Frücht
Encyclopedia
Frücht is a small municipality in the federal state
of Rhineland-Palatinate
in western Germany
. It is part of the Bad Ems
Municipal Association in the Rhein-Lahn District. It is located in the Taunus
Mountains about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) southwest of Bad Ems
and about 7 km (4.3 mi) east of Lahnstein
.
until 1613, when it was sold to Johann Gottfried vom Stein. Frücht thereafter belonged, together with Schweighausen
, to the Imperial-immediate Barony vom Stein. This lower-nobility family had its seat at the Stein'sche Schloss in Nassau
.
The last owner from this house was Baron Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom und zum Stein (October 25, 1757 – June 29, 1831), a Prussia
n statesman who introduced reforms, including abolition of serfdom
, that paved the way for the unification of Germany
. After his retirement in 1815, Baron vom Stein settled in Frücht, where he still owned significant property and forest lands. There he built was family tomb for his parents. After his death in 1831, the tomb also became his own final resting place.
In 1804/06, Frücht was made a part of the newly formed Duchy of Nassau and in 1866 to the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau. After World War II
, it was part of the French occupation zone
. In 1947, it became part of the newly founded state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
for the construction of a Neo-Gothic
chapel over the tomb, which was built according to the design of Munich
architect Joseph Daniel Ohlmüller between 1836 and 1843. The marble relief on vom Stein’s grave monument was created between 1837 and 1840 by Munich sculptor Ludwig Michael Schwanthaler
.
Frücht has well-marked hiking trails, including the Schweizertal (“Swiss Valley”) to Miellen
on the Lahn
.
: 77.6%), is as follows:
Beginning in the early 1970s, Frücht has experienced a construction boom under a village renewal plan. By opening up new land to development, the community has been able to meet a strong demand for housing in attractive surroundings while still being close to the city. In 1974, the newly built neighborhood "Am Hofacker" was developed. It was followed by the development in the locality called “In den Wiesen / Vordertal”, including the new streets "Grummetwiese", "Im Vogelsang" and the "Mühlenweg." A school built in Frücht in 1962-1963 was renovated into a kindergarten in 1973.
The local Protestant parish took over the sponsorship of the kindergarten, which is utilized by children from Frücht and the neighboring municipality of Becheln. The village cemetery was expanded and in 1977 a new village well was drilled. A multi-purpose community center as opened in Frücht after two years of construction in 1980. A significant share of the construction costs of 500,000 DM was raised through voluntary donations of the residents. A tennis facility was opened next to the hall in 1989, adding an athletics facility and a football pitch.
of the House of Nassau
and the five-petaled red and blue Rose
of the Barony vom Stein.
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 ....
in western 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...
. It is part of the Bad Ems
Bad Ems (Verbandsgemeinde)
Bad Ems is a Verbandsgemeinde in the Rhein-Lahn-Kreis, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Its seat is in Bad Ems.The Verbandsgemeinde Bad Ems consists of the following Ortsgemeinden :# Arzbach...
Municipal Association in the Rhein-Lahn District. It is located in the Taunus
Taunus
The Taunus is a low mountain range in Hesse, Germany that composes part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains. It is bounded by the river valleys of Rhine, Main and Lahn. On the opposite side of the Rhine, the mountains are continued by the Hunsrück...
Mountains about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) southwest of Bad Ems
Bad Ems
Bad Ems is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the county seat of the Rhein-Lahn rural district and is well known as a bathing resort on the river Lahn...
and about 7 km (4.3 mi) east of Lahnstein
Lahnstein
Lahnstein is a verband-free town of Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated at the confluence of the Lahn River with the Rhine, approximately south of Koblenz...
.
History
Frücht was first mentioned in 1159 as Wruhte. It belonged to the Countship of NassauNassau (state)
Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:...
until 1613, when it was sold to Johann Gottfried vom Stein. Frücht thereafter belonged, together with Schweighausen
Schweighausen
Schweighausen is a municipality in the district of Rhein-Lahn, in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany....
, to the Imperial-immediate Barony vom Stein. This lower-nobility family had its seat at the Stein'sche Schloss in Nassau
Nassau, Germany
Nassau is a town located in the German Land of Rhineland-Palatinate. It lies in the Lahn River valley between the cities of Bad Ems and Limburg an der Lahn. Nassau is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde of Nassau. The town is on the German-Dutch holiday road, the Orange Route...
.
