Mülheim an der Mosel
Encyclopedia
Mülheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich
district
in Rhineland-Palatinate
, Germany
.
. Mülheim is found on the river’s right bank, where the valley begins to broaden out into country marked by even slopes on the banks and by former riverbeds. The village lies at the foot of a small, narrow mountain, a former river island surrounded by an old riverbed of the Moselle that has now been cut off from the mainstream. This is planted all round with grapevines and is purportedly the only mountain in Europe wholly given over to winegrowing.
Mülheim belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Bernkastel-Kues, whose seat is in the like-named town
.
and Lieser
. The nearest middle centres
are the double town of Bernkastel-Kues
, some 4 km away, and the district seat, Wittlich
, some 12 km away. Trier
is some 33 km away.
and continental climate
; compared to other regions in Germany, a very warm and sunny climate prevails here. In neighbouring Brauneberg
on 11 August 1998, a record temperature of 41.2 °C in the shade, the highest ever air temperature recorded in the Federal Republic, was confirmed at the Meteomedia
weather station
by Jörg Kachelmann
(however, Brauneberg is not said to be Germany’s number-one hotspot because the weather station is not included in official measurements owing to its location on a slate mountain).
The barrier formed by the Eifel
shields Mülheim from west winds, putting it in a rain shadow
and sometimes subjecting it to a föhn effect. At the same time, the warming of the air is favoured by the only slight exchange of air with the surrounding area. Tied in with this is the high humidity due to ongoing evaporation of water from the Moselle, which, especially in summer, makes at times for heavy and muggy weather, and which also brings many storms along with it.
In nearby areas, remnants of human habitation have been found from the Bronze Age
, as have the ruins of a flight castle, the Heidenmauer (“Heathen Wall”), which is found a few kilometres away from Mülheim, behind Schloss Veldenz
. As early as about 500 BC there came settlement by the Treveri
, a people of mixed Celtic and Germanic
stock, from whom the Latin
name for the city of Trier
, Augusta Treverorum
, is also derived. From about 50 BC until sometime about AD 500 came the Romans
. After the collapse of Roman
hegemony, the area around Mülheim was taken over by the Salian
Franks
, which their king, Childebert II
, eventually donated to Bishop Agericus of Verdun. Episcopally installed princes from the Nahegau made themselves ever more independent and beginning in 1129 bore the title Count. Thereafter, Mülheim was part of the County of Veldenz, although after both the first and second comital families had died out, the County passed first to the new Principality of Palatinate-Zweibrücken
and eventually in 1694 through inheritance to Electoral Palatinate. In 1752 in Burgen
, not far away, the notorious robber, Johann Peter Petri, known as “Schwarzer Peter” (“Black Peter”), the outlaw Schinderhannes
’s henchman, was born. Until 1795, Mülheim belonged to Bavaria
.
The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:
The municipality’s arms
might be described thus: Argent a lion rampant azure armed Or and langued gules holding between his sinister fore gambe and dexter hind gambe a waterwheel of the third.
The two charge
s in the arms are the blue ("azure") Lion of Veldenz with a red tongue ("langued gules") and gold claws ("armed Or"), along with a special municipal symbol, the golden waterwheel. The tincture
s gules and Or (red and gold) were taken from the heraldic beast on the helm
of the arms borne by the old County of Veldenz. In 1835, the lion in Mülheim's arms was adopted by the King of Bavaria
into that kingdom’s state coat of arms, where it remained as a charge until the end of the First World War when the last Bavarian king, Ludwig III
was forced to abdicate as a result of the November Revolution.
. The Mülheimer Markt is not held on a weekend, but rather each year between the first Tuesday and Thursday in August. Nevertheless, it is in no way inferior to other wine festivals in the Verbandsgemeinde of Bernkastel-Kues and draws a good number of visitors.
play an important rôle. A local supply of food is guaranteed. The winemaking village also has a landing stage from which boat tours are available. Moreover, several “First-Class Hotels” (that is, four-star, under the German hotel classification system) have arisen in Mülheim to meet the high demand. Public transport is integrated into the Verkehrsverbund Region Trier (VRT), whose fares therefore apply, and which also includes, besides Trier
, the districts
of Bernkastel-Wittlich
, Bitburg-Prüm
, Vulkaneifel and Trier-Saarburg
.
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 surrounded by vineyards, meadows and forests in the natural and cultivated landscape of the Moselle valley not far from the university city of TrierTrier
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....
