# Meistratzheim

> commune in Bas-Rhin, France

**Wikidata**: [Q21297](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21297)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meistratzheim)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/meistratzheim

## Summary

Meistratzheim is a commune located in the Bas-Rhin department in the Alsace region of northeastern France. Situated at coordinates 48.448888888889°N latitude and 7.5430555555556°E longitude, the commune is part of the arrondissement of Sélestat-Erstein. As a French commune, it serves as a territorial subdivision within the department of Bas-Rhin, which itself is part of the European Collectivity of Alsace.

## Key Facts

- **Location**: Meistratzheim is situated in northeastern France, in the Bas-Rhin department of the Alsace region
- **Administrative Division**: Part of the arrondissement of Sélestat-Erstein
- **Department**: Bas-Rhin (French administrative district established March 4, 1790)
- **Region**: Alsace (historically part of the imperial territory of Elsaß-Lothringen under German rule from 1871 to 1918, known as Unterelsaß)
- **Country**: France
- **Coordinates**: Latitude 48.448888888889°N, Longitude 7.5430555555556°E
- **Website**: https://www.meistratzheim.fr
- **Population**: Historical population figures recorded at various points: 1,452; 1,454; 1,484; 1,485; 1,500; 1,500; 1,494; 1,503; 1,537; 1,570
- **Wikipedia Title**: Meistratzheim
- **Wikidata Description**: commune in Bas-Rhin, France
- **Sitelink Count**: 45
- **Classification**: Commune of France (French territorial subdivision for municipalities, system established 1789)

## FAQs

**What type of administrative area is Meistratzheim?**

Meistratzheim is classified as a commune, which is the smallest territorial subdivision for municipalities in France. The commune system was established in 1789 following the French Revolution and serves as the fundamental unit of local administration in the country.

**Which department and region is Meistratzheim located in?**

Meistratzheim is located in the Bas-Rhin department, which is part of the Alsace region in northeastern France. The department of Bas-Rhin was created on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution and is currently part of the European Collectivity of Alsace.

**What is the arrondissement of Sélestat-Erstein?**

The arrondissement of Sélestat-Erstein is an administrative division (arrondissement) in France that encompasses several communes, including Meistratzheim. Arrondissements are sub-divisions of departments and serve as intermediate levels of administration between communes and departments.

**What is the historical context of Meistratzheim's region?**

The Alsace region, where Meistratzheim is located, has a complex historical background. From 1871 to 1918, the central district (Bezirk) of the imperial territory of Elsaß-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine) was known as Unterelsaß when it was part of the German Empire following the Franco-Prussian War. This territory was returned to France after World War I.

**What are the population figures for Meistratzheim?**

Historical population data for Meistratzheim shows figures ranging from 1,452 to 1,570 across multiple recorded periods. These population values represent different census or administrative counts throughout the commune's history.

## Why It Matters

Meistratzheim matters as a representative example of the small rural communes that form the backbone of French local administration. While modest in population, these communes collectively constitute the fundamental territorial organization of France, with each commune maintaining its own local government, website, and administrative identity. The commune system, established in 1789, represents one of the oldest continuous systems of local government organization in the modern world and serves as the primary point of contact between French citizens and their local administration.

The commune's location in Bas-Rhin places it in a region of significant historical and strategic importance. Alsace has been a contested territory between France and Germany, changing hands multiple times throughout European history. Today, as part of the European Collectivity of Alsace, Meistratzheim represents the contemporary integration of this historically disputed region into the French Republic while maintaining its unique cultural and linguistic heritage.

Furthermore, Meistratzheim contributes to the demographic and administrative fabric of the Bas-Rhin department, which is one of the most densely populated and economically active departments in France, home to the European Parliament's seat in Strasbourg.

## Notable For

- **Historical Territory**: Located in Alsace, a region that changed hands between France and Germany multiple times throughout history
- **Administrative Classification**: Serves as a commune of France, representing the smallest unit of territorial administration in the French system
- **Departmental Identity**: Part of Bas-Rhin, one of the two departments comprising the modern European Collectivity of Alsace
- **Local Governance**: Maintains its own municipal website (https://www.meistratzheim.fr) demonstrating local administrative capacity
- **Arrondissement Membership**: Part of the arrondissement of Sélestat-Erstein, connecting it to a specific administrative sub-division

## Body

### Geography and Location

Meistratzheim is situated in northeastern France at coordinates 48.448888888889°N latitude and 7.5430555555556°E longitude. The commune is located within the Bas-Rhin department, which occupies the northern portion of the Alsace region along the Rhine River valley. The terrain of the Bas-Rhin department is characterized by the Vosges mountains to the west and the Rhine plain to the east, creating a diverse landscape that includes forested hills, vineyards, and fertile agricultural land.

