Forbach

Forbach (/fɔːrˈbɑːk/ for-BAHK, French: [fɔʁbak], German: [ˈfɔʁbax]; Alemannic German: Fuerboch) is a commune in the department of Moselle in the northeastern French region of Grand Est.

For other uses, see Forbach (disambiguation).
Forbach-Boulay-Moselle
Subprefecture and commune
Town centre
Coat of arms
Location of Forbach-Boulay-Moselle
Forbach-Boulay-Moselle
Forbach-Boulay-Moselle
Coordinates: 49°11′N 6°54′E
CountryFrance
RegionGrand Est
DepartmentMoselle
ArrondissementForbach-Boulay-Moselle
CantonForbach
IntercommunalityForbach Porte de France
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Alexander Cassaro[1]
Area
1
16.32 km2 (6.30 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[2]
21,552
 • Density1,300/km2 (3,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
57227 /57600
Elevation192–388 m (630–1,273 ft)
(avg. 222 m or 728 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

It is located on the German border approximately 15 minutes from the center of Saarbrücken, Germany, with which it constitutes a cross-border conurbation, and is part of the Saar-Moselle Eurodistrict. In 2017, Forbach had a population of 21,552 inhabitants,[3] which, including its greater urban area, makes it the largest town in the eastern Moselle area.

Before the Schengen Treaty, Forbach was a major border crossing at which customs procedures were carried out, both for road and for rail transport and travel.[4] Here, trains also change track sides from right-hand running (Germany) to left-hand running (France). Since 2007, the TGV and ICE high speed trains connecting Paris and Frankfurt have stopped at the station in Forbach, and passengers can now travel to Paris Gare de l'Est in 1 hour and 45 minutes and to the German financial center and airport in the Frankfurt and Rhine-Main metropolis in 2 hours.

Its location in the Saar-Warndt coal mining basin,[5] which extends into eastern Moselle, made Forbach an important mining town, with offices of the Houillères du Bassin de Lorraine (Lorraine coal mining board), a section of the French Coal Board. When the mining operations were permanently shut down in 2004,[6] Forbach turned to activities in the tourism, service, energy and other industries to rebuild the local economy.[7] The "Musée des Mineurs - Wendel" in the neighboring village of Petite-Rosselle is a coal mining museum which preserves the industrial and cultural heritage from the coal mining era in the Forbach region. It was awarded the "Musées de France" quality label in 2002.[8]

Notable people from Forbach

See also

Notes
  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  2. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  3. Téléchargement du fichier d'ensemble des populations légales en 2017, INSEE
  4. Assemblée Nationale de France, Compte-rendu des séances de l'Assemblée nationale législative. Tome Dix-Septième, du 4 novembre au 1 décembre 1851. Addition à la séance du jeudi 6 novembre 1851, p 23.
  5. This basin lies 44 km east of Longeville-les-Metz, under the Franco-German border extending into the Warndt region of Saarland in Germany.See map
  6. "France ends coal mining with tears but not a single protest". The Independent, April 24, 2004.
  7. Lorraine Regional Council: Territoires 2020: Moselle-Est. Synthèse des propositions issues du travail d'expérimentation, pp 17-25.
  8. List of French museums awarded the label of "Musées de France" Archived 2014-07-23 at the Wayback Machine
  9. "FORBACH". Festival de Cannes.
  10. "UN CERTAIN REGARD 2014 AWARDS". Festival de Cannes. Archived from the original on 2014-05-24.
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