Hirtzfelden

Hirtzfelden, whose name appears around 735 as Hiruzfeld, originates from two words: *Hirsch* (deer) and *Feld* (field). Excavations in the Rothlaible forest revealed burial mounds indicating a Roman presence, possibly linked to a crossing between the Roman road Burnhaupt-Brisach and a Celtic path connecting Basel to Eguisheim.

In the 8th century, the village was given to the Murbach Abbey. Later, it came under Habsburg rule and was part of the Landser lordship, with Ottmarsheim as its capital. Occupied by the people of Basel in 1446 and then by the Lucerne forces in 1468, Hirtzfelden belonged to the Ensisheim bailiwick in the 18th century.

The region was once inhabited by shepherds (*Hirtza*) from the south, who gathered annually in a chapel now incorporated beneath the bell tower of the current church. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, the inhabitants mainly lived from livestock farming and agriculture. Notable families included the Jecker family, originally from Switzerland, who settled here in 1645.

The village houses several remarkable monuments: the Saint-Laurent church, whose construction spans from the 13th to the 18th century with a Romanesque bell tower; the town hall displaying optical instruments made by F.A. Jecker in the 18th century; a well dated 1739; as well as a botanical trail and a discovery circuit dedicated to the Marten.