The commune's position within the arrondissement of Sélestat-Erstein places it in an area that includes the historic town of Sélestat, which has served as an important administrative and cultural center in Lower Alsace. The arrondissement itself encompasses numerous communes spanning both the rural interior of Alsace and the eastern plains along the Rhine.

### Administrative Structure

As a commune of France, Meistratzheim operates as a territorial subdivision with its own local government. The French commune system, which originated in 1789 during the Revolution, represents the most local level of administrative organization in France. Each commune, regardless of size, possesses legal personality and a range of competencies including urban planning, local taxation, civil registration, and maintenance of local roads and public spaces.

Meistratzheim falls under several layers of administrative hierarchy: it is part of the commune of France system, the Bas-Rhin department, the Alsace region, and the arrondissement of Sélestat-Erstein. This multi-level structure reflects the French tradition of centralized administration with local representation.

The department of Bas-Rhin, of which Meistratzheim is a part, was officially established on March 4, 1790, during the early years of the French Revolution. The department is named after the Rhine River (Rhin in French), which forms part of its eastern border. Today, Bas-Rhin is part of the European Collectivity of Alsace, a unique territorial collectivity created in 2021 that brought together the former Alsace, Champagne-Ardenne, and Lorraine regions, though this merger was subsequently modified.

### Historical Context

The Alsace region, including the area where Meistratzheim is located, has a complex and contested history between France and German-speaking powers. The specific territory of Bas-Rhin falls within what was historically known as Unterelsaß (Lower Alsace), which was the central district of the imperial territory of Elsaß-Lothringen (Alsace-Lorraine) in the German Empire from 1871 to 1918.

Following France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, the entire Alsace-Lorraine region was annexed by the German Empire in 1871. The territory was organized as a Reichsland (imperial territory) with its own administrative structure, including the Bezirk (district) of Unterelsaß. This German administration lasted until the end of World War I, when the territory was returned to France following the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.

During the period of German annexation, local administration would have been reorganized according to German imperial standards, though the fundamental settlement patterns and communal structures largely remained. The return to French administration in 1919 restored the French departmental system, and Bas-Rhin became once again a French department.

### Population and Demographics

The historical population figures for Meistratzheim, ranging from 1,452 to 1,570 across multiple recorded periods, indicate a relatively small but stable rural commune. These population values are consistent with the typical size of many communes in the rural interior of Alsace, where agricultural communities have maintained consistent populations despite broader urbanization trends in larger cities like Strasbourg and Colmar.

The population figures demonstrate modest fluctuations over time, reflecting broader demographic trends in rural France, including periods of out-migration to urban centers during the 19th and 20th centuries, followed by stabilization or slight growth as commuting to larger towns became more feasible and as some residents sought the quality of life offered by rural communities.

### Regional Context

Meistratzheim's location in the Bas-Rhin department places it in one of France's most economically dynamic and culturally distinctive regions. The Alsace region is known for its bilingual (French and Alsatian) character, its half-timbered houses, its renowned wines (particularly Riesling and Gewürztraminer), and its unique gastronomy including dishes like Choucroute (sauerkraut) and Flammekueche (tarte flambée).

The department of Bas-Rhin is home to several important cities, including Strasbourg (the prefecture or capital of the department), which serves as the seat of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. This international presence gives the region significant political importance beyond its borders. Other major cities in the department include Haguenau, Saverne, and Sélestat, the latter of which gives its name to the arrondissement to which Meistratzheim belongs.

The arrondissement of Sélestat-Erstein represents a sub-administrative division that groups together communes in the central portion of Bas-Rhin. This arrondissement includes both rural communes like Meistratzheim and more urbanized areas, creating a diverse administrative unit that addresses regional planning, transportation, and service delivery needs at an intermediate scale.

### Local Administration and Services

As a functioning French commune, Meistratzheim maintains local administrative services including civil registration (births, marriages, deaths), local taxation, urban planning and building permits, maintenance of local roads and public spaces, and coordination of local services. The commune operates through a municipal council and mayor, as required by French law for all communes regardless of size.

The presence of a municipal website (https://www.meistratzheim.fr) indicates that the commune maintains modern administrative capacity and provides digital services to its residents. This investment in online presence reflects broader trends in French local government toward digitalization and transparency.

### Relationship to Broader Administrative Entities

Meistratzheim's administrative position can be understood through its relationship to several key entities:

- **France**: The sovereign nation-state within which the commune is located
- **Bas-Rhin**: The department-level administrative division serving as an intermediate level of government
- **European Collectivity of Alsace**: The regional-level territorial collectivity encompassing the former Alsace region
- **Arrondissement of Sélestat-Erstein**: The sub-departmental administrative division connecting communes to departmental services
- **Commune of France**: The fundamental territorial subdivision system established in 1789

This multi-layered administrative structure exemplifies the French approach to local governance, which combines centralized state authority with local democratic representation and administration.

## References

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