Metz is a city in France, the prefecture of the Lorraine region and the Moselle department.
Metz
Geography
Metz is located at the mouth of the Seille into the Moselle at an altitude between 173 m and 178 m above sea level, about 50 km west of Saarbrücken and 120 km northwest of Strasbourg.
Politics
Mayor
The last mayors of Metz were:
- Raymond Mondon, 1947 to 1970
- Jean-Marie Rausch, 1971 to 2008
- Dominique Gros, since 2008
Twin Cities
- United Kingdom
Gloucester (United Kingdom) (1967) - United States
Kansas City (USA, Missouri) (2004) - Israel
Karmi'el (Israel) (1987) - Czech Republic
Königgrätz (Hradec Králové) (Czech Republic), since 1 December 2001 - Luxembourg
Luxembourg (Luxembourg) (1952) - Reunion
Saint-Denis (Réunion, France) (1986) - Germany
.png)
Trier (Germany), since 13 October 1957; see also: Quattropole - China People's Republic of
Yichang (PRC) (1991) - Congo Republic of
Djambala (Republic of Congo) since May 2012
Coat of arms and flag
Blading: "Split by silver and black."
Motto: " Si nous avons paix dedans, nous aurons paix au-dehors. " - "If we have peace within, we will have peace without." The city motto was originally carved above the tower-flanked gateway of the Barbarator. The inscription, which is currently in the Cour d'Or Metz City Museum after the city gate was demolished in 1904, was created in connection with a medieval popular uprising. Between 1324 and 1326, the patrician city government, the Paraiges, came into conflict with the Count of Luxembourg, John of Bohemia, the Archbishop of Trier, Balduin of Luxembourg, the Count of Bar, Edward I, and the Duke of Lorraine, Frederick IV. Although the so-called "War of the Four Lords" was brought to an end by treaty on March 3, 1326, a popular uprising broke out in August 1326 as a result of the devastating economic situation, during which the patrician upper class of the Free Imperial City of Metz was expelled. The latter then laid siege to the city and were able to force the restitution of the old balance of power through starvation. The demonstrative inscription above the Barbarator was intended to call every citizen of the city to reason and to lead them to accept the balance of power.
A small poem written in French and Latin in 1541 explains the white and black city coat of arms as follows:
Qui les couleurs voudra savoirDe
nos armes? C'est blanc et noir.
C'est que par blanc: "Vita bonis "
Et par le noir: "Mors est malis"
(German translation: Who wants to know the colors of our coat of arms? It is white and black. White stands for: "Life to the good" and the black for: "Death to the bad").