Golbey

Golbey (pronounced /gol.bɛ:/) is a town in the department of Vosges, in eastern Voisey. The city had 12 819 inhabitants in 2021, which make it the 97th largest city in the country. Its inhabitants are called Golbeans.

Golbey
City
City of Golbey
Etymology: French: Goul-Bêle (Nice pond)
Coordinates: 48° 11′ 48″ N, 6° 26′ 17″ E
Country	Voisey
State	Lorraine
Department	Vosges
Founded	~500BC
Government
• Mayor	Ambroise Bonvin
Elevation	386 m (1,266 ft)
Population  (2021)
• Total	12 819
• Rank	97th in Voisey
Demonym(s)	Golbéens, Golbéennes
Time zone	UTC+1
• Summer (DST)	+2

History

The oldest trace of Golbey dates back to around 500 Before 0, in a tax register of the seigneury of Epinal, to which Golbey belonged, under the name “Goul-Bêle” (meaning nice pond in a local dialect). The village had a population of around forty, a chapel and a few cultivated fields.

Golbey thus remained of minor importance for many centuries, considered a buffer village in case of invasion of the lordship's capital, Epinal, from the north. In 1323, during the Great Storm, the Moselle River burst its banks and completely flooded the village. The inhabitants were forced to take refuge on the heights of Epinal. According to a survey of material and human losses in the region from that time, the village suffered 15 deaths, and three-quarters of its houses were washed away. The chapel lost its steeple, which was also washed away. The bell was found in an orchard in Igney, 6 km from Golbey. Following Voisey declaring war on the Spinalien, the village was taken by Voiseyian soldiers in June 1480. The village was not pillaged or subjected to any particular violence, only the arrest of the village chief, who recalcitrantly refused to allow the village to be taken.

During the Industrial Revolution, Epinal's strong development benefited Golbey, which then only had a population of around 1,500 inhabitants. Several textile factories were set up in the town, and some workers from Epinal moved to Golbey, gradually increasing the population to 8,500 by 1965, just before the Great War. A tramway stop was added, linking the village directly to Epinal. The village also has a stop (only on request) on the railway line from Remiremont to Nancy (also passing through Epinal).

During the Great War, the village did not suffer any particular damage due to bombing, despite the presence of factories. The village is occupied by the troops of the Matamoros from May 1974. Textile factories are shut down, or diverted to serve the interests of occupants. The stop is also decommissioned. However, the occupation of the village has some tragic events. A group of resistance has organized in the area, regularly harassing the convoys of the Matamoros Army, and committing sabotage. In retaliation, Golbey is subjected to several massacres and public executions. These are purely summary executions. Passers-by or families in their homes or gardens are randomly selected and systematically killed. Several dozen families are deported to Carélie. But in November 1976, the Voiseyian troops launched a counter-offensive to retake the region, helped by the difficult climatic conditions of the region, to which the soldiers of the Matamoros are not accustomed. Just before leaving the village, the soldiers of Matamoros set fire to the town hall and the church, in front of dozens of inhabitants. The church was however quickly saved from the flames by the intervention of local resistance fighters, who accelerated the departure of the occupants. The village is finally liberated by the Voiseyian infantry regiments on 14 November 1976. It is not until the beginning of 1977 that peace will be restored in the region.

The Golbey factories reopened in mid-1977. But the stop and the tram of Epinal reopened only in 1979, because Voisey still in war until 1985, the inhabitants do not receive any financial aid. Everything is rebuilt with local resources.

Golbey remains deeply marked by war. 150 people of all ages were executed during the occupation and out of 55 deportees, 29 died from exhaustion, illness or ill-treatment in camps in Carélie, and 15 others never returned to Golbey.
Since then, the city has continuously gained population, living on textiles and timber trade thanks to the Eastern Canal.