The last owner from this house was Baron Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom und zum Stein (October 25, 1757 – June 29, 1831), a 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...
n statesman who introduced reforms, including abolition of serfdom
Serfdom
Serfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
, that paved the way for the unification of Germany
Unification of Germany
The formal unification of Germany into a politically and administratively integrated nation state officially occurred on 18 January 1871 at the Versailles Palace's Hall of Mirrors in France. Princes of the German states gathered there to proclaim Wilhelm of Prussia as Emperor Wilhelm of the German...
. After his retirement in 1815, Baron vom Stein settled in Frücht, where he still owned significant property and forest lands. There he built was family tomb for his parents. After his death in 1831, the tomb also became his own final resting place.
In 1804/06, Frücht was made a part of the newly formed Duchy of Nassau and in 1866 to the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it was part of the French occupation zone
Allied Occupation Zones in Germany
The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative purposes during 1945–49. In the closing weeks of fighting in Europe, US forces had pushed beyond the previously agreed boundaries for the...
. In 1947, it became part of the newly founded state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Visitor attractions
Near the Protestant church on the northern outskirts of Frücht is the family tomb of the Barons vom und zum Stein. The best-known member of the family, Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom Stein, is buried there. His oldest daughter, the Countess Giech, sought artistic input from architect Sulpiz BoisseréeSulpiz Boisserée
Johann Sulpiz Melchior Dominikus Boisserée was a German art collector who played a large role raising money for the restoration the Cathedral of his native city, Cologne.He died at Bonn.-External links:*...
for the construction of a Neo-Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
chapel over the tomb, which was built according to the design of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
architect Joseph Daniel Ohlmüller between 1836 and 1843. The marble relief on vom Stein’s grave monument was created between 1837 and 1840 by Munich sculptor Ludwig Michael Schwanthaler
Ludwig Michael Schwanthaler
Ludwig Michael Schwanthaler, later ennobled as Ritter von Schwanthaler was a German sculptor.-Biography:Schwanthaler was born in Munich....
.
Frücht has well-marked hiking trails, including the Schweizertal (“Swiss Valley”) to Miellen
Miellen
Miellen is a municipality in the district of Rhein-Lahn, in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany....
on the Lahn
Lahn
The Lahn River is a -long, right tributary of the Rhine River in Germany. Its course passes through the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia , Hesse , and Rhineland-Palatinate ....
.
Municipal council
The Municipal council consists of 12 members. Their distribution by party, as of the 13 June 2004 election (voter turnoutVoter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
: 77.6%), is as follows:
| Free Voters Free Voters Free Voters is a German concept in which an association of persons participates in an election without having the status of a registered political party. Usually it is a locally organized group of voters in the form of a registered association . In most cases, Free Voters are active only at the... |
Social Democrats | Total | |
| 2004 | 7 | 5 | 12 |
Economy
While Frücht has always had a strong agriculture sector, its business sector has remained small. This has meant that the town has been affected by declining tax revenues. Nevertheless, its financial situation is relatively good thanks to capital reserves.Beginning in the early 1970s, Frücht has experienced a construction boom under a village renewal plan. By opening up new land to development, the community has been able to meet a strong demand for housing in attractive surroundings while still being close to the city. In 1974, the newly built neighborhood "Am Hofacker" was developed. It was followed by the development in the locality called “In den Wiesen / Vordertal”, including the new streets "Grummetwiese", "Im Vogelsang" and the "Mühlenweg." A school built in Frücht in 1962-1963 was renovated into a kindergarten in 1973.
The local Protestant parish took over the sponsorship of the kindergarten, which is utilized by children from Frücht and the neighboring municipality of Becheln. The village cemetery was expanded and in 1977 a new village well was drilled. A multi-purpose community center as opened in Frücht after two years of construction in 1980. A significant share of the construction costs of 500,000 DM was raised through voluntary donations of the residents. A tennis facility was opened next to the hall in 1989, adding an athletics facility and a football pitch.
Coat of arms
The municipal coat of arms of Frücht was adopted in 1983. It includes references to the town’s historical owners, with the golden LionLion (heraldry)
The lion is a common charge in heraldry. It traditionally symbolises bravery, valour, strength, and royalty, since traditionally, it is regarded as the king of beasts.-Attitudes:...
of the House of Nassau
House of Nassau
The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled Count of Nassau, then elevated to the princely class as...
and the five-petaled red and blue Rose
Rose (heraldry)
The rose is a common device in heraldry. It is often used both as a charge on a coat of arms and by itself as a heraldic badge. The heraldic rose has a stylized form consisting of five symmetrical lobes, five barbs, and a circular seed. The rose is one of the most common plant symbols in...
of the Barony vom Stein.
Sources
- Frücht page on the Bad Ems Municipal Association website.