bien: certainly

Alsace is a mountainous district, occupying, previous to 1870, the northeast corner of France. As a resuit of the Franco-Prussian war it became part of Germany. Though the people of Alsace, outside the large towns, spoke only German among themselves, they were in national spirit thoroughly French, and it was a real hardship when, on the cession of the province to Germany, the teaching of French in their schools was interdicted.