History of the Country of Bitche

The history of the Country of Bitche (North-eastern of the department of the Moselle, in contact with Germany) loses itself in the mists of time.

Prehistory

The presence of the man of Néanderthal ( Paleolithic means, between - 200.000 and - 35.000 years before Jesus-Christ) is attested by many discoveries of surface in the area of Rimling (S.Schmit prospections in collaboration with the Regional Service of Lorraine Archeology): rollers arranged, nucleus, scrapers out of quartz and quarzite, scrapers and produced Levallois (points, nucleus, glares) out of local flint of Muschelkalk (see on this subject the article published in the review of the SHAL of Bitche in April 2005). Arranged rollers were also discovered in Haspelschiedt (Goret).

The Mesolithic (- 9000 with - 5500 before Jesus-Christ) is known by the stations of surface of Kalhausen (Sainty, Petit) and Walschbronn (Goret, Thévenin), and by isolated discoveries with Rimling (reinforcements, microlithes, scrapers out of local flint, S.Schmit prospections).

The Neolithic (- 5500 with - 2000 before Jesus-Christ) is represented, amongst other things, by polishing machines on blocks or walls of sandstones (which would have been used to polish outlines of axes) localized in various places of the solid mass of the Vosges of North (Haspelschiedt, Phillipsbourg…) In the area of Rimling-Epping-Erching-Obergailbach 31 polished blades of axes or adzes were discovered (S.Schmit prospections, to see article in the review of the SHAL of Bitche in April 2006, and in April 2007 - to appear). The rocks used to make these blades come from the Vosges of the South (pelite-quartz of Floor-the-Mines and nodulous schist of Saint-Amarin and Markstein), of Hunsrück-Eiffel (lava and volcanic rocks), and of the coasts of Meuse (flint), which indicates exchanges with remote regions. Among these parts, some are exceptional: a ribboned adze (Neolithic old) with characteristic plano-convex section, perforated axes, and an extremely rare axe punt coppers some (Neolithic final) probably resulting from the metallurgical current of Balkans. Arrowheads flint, fragments of hard sandstone grinding wheel, bush-hammers in quarzite and a blade of sickle with gloss of cereals were also discovered (S.Schmit prospections). The area of Rimling and its grounds fertile (loam and loess) seem to have been most occupied.

the Bronze Age is little known: fragments of bracelets torques were discovered in Rimling. the age of iron is represented by necropoles under tumulus (wood of Rimling and Ormesviller), and by spurs barred in edge of plate (firm of Nassenwald with Weiskirch, forest of Hanviller…)

Celts

About the first millenium before Jesus-Christ, the Celtes arrived of the south of current the Germany and after having crossed the the Rhine, settled in Lorraine and thus in the Pays of Bitche. They were easily able to be essential because they knew the technique of the work of the Fer which revolutionized the life in the area.

The work of metals, making it possible at the same time to make tools for peaceful peasants, but also of the weapons for more quarrelsome men, it developed a new caste beside the peasants, intended for the " to protect " and which finally dominated its protected.

Although of rather quarrelsome mood, the Celts were not barbarians and they had developed a rather flourishing civilization. The finely worked weapons and tools, going back to this period, testify some. The religion was certainly not foreign with this evolution because the Druide S, at the same time wise and erudite, enjoyed a unanimous respect.

However, of ceaseless tribal competitions ended up weakening the Celtes which, in spite of the efforts of Vercingétorix, to link these people vis-a-vis the danger of the Roman invader , ended up falling under the yoke from this last, better equipped and especially more disciplined, after the fatal outcome of the battle of Alésia into 52 before J.C.

Gallo-Roman period

At the time Gallo-Roman, whereas the Pays of Bitche belongs to the city of the Médiomatriques, in Gaulle Belgium, at the border of the Germanie and the Triboques of Alsace, the indices of occupation multiply. rural villas (110 listed by the Company of History and Archeology of Bitche) are primarily established in country discovered , their figure which can rise with a dozen as with Bettviller. Their distribution appears denser in the Canton of Volmunster and in the Western part of the Canton of Rohrbach-lès-Bitche. In the oriental party of the country, the prospections prove more difficles because of the broken relief and forest cover.

But they is however here that the famous rocks of Lemberg and Roppeviller were carved, representing God X and Déesse S of the the Roman Pantheon (Diane, Mars, Hercules, Sylvain) but especially Gallic ( Nantosvelta , goddess of the forest and sources). Other pertaining to worship testimonys exist in the area: Junon with Weidesheim and perhaps with Sturzelbronn, Mercury with Bitche, Enchenberg, Epping and Haspelschiedt, Rosmerta with Bitche.

