Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin (; Alsatian: ''Unterelsàss'', ' or '; traditional german: links=no, Niederrhein; en, Lower Rhine) is a department in Alsace which is a part of the Grand Est super-region of France. The name means 'Lower Rhine', referring to its lo ...
Grand Est
Grand Est (; gsw-FR, Grossa Oschta; Moselle Franconian/ lb, Grouss Osten;
Rhine Franconian: ''Groß Oschte''; german: Großer Osten ; en, "Great East") is an administrative region in Northeastern France. It superseded three former administr ...
in north-eastern
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
.
Niederbronn-les-Bains is part of the
Northern Vosges Regional Natural Park
The Northern Vosges Regional Natural Park (French: ''Parc naturel régional des Vosges du Nord'') is a protected area of woodland, wetland, farmland and historical sites in the region Grand Est in northeastern France. The area was officially ...
. It has a tradition as a spa town, and continues to attract tourists and other visitors needing to recuperate.
History
Niederbronn-les-Bains was founded in 48 BC when the Romans discovered the healing properties of the local water. The earliest bathing place was in or near the location now occupied by the town's casino. During the fifth century the little town fell victim to the violence that accompanied the period of intense migrations that followed the disappearance from the western empire of Roman governance.
Economy and tourism
The commune incorporates two mineral water springs, one of them, first exploited more than two thousand years ago, known as the ''Roman Spring'' and the other known as the ''Celtic Spring'': '' Celtic Spring'' branded water is widely available in the area. The waters' curative properties are recommended against rheumatism and degenerative illnesses. The spa tradition today supports a more general tourist industry in the little town, which even boasts its own casino.
The little town also contains an archaeological museum containing remnants of North Vosgean settlements.
The strategic importance, during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, of the Wissembourg Gap is reflected in the approximately 15,403 buried in the war cemetery. More than 95% of these were German soldiers, but other nations and civilians are also represented here.
A meeting place called the ''Albert Schweitzer Centre'' was set up in 1993 to foster contacts between French and German young people.
Other nearby attractions in the area include the ruined
Wasenbourg
Wasenbourg (german: Wasenburg), located 400 metres in height on the northwest hillside of Reisberg, is a ruined castle in the North Vosges. It is a recognized historical monument since 1898. Château fort, Château Wasenbourg Although its origins a ...
and the look-out tower on the
Grand Wintersberg
At , the Grand Wintersberg (german: Großer Wintersberg) is the highest hill in the North Vosges in Alsace, France.
The Grand Wintersberg lies about four kilometres northwest of Niederbronn-les-Bains. The massif separates the valleys of the F ...
, some four kilometers to the north.
Notable residents
* Suzanne de Dietrich, the Protestant theologian, was born in Niederbronn-les-Bains in 1881 (when the entire area was part of
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
).
* Élisabeth Eppinger, the Catholic founder of the Sisters of the Divine Redeemer, was born in Niederbronn-les-Bains in 1814.