Discuss the historical background of the story.

"The Last Class" is set in Alsace, a region between France and Germany that has been fiercely contested between the two nations for years. This was especially true during the Franco-Prussian War, which was a major victory for Prussia used as a pretext for creating a unified Germany under the Prussian rulers. The war took place in 1870, and the story is set a little while after the conflict. As part of the treaty that ended the war, Germany received Alsace, which had been under French control.
This is why, when Frantz goes to school at the beginning of the story, he learns that French is no longer to be taught at his school. Instead, the teacher, Monsieur Hamel, says that the German government has mandated that students may only learn in German. This, of course, is a very distressing occurrence for the students. Frantz is very upset, largely because this news has so visibly affected his teacher. By the end of the story, Hamel can only shout "Vive La France" to his students, and the future is very uncertain. So the story explores the effects of big geopolitical events on ordinary people. Readers may be aware that Alsace was reclaimed by France after World War I.
https://www.commonlit.org/texts/the-last-class-the-story-of-a-little-alsatian