Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Napoleonic bench of Sommerau, located in the Great East, dates from the 3rd quarter of the 19th century. This type of Alsatian monument, typical of the 19th century, was initially used as a stopover for peasants visiting markets. Women placed their heavy baskets on the lintel, while men hung their hoods there. These benches were often accompanied by lindens to offer shade, and side pillars to facilitate the rest or re-seating of riders.

These benches were erected in two main waves in Alsace. The first, in 1811-1812, was initiated by the Prefect Adrien of Lezay-Marnésia to celebrate the birth of the son of Napoleon I, the King of Rome. The communes financed the Nabele Bänk ("Napoléon's benches"), although some refused on the grounds of inadequate land. A second wave took place in 1853, under the impetus of the prefect Auguste-César West and Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. This time, the department took over the costs, building 448 Vosges sandstone banks to revive the local economy after the crisis of 1846-1848.

The bench of Sommerau, registered with the Historical Monuments in 1988, illustrates this tradition. During the German annexation post-1870, their interview was neglected, then abandoned in 1910, deemed obsolete with the arrival of the carriages. Despite the destruction, some banks remain today, protected since the 1980s. Sommerau, located on CD 817, bears witness to this unique rural and commemorative heritage.

This monument, owned by the department of Bas-Rhin, reflects both a social utility — the rest of agricultural workers — and a political dimension, linked to the Napoleonic regimes. Its inscription in 1988 allowed it to be preserved, while most Alsatian bench-restors have disappeared over time.

External links