Hohrod - Hohrodberg

Perched on 549 hectares, Hohrod is a small Alsatian village of 349 inhabitants whose history dates back to 1244, originally named "Hohenroth," referring to a cleared mountain. Its annex, Hohrodberg, located at an average altitude of 800 meters, is nicknamed the "balcony of the valley" for its breathtaking views of the surroundings. The village was heavily affected during World War I, notably during the Battle of Linge-Schratzmaennele-Baerenkopf, which partly took place on its territory from July 20 to October 15, 1915, causing the death of 17,000 French chasseurs. The battlefield, nicknamed the "Tomb of the Chasseurs," now houses the Linge Memorial Museum, open from April to November. This site recounts the battles through a restored area where every detail recalls the sacrifice of French and German soldiers. Nearby, the German military cemetery at Collet du Linge, currently being classified, also bears witness to this dark period. The White Cross commemorates the crash of an Anglo-Canadian Lancaster bomber on January 7, 1945, whose victims rest at the Munster military cemetery. The pink sandstone quarries of Schratzmaennele, exploited in the 19th century to build the Protestant temple of Munster, still bear the marks of the 1915 battles, with bullet impacts visible on their walls. According to legend, a nearby hill is inhabited by a goblin, which gave it its name. Several tourist routes allow visitors to discover these historically rich sites, such as those of Rosskopf, Katzenstein, or Barrenkopf, with departures from Hohrod or its annex. A discovery guidebook, available at the town hall or Tourist Office, offers detailed maps to explore these landscapes and their heritage.