Kirchweiler
Encyclopedia
Kirchweiler is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district
in Rhineland-Palatinate
, Germany
. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Daun
, whose seat is in the like-named town
.
, a part of the Eifel
known for its volcanic history, geographical and geological features, and even ongoing activity today, including gases that sometimes well up from the earth.
Kirchweiler lies west of the Scharteberg
with its Eifel Transmitter at an elevation of 540 m above sea level
. Its area is 6.31 km².
, then held by Himmerod Abbey
, bequeathed an estate near Kirchweiler. As of 1398, the undisputed overlord was the Electorate of Trier. In 1600, sixteen hearths (that is, households) were registered in the village, whose ownership had since passed to the Lordship of Daun and then to that of Kesselburg. The number fell in the wake of the Plague and the Thirty Years' War
until in 1654, there were only six households left. In 1684, this had already risen back up to ten households, suggesting a population figure of roughly 50. At this time, the villagers in Kirchweiler earned their livelihood mainly through agriculture
. In 1624, 11 of the 13 households worked in this field. As for the other two households, there were a craftsman and one villager who had no occupation. The population kept growing on into the 19th century. Kirchweiler passed to the Kingdom of Prussia
in 1815. In 1862, there were 376 people living in Kirchweiler. Since 1947, it has been part of the then newly founded state
of Rhineland-Palatinate
.
The municipality’s arms
might in English heraldic
language be described thus: Vert, in base a mount argent charged with two keys per saltire, the wards to chief, gules, on the mount a Latin cross on a basalt knoll of the second.
The “mount” is described in the German blazon as a Dreiberg, but it does not have the shape that this charge
usually takes in German heraldry
(for examples within this same district, see Kerpen
’s and Birgel
’s coats of arms).
The keys symbolize the parish’s patron saint, Saint Peter
, and the cross on the knoll is the old Plague Cross in the village.
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 Vulkaneifel 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...
. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Daun
Daun (Verbandsgemeinde)
Daun is a collective municipality in the Vulkaneifel district of Rhineland-Palatinate. The seat of the Daun Verbandsgemeinde is in the municipality of Daun.- Constituent municipalities:# Betteldorf# Bleckhausen# Brockscheid...
, whose seat is in the like-named town
Daun, Germany
Daun is a town in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the district seat and also the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde of Daun.- Location :...
.
Location
The municipality lies in the VulkaneifelVulkan Eifel
The Vulkan Eifel is a region in the Eifel Mountains in Germany, that is defined to a large extent by its volcanic geological history. Characteristic of the Vulkan Eifel are its typical explosion crater lakes or maars, and numerous other signs of volcanic activity such as volcanic tuffs, lava...
, a part of the Eifel
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....
known for its volcanic history, geographical and geological features, and even ongoing activity today, including gases that sometimes well up from the earth.
Kirchweiler lies west of the Scharteberg
Scharteberg
The Scharteberg is a mountain, high, near Kirchweiler in the district of Vulkaneifel and is one the highest peaks in the Eifel region of Germany. On the summit is the Eifel Transmitter which belongs to SWR and is used for FM radio and television....
with its Eifel Transmitter at an elevation of 540 m above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. Its area is 6.31 km².
History
In 1201, Kirchweiler had its first documentary mention when a nobleman from BerlingenBerlingen, Germany
Berlingen is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
, then held by Himmerod Abbey
Himmerod Abbey
Himmerod Abbey is a Cistercian monastery in the community of Großlittgen in the Verbandsgemeinde of Manderscheid in the district of Bernkastel-Wittlich, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, located in the Eifel, in the valley of the Salm.-First foundation:Himmerod Abbey was founded in 1134 by Saint...
, bequeathed an estate near Kirchweiler. As of 1398, the undisputed overlord was the Electorate of Trier. In 1600, sixteen hearths (that is, households) were registered in the village, whose ownership had since passed to the Lordship of Daun and then to that of Kesselburg. The number fell in the wake of the Plague and the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
until in 1654, there were only six households left. In 1684, this had already risen back up to ten households, suggesting a population figure of roughly 50. At this time, the villagers in Kirchweiler earned their livelihood mainly through 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...
. In 1624, 11 of the 13 households worked in this field. As for the other two households, there were a craftsman and one villager who had no occupation. The population kept growing on into the 19th century. Kirchweiler passed 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...
in 1815. In 1862, there were 376 people living in Kirchweiler. Since 1947, 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 7 council members, who were elected at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.Coat of arms
The German blazon reads: In Grün auf einen silbernen Dreiberg, darin zwei schräg gekreuzte, aufrechte rote Schüssel, ein silbernes Hochkreuz auf einer silbernen Basaltkuppe zu sehen.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: Vert, in base a mount argent charged with two keys per saltire, the wards to chief, gules, on the mount a Latin cross on a basalt knoll of the second.
The “mount” is described in the German blazon as a Dreiberg, but it does not have the shape that this 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...
usually takes in German heraldry
German heraldry
German heraldry refers to the cultural tradition and style of heraldic achievements in modern and historic Germany and the Holy Roman Empire, including national and civic arms, noble and burgher arms, ecclesiastical heraldry, heraldic displays and heraldic descriptions...
(for examples within this same district, see Kerpen
Kerpen, Rhineland-Palatinate
Kerpen is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
’s and Birgel
Birgel
Birgel is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Obere Kyll, whose seat is in the municipality of Jünkerath.- Location :The municipality...
’s coats of arms).
The keys symbolize the parish’s patron saint, Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
, and the cross on the knoll is the old Plague Cross in the village.
Buildings
- Saint PeterSaint PeterSaint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
’s Catholic Parish Church (Pfarrkirche St. Peter), Hauptstraße 31, 1810, west tower 1821, possibly lengthened in 20th century, in the churchyard post-Baroque shaft cross from about 1810. - Near Dauner Straße 9 – wayside cross, basaltBasaltBasalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
beam cross, possibly 18th century. - Gerolsteiner Straße 6 – Quereinhaus (a combination residential and commercial house divided for these two purposes down the middle, perpendicularly to the street), from 1821, partly sided, possibly partly timber-frameTimber framingTimber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
from 18th century, oven porch. - Gerolsteiner Straße 9 – Quereinhaus from 1842.
- Hauptstraße 17 a – former Quereinhaus from 1834.
- Schulstraße 1 – former school, Reform architecture, from 1910/1920.
- So-called Schwarzes Kreuz (“Black Cross”), south of the village on the road to NerothNerothNeroth is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
, basalt beam cross from 1728. - Wayside cross, east of the village on the road from HinterweilerHinterweilerHinterweiler is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
to SteinbornSteinbornSteinborn is a municipality in the district of Bitburg-Prüm, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany....
, basalt beam cross from 178(?; last digit unclear).