Construction of guard corps 1680 (≈ 1680)
Built by Vauban for the fortress.
1938
Creation of the museum
Creation of the museum 1938 (≈ 1938)
Centennial of Marshal Mouton.
1941
Forced relocation
Forced relocation 1941 (≈ 1941)
War purpose, transfer to Germany.
1948
Museum reopening
Museum reopening 1948 (≈ 1948)
Triple historical and cultural vocation.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Maréchal Mouton - Military figure honoured
Centenary of his death in 1938.
Erckmann-Chatrian - Regional writers
Famous by their local literary work.
Vauban - Military engineer
Builder of the guard body (1680).
Origin and history
The Phalsburg Museum was created in 1938 to mark the centenary of the death of Marshal Mouton. In 1941, under the occupation, he was moved to Germany as a spoil of war, resulting in the disappearance of many military objects. After the Liberation, he reopened in 1948 with a triple vocation: preserving the military history of Phalsbourg, honouring the writers Erckmann-Chatrian, and valuing local traditions.
Today, the museum houses collections of French and German uniforms, weapons and equipment from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as objects related to the daily life and traditional costumes of the region. It also preserves the circumcision bench of the former synagogue of Phalsbourg, restored, witness of the local Jewish community in the 18th and 19th centuries. Located in an old guard corps built by Vauban in 1680, it is one of the museums labeled Musée de France.
The collections, made up almost exclusively of private donations, also illustrate Erckmann-Chatrian's literary journey, a major figure in regional literature. The museum is part of the Chaine de la Découverte du Parc naturel régional des Vosges du Nord, strengthening its territorial anchor between Alsace and Lorraine.
