Bitche
Bitche (/biːtʃ/ BEECH, French: [bitʃ]; German and Lorraine Franconian: Bitsch) is a commune in the Moselle department, administrative region of Grand Est, northeastern France. It is the Pays de Bitche's capital city and the seat of the Canton of Bitche and the communauté de communes du Pays de Bitche.
Bitche | |
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From top left: Citadel; Porte de Strasbourg and Sainte-Catherine Church; Saint-Augustin Chapel; Jardins pour la paix; Citadel's Chapel; Jardins pour la paix with the Sainte-Catherine Church in the background; Citadel viewed from the side; The Hasselfurt pond; Skyline from the citadel | |
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Coat of arms | |
Location of Bitche | |
Bitche Bitche | |
| Coordinates: 49°03′09″N 07°25′48″E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Grand Est |
| Department | Moselle |
| Arrondissement | Sarreguemines |
| Canton | Bitche |
| Intercommunality | CC du Pays de Bitche |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Benoît Kieffer |
| Area 1 | 41.13 km2 (15.88 sq mi) |
| Population (2021) | 4,958 |
| • Density | 120/km2 (310/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 57089 /57230 |
| Elevation | 249–432 m (817–1,417 ft) (avg. 290 m or 950 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
The town belongs to the Northern Vosges Regional Nature Park and is rated 4-flowers at the towns and villages in bloom competition. The town's population at the 2013 census was 5,225. The inhabitants of the commune are known as Bitchois and Bitchoises.
The town is known for its large citadel originating from a castle built at the beginning of the 13th century. The fortress is noted for its resistance during the Franco-Prussian War. Louis-Casimir Teyssier, its commander and chief, held the place for about eight months with 3,000 men against about 20,000 Prussian and Bavarian soldiers until the French government ordered him to surrender after the ceasefire in 1871. The town became part of Germany after that date until the end of the First World War, when it was given back to France. During the Second World War it was annexed by the Third German Reich (1940–1944).