Gunsbach

Gunsbach, a small Alsatian village with 920 inhabitants according to INSEE in 2006, covers 618 hectares. Its history dates back to 1278, but the origin of its name remains uncertain: does it refer to a marshy stream or to one belonging to a certain Guno? In the 13th century, the village was under the castle of Pflixbourg before being pledged to Conrad Werner of Hattstatt in 1285. It then came under the authority of the Ribeaupierre family in 1434 until the French Revolution in 1789. Gunsbach owes its worldwide fame to Albert Schweitzer, pastor, theologian, organist, musicologist, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 1952. His parents settled there when he was only six months old, and he left the village in 1913 to found the hospital of Lambaréné in Gabon. The house where he lived, purchased by the International Albert Schweitzer Association, attracts more than 10,000 visitors annually from about fifty countries. Although Albert Schweitzer is buried in Gabon alongside his wife Hélène, several members of his family are buried in the local cemetery, including his father Louis, his mother Adèle, and his brother Paul.

Among the sites to discover, the simultaneous church, used by both Catholics and Protestants since 1751, stands out with its organ renovated according to Albert Schweitzer's plans. The town hall, dating from 1570, displays the communal coat of arms, while a house with a turret at 1 rue de Munster dates back to 1599. The former Protestant presbytery at 3 rue Albert Schweitzer was the Schweitzer family residence until 1925. Albert Schweitzer's house, built thanks to the Goethe Prize, is now a museum open to the public with varying hours depending on the season.

The African museum, located on the first floor of the town hall, exhibits a collection of African objects and utensils gathered by Emma Haussknecht, Schweitzer's collaborator. A monument and a trail dedicated to his thought, as well as a 4 km water walk, complete the village's tourist offerings.