What about a short trip to…

…France ?

France

27 regions 101 departments (96 metropolitan and 5 overseas)

My birthplace

Region: AlsaceDepartment: Haut-RhinCity: Mulhouse

A legendary fundation…

...maybe in 58 before Christ when Julius Caesar came through Alsace to cross the Rhine, ...maybe in 451 after Christ when Attila came to the region, a young and wounded soldier had been found close to a water mill. The miller’s daughter took care of him and what should happen happened... they got married. In between, some other nice and beautiful soldiers came by and married the nice ladies from the region. They all settled around the mill... Mulhouse has been founded.

Once upon a time...

But... why «Mulhouse» you may ask... Good question... If you can speak some German, you might know that the word for «mill» is «Mühle» and that the word for «houses» is «Hausen»... and then, «Mülhausen» which is still the german name of the city gave «Mulhouse» in French!

Now, you also understand why the blazon is a wheel mill...

And a true story…

until 1347: Mülhausen is a city state1347-1798: Mülhausen becomes a Republic1798-1870: Mülhausen becomes part of the Republic of France1870-1918: Mülhausen is part of Germany1918-1940: Mulhouse is French1940-1944: Mulhouse becomes Mülhausen once again and is annexed to the 3rd Reich1944-2011: Mülhausen is Mulhouse and French until proven otherwise

An incredible history...

Now... I’m sure you understand why in Alsace people don’t only speak French... but also a germanic dialect called «alsacian»…

A famous alsacian song : D'r Hans im Schnokeloch

“John from a mosquitoes’ backwater has everything he wants, but what he has, he doesn’t want and what he wants he doesn’t have. ..”

When gossiping deserves a «Klapperstein»...

From 1347 until 1798, the slanderous and gossiping people were condemned to wear the Klapperstein which was a stone of 12 kilograms. People were then forced to wear it under their neck while sitting on a donkey and paraded all over the city.

The European capital of technical museums (railway museum, energy museum, textil museum, automobile museum)

The French Manchester (it was a big industrial city with DMC, the railway company and the engineering industry for example)

The city of a hundred chimneys (like Prague is the city of a hundred steeples) because of the numerous chimneys in red bricks you could see in the city

Mulhouse...and its legendary periphrasis

Ladies and gentlemen...thanks for travelling to Alsaceand... see you another time!