What is the dispute over Alsace Lorraine?

[Albion]

Okay, excuse my ignorance but I don't know much about it.

I understand it was a disputed area between France and Germany and that Germany took it back and the France did for the last time after WWII.

Is the area ethnically French or German or a bit of both - a blurred division between French and German settlements?

I've also heard a theory before which suggests the area spoke Celtic right up until the 6th century (although I find this dubious).

Please enlighten me, what are the things I need to know?

[morski]

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[AntonyCapolongo]

Majority of the Alsatians and the Mosellans are Germanic : theirs originals languages are Germanics (Alsatian or Francique) ; 60% of the Alsatians can speak a Germanic language, and lot of them should may be also speak German.

Racially, they come from lot of differents peoples, essentially Gaulish and Franks, but also maybe with Roman influences. Jews and Gypsies have take place in Alsace since lot of century, Alsace is the French region where there's the most of Jews, and Alsatian language have a lot of Yiddish and Rromani words.

[Unurautare]

and Alsatian language have a lot of Yiddish and Rromani words.

Gypsy-Jews. Why the heck would Germans want it back?!

[AntonyCapolongo]

Gypsy-Jews. Why the heck would Germans want it back?!

I don't really think that they are mixed with Gypsies and Jewish, but they've take a lot of words of them.

Germany just wanted Alsace and Moselle, because they're part of Germanic world, German language, Germanic identity and German history. It's like South Tyrol for Austria, Istria for Italy, Roussillon for Catalonia, etc.

Now, I don't really think that there's a lot of people who want to see an Germanic Alsace. Majority of the Alsatians that i've seen in my life are anti-germanist, and I've never see German Nationalists who claim that Alsace is Germany.

But it's sure that Alsatians ARE Germans. Frenchies generally claim that they aren't, but they call them as "boches" (pejorative for "german").

[Ouistreham]

Alsatian language have a lot of Yiddish and Rromani words.

Bullshit.

Yiddisch is based on urban Middle-High-German tongues, and is therefore largely mutually intelligible with first of all the dialects of Frankfort and Worms, and to some extent with Alsatian, that's all.

German slangs were very much influenced by criminal jargons which indeed contain lots of words of Gypsy and Hebraic words (just like the French argots BTW), Alsatian is no exception.

But it's sure that Alsatians ARE Germans. Frenchies generally claim that they aren't, but they call them as "boches".

Superior horseshit!
We never do and never did.

[AntonyCapolongo]

Bullshit.

Yiddisch is based on urban Middle-High-German tongues, and is therefore largely mutually intelligible with first of all the dialects of Frankfort and Worms, and to some extent with Alsatian, that's all.

German slangs were very much influenced by criminal jargons which indeed contain lots of words of Gypsy and Hebraic words (just like the French argots BTW), Alsatian is no exception.

Superior horseshit!
We never do and never did.

Ah, je me sentais mal de pas te voir intervenir, hehe. Pas la peine de parler de la merde des taureaux et des chevaux.

Yiddish is a mix of Germanic dialect, Slavic languages and Hebrew.
A lot of Yiddish-speaker Jews live in Alsace, so, Alsatians have take some words/way of speaking of theses Jews.

Et à propos de la merde de cheval, ne joue pas le faux-culs. Jamais tu n'as entendu de Latinisants de France dire que les Alsaciens sont des boches? Une femme dans ma famille s'est mariée à un Mosellan/Alsacien, et tout le monde à toujours dit que c'était un boche, surtout en periode de guerre. Et moi j'ai toujours entendu les Alsaciens se faire traiter de boches, presque partout et par tout le monde.

[Wolf]

Is the area ethnically French or German or a bit of both - a blurred division between French and German settlements?

Take a look at the place names.

Please enlighten me, what are the things I need to know?

[Albion]

Take a look at the place names.

Why did France think it had a claim to it then? Was it just French expansionism, or did they want control of part of the Rhine?

[Geminus]

Why did France think it had a claim to it then? Was it just French expansionism, or did they want control of part of the Rhine?

Both of it. France always wanted the Rhine as their Eastern border. It could be clearly seen under Napoleon, where all areas in the west of the Rhine were annexed by France.