The inhabitants of the Country of Bitche, as those of the remainder of the Gaulle, end up accepting the domination of the Romains and their novel mode of life. The " Pax romana " involve a total upheaval of the company Gallic, as well on the political plan as on the social plan and economic. The administration of the territory is entrusted to civil civils servant and soldiers who ended up containing the tribal combat, wound of the previous period. One developed the road axes which facilitate displacements of the army, but also the trade by supporting the exchanges. The adoption of the method of construction of the Romans also transforms the lifestyle of the " Gallo-Romans ".

The period Roman E succeeds an occupation at the time mérovingienne, not very dense and limited to some localities of the country discovered (Bettviller, Rimling and Altheim, today in the Saar). The christianization, particularly late, seems to be diffused by the founded Abbaye Benedictine E of Hornbach at the 8th century by Saint Pirmin.

Invasions

This period of relative peace lasted approximately 300 years. In the middle of 3rd century, cruel hordes come from Germany, the Frank and the Alamans came to disturb this quietude, benefitting from the brittleness of the monitoring of the Roman legions whose military manners had been somewhat slackened. These bands, little organized, but strongly determined, reflect the area with fire and blood. This intense period of disorders, with latency periods, was spread out over more than one century and brought an economic and social regression in the area with a life which practically turned over at the wild state.

The Christianization, particulièremùent late, seems to be diffused by the Abbaye Bénédictin E of Hornbach, founded at the 8th century by Saint Pirmin.

The Middle Ages

In 843 took place the Traité of Verdun where the grandsons of Charlemagne shared its immense empire. Charles the Bald person accepted the Western part, Louis Germanic the, the oriental party and Lothaire, as for him is lived to allot a central band energy of the the North Sea to the Italy. It is name Lothaire which the name from Lotharingie was drawn to indicate this territory from which will be born later the names from Lothringen in German and Lorraine in French. This central position was not very enviable, indeed, Charles and Louis frequently had disagreements and to regulate them, passed inevitably on the territory of Lothaire. The Bitscherland, being on a strategic passage often had to be put at contribution by one or the other of these belligerents when they were not both at the same time.

The first mention of the name of Bitis is in a letter dated from the middle of 12th century and in which the duke of Lorraine, Matthieu Ier request with the count of Sarrewerden to respect the limits as well as the inhabitants of its seigniory. In this written letter in Gothic letters , but in Latin, the limits of this seigniory is established perfectly. As of 1170, a Bitis Castrum (castle of Bitche) appears in a document where Frederic Ier names itself like " Dominus de Bites " (Lord of Bitche).

This Bitis castrum rather seems to be a hunting lodge located in the close forest of Lemberg. It would seem that at the same time, without it being possible to date the event, another house was built on the Schlossberg with the site of current the Citadelle. The strategic interest of this headland with panoramic vision on several valleys could not escape the lords from the time. An act of the count Ferriprécise again limits of the seigniory in 1196.

The seigniory of Bitche belonged to the Duché of Lorraine and was often given like personal seigniory to the oldest son of the Duke. Two hamlets developed with the foot of the rock headland: Rohr (reed, allusion on the marshy ground of the time) and Kaltenhausen (cold houses, on the side of the current station).

The inhabitants of these two hamlets went to the church of Schorbach, village much older and whose church had been built in 1143 on the directives of the monks of Sturzelbronn.

At the 13th century, the seigniory of Bitche was the only territory of the duke of Lorraine to be in the German linguistic field and because of the parcelling out of the possessions of the counts de Zweibrücken, it was geographically insulated. The count Eberhard II of Zweibrücken then proposed an agreement of exchange to the duke of Lorraine. This transaction was done by two treaties: that of the May 13rd 1297 and that of the 1st July 1302.

The count Eberhard II of Zweibrücken married in 1309 Agnès, countess of Bitche, girl of Tiébald II and took the title of " Count de Zweibrücken and Seigneur of Bitche " and after having transformed it, made castle of Bitche, its main home.

The beginning of the 14th century marked the one long period first steps of misfortunes for Bitche and its area. In 1305, a fire devastated the hamlet of Kaltenhausen and of 1315 with 1317 a great famine prevails in Lorraine and with the Pays of Bitche. A few years later, in 1337, began the One hundred Year old Guerre which opposed until in 1453, the France with the England and in which the country of Bitche was not saved.

In 1348 came to be added an epidemic of Black Death to the long list of the evils from which already the area suffered. The One hundred Year old War offered certainly periods of respite between the engagements, but the soldiers who were not paid in times of peace, lived on the country and were largely useful themselves. These large Companies were the wound of the Moyen-âge and the peasants, like the townsmen besides, did not know if it were necessary to prefer the war or peace.

