Herrlisheim

Herrlisheim
Harelse

Coat of arms
Herrlisheim

Coordinates: 48°43′52″N 7°54′29″E / 48.7311°N 7.9081°ECoordinates: 48°43′52″N 7°54′29″E / 48.7311°N 7.9081°E
Country France
Region Alsace
Department Bas-Rhin
Arrondissement Haguenau
Canton Bischwiller
Government
 • Mayor (2001–2008) Louis Becker
Area1 14.38 km2 (5.55 sq mi)
Population (2006)2 4,542
 • Density 320/km2 (820/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 67194 / 67850
Elevation 120–131 m (394–430 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Herrlisheim is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.

Geography

Herrlisheim is positioned on the rich alluvial farmland to the west of the River Rhine, north of Strasbourg. The town is part of the canton of Bischwiller and the district of Haguenau and is located on the road from Strasbourg to Lauterbourg along the A35 motorway .

Herrlisheim is bordered by the towns of Rohrwiller to the northwest, Drusenheim to the northeast, Gambsheim to the southwest and Offendorf to the southeast. The area is crossed by the Zorn, Moder and Kleinebach Rivers.

Economy

The local economy is based on agriculture. The village promotes itself as the local potato capital, and a Potato Festival is organised annually.

History

Jewish community

There was a Jewish community in Herrlisheim throughout the eighteenth century: this by 1780 comprised fifteen recorded Jewish families. Probably the first synagogue n the village dated from 1805, but this was rebuilt in 1850. In 1936 there were around 80 Jewish inhabitants, but in 1940 any that remained were deported to the south of France and at least eleven of these were murdered. The synagogue and some adjacent buildings were destroyed by a bombardment in the same year. The synagogue was again rebuilt in the 1950s, but after the war there were never more than a handful of Jews in the village and the synagogue was closed in 1969: it has been left in position, however, for its historical resonances.

World War II

Herrlisheim was the scene of intense fighting in January 1945 between the 553 Volksgrenadier Division, 10th SS Division and elements of the 12th US Armored Division. The fighting began as part of Operation Nordwind; which was the last offensive by German troops on the Western front in the war and was focused on the recapture of Strasbourg. The 553rd Volsgrenadier crossed the Rhine River and established a bridgehead around Gambsheim on January 5th. Three days later, the 12th US Armored Division started to attempt the reduction of the Bridgehead and attacked Herrlisheim directly on January 16th.

In the second day of fighting, elements of 10th SS Panzer joined in the defence and inflicted very heavy casualties; wiping out two battalions of American troops. The next day as 10th SS Panzer attempted to exploit its victory to the west of the town, it was their turn to take heavy losses as the US forces slowly retired. The badly battered town was finally liberated on January 31st as the Germans retired after the overall failure of their offensive.

See also

References

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