Altwiller


Altwiller is a French commune in the Bas-Rhin department in the Grand Est region of northeastern France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Altwillerois or Altwilleroises

Geography

Altwiller is located some 20 km south of Sarreguemines on the German border and some 50 km north-east of Nancy. The commune is accessed by the D23 road running east from Vibersviller to the village then continuing east to Harskirchen. The D153 road also runs through the southern portion of the commune as it runs from the D39 road in the south-west north-east to Harskirchen. The western and northern borders of the commune are also the borders between the Bas-Rhin and Moselle departments. As well as Altwiller village there is also the hamlet of Chateau Bonnefontaine in the south of the commune.
The Canal des Houllietes de la Satre passes along the southern border of the commune. The Rose stream passes near the village flowing west from Moselle to the Albe river partly forming the northern border of the commune. The northern part of the commune is farmland while the southern part is mainly forested.

Neighbouring communes and villages

History

Fragments of vases and other Gallo-Roman pieces have been found at Bonnefontaine. The site is located on the salt route. In addition to the two annexes of Neuweyershof and the Bonnefontaine domain the village had in its vicinity a hamlet called Honkesen-Huntzen which has now disappeared.
Altwiller was deserted in the 15th century and rebuilt a little later in 1559 mainly by Huguenots from Lorraine. It was partially destroyed again in 1635 by the Croatians then became the property of Sarrewerden then of Nassau-Saarbrücken with the capital of the Bailiwick of Harskirchen. The village returned to France in 1793.

Heraldry

Administration

List of Successive Mayors of Altwiller
FromToNamePartyPosition
19892001Arthur ScwartzBrigadier-General, Legion of Honour, Commander of National Order of Merit
20012008Gilbert Schmidt
20082014Alain Lieb
20142020Aimé Schreiner

Demography

In 2009, the commune had 422 inhabitants. The evolution of the number of inhabitants is known through the population censuses conducted in the town since 1793. From the 21st century, a census of municipalities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants is held every five years, unlike larger towns that have a sample survey every year.

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has many buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:
The commune has several religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments: