Liederschiedt

Liederschiedt is a commune in the Moselle department of the Grand Est administrative region in north-eastern France.The village belongs to the Pays de Bitche and to the Northern Vosges Regional Nature Park. It is located on the German border. It is situated on top of a large hill and surrounded mostly by forestry and farms that cover much of the area.HistoryIt was first mentioned on a map of Sturzelbronn in 1313 under the name Ludenschiedt. The name was derived from two shepherds Leudo and Scheide. The town has shifted hands many times from France to Germany and also been the scene of much battle particularly during World War II. The main importance was the fact the town was on a hill that was very difficult to climb making the road through Liederschiedt vital to transporting weaponry such as jeeps and tanks. Today the route has been designated D86 B and has had the name Rue Principale (Main Street).This has resulted in massive population shifts. In 1817 the village was home to 459 residents and by 1852 had reached a peak of 650. The population decreased to 132 people by 1999. The shift is mostly a result of World War II and the movement of people from Liederschiedt to the nearby town of Roppeviller. The population is also aging steadily and the majority of the town is over the age of fifty most likely the culprit for the decline over the past forty years.