page_title: Alsace independence movement
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Alsace independence movement / History
context_page_description: Alsace autonomist movement is a cultural, ideological and political regionalist movement for greater autonomy or outright independence of Alsace.
  Purposes generally include opposition to centralist territorial, political and legal pretensions of either France, including the new French region Grand Est since 1 January 2016, and Pan-Germanism of Germany; or both. It instead generally favours regional decentralization including political and fiscal autonomy for Alsace, promoting the defense of its culture, history, traditions, and bilingualism of the Alsatian language. A slogan that has sometimes occurred in protests in the 21st century is "Elsass frei".
  Several mass protests have taken place in public places around Alsace in opposition to the French region of Grand Est, with ratification on 1 January 2016. In addition, several Alsatian organisations and political parties have been formed to promote the cause, notably Alsace d'abord and Unser Land.
  The movement of greater autonomy of Alsace runs partly parallel to that of Alemannic separatism, originating in the Napoleonic era and briefly revived both after World War I and after World War II.
caption: Present location of Alsace within France.