Memorial of the Battle of 1870

On August 6, 1870, at the start of the Franco-Prussian War, the Battle of Woerth-Froeschwiller took place, known in France as the Battle of Reichshoffen. This clash pitted the French army against the German coalition forces.

It is especially remembered for the heroic but deadly charges of the French heavy cavalry, the cuirassiers.

Despite their bravery, the French troops suffered a crushing defeat, allowing the Germans to open the route through the Vosges and then toward Paris.

This battle had major territorial consequences: it marked the annexation of Alsace and Lorraine to Germany for a period of 48 years.