Moreover, the counts de Bitche were not always angels, their very violent behavior sometimes required the intervention of the Prince voter of the Palatinat Ruprecht to neutralize the counts Simon II and Hanemann Ier de Bitche.

In 1387, a fire devastated one second time the hamlet of Kaltenhausen, then a new epidemic of plague (1411 - 1439) came endeuiller the Lorraine. Lastly, the continual quarrels of the lords of Bitche obliged them to be involved in debt and they attracted each other the enmities of the neighbors.

In March 1447, the castle of Bitche was attacked, without notice, and taken by the counts Jacob and Wilhelm de Lutzelstein (the Small-Pierre). The count Friedrich de Bitche managed to flee but his/her children were kept as an hostage. This action, opposite with all the rules of the knighthood raised general reprobation and a strong coalition lives itself some to return throat in Lutzelstein. During this action, the hamlet of Kaltenhausen knew a third fire, but the count of Bitche decided to make it rebuild and it held word. The line of Lutzelstein that this adventure had not grown definitively extinguished in 1452.

During the first quarter of the 16th century, peasants, wanting to obtain the same advantages that the townsmen, revolted, it is what was called the Guerre of the Bumpkins. In the Country of Bitche, it revolt was carried out by certain an Hans Zoller of Rimling. Attacking the castles of the area which they set fire to, they also devastated the Abbaye of Sturzelbronn. The noble ones, organized better and having a professional army repressed this revolt in blood. With Saverne, 17 000 of them were massacred, without counting the many lawsuits which ended in capital judgments and obligations to repair. Finally, the nobility saw its capacity reinforced at the exit of this revolt. (See the article Rusticiade in Alsace and Lorraine)

It is at that time also that the Protestantisme made its appearance and this new religion benefitted from the development of printing works to spread itself in Europe.

The seigniory of Bitche becomes Lorraine

Until the beginning of the 16th century, the seigniory of Bitche ultimately depended on the Germanic Roman Holy roman Empire. When Reinhard de Bitche died, in 1531, its two sons shared its field. But well quickly, they were scrambled and quarreled so that the Duc of Lorraine aimings hard this seigniory started to have. In the final analysis, Amélie de Bitche, girl of fire Simon Wecker and marries Philippe de Limange, sold the ground of Bitche to the duke of Lorraine Charles II for the sum of 50.000 ecus ".

It however seems that the things did not occur very easily, since in 1563, the count Jacob of Bitche repurchased the houses in bottom of the rock headland, made them shave and made build ramparts to be protected from the dukes of Lorraine to which he did not want to pay the " " assistances;. Jacob died in 1570 without leaving direct descendants, it was the last count de Zweibrücken - Bitche.

Philippe V of Hanau-Lichtenberg then claimed the heritage of his/her Jacob father-in-law. The duke of Lorraine recognized to him. However, the new lord, protesting, wanted to impose this religion on his subjects according to the rule which wanted at the time one marries the religion of the sovereign. He put such an amount of strength at it, going until imprisoning the superior of the Abbaye of Sturzelbronn, which he inconvenienced the Duke of Lorraine which convened it in front of bases of Nancy. Philippe refused to go there and was declared félon. The duke of Lorraine made besiege Bitche in 1572. At the end of a few days, the castle went but Philippe could flee. The troops of the duke of Lorraine took even in the tread the castle of Lemberg (Palatinat) and the villages surrounding, obliging the population to lend oath to the Duke.

Thus, this episode contributed to confirm the authority of the duke of Lorraine on the area of Bitche.

The Catholic religion , prohibited by Philippe V, was restored as of 1572. Whereas the wars of religion made rage in other areas, in this end of the 16th century, they seem to have saved the Pays of Bitche. But the religious intolerance and the fanaticism which reigned in an endemic state generated, partly, another plague: the iniquitous Sorcery and lawsuits which accompanied it. Bitche and its area did not escape from it. Nobody was safe from a denunciation and once one was between the hands of justice, one had only few chances to leave there unscathed, because inflicted tortures could make acknowledge the most horrible crimes. Men or women could be " subjected to the " question; and more than one claimed to have made, in particular with the Diable, of the acts of which he did not even suspect the existence. In 1588, fifteen people were burned in Bitche for sorcery and contact with the Malignant one and it was not an exceptional year.

