Saulheim
Encyclopedia
Saulheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms
district in Rhineland-Palatinate
, Germany
.
, whose seat is in the like-named municipality
. It covers an area of 18.94 km² and has a population of 7183 (31 December 2006).
The municipality of Saulheim was formed on 7 June 1969 from the two formerly autonomous municipalities of Nieder-Saulheim and Ober-Saulheim.
, while the other third, aside from a few non-religious people, is Catholic. Standing in the municipality are three church buildings, two Evangelical and one Catholic.
The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:
might be described thus: Gules three moons increscent proper.
These arms are the same ones formerly borne by Nieder-Saulheim before the merger in 1969. The other arms, shown at left, are Ober-Saulheim’s old arms. They might be blazoned: Azure diapered on a pale Or the Long Stone of Saulheim of the field (see Cultural monuments below).
(1834–1914) who had emigrated to the United States
and become successful in the lumber business there.
Saint Bartholomew’s Church (Kirche St. Bartholomäus) comes from the 14th century. Its foundation stone was laid in 1344. It was a successor building to a late mediaeval
country church of the Bishop of Mainz. The Auferstehungsfenster (“Resurrection Windows”) in the chancel were created by Alois Plum
.
in the shape of the legendary knight Hundt zu Saulheim (Knightly
Canton of Oberrhein), which was erected on 8 May 1987. It was created by Melchior Gresser junior.
state road overlooking Ober-Saulheim stands the menhir
called the Langer Stein (“Long Stone”), which has stood since antiquity, and around which legends swirl. In its upper third was hewn a niche in which to set a Christian
image. From its shape, the niche can be reckoned to the Late Gothic
period.
, table tennis
, 4 Internet
-access computers and a music library for both selecting and listening. For active musicians, a music and recording studio is available.
Moreover, there is a Catholic Youth Group (Katholische Jugendgruppe, unaccountably abbreviated KJS).
This group is made up of several “group leaders” who each take a turn staging a group session for youth between 9 and 15 years of age. Once a year, the KJS stages an Easter
leisure activity at various self-catering houses. Current information about this can be found on the municipality’s website.
Besides the KJS, Saulheim has a chapter of the Catholic Country Youth Movement Katholischen Landjugendbewegung (KLJB). Beyond group sessions, this offers two camps each year, one for children between 7 and 13, and another for youths between 14 and 16. As well, the KLJB offers an autumn leisure activity during the autumn holiday at a self-catering house for participants between 11 and 15. Over the year are scattered even more, smaller events, such as daycare during Advent
to relieve parents suffering from Christmas
stress.
s. 24 km² is given over to other agriculture
, mainly grain
, sugar beet
and asparagus
.
In Saulheim is one of DHL
’s 33 postal freight centres found throughout Germany. It is the main handling depot for all air mail consignments (through Frankfurt Airport
) from southwest Germany.
to Mainz
and has half-hourly trains. Two interchange
s on Landesstraße (State Road) 401 and an Autobahn interchange on the A 63
between the Mainz and Alzey Autobahn crosses afford the municipality good highway links.
As well as the Alzey–Mainz service, it is possible to ride the “Alsace Express” (Elsass-Express) on weekends and holidays to Wissembourg
.
s. In the constituent community of Nieder-Saulheim is a primary school. It is not possible to attend secondary school
in the municipality. That, however, is to be found in Wörrstadt
(4 km away), Alzey
(19 km), Nieder-Olm
(3 km) and Mainz
(18 km).
A further educational institution at hand is the Volkshochschule Saulheim, a folk high school
. Course offerings range from languages to health to creative design.
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 Alzey-Worms
Alzey-Worms
Alzey-Worms is a district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by the district Groß-Gerau , the city of Worms and the districts of Bad Dürkheim, Donnersbergkreis, Bad Kreuznach and Mainz-Bingen.- History :...
district 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 Rhenish Hesse and is the second biggest Ortsgemeinde in the Verbandsgemeinde of WörrstadtWörrstadt (Verbandsgemeinde)
Wörrstadt is a Verbandsgemeinde in the district Alzey-Worms, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The seat of the Verbandsgemeinde is in Wörrstadt....
, whose seat is in the like-named municipality
Wörrstadt
Wörrstadt is a town in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :The town lies in Rhenish Hesse on the northwest edge of the Upper Rhine Plain...