. Mülheim is found on the river’s right bank, where the valley begins to broaden out into country marked by even slopes on the banks and by former riverbeds. The village lies at the foot of a small, narrow mountain, a former river island surrounded by an old riverbed of the Moselle that has now been cut off from the mainstream. This is planted all round with grapevines and is purportedly the only mountain in Europe wholly given over to winegrowing.
Mülheim belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Bernkastel-Kues, whose seat is in the like-named town
Bernkastel-Kues
Bernkastel-Kues is a well-known winegrowing centre on the Middle Moselle in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
.
Nearby municipalities
Neighbouring municipalities are, among others, BraunebergBrauneberg
Brauneberg is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is known above all for its wine and its meteorological distinctions.- Location :The municipality lies on the...
and Lieser
Lieser (Mosel)
Lieser is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
. The nearest middle centres
Central Place Theory
Central place theory is a geographical theory that seeks to explain the number, size and location of human settlements in an urban system. The theory was created by the German geographer Walter Christaller, who asserted that settlements simply functioned as 'central places' providing services to...
are the double town of Bernkastel-Kues
Bernkastel-Kues
Bernkastel-Kues is a well-known winegrowing centre on the Middle Moselle in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
, some 4 km away, and the district seat, 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...
, some 12 km away. 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....
is some 33 km away.
Climate
Mülheim lies in a transitional zone between temperate oceanic climateOceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
and continental climate
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
; compared to other regions in Germany, a very warm and sunny climate prevails here. In neighbouring Brauneberg
Brauneberg
Brauneberg is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is known above all for its wine and its meteorological distinctions.- Location :The municipality lies on the...
on 11 August 1998, a record temperature of 41.2 °C in the shade, the highest ever air temperature recorded in the Federal Republic, was confirmed at the Meteomedia
Meteomedia AG
Meteomedia is a company founded by Jörg Kachelmann, which operates a large network of Weather stations in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. The company's services include weather forecasts, severe weather warnings and meteorological consultancy. The headquarters of the company are situated in Gais...
weather station
Weather station
A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for observing atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed, wind...
by Jörg Kachelmann
Jörg Kachelmann
Jörg Andreas Kachelmann is a Swiss presenter, journalist and entrepreneur in the meteorological field.- Biography :Jörg Kachelmann spent his youth in Schaffhausen...
(however, Brauneberg is not said to be Germany’s number-one hotspot because the weather station is not included in official measurements owing to its location on a slate mountain).
The barrier formed by 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....
shields Mülheim from west winds, putting it in a rain shadow
Rain shadow
A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...
and sometimes subjecting it to a föhn effect. At the same time, the warming of the air is favoured by the only slight exchange of air with the surrounding area. Tied in with this is the high humidity due to ongoing evaporation of water from the Moselle, which, especially in summer, makes at times for heavy and muggy weather, and which also brings many storms along with it.
History
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, as have the ruins of a flight castle, the Heidenmauer (“Heathen Wall”), which is found a few kilometres away from Mülheim, behind Schloss Veldenz
Schloss Veldenz
Schloss Veldenz in the Mosel Valley region is a Castle ruin about 1.5 kilometers southeast of Veldenz.-Location:The site is located in the Rhineland-Palatinate in the county of Bernkastel-Wittlich...
. As early as about 500 BC there came settlement by the Treveri
Treveri
The Treveri or Treviri were a tribe of Gauls who inhabited the lower valley of the Moselle from around 150 BCE, at the latest, until their eventual absorption into the Franks...
, a people of mixed Celtic and Germanic
Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...
stock, from whom the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
name for the city of 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....
, Augusta Treverorum
History of Trier
Trier in Rhineland-Palatinate, whose history dates to the Roman Empire, is often claimed to be the oldest city in Germany. Traditionally it was known in English by its French name of Treves.- Prehistory :...
, is also derived. From about 50 BC until sometime about AD 500 came the Romans
Ancient 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....
. After the collapse of Roman
Ancient 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....
hegemony, the area around Mülheim was taken over by the Salian
Salian dynasty
The Salian dynasty was a dynasty in the High Middle Ages of four German Kings , also known as the Frankish dynasty after the family's origin and role as dukes of Franconia...
Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
, which their king, Childebert II
Childebert II
.Childebert II was the Merovingian king of Austrasia, which included Provence at the time, from 575 until his death in 595, the eldest and succeeding son of Sigebert I, and the king of Burgundy from 592 to his death, as the adopted and succeeding son of his uncle Guntram.-Childhood:When his father...
, eventually donated to Bishop Agericus of Verdun. Episcopally installed princes from the Nahegau made themselves ever more independent and beginning in 1129 bore the title Count. Thereafter, Mülheim was part of the County of Veldenz, although after both the first and second comital families had died out, the County passed first to the new Principality of Palatinate-Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Zweibrücken is a former state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its capital was Zweibrücken.-Overview:→ History before 1394 see main article County of Zweibrücken→ History before 1444 see main article County of Veldenz...
and eventually in 1694 through inheritance to Electoral Palatinate. In 1752 in Burgen
Burgen, Bernkastel-Wittlich
Burgen is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
, not far away, the notorious robber, Johann Peter Petri, known as “Schwarzer Peter” (“Black Peter”), the outlaw Schinderhannes
Schinderhannes
Johannes Bückler , nicknamed Schinderhannes, was a German outlaw who orchestrated one of the most fascinating crime sprees in German history. He was born at Miehlen, the son of Johann and Anna Maria Bückler. He began an apprenticeship to a tanner, but turned to petty theft. At 16 he was arrested...
’s henchman, was born. Until 1795, Mülheim belonged to Bavaria
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Bavarian Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806 as Maximilian I Joseph. The monarchy would remain held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom's dissolution in 1918...
.
Municipal council
The council is made up of 16 council members, who were elected at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.| Bottler | Falke | Fehres | Total | |
| 2009 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 16 seats |
Coat of 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 be described thus: Argent a lion rampant azure armed Or and langued gules holding between his sinister fore gambe and dexter hind gambe a waterwheel of the third.
The two 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 in the arms are the blue ("azure") Lion of Veldenz with a red tongue ("langued gules") and gold claws ("armed Or"), along with a special municipal symbol, the golden waterwheel. 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 gules and Or (red and gold) were taken from the heraldic beast on the helm
Helmet (heraldry)
In heraldic achievements, the helmet or helm is situated above the shield and bears the torse and crest. The style of helmet displayed varies according to rank and social status, and these styles developed over time, in step with the development of actual military helmets...
of the arms borne by the old County of Veldenz. In 1835, the lion in Mülheim's arms was adopted by the King of Bavaria
Ludwig I of Bavaria
Ludwig I was a German king of Bavaria from 1825 until the 1848 revolutions in the German states.-Crown prince:...
into that kingdom’s state coat of arms, where it remained as a charge until the end of the First World War when the last Bavarian king, Ludwig III
Ludwig III of Bavaria
Ludwig III , was the last King of Bavaria, reigning from 1913 to 1918.-Early life:...
was forced to abdicate as a result of the November Revolution.
Regular events
Local history and wine festivals are held regularly in Mülheim. The highlight is the Mülheimer Markt, a market and court day established by the Counts in 1555, today a wine festival marked with a parade, market stalls and a midwayMidway (fair)
A midway at a fair is the location where amusement rides, entertainment and fast food booths are concentrated....
. The Mülheimer Markt is not held on a weekend, but rather each year between the first Tuesday and Thursday in August. Nevertheless, it is in no way inferior to other wine festivals in the Verbandsgemeinde of Bernkastel-Kues and draws a good number of visitors.
Economy and infrastructure
Winegrowing and also tourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
play an important rôle. A local supply of food is guaranteed. The winemaking village also has a landing stage from which boat tours are available. Moreover, several “First-Class Hotels” (that is, four-star, under the German hotel classification system) have arisen in Mülheim to meet the high demand. Public transport is integrated into the Verkehrsverbund Region Trier (VRT), whose fares therefore apply, and which also includes, besides 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....
, the districts
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 ....
of 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 :...
, Bitburg-Prüm
Bitburg-Prüm
The Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm is a district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by Luxembourg, Belgium and the districts of Euskirchen, Vulkaneifel, Bernkastel-Wittlich and Trier-Saarburg.- History :...
, Vulkaneifel and Trier-Saarburg
Trier-Saarburg
Trier-Saarburg is a district in the west of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Neighboring districts are Bitburg-Prüm, Bernkastel-Wittlich, Birkenfeld, Sankt Wendel , and Merzig-Wadern . To the west it borders Luxembourg...
.