Passing on to consider Alsace-Lorraine, Dr. Dernburg declares that "it
had belonged to Germany until it was taken, against the will of the
people, under Louis XIV."
In this statement, as in the treatment of the previous question, facts
are mutilated and wrong impressions are given. Alsace, it is well known,
was included within the confines of ancient Gaul, its original
population was Celtic, and it passed, late in the fifth Christian
century, under the rule of the Franks, one of whose chieftains, Clovis,
became the founder of the first French monarchy. In dealing with its
later history Dr. Dernburg confuses the Holy Roman (Germanic) Empire
with Germany, considered in its modern sense. He appears to forget that
the reign of Louis XIV. was an age of absolutism and not of plebiscites.
He also ignores that the most strenuous efforts on the part of Germany
to strangle the French nationality and language in the imperial
territory (Alsace-Lorraine) have proved useless, although they have been
exerted constantly for almost a half century.
IRENE SARGENT.
Professor of the History of Fine Arts.
Syracuse University, Nov.
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