Dreis
Encyclopedia
Dreis is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich
district
in Rhineland-Palatinate
, Germany
.
at the foot of the Burgberg, on the edge of the Wittlich Depression. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Wittlich-Land
, whose seat is in Wittlich
, although that town is itself not in the Verbandsgemeinde.
’s brother Carloman I towards the end of the 8th century to the Abbey of Echternach
on the river Sauer
. In 785, Emperor Charlemagne confirmed his brother’s donation. A certificate of the original donation had not been issued. Carloman died in 771. A copy of the certificate is found in the Abbey’s “golden book” (Liber aureus), which is now kept in Gotha
.
Beginning in 1794, Dreis lay under French
rule. In 1815 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
.
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman. The 16 seats are shared among three voters’ groups: Steffgen (6 seats), Lütticken (6 seats) and Berg (4 seats).
might be described thus: Or an eagle bicapitated displayed sable with nimbi gules surmounted by a Latin cross argent, itself surmounted by a dexter hand palewise proper, the forefinger and middle finger extended, the others flexed.
The arms go back to a court seal from 1722 which bore the inscription SVB MANV SOLIVS DEI (“Under the only God’s hand”). The eagle is the old Imperial eagle. The cross and the hand are traditional charge
s locally standing for the old jurisdiction that the municipality held. The hand, with the forefinger and middle finger extended, is what in German
is called a Schwurhand (“swearing hand” or “oath-taking hand”), as this is the typical gesture locally.
The approval from the state of Rhineland-Palatinate for Dreis to bear its own arms was issued on 20 March 1962.
, among the nine best restaurants in Germany.
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
Dreis lies on the Salm at the point where it flows out of the EifelEifel
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....
at the foot of the Burgberg, on the edge of the Wittlich Depression. It belongs to 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....
, 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
Dreis is one of the oldest places in the Wittlicher Land. The village gets its name from the sour spring that can be found in the hear of the village. Dreis, a kingly estate (fisci) was donated by CharlemagneCharlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
’s brother Carloman I towards the end of the 8th century to the Abbey of Echternach
Abbey of Echternach
The Abbey of Echternach is a Benedictine monastery in the town of Echternach, in eastern Luxembourg. The Abbey was founded by St Willibrord, the patron saint of Luxembourg, in the seventh century...
on the river Sauer
Sauer
The Sauer or Sûre is a river in Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. A left tributary of the river Moselle, its total length is 173 km....
. In 785, Emperor Charlemagne confirmed his brother’s donation. A certificate of the original donation had not been issued. Carloman died in 771. A copy of the certificate is found in the Abbey’s “golden book” (Liber aureus), which is now kept in Gotha
Gotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
.
Beginning in 1794, Dreis 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 1815 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 ....
.
Municipal council
The council is made up of 16 council members, who were elected by proportional representationProportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman. The 16 seats are shared among three voters’ groups: Steffgen (6 seats), Lütticken (6 seats) and Berg (4 seats).
Coat of arms
The municipality’s armsCoat 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 be described thus: Or an eagle bicapitated displayed sable with nimbi gules surmounted by a Latin cross argent, itself surmounted by a dexter hand palewise proper, the forefinger and middle finger extended, the others flexed.
The arms go back to a court seal from 1722 which bore the inscription SVB MANV SOLIVS DEI (“Under the only God’s hand”). The eagle is the old Imperial eagle. The cross and the hand are traditional charge
Charge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
s locally standing for the old jurisdiction that the municipality held. The hand, with the forefinger and middle finger extended, is what 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....
is called a Schwurhand (“swearing hand” or “oath-taking hand”), as this is the typical gesture locally.
The approval from the state of Rhineland-Palatinate for Dreis to bear its own arms was issued on 20 March 1962.
Schloss Dreis
Schloss Dreis, built in 1774 as the Echternach abbots’ summer seat, later passed into the ownership of the Counts of Walderdorff. The two-and-a-half floor quarrystone building with red sandstone structural members is truly worth seeing for its rich décor.Economy and infrastructure
The Waldhotel Sonnora in Dreis is, according to Gault MillauGault Millau
Gault et Millau is one of the most influential French restaurant guides founded by two restaurant critics, Henri Gault and Christian Millau in 1965. Gault Millau is most famous for its rating system, on a scale of 1 to 20. Restaurants below 10 points are almost never listed...
, among the nine best restaurants in Germany.