American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-04-25

~IRASSBUhG, from the elloles
times, has revealed n love OF
liberty and independence which,
it must be said, frequently be-
Wildered and ever disconnected dts
would-be oppressor. Through its nu-
merous vicissitudes it has retained a
personality which nothing ever sue
ceeded in destroying. Little is Known
of the city during the Celtic period.
When the Romans invaded Gaul, they
discovered on the banks of the Ill, and
quite neal the Rhine, a small village,
the strategical Importance of which
they Immediately recognized. Perched
on a relatively high hill. Argentotaruln,
as the Romans pamed this hamlet,
dominated the whole of the fertile
plain of Alsace and the river valley.
They therefore fortified 1t and estab-
lished there the general headquarters
of the legionS who were especially
lntrusted with the defense of the pas
sage of the Rhine. For more than
three centuries this region remained
under Roman domination, after which
lapse of time it was conquered by n
powerful Germanic tribe, the Alamans.
For several centuries, Strassburg
was subjected to the continual vicissi-
tudes of warefare, says the Christian
Science Monitor. The Franks sue
ceeded the Alamans and after the bat
tie Of Tolbiac in 49S, S~trassburg and
the greater part of Alsace were Chris
tanned by Clovis.
Under the Merovingian dynasty,
Strassburg was elevated to the dig
nifty of a royal city. The C~arlovingian
monarchs even signed several of their
celebrated charters there. However
the city itself vegetated lack of Sc
, curity hindered its development, and
when, in 925, Alsace was incorporated
In the German empire, S~trassbure
was still a relatively u|nimportan'
town 1t had possessed a bishOpriC
for several centuries, and so long as
its development had remained sta
tionary, had submitted unprotestinglI
to the dominion of the clergy. How
ever, as its developed ant
its industries gradually evolved
S%trassburg rebelled, first timidly, theT
openly and successfully, against thu
clerical yoke.
Building the Great Cathedral.
The real prosperity of Strassburi
dates from the thirteenth century
when it already numbered 10000 in
habitants. The bishops yainly strov
to regain their former supremacy D,
force of arms, but Strassburg dc
Tended itself with much energy an
mt last enjoyed a period of relativ
peace during which all classes live
In harmony.
This period comedies with a grea
development In the fine arts. 1t wa
then that Gotfried of Strassburg, tn
first Alsatian poet of the middle age'
was scribe in his native town, an
Erwin Of Steinbach, artist and arch
tect, undertook to build the cathedrt
on the site of the former basilic;
erected about G70 A. ID. on a spC
where once stood q temple dedicate
to Hercules.
The original plan of Master Erwi
has not been faithfully followed, an
il must be admitted that the edifC
has lost nothing through this. but Ina
rather gained considerably. He In
conceived of n facade two stories
height, dominated by two towers {
equal height. 1t was, however, mar
years later that the cathedral WI
completed, and the two towers wei
welded together at the height Of II
first story, the left tower alone beiT
finished, it's delicate Openwork spire-
a marvel Of sculpture-rising 142 m
tiers above the earth. The threefo
portal, giving access to the thrl
Gothic naves, is decorated by a muli
tude of remarkable sculptures.
The great tower was finished
1889. unde~ the direction Of Jof