Bitche with the XVII ème century

In 1601, to settle disagreements of border, dignitaries of the duchies of Lorraine and Zweibrücken met in the convent of Hornbach. They went to the site to note visu the litigious points, found an agreement and decided that stone-terminals would delimit from now on the two territories.

" In this beginning of the 17th century, the county of Bitche counted 68 localities subdivided in 52 domanial villages, a village of church and 15 localities given in stronghold by Lorraine ". the Pays of Bitche was with an important crossroads road what facilitated the commercial exchanges.

After the problems of border were regulated, an agreement was signed the February 6th 1604 between the houses of Hanau and Lorraine, according to which, all the seigniory of Lemberg (Palatinat) was given in stronghold to Reinhard, wire of Philippe V of Hanau-Lichtenberg. On the other hand, it gave up any claim on the county and the castle of Bitche. This agreement was ratified two years later (February 8th 1606) and this date marks official fastening with the duchy of Lorraine. New stones terminals for marks the borders between the territories were posed and certain are still visible nowadays.

This treaty put an end to long quarrels between the houses of Hanau-Lichtenberg and the Duché of Lorraine and very quickly, the inhabitants of the county lent oath of fidelity to Charles III, duke of Lorraine.

With died of this last, in 1608, the governor of Bitche, Jacques de Raigecourt made sound the bells of all the churches during four weeks with fallen the night and made read masses for the rest of the heart of the late one.

The new Duke, Henri II made a visit with Bitche and modernized the administration and the justice of his territory. He created a tabellionnage and a seal for Bitche. A new court was created to replace the court of the Moyen-âge which sat at Rimling. Civil justice was returned to the Town hall of Schorbach by the Mayor of this assisted village of four aldermen. The lawsuits in sorcery continued and the capital executions bitchoises were made with the place known as Galgenberg , on the left of current the Rosselle .

In 1611, the duke of Lorraine establishes Prévôté with Bitche whose principal task was to return justice, but it also dealt with finances.

The economic life seems to have thrived in this first quarter of the 17th century. There was about thirty water mills in the county of Bitche which belonged to the Duke of Lorraine of course or to the nobility because they brought back money, the population being obliged to grind its grain there. One also exported wood towards the Holland. The barks were transported by floatation along the Horn.

However, the second quarter of this century mainly marked the beginning of a long economic recession due to the passage many of the troops which lived on the country as with epidemics which disorganized the economic life and the famine appeared.

Misfortunes of the XVII ème century

The Wars of religion having taken an international character, the Lorraine in general and the Pays of Bitche in particular saw the passage of soldiers of very diverse nationalities bringing all their batch of misfortunes and miseries.

In 1622, they were initially the Croatian and the Cosaques of the archduke Léopold which plundered the duchy of Zweibrücken then ransacked Bitche and the villages of Rohr and Kaltenhausen. The Abbaye of Sturzelbronn was also devastated.

In consequence of arguments and alliances between the princes, the county of Bitche failed finally Charles IV of Lorraine, a quarrelsome sovereign who, after having fought the Protestants put at the service Ferdinand II against the Swedish, it became thus the enemy of Richelieu. Among its many enemies, it was still necessary to count French. In 1627, an epidemic of plague decimated the population. It is at that time that the monks capuchins settled with Kaltenhausen to look after the patients.

After having undergone the passage of the Croats and Cossacks, the Swedes settled in the country in 1633 and it was put at bag. In certain villages, only two or three people had been able to escape the massacre.

In 1634, Richelieu, to punish Charles IV of Lorraine decided to dispossess it of what still remained to him. The Maréchal of Humières was charged to take the castle of Bitche which went after a 10 day old seat. French settled in the country and misfortunes continuairent. Here what the Receiver of Finances of Bitche wrote: " The prone poor (of Bitche) were ruined seven or eight consecutive years by the troops which passed and passed by again daily in the county. They knew the blackest misery and the most complete destitution. Moreover, the royal army, ordered by the marshal of Humières besieged the castle of Bitche, maltreating, stealing and controlling the prone poor, taking all to them which they needed to live, obliging the majority of them to leave elsewhere to gain their bread " there;. French remained until in 1641, until Charles IV of Lorraine enters again in possession of his grounds. But it was not finished, the Lorraine ones, the Imperial ones and the Swedes took over and they ended up transforming the area into an immense desert. So much so that a " keep poor " had to be created to deal with nourishing the poor ones and preventing them from begging.

