Biffontaine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 48°12′43″N 6°48′18″E / 48.21194, 6.805

Commune of Biffontaine

Location
Biffontaine (France)
Biffontaine
Administration
Country France
Region Lorraine
Department Vosges
Arrondissement Saint-Dié-des-Vosges
Canton Brouvelieures
Intercommunality Communauté de communes du Val de Neuné
Mayor Denis Henry
Statistics
Elevation 456 m–660 m
(avg. 465 m)
Land area¹ 8,88 km²
Population²
(1999)
399
 - Density 44,93/km²
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code 88059/ 88430
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.
France

Biffontaine is a village in the valley of the River Neuné, near Bruyères, in France. It is the centre of a commune in the Vosges département. It has never had more than a few hundred inhabitants, and is centred around the church of Saint-Antoine.

[edit] History

In the Second World War, it was liberated from German occupation by soldiers from the Japanese-American soldiers of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in late October 1944, who defended then it from fierce counterattacks. It is perhaps best known as being near the location of the rescue of the "Lost Battalion" of soldiers from 1st Battalion, 141st Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, who had been surrounded by German but were rescued by the 442nd.

The church of Saint-Antoine in Biffontaine.
The church of Saint-Antoine in Biffontaine.

Coordinates: 48°13′N, 6°48′E