The region of German Lorraine (German: Deutsch-Lothringen or Deutschlothringen) was the German-speaking part of Lorraine, now in France, that existed for centuries into the 20th century. Following its annexation by France in the 18th century, it became part of the German Empire following the Franco-Prussian War and ceased to exist permanently following Nazi Germany's surrender. The name is also used more specifically to refer to Bezirk Lothringen, the part of Lorraine that belonged to the German Empire from 1871 to 1918 and to Nazi Germany from 1940 to 1945.