View source

<!--  via Wikipedia: Alsace-Moselle
    
      last updated: 2004-04-06T16:59:18Z
      82.68.46.29
      
//-->

The '''Alsace-Moselle''' is the current legal name of the [[Alsace-Lorraine]] territory, the part of [[France]] that was occupied by [[Germany]] from [[1871]] to [[1919]] (and then from [[1940]] to [[1944]]-[[1945]]), consisting in the three ''[[d�partements]]'' of [[Alsace]] ([[Haut-Rhin]], [[Bas-Rhin]]) and of the [[Moselle]]. While an integral part of France, it has for historical reasons different [[custom|customs]] and [[law|laws]] on certain issues, nobably those where France adopted a standard or principle in the period 1871-1919.  The region is also notable for the large number of mother-tongue [[German language]] speakers. 

The most striking of the legal differences is the absence of [[separation of Church and State]] - even though the constitutional right of [[freedom of religion]] is guaranteed. Alsace-Moselle is still under the pre-[[1905]] regime established of the [[Concordat of 1801|Concordat]], which provides for the public subsidy of the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Lutheran Church]], the [[Calvinist Church]] and the [[Jewish]] Religion as well as public education in those religions (parents may refuse religious education for their children). Priests are paid by the state; Catholic bishops are named by the [[President]] on the proposal of the [[Pope]]. The public [[University]] of [[Strasbourg]] has courses in [[theology]].

Those dispositions are unusual in a country where Church and State are strictly separated anywhere else. Controversy erupts periodically on the appropriateness of these and other extraordinary legal dispositions of Alsace-Moselle. Periodically, [[freethinker]] groups contend that this public funding of certain religions should stop. Others argue that, nowadays, the second largest denomination in [[France]] is [[Islam]] and that Islam should thus enjoy comparable status with the four official religions. Despite the controversy, the ''[[status quo]]'' looks like it will persist.

Other legal differences include:
* a different law on [[association|associations]];
* [[personal bankruptcy]];
* a different [[social security]] system.

Another difference is that in [[Alsace-Lorraine]], most [[train|trains]] run on the right of the tracks, as in [[Germany]], whereas the normal rule in [[France]] is on the left.

<!--  NOTE TO EDITORS: 
Per the GNU Free Documentation License, please include the live link below to the adapted Wikipedia article:
//-->

====References====
* Adapted from the [[Wikipedia]] article, "Alsace-Moselle" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alsace-Moselle, used under the [[GNU Free Documentation License]]