# Malmerspach

> commune in Haut-Rhin, France

**Wikidata**: [Q123667](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123667)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malmerspach)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/malmerspach

## Summary
Malmerspach is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department of France, located in the Alsace region. It is a small rural municipality with historical ties to both French and Germanic cultural influences. The commune is part of the administrative and geographic structure of modern France, specifically within the arrondissement of Thann-Guebwiller.

## Key Facts
- **Country**: France
- **Region**: Grand Est
- **Department**: Haut-Rhin
- **Arrondissement**: Thann-Guebwiller (current), formerly Thann
- **Canton**: Saint-Amarin (until March 2015)
- **Population (approximate, recent)**: 518 (as of latest data)
- **Geographic Coordinates**: Latitude: 47.863888888889, Longitude: 7.0344444444444
- **Image Source**: [Wikimedia Commons - Malmerspach, Mairie](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMalmerspach%2C_Mairie.jpg)
- **Image License**: Public domain
- **Image Artist**: Rauenstein
- **Wikipedia Title**: Malmerspach
- **Wikidata Description**: commune in Haut-Rhin, France
- **Sitelink Count**: 41

## FAQs

**What is Malmerspach?**  
Malmerspach is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in the Grand Est region of northeastern France. It is a small municipality with a rural character and historical significance in the Alsace area.

**Where is Malmerspach located?**  
Malmerspach is located in the Haut-Rhin department, within the arrondissement of Thann-Guebwiller. Its geographic coordinates are approximately 47.863888888889° N and 7.0344444444444° E.

**What is the population of Malmerspach?**  
The population of Malmerspach has been recorded between 475 and 518 over recent years, with the most recent estimate at approximately 518 residents.

**What administrative region is Malmerspach part of?**  
Malmerspach is part of the European Collectivity of Alsace, specifically within the Haut-Rhin administrative district. It was formerly part of the canton of Saint-Amarin until March 2015.

**What is the significance of Malmerspach in French administrative structure?**  
As a commune, Malmerspach represents the smallest administrative division in France. It is part of the decentralized governance system under the French Republic, contributing to local governance and community identity.

## Why It Matters
Malmerspach represents the decentralized and historically rich fabric of French local governance. As a commune, it plays a role in preserving regional identity, particularly in Alsace, a historically contested and culturally diverse region. Its small size and rural character reflect the broader mosaic of French communal life, where local governance and traditions remain vital to national cohesion.

## Notable For
- Being a commune in the historically and culturally significant Alsace region
- Its inclusion in the administrative reforms affecting cantons in France (Saint-Amarin until 2015)
- Its representation of rural French communal life with a population under 600
- Its geographic and historical ties to both French and Germanic influences
- Its location within the Haut-Rhin department, a key area in the Alsace-Lorraine historical borderlands

## Body

### Geography and Location
Malmerspach is located in the Haut-Rhin department, part of the Grand Est region of France. This region, formerly known as Alsace, has a complex history of cultural and political shifts, particularly during the periods of German and French control in the 19th and 20th centuries. The commune is situated within the arrondissement of Thann-Guebwiller, which was reorganized in 2015. Prior to this, it belonged to the arrondissement of Thann.

Its geographic coordinates are approximately:
- **Latitude**: 47.863888888889
- **Longitude**: 7.0344444444444

This places Malmerspach in the southern part of Alsace, near the border with Switzerland. The area is characterized by rural landscapes and small settlements typical of the Haut-Rhin department.

### Administrative Context
Malmerspach is a commune, the smallest administrative unit in France, governed by a mayor and municipal council. It is part of the decentralized structure of French governance, which includes departments, regions, and communes. The commune was historically part of the canton of Saint-Amarin until March 2015, when French cantonal boundaries were restructured.

The current administrative hierarchy includes:
- **Country**: France
- **Region**: Grand Est
- **Department**: Haut-Rhin
- **Arrondissement**: Thann-Guebwiller (reorganized from Thann in 2015)
- **Commune**: Malmerspach

### Demographics and Population
Malmerspach has a small population, with recent figures indicating around 518 residents. Population data from prior years shows a gradual decline:
- 518, 515, 511, 504, 503, 502, 501, 492, 484, 475

This demographic profile is typical of rural French communes, where populations are often stable but small, and sometimes in decline due to urban migration.

### Cultural and Historical Significance
Alsace, the broader region of Malmerspach, has a unique cultural identity shaped by both French and German influences. This duality is evident in local architecture, language, and traditions. Malmerspach, like many Alsatian communes, reflects this blend, contributing to the cultural richness of the region.

### Governance and Local Identity
As a commune, Malmerspach is part of France’s system of local governance, which emphasizes municipal autonomy within national frameworks. Local governance includes:
- Municipal council
- Mayor (maire)
- Local festivals and communal events that reflect regional identity

The commune’s identity is also tied to its rural character, with agriculture and small-scale local businesses playing a role in community life.

### Image and Representation
Malmerspach is visually represented through its town hall (mairie), captured in a public domain image by Rauenstein. This image, available on Wikimedia Commons, is used to illustrate the commune in various digital contexts and reflects its modest but historic character.

### Related Entities and Context
- **Haut-Rhin**: The department in which Malmerspach resides, established in 1790.
- **Alsace**: A historical region with a complex political past, now part of the Grand Est administrative region.
- **Upper Alsace (Elsass-Lothringen)**: A historical district during the German Empire (1871–1918), reflecting the region’s shifting sovereignty.
- **Arrondissement of Thann-Guebwiller**: The current administrative district, formed in 2015.
- **Arrondissement of Thann**: The previous administrative district before 2015.
- **Canton of Saint-Amarin**: The former canton to which Malmerspach belonged until administrative reforms.

These connections situate Malmerspach within the broader narrative of French administrative evolution and regional identity.

## References

1. CD Atlas of France
2. BnF authorities
3. dataset of postal codes in France. 2018
4. INSEE code
5. [Source](https://lingualibre.org/wiki/Q780907)
6. répertoire géographique des communes
7. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
8. Annuaire de service-public.fr
9. Recensement de la population 2015. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 2017
10. Populations légales 2016
11. Populations légales 2017
12. Populations légales 2018
13. Populations légales 2019
14. Populations légales 2020
15. Populations légales 2021
16. Populations de référence 2022
17. Populations de référence 2023
18. OpenCorporates
19. [Code officiel géographique](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/3363419)
20. National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
21. GeoNames
22. [répertoire géographique des communes. 2015](https://wxs-telechargement.ign.fr/83edtfdyqte031y0ra49d2e3/telechargement/inspire/RGC-2015-01$RGC2015/file/RGC2015.7z)
23. [2016](https://data.geopf.fr/telechargement/download/GEOFLA/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28/GEOFLA_2-2_COMMUNE_SHP_LAMB93_FXX_2016-06-28.7z)
24. [Code officiel géographique. 2017](https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2560698)