. It covers an area of 18.94 km² and has a population of 7183 (31 December 2006).
History
In 763, Saulheim had its first documentary mention, and is thereby one of the oldest places in Rhenish Hesse.The municipality of Saulheim was formed on 7 June 1969 from the two formerly autonomous municipalities of Nieder-Saulheim and Ober-Saulheim.
Religion
Some two thirds of the population is EvangelicalEvangelical Church in Germany
The Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of 22 Lutheran, Unified and Reformed Protestant regional church bodies in Germany. The EKD is not a church in a theological understanding because of the denominational differences. However, the member churches share full pulpit and altar...
, while the other third, aside from a few non-religious people, is Catholic. Standing in the municipality are three church buildings, two Evangelical and one Catholic.
Municipal council
The council is made up of 22 council members, who were elected at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:
| SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
CDU | FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government... |
FWG 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... |
GAL | Pro Saulheim | Total | |
| 2009 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 22 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: Gules three moons increscent proper.
These arms are the same ones formerly borne by Nieder-Saulheim before the merger in 1969. The other arms, shown at left, are Ober-Saulheim’s old arms. They might be blazoned: Azure diapered on a pale Or the Long Stone of Saulheim of the field (see Cultural monuments below).
Buildings
One of Saulheim’s peculiarities is the Sängerhalle – “Singers’ Hall” – built in 1904, which was endowed for his home village by Friedrich WeyerhäuserFriedrich Weyerhäuser
Friedrich Weyerhäuser was a German-American timber mogul and founder of the Weyerhaeuser Company, which owns saw mills, paper factories, and other business enterprises, and large areas of forested land...
(1834–1914) who had emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and become successful in the lumber business there.
Saint Bartholomew’s Church (Kirche St. Bartholomäus) comes from the 14th century. Its foundation stone was laid in 1344. It was a successor building to a late mediaeval
Late Middle Ages
The Late Middle Ages was the period of European history generally comprising the 14th to the 16th century . The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern era ....
country church of the Bishop of Mainz. The Auferstehungsfenster (“Resurrection Windows”) in the chancel were created by Alois Plum
Alois Plum
Alois Johannes Plum is an artist working in Mainz, Germany, who has acquired a national reputation for his stained glass, his paintings , and his plastic art. Active since the 1950s, his work decorates hundreds of churches and public buildings in Germany...
.
Monuments
At Raiffeisenplatz stands a figure of red sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
in the shape of the legendary knight Hundt zu Saulheim (Knightly
Imperial Knight
The Free Imperial Knights, or the Knights of the Empire was an organisation of free nobles of the Holy Roman Empire, whose direct overlord was the Emperor, remnants of the medieval free nobility and the ministeriales...
Canton of Oberrhein), which was erected on 8 May 1987. It was created by Melchior Gresser junior.
Cultural monuments
On the L 401Landesstraße
Landesstraßen are roads in Germany and Austria that are, as a rule, the responsibility of the respective German or Austrian federal state. The term may therefore be translated as "state road". They are roads that cross the boundary of a rural or urban district...
state road overlooking Ober-Saulheim stands the menhir
Menhir
A menhir is a large upright standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top...
called the Langer Stein (“Long Stone”), which has stood since antiquity, and around which legends swirl. In its upper third was hewn a niche in which to set a Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
image. From its shape, the niche can be reckoned to the Late Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
period.
Regular events
- Ober-Saulheim kermis (church consecration festival, locally known as the Ober-Saulheimer Kerb), yearly on the last weekend in August (Friday to Tuesday).
- Nieder-Saulheimer Ritter-Hundt-Weinkerb (wine fair), yearly on the second weekend in September (Friday to Tuesday).
- Backesbrunnenfest (“Bakehouse Well Festival”) staged by the village association and the Backesbrunnenfestfreunde (“Bakehouse Well Festival Friends”) yearly on the first weekend in July.
- Immaculata on 8 December at the Catholic church, followed by devotions and serving of mulled wine by the Catholic Youth Group.
Youth
In Saulheim is found a public youth meeting centre. In a lavishly carved room the following leisure activities are on offer: billiards, table footballTable football
Table football, also known as gitoni or foosball, is a table-top game and sport that is loosely based on association football.-Names:...
, table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
, 4 Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
-access computers and a music library for both selecting and listening. For active musicians, a music and recording studio is available.
