The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-09-28
Germans Celebrate 45th Years of Occupation
 Of Strassburg

The Germans in Alsace will cele- brate today the -ferty-6th anniversary of the capture o1 Stras5burg, the Asa tian capital, which surrendered to the Teuton forces. on Sept 28, 1870, after one of the most heroic defenses Tn Khe Franco-German war. While the Germans have transformed Strass- burg into a typically Teutonic town, so far as outward appearances are concerned, they have found 45 years ago all too short to a period in Wh1ch to win the loyalty of majority of the people. Of the nearly 200, 900 inhab- itants of Strassburg,. it is probable that considerably less than half are in complete sympathy with the Kaiser in the present war. A majority or the people would doubtless give an enthusiastic welcome to- the French troops should they succeed in p1efc- ing the ring of 15 detached forts which protect the Alsatian strong hold. In the meantime, however Strassburg remains comparatively calm and peaceful, and, if the many of the inhabitants are at heart in sympathy with the French cause, they are careful to refrain from open ex- pressi on of their views In city pow fairly swarming with the helmeted soldiers of the Kaiser, any other course would not be hea1thful.
 Strasburg, as the French spelled it. became German Strassburg, and the seat of: government for the Ger man crownland of Elass-Lothringe as 9, result of Louis Napoleon's max am bition. It was in the Alsatian city that he made his first and ineffectual attempt to grasp that power which he later gained. When MacMahon' S
 army in A1saee was routed early in August, 1870, and the French offens- i've was for the time paralyzed, a large German army crossed the Rhine ! FTTI- began on August IS, and the Germans expected to make their trium phant
 entrance into the city with a few days.
 The French garrisons s supply of pro visions and ammunition was made
 quate for an extended defense. Al though the fortress of Strassburg was
 strong, it. was based on Notifications
 dating from the seventeenth century
 and was in many ways antiquated. General Ulrich, the French com
 mander,l was not one to give in with
 out struggle and he held fast
 ment, which began on August IS and
 continued almost without ihternis-
 sion for S1O days The old cathedral
 of StrassbuEg, a part of which dates from 1915, was seriously damaged,
 and the parts of the city in the vi
 cinity of the Steintor and Weissturm-
 tor were almost destroyed. The bonn bardment had little effect on the for
 tifications,s however, and the Germans
 were forced to settle down to a siege
 and to rely upon starvation as their
 principal weapon. After terrible suf-
 fering, the heroic Ulrich and his men
 had to give in, and, haggard and
 ennaciatedi from hunger, the 500
 French officers and 17,111 men laid down their arms. The Germans, com
 manded by General von Werder, did
 not imm ediately enter the city, but
 waited until the last day of Septem-
 Der, in order that their entrance might be upon the anniversary of the
 surrender of Strassburg to the
 French, which occurred on Sept. 30, 1681s
 The defense of Strassburg was one of the very few creditable feats per
 formed by the French in the Franco
 German war. and General U1rieh
 was rewarded with the grand cross
 of the Legion of Honor. Strassburg
 occupies the site of the Roman town ] Argentoratum. It was captured by l the Germans in S7o, and held by them
 until 1881. when Louis XIV. seized it
 by a surprise attack. The citadel and 1 Notifications were long considered Ithe strongest in Europe.