Largitzen

Largitzen (Jurassien: Lairdgie) is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.

Largitzen
Commune
The town hall in Largitzen
Coat of arms
Location of Largitzen
Largitzen
Largitzen
Coordinates: 47°33′46″N 7°11′15″E
CountryFrance
RegionGrand Est
DepartmentHaut-Rhin
ArrondissementAltkirch
CantonMasevaux
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Jean-Paul Gnaedig
Area
1
5.6 km2 (2.2 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
314
 • Density56/km2 (150/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
68176 /68580
Elevation366–431 m (1,201–1,414 ft)
(avg. 385 m or 1,263 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

History

In 1914, the front line ran just by Largitzen, placing it in the zone controlled by the German Empire. Separated by only a few kilometers from Largitzen, the neighboring towns of Ueberstrass and Friesen remained French.[2]

The town was almost entirely destroyed during the 1916 bombings. It was progressively rebuilt in 1919 when the Saint-Georges church was restored and the ex-presbytery became the city hall. A memorial representing Saint Georges slaying a dragon stands on the Church Square. Made in 1929 the memorial honors the villagers, both Germans and French, who lost their lives during the war. As an Alsacian village, Largitzen was profoundly affected by the Second World War. The region was occupied by Nazi Germany until the liberation on November 21, 1944.

Visible relics of the war can be found in the form of several bunkers in the woods around the town.

Geography

The river Largitzenbach runs through Largitzen, separating the core of the village from Lufendorf , which used to be independent. Numerous ponds can be found in the nearly 50 km2 of woodland surrounding the village.

Demography
Population Evolution
1793 1800 1806 1821 1831 1836 1841 1846 1851
345 350 506 530 446 443 426 431 443
1856 1861 1866 1871 1875 1880 1885 1890 1895
398 373 363 372 351 336 356 333 324
1900 1905 1910 1921 1926 1931 1936 1946 1954
308 302 309 252 251 255 231 228 229
1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999 2006 2011 2012
250 237 243 263 264 276 290 306 308

[3][4]

Monuments

The church was built in 1788. In addition to the weekly mass, the church also hosts regular concerts and choir practice.[5]

Events
  • Marche Populaire: Organized every year in September (since 1975) by the inhabitants of Largitzen, the "People's Walk" attracts hundreds of locals who gather to hike on the signed routes through the forest.[6]
  • Procession Équestre de la Saint Georges: On Easter Monday, horses are brought to the church to receive a blessing.

See also

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. http://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/picardie/2014/04/16/la-carte-interactive-de-la-ligne-de-front-de-la-grande-guerre-14-18-460325.html
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303193245/http://cassini.ehess.fr/cassini/fr/html/fiche.php?select_resultat=18764 Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20160222044711/http://www.insee.fr/fr/ppp/bases-de-donnees/recensement/populations-legales/commune.asp?depcom=68176&annee=2006 Archived 2016-02-22 at the Wayback Machine
  5. http://www.jds.fr/largitzen/eglise/eglise-saint-georges-9724_L
  6. "Quarante ans de marche populaire". www.lalsace.fr. Retrieved 2015-12-23.


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