Oh No! The French Have Taken the Statue of Liberty Back!

We were so lucky to be able to take a cruise on the Rhine River from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. On the second day, we docked in Breisach, Germany. In the morning, we did a walking tour of that lovely village. In the afternoon, we did a bus tour to Colmar, France. We crossed the Rhine by bus - less than a kilometer’s distance - and had thus crossed from Germany into France.

The Alsace region has been fought over by Germany and France over the centuries and has changed nationality several times. Its culture is an interesting blend of the two ethnic groups. About 20% of the population speak the Alsatian dialect. Our local guide, who seemed to be in her 50’s, told us that this dialect can only be taught in the home. It has no written language and she is probably in the last generation to speak it. This would be tragic because when a language – or dialect – dies, some of the culture dies with it.

Our first stop in Colmar was the Statue of Liberty. What first came to my mind was that the French had taken it back, deciding that we no longer deserved to keep it. While current American immigration policy makes this true, we were only viewing a replica. It was put there by the village of Colmar in honor of their native son, Frederic Auguste Bartholdi who was born in Colmar on April 2, 1834 and designed the statue that up until now has been a symbol of America’s welcoming of immigrants from throughout the world. It was a poignant moment for me to see that symbol of freedom and know that it no longer expressed the values that made America truly exceptional.

replica of the Statue of Liberty at the entrance of Colmar

Next, we went into the center of Colmar. It was founded in the ninth century and much of its style has been retained. Its dramatic pitched roofs, pastel stucco and distinct French shutters with geraniums in all the window boxes make it a unique place to visit. Its Little Venice is something special to see.

good example of Colmar building

a street in Colmar

a typical sign

in Little Venice

I would have loved to stay longer and visit Colmar’s museums and other points of interest, but it was onward to a wine tasting. Colmar is in the center of the Alsatian wine region. The area has a special micro-climate perfect for growing grapes. The area is noted for its Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and several others. I’m no connoisseur of wine so they all tasted good to me. To go with it, this family winery served a kuglehopf, a cake typical of Alsace that went very well with the wine. Our guide told us that she has no time to cook Alsatian dishes and only eats them at her mother’s house. I told her to learn these recipes before it’s too late. When a culture loses its language and cuisine, what else is left?

the winery

Having these regional cultures enriches a nation and it would be tragic to lose it.

After Colmar, we spent the next day in Strasbourg about 70 miles away. Besides being a government center for the EU, it is also a center of Alsation culture. It’s an area well worth visiting. I feel so fortunate to have been there.