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There is some dispute over whether the country of origin of my Witz ancestors (Frederick & Mary M.) is France or Germany. A quick look at this map should indicate, in part, the nature of the dispute. In several US Censuses, my Witz ancestors list their birthplace as "Baden", "Strasbourg", "France", "Germany", "Alsace", etc. I was told by my father, that his paternal ancestors were from "Alsace-Lorraine" in France. It is easy to understand why my all-American dad claimed French rather than German ancestry, because he grew up during WWI and was newly married during WWII!! The map above shows the results of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. The Alsace-Lorraine region (adjacent to Baden-Wurttemberg) was annexed by Germany and became part of the German Empire. Alsace was returned to the French after WWI, retaken by Hilter in WWII, and then returned to France after Germany's defeat by the allied forces. Although Alsace Province (w/Strasbourg) is now part of France, it still retains many cities with German names.
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