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Origin and history

The New Avricourt station, originally called Deutsch-Avricourt, was built in 1875 as a border station after the German annexation of Alsace-Lorraine (Treaty of Frankfurt, 1871). An additional convention of 1871 modified the border to allow the French railway lines to operate, placing the new station in German territory. Its neo-Roman-style passenger building, designed by Johann Eduard Jacobsthal, was 100 m long and symbolized German imperial prestige, with 57 windows, 10 doors, and four corner towers. The station also included a post, a freight hall, and a rotunda, while a hierarchical railway city housed staff.

Until 1919, the station served as a point of break between the French (left-hand traffic) and German networks (right-hand traffic). The passengers had to get off for customs checks before taking a German train to Sarrebourg or Strasbourg. During the First World War, part of the building was damaged by bombardments. After 1919 and the return of Alsace-Lorraine to France, the station was renamed Nouvel-Avricourt and integrated into the network of the Railway Administration of Alsace and Lorraine (AL), then to the SNCF in 1938.

The station lost its importance after the Second World War, notably with the electrification of the Paris-Strasbourg line (1956–1962) and the closure of its locomotive depot. Its final closure in 1969 resulted from the closure of the line to Bénestroff and the proximity of the d'Igney-Avricourt station. Saved from the demolition in 1985 by a safeguard committee, the building — listed as a Historic Monument in 2019 — was purchased in 2018 for an event project, but remains today delinquent and again on sale since 2022.

Architecturally, the station was distinguished by its monumental neo-Roman style, typical of the German constructions of the time in Alsace-Moselle, aimed at asserting imperial power. The adjacent railway city, organized according to a strict social hierarchy, reflected the strategic importance of the site. After 1969, the tracks and docks were destroyed, leaving only the double track of the Paris-Strasbourg line. Today, TER Grand Est buses serve the Nouvel Avricourt stop, connecting the nearby railway stations of Igney-Avricourt and Saarburg.

The site retains a major heritage value, reflecting Franco-German tensions and the evolution of railway infrastructure. Its inscription in the Historical Monuments in 2019 highlights its architectural and historical interest, despite the challenges of its preservation. Rehabilitation projects (museum, hotel) have never been completed, and the building, squatted and degraded, awaits a new assignment.

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