5 arrondissements: Nancy, Château-Salins
Château-Salins
Château-Salins is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Moselle department...
, Lunéville
Lunéville
Lunéville is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department and lies on the Meurthe River.-History:...
, Sarrebourg
Sarrebourg
Sarrebourg is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It lies in on the upper course of the river Sarre.It should not be confused with Saarburg in Germany....
and Toul
Toul
Toul is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Toul is located between Commercy and Nancy, and situated between the Moselle River and the Canal de la Marne au Rhin....
.
History
After the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian WarFranco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
of 1870-1871, the northeastern part of the Meurthe département was annexed to the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
by the Treaty of Frankfurt
Treaty of Frankfurt (1871)
The Treaty of Frankfurt was a peace treaty signed in Frankfurt on 10 May 1871, at the end of the Franco-Prussian War.- Summary :The treaty did the following:...
. On May 18, 1871, about one-third of the Meurthe, corresponding approximately to the arrondissements of Château-Salins and Sarrebourg in the northeast of the département, were detached from Meurthe and annexed to Germany, becoming part of the Reichsland of Elsaß-Lothringen
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
.
The remaining two-third of Meurthe were merged with the one-fifth of the Moselle
Moselle
Moselle is a department in the east of France named after the river Moselle.- History :Moselle is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
département (arrondissement of Briey
Briey
Briey is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.It is located above and in a steep section of the valley of the little River Woigot, some thirty kilometres to the west of the autoroute that connects Metz with Luxembourg...
, in the extreme west of Moselle, to the northwest of Meurthe) which had escaped German annexation, and on September 7, 1871, the merger gave birth to the new Meurthe-et-Moselle
Meurthe-et-Moselle
Meurthe-et-Moselle is a department in the Lorraine region of France, named after the Meurthe and Moselle rivers.- History :Meurthe-et-Moselle was created in 1871 at the end of the Franco-Prussian War from the parts of the former departments of Moselle and Meurthe which remained French...
département (area: 5,246 km², compared to 6,070 km² for the former Meurthe), with its préfecture at Nancy.
In 1919, with the French victory in the First World War, Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France by Germany at the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
. However, it was not decided to recreate the old départements of Meurthe and Moselle by reverting to the old département borders of before 1871. Instead, Meurthe-et-Moselle was left untouched, and the one-third of Meurthe and four-fifth of Moselle that had been annexed by Germany in 1871 were merged to create the new département of Moselle, whose name is the same as the old département of Moselle, but whose borders are quite different.
Population
At the 1866 French census, the Meurthe département had a population of 428,387 inhabitants. In 1872, after the annexation and merger, the new Meurthe-et-Moselle département had a population of 365,137 inhabitants.At the 1999 French census, if Meurthe still existed it would have had a population of 647,307 inhabitants. On the other hand, in 1999 Meurthe-et-Moselle had a population of 713,779 inhabitants (the industrial area of Briey and Longwy
Longwy
Longwy is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.The inhabitants are known as Longoviciens.-Economy:Longwy has historically been an industrial center of the Lorraine iron mining district. The town is known for its artistic glazed pottery.-History:Longwy initially...
merged in 1871 is more populated than the rural areas of Château-Salins and Sarrebourg lost in 1871).
See also
Meurthe RiverMeurthe River
The Meurthe is a river in north-eastern France, right tributary to the river Moselle. Its source is in the Vosges mountains, near the Col de la Schlucht in the Vosges département...