Belfort

Belfort, a town of France, capital of the French remnant of the department of Haut-Rhin, 117 miles ENE. of Dijon by rail. From 1870 this remnant (235 sq. m.), taking its name from the town, has been called the Territoire de Belfort (or alternatively Haut-Rhin), and consisted of those portions of Haut-Rhin which, seized by the Germans during the war of 1870-71, were restored to France by the preliminaries of peace arranged at Versailles, 26th February 1871. The strategical importance of Belfort was recognised by France on its cession by Austria in 1648, and it was fortified by Vanban. At the outbreak of the Franco-German war, Belfort was a fortress of the first rank; and it maintained, from 3d December 1870 till 16th February 1871, a gallant defence against the Germans. It then capitulated, the defenders marching out with all the honours of war. A memorial of its defence was unveiled in 1884; and the fortifications have been enormously strengthened. Pop. (1872) 8014; (1891) 25,282; of territory, (1891) 83,670.