The building of an historical interpretation centre telling the story of the people of Alsace and Moselle was the resultat of an initiative of Jean Pierre Masseret, then Secretary of State of Former Soldiers and War Victims, and supported by regional elected officials such as Philippe Richert, Alain Ferry and Frederic Bierry. In 1999, Philippe Richert and Jean-Pierre Masseret decided the construction of the Memorial Alsace-Moselle and decided to build it in Schirmeck.

Located midway between Strasburg and St-Dié-des-Vosges, Schirmeck is at the crossroads of the Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin and Vosges French departments. Schirmeck was the site of an internment camp opened by the Nazis in August 1940. Moreover, the site of the Memorial faces Struthof, the former concentration camp, as well as the European Centre of the Deported Resistance Members, located on the other side of the valley. The proximity of these two sites, as well as their complementary tour visits, makes the memorial a must-see for anyone visiting Alsace.

On 18 June 2005, the Memorial opened its doors to the public. Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic, inaugurated it on 3 November of the same year. Mixed Syndicate of the Alsace Moselle Memorial, along with Europe, the French State, the Lorraine Region and the General Council of Moselle financed the 10 million euros (excluding tax) necessary for the project.