Another consequence of these disorders was disappearance many strong castles and villages of the Pays of Bitche. To partire of 1662, Swiss immigrants followed Tyroleans came to settle in the area. Later, towards 1680, from French immigrants originating in Picardy also came to settle here. With these new arrived, the villages of Rohr and Kaltenhausen are very quickly reflected to grow bigger and ended up being touched. The town of Bitche had been born. It was surrounded by ramparts bored by two doors: the Door of Strasbourg and the Door of Sturtzelbronn . The following sovereigns sought with " to francize " the Country of Bitche and, starting from 1672, brought Savoyard immigrants to it. During the winter of 1673 with 1674, Turenne taken its winter quarters in the Palatinat. It visited Bitche and was impressed by the strategic importance of the site. It ends up convincing Louis XIV to strengthen this point. In 1679, the king charged Vauban with this work.

Turenne died in 1675 and starting from this date, the French knew cruel failures vis-a-vis the imperial ones. Louis XIV not having enough soldiers to push back them decided to employ the method of the clean slate so that the enemies cannot nourish themselves on the country. Approximately 400 villages were burnt like Zweibrücken. This policy succeeds with our enemies, but the unhappy inhabitants of the area of Bitche were reduced to take refuge like wild beasts in wood and the mountains.

In 1678, the Traité of Nimègue put an end to the war between the Holland and the France. The Lorraine was restored with the emperor of Germany. Charles V, successor of Charles IV of Lorraine did not accept these terms of the treaty of Nimègue, and at once, the King of France occupied the Pays of Bitche what reinforced its empire on this side.

Vauban thus made strengthen the Schlossberg and it also made surround the town of reinforced ramparts of bastions. This work attracted many workmen. A decree of the Council of State of Louis XIV made it possible our area to live again. Indeed, this decree allowed all the inhabitants of the county and all those which agreed to settle there to clear as many grounds as they could cultivate some with exemption of all taxes during 10 years. In little time, 60 villages created for themselves or took again life.

The vaults of Bitche being soon too small, one started, in 1684 the construction of a first church dedicated to holy Catherine with the site of the current church. A new wave of emigrants took place between 1690 and 1706. Bitche had already a cosmopolitan vocation, however the big number of immigrants created reactions Xénophobe S on behalf of the indigenous S.

The Traité of Ryswick in 1697 stipulated that the Lorraine (thus Bitche) was to be returned to the Duke of Lorraine Léopold Ier. The new fortifications were to be shaven. A regiment of Flanders, before leaving the city undertook this work of the autumn 1697 at the summer 1698.

In 1701, burst the War of succession of Spain. Once again a French garrison occupied Bitche. The soldiers endeavoured at once to rebuild the fortifications built by Vauban and shaven little front time.

A great famine reigned in the area between 1709 and 1714, during which 10 to 12% of the population died of hunger.

In 1710, a permanent mail was founded between Bitche, Phalsbourg and the provost of Bitche, Zollern engaged Dominique Perottey to teach with the child French and German.

In 1727, the duke of Lorraine Léopold Ier obtained great powers the neutrality of the Lorraine.

The reign of Stanislas Leszczinski

In 1735 and 1736 were signed agreements specifying that the Duke of Lorraine François Stephan renonçait with the duchies of Bar and Lorraine to the profit of the king of Poland in exile: Stanislas Leszczyński whose girl had married the king of France Louis XV. The deposed king thus settled with Lunéville and took the title of duke of Lorraine. Louis XV authorized to rebuild the fortified town of Bitche within Vauban. And under the direction of the Marshal of Bournay. When this one died in 1740, it was replaced by a providential man for the town of Bitche: the count Henri François de Bombelles. As of 1741, Bombelles was put at the work and when in 1744 the mercenaries guerroyant for the Austria approached Bitche, it were pushed back. Work of fortification lasted until in 1754.

Although officially the county of Bitche belonged to the duchy of Lorraine, it was under the influence of the France as of this time, moreover, a decree published the September 26th 1748 founded there the French language like official language and this one gradually replaced Latin in the parochial registers. Under the impulse of the count de Bombelles, very important work was completed as well with the castle as with the ramparts of the city which counted four doors then. When he died, in 1760, this manufacturer enlightened was regretted of all and its memory is still long-lived in the population bitchoise.

The fate of the inhabitants did not improve however much and it is at that time that many families emigrated in the Banat and Batschka in Hungary. To died of Stanislas Leszczyński, the February 28th 1766, the duchies of Lorraine and Bar were officially attached to France. Bitche became French. In June 1770, illustrates it writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, coming from Zweibrücken passed by Bitche to go in Alsace and consigned this event in its writings. Little before the French revolution, the November 23rd 1776, a news church Holy-Catherine was inaugurated by the celebration a first mass.

External bonds

history of the Country of Bitche on the site of the Countries of Bitche and the Saar

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