During the Thirty Years War the area currently comprising the Southwestern Pfalz was seriously depopulated. Many villages were abandoned. In 1685 the Swedish ruler of Zweibrücken permitted the Catholic faith in that Reformed dukedom. Even prior to 1685 Catholics began moving to the area. After 1685, with permission to practice a religion other than Reformed, many more people emigrated. I have no original source evidence, but a reasonable volume of informed material indicating that the Bishop of Metz actively sought to send priests and practicing Catholics to the area. The recruiting effort extended to other areas too. What is currently Luxembourg and southern Belgium also sent a share of immigrants to the Pfalz. So too did other areas in what is today Germany. My questions are: Can anyone give me insight into the activities of the Bishops of Metz during this time? Can anyone help with the boundaries of Metz and the surrounding bishoprics? Are there archives that might contain the names of the emigrant families? (I have incomplete lists on the receiving end.) Paul Sefrin