Moreover, there is a Catholic Youth Group (Katholische Jugendgruppe, unaccountably abbreviated KJS).
This group is made up of several “group leaders” who each take a turn staging a group session for youth between 9 and 15 years of age. Once a year, the KJS stages an Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
leisure activity at various self-catering houses. Current information about this can be found on the municipality’s website.
Besides the KJS, Saulheim has a chapter of the Catholic Country Youth Movement Katholischen Landjugendbewegung (KLJB). Beyond group sessions, this offers two camps each year, one for children between 7 and 13, and another for youths between 14 and 16. As well, the KLJB offers an autumn leisure activity during the autumn holiday at a self-catering house for participants between 11 and 15. Over the year are scattered even more, smaller events, such as daycare during Advent
Advent
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday, called Levavi...
to relieve parents suffering from Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
stress.
Agriculture
Both cropgrowing and winegrowing are done in Saulheim. It has 6.8 km² of vineyardVineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s. 24 km² is given over to other 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...
, mainly grain
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
, sugar beet
Sugar beet
Sugar beet, a cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose tuber contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beets and other B...
and asparagus
Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis is a spring vegetable, a flowering perennialplant species in the genus Asparagus. It was once classified in the lily family, like its Allium cousins, onions and garlic, but the Liliaceae have been split and the onion-like plants are now in the family Amaryllidaceae and...
.
Established businesses
Currently, the Commercial Area II (Gewerbegebiet II) with its various shopping facilities is undergoing an expansion.In Saulheim is one of DHL
DHL
DHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post providing international express mail services. DHL is a world market leader in sea and air mail....
’s 33 postal freight centres found throughout Germany. It is the main handling depot for all air mail consignments (through Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport may refer to:Airports of Frankfurt, Germany:*Frankfurt Airport , the largest airport in Germany*Frankfurt Egelsbach Airport, a general aviation airport*Frankfurt-Hahn Airport , a converted U.S...
) from southwest Germany.
Transport
Saulheim lies on the railway from AlzeyAlzey
Alzey is a Verband-free town – one belonging to no Verbandsgemeinde – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the fourth-largest town in Rhenish Hesse, after Mainz, Worms, and Bingen....
to Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
and has half-hourly trains. Two interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
s on Landesstraße (State Road) 401 and an Autobahn interchange on the A 63
Bundesautobahn 63
is an autobahn in southwestern Germany. It connects the Mainz area to Kaiserslautern and the A 6 and is therefore an important connection between the Rhine/Main and the Saar areas...
between the Mainz and Alzey Autobahn crosses afford the municipality good highway links.
As well as the Alzey–Mainz service, it is possible to ride the “Alsace Express” (Elsass-Express) on weekends and holidays to Wissembourg
Wissembourg
Wissembourg is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in northeastern France.It is situated on the little River Lauter close to the border between France and Germany approximately north of Strasbourg and west of Karlsruhe. Wissembourg is a sub-prefecture of the department...
.
Education
The municipality has at its disposal five kindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
s. In the constituent community of Nieder-Saulheim is a primary school. It is not possible to attend secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in the municipality. That, however, is to be found in Wörrstadt
Wörrstadt
Wörrstadt is a town in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :The town lies in Rhenish Hesse on the northwest edge of the Upper Rhine Plain...
(4 km away), Alzey
Alzey
Alzey is a Verband-free town – one belonging to no Verbandsgemeinde – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the fourth-largest town in Rhenish Hesse, after Mainz, Worms, and Bingen....
(19 km), Nieder-Olm
Nieder-Olm
Nieder-Olm is a town in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Until 5 November 2006 it was an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – but it was raised to town the next day...
(3 km) and Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
(18 km).
A further educational institution at hand is the Volkshochschule Saulheim, a folk high school
Folk high school
Folk high schools are institutions for adult education that generally do not grant academic degrees, though certain courses might exist leading to that goal...
. Course offerings range from languages to health to creative design.
Further reading
- Detert Zylmann: Das Rätsel der Menhire. Verlag Ernst Probst, Mainz-Kostheim 2003
- Jakob Decker: 1200 Jahre Nieder-Saulheim 763-1963. Gemeindeverwaltung Nieder-Saulheim, 1963
- Karl Johann Brilmayer: Rheinhessen in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart. Verlag Weidlich, Würzburg 1985 (Reprint of 1905)