Local history, religious traditions and an unusually shaped stone are all points of interest in Racrange. Beside the church stands the village monolith: almost spherical and about 70 centimetres in diameter. It is associated with a legend dating from 1124; meanwhile, local history and wartime records tell of different periods and experiences. Agriculture is also part of the local character. These subjects offer several cultural and historical perspectives on Racrange, from the stone and its legend to the development of the estates and events of the 20th century.

Monolith and Legend

The Racrange monolith stands on a pedestal beside the church. It is almost spherical and about 70 centimetres in diameter. It is described as a 45-million-year-old stone. A legend dating from 1124 says it was hurled from the sky as a sign of a curse upon the parish. Parishioners were accused of failing to pay the tithe to the Abbey of Longeville-lès-Saint-Avold. The year 1124 belongs to the legend, while the age refers to the stone.

Local History: From RACHERINGA to the Count of Salm

Racrange was first mentioned in 926: at the time, under the name RACHERINGA, it was described as a village cleared from woodland and owned by Saint Arnould Abbey in Metz. During the Middle Ages, the estates were gradually transferred to other religious institutions: Saint-Pierre Abbey in Metz, the Templar commandery, Saint-Martin de Glandières Abbey in Longeville-lès-Saint-Avold, and the Teutonic Order. In the 14th century, Racrange became part of the estates of the Count of Salm. This sequence shows how ownership changed over several stages: from the early connection with Saint Arnould Abbey, through other religious institutions, to the Count of Salm.

Events of the 20th Century

Two wartime periods in the 20th century are documented with specific details. During the First World War, eighteen young people from the municipality of Racrange died. In the Second World War, Racrange was occupied by the German army in June 1940 and liberated by the Americans on 15 November 1944. The local chronology thus includes losses in the First World War as well as occupation and liberation in the Second World War.

Religious Tradition and Agriculture

After Mass on the Feast of the Assumption, worshippers in Racrange go to the grotto by the church to pray and sing praises to Mary. This religious observance involves a specific occasion and two activities: prayer and singing. It differs in nature from the monolith’s legend: here, the focus is on the practice after Mass, while the legend is a story about the stone and the parish.

Racrange is shaped above all by mixed farming. This includes grain cultivation, dairy farming and cattle rearing. The combination of these agricultural activities adds another perspective on the village to its cultural and historical themes.

Discover more destinations: Sainte-Barbe, Féy, Lutzelbourg, Bousse, Villing, Saint-Louis, Voyer, Waldhouse.

For an overview of the wider area: Moselle.