FORBACH

forbach, a town of germany in the imperial province of alsace-lorraine, on an affluent of the rossel, and on the railway from metz to saarbrucken, 5-1/2 m. s.w. of the latter. pop. (1905) 8193. it has a protestant and a roman catholic (gothic) church, a synagogue and a progymnasium. its industries include the manufacture of tiles, pasteboard wares and gardening implements, while there are coal mines in the vicinity. after the battle on the neighbouring heights of spicheren (6th of august 1870), in which the french under general frossard were defeated by the germans under general von glumer, the town was occupied by the german troops, and at the conclusion of the war annexed to germany. on the schlossberg near the town are the ruins of the castle of the counts of forbach, a branch of the counts of saarbrucken. see besler, _geschichte des schlosses, der herrschaft und der stadt forbach_ (1895).