Saverne

Sister cities

• Mława
• Donaueschingen

History

Saverne (: Caesar's three taverns, so called because in the older days there were three inns on the way to the Lorraine plateau where they would change oxen due to the steep incline) was an important place in the time of the Roman Empire, and, after being destroyed by the Alemanni, was rebuilt by the emperor Julian. With the settlement of the Alemanni, the town became part of the Germanosphere. After 870 AD the town belonged to East Francia, which turned into the Holy Roman Empire. During the German Peasants' War the town was occupied, in 1525, by the insurgents, who were driven out in their turn by Duke Anton of Lorraine. It suffered much from the ravages of the Thirty Years' War, but the episcopal palace, then destroyed, was subsequently rebuilt. After 1680 the town was annexed by the French. The episcopal palace was in 1852 converted by Louis Napoleon into a place of residence for widows of knights of the Legion of Honour. Saverne was conquered by Imperial Germany after the Franco-Prussian War. It was returned to French control after World War I. In 1913, the city was the theater of the infamous "Saverne Affair". This event gave rise to the term Zabernism (from the German name of the town), meaning abuse of military authority, or unwarranted aggression.

Geography

Saverne lies on the river Zorn, at the foot of the Vosges Mountains. It is crossed by the Marne–Rhine Canal and the Paris–Strasbourg railway. The A4 autoroute (Paris–Strasbourg) passes a few kilometers north of the town. Saverne station has rail connections to Paris, Strasbourg, Metz, Nancy and several regional destinations.