Dierscheid
Encyclopedia
Dierscheid is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich
district
in Rhineland-Palatinate
, Germany
.
. Near Dierscheid lies the Kellerberg, at 448 m the highest mountain in the Verbandsgemeinde of Wittlich-Land
, to which Dierscheid belongs, and whose seat is in Wittlich
, although that town is itself not in the Verbandsgemeinde.
wall. Some of the finds to this effect are displayed in the local history museum.
In 1150, Dierscheid had its first documentary mention in a document from St. Maximin’s Abbey
in Trier
. In the 13th century, the village had the name Dyrseit. The Lords of Bruch held the tithing rights in the parish of Heidweiler
, to which the branch parish of Dierscheid also belonged. In January 1417, the name changed to Diescheit. The spelling for the placename changed very often: Dierscheid, Dierschet, Dischet, Dirscheit, Dierscheydt, Dierscheit, Dyrseit and Derseit.
Dierscheid belonged to the lordship of Bruch, and therefore lay under Luxembourgish sovereignty. Beginning in 1794, Dierscheid lay under French
rule. In 1814 it was assigned to the Kingdom of Prussia
at the Congress of Vienna
. Since 1946, it has been part of the then newly founded state
of Rhineland-Palatinate
.
Dierscheid was until the 1950s characterized by agriculture
, forestry
and gravel mining. The villagers are still known today well beyond the village by the name Dierscheider Kieselklopper (“Dierscheid Gravel Miners”).
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.
The municipality’s arms
might in English heraldic
language be described thus: Argent in base a mount of three gules surmounted by a stag’s attire fesswise Or, on each of the mount’s knolls a spruce tree vert, the middle one taller, and each surmounted by six cones of the third, one, two and three.
These arms are held to be canting
as they imply the placename and even the geographical location. The name Dierscheid means “Deer-Wild” (the word Dier does not seem to be used anymore in German
, Reh and Hirsch being the usual words, but it is an obvious cognate
with the still current English
word), hence the antler (or “attire” in heraldic language) and the spruces. The three-knolled hill in the escutcheon’s base symbolizes the municipality’s location in mountain heights in the Voreifel
. The tincture
s argent and gules (silver and red) are a reference to the village’s former allegiance to the Electorate of Trier.
Municipalities of Germany
Municipalities are the lowest level of territorial division in Germany. This may be the fourth level of territorial division in Germany, apart from those states which include Regierungsbezirke , where municipalities then become the fifth level.-Overview:With more than 3,400,000 inhabitants, the...
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
Verbandsgemeinde
A Verbandsgemeinde is an administrative unit in the German Bundesländer of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt.-Rhineland-Palatinate:...
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich
Bernkastel-Wittlich
Bernkastel-Wittlich is a district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Vulkaneifel, Cochem-Zell, Rhein-Hunsrück, Birkenfeld, Trier-Saarburg and Bitburg-Prüm.- History :...
district
Districts of Germany
The districts of Germany are known as , except in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein where they are known simply as ....
in Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Location
The municipality lies in the Meulenwald (wooded range) southwest of Wittlich at an elevation of some 400 m above sea levelSea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. Near Dierscheid lies the Kellerberg, at 448 m the highest mountain in the Verbandsgemeinde of Wittlich-Land
Wittlich-Land
Wittlich-Land is a Verbandsgemeinde in the district Bernkastel-Wittlich, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is located around the town Wittlich, which is the seat of Wittlich-Land, but not part of the Verbandsgemeinde....
, to which Dierscheid belongs, and whose seat is in Wittlich
Wittlich
The town of Wittlich is the seat of the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and thereby the middle centre for a feeder area of 56 municipalities in the Eifel and Moselle area with its population of roughly 64,000...
, although that town is itself not in the Verbandsgemeinde.
History
Early settlement is witnessed by remnants of a RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
wall. Some of the finds to this effect are displayed in the local history museum.
In 1150, Dierscheid had its first documentary mention in a document from St. Maximin’s Abbey
St. Maximin's Abbey, Trier
St. Maximin's Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Trier in the Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.-History:The abbey, traditionally considered one of the oldest monasteries in western Europe, was held to have been founded by Saint Maximin of Trier in the 4th century. Maximin St. Maximin's Abbey was a...
in Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
. In the 13th century, the village had the name Dyrseit. The Lords of Bruch held the tithing rights in the parish of Heidweiler
Heidweiler
Heidweiler is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
, to which the branch parish of Dierscheid also belonged. In January 1417, the name changed to Diescheit. The spelling for the placename changed very often: Dierscheid, Dierschet, Dischet, Dirscheit, Dierscheydt, Dierscheit, Dyrseit and Derseit.
Dierscheid belonged to the lordship of Bruch, and therefore lay under Luxembourgish sovereignty. Beginning in 1794, Dierscheid lay under French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
rule. In 1814 it was assigned to the Kingdom of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
at the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
. Since 1946, it has been part of the then newly founded state
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
of Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
.
Dierscheid was until the 1950s characterized by agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
and gravel mining. The villagers are still known today well beyond the village by the name Dierscheider Kieselklopper (“Dierscheid Gravel Miners”).
Municipal council
The council is made up of 6 council members, who were elected by majority votePlurality voting system
The plurality voting system is a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member constituencies...
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.
Coat of arms
The German blazon reads: In Silber auf rotem Dreiberg, darin eine goldene Hirschstange, drei grüne Fichten mit goldenen Zapfen.The municipality’s arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
might in English heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
language be described thus: Argent in base a mount of three gules surmounted by a stag’s attire fesswise Or, on each of the mount’s knolls a spruce tree vert, the middle one taller, and each surmounted by six cones of the third, one, two and three.
These arms are held to be canting
Canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name in a visual pun or rebus. The term cant came into the English language from Anglo-Norman cant, meaning song or singing, from Latin cantāre, and English cognates include canticle, chant, accent, incantation and recant.Canting arms –...
as they imply the placename and even the geographical location. The name Dierscheid means “Deer-Wild” (the word Dier does not seem to be used anymore in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Reh and Hirsch being the usual words, but it is an obvious cognate
Cognate
In linguistics, cognates are words that have a common etymological origin. This learned term derives from the Latin cognatus . Cognates within the same language are called doublets. Strictly speaking, loanwords from another language are usually not meant by the term, e.g...
with the still current English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
word), hence the antler (or “attire” in heraldic language) and the spruces. The three-knolled hill in the escutcheon’s base symbolizes the municipality’s location in mountain heights in the Voreifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
. The tincture
Tincture (heraldry)
In heraldry, tinctures are the colours used to emblazon a coat of arms. These can be divided into several categories including light tinctures called metals, dark tinctures called colours, nonstandard colours called stains, furs, and "proper". A charge tinctured proper is coloured as it would be...
s argent and gules (silver and red) are a reference to the village’s former allegiance to the Electorate of Trier.
Culture and sightseeing
- Kellerberg, the highest elevation in the South Eifel.
- Village archive and local history museum, housed in a former wheelwright’s workshop from about 1900
- Saint Lawrence’s Chapel (Laurentiuskapelle) from 1796, built on top of another chapel from 1745 that had burnt down