Ammerschwihr is a small town located 6 miles northwest of Colmar. Like most towns in the region, its economy is primarily based on wine production. Along with other towns and cities in Alsace, Ammerschwoihr suffered major damage at the end of World War II as the Germans were driven out of France by the Allies, in this case the American Third Army and French forces. The town was in the “Colmar Pocket”, one of the areas where Germans made a last-ditch effort to prevent the Allies from crossing the Rhine and entering Germany proper. A plaque in the town indicates that 85% of the buildings were destroyed, save the church. There are stone facades of buildings still standing that were never rebuilt. The town was liberated on December 18, 1944.

Sitting just next to the main road through town is the Tower of Knaves, or Le Tour des Fripons. It was built in the early 16th century to guard one of the entrances to the town. It is considered an important example of miltary architecture and is unique in Alsace. It was last used as a prison, hence the name. The roof was destroyed in the WWII bombings. 

History and Facts about Ammerschwihr