Selters, Rhineland-Palatinate
Encyclopedia
Selters is a town in the Westerwaldkreis
in Rhineland-Palatinate
, Germany
. Selters is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde of Selters
, a kind of collective municipality.
between Koblenz
and Siegen
, roughly 12 km northwest of Montabaur
, and 25 km northeast of Koblenz.
, the synagogue
was burnt down. In October 1939, Selters was “Jew-free”. Only the Jewish
graveyard on the Wacht still bears witness to the Jews’ history in Selters. On 15 October 2000, the then community of Selters, by decision of the Ministry of the Interior and Sport, was granted town rights.
has existed only since the late 19th century. In 1892, the parish’s own church was consecrated, which was built in neo-Gothic
style. In November 1965, owing to the church building’s unsoundness, it was torn down, and on the land a new, modern church was built. Beneath this church is found the parish centre with meeting and event rooms. In the parish church, the relic
s of Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
are kept and worshipped. Particular stress is the devotion to church music and youth work. Many musical groups busy themselves, without pay, in the parish and enrich church services with their musical pieces. Since August 2009, the priest Marcus W. Fischer has headed the parish.
parish in Selters has owned its own church since 1842. This building’s side wings also housed the Selters elementary school until 1958. The same rooms are now used by the town administration. In 1850, the Evangelical parish got its first minister. In 1963, a kindergarten
and a parish centre were dedicated. Since 2006, Mr. Wehrmann has been the one responsible for leading the parish.
Apportionment of seats on town council:
8, leading from Limburg an der Lahn
to Siegburg
. Selters also lies right near the Autobahnen A 3 (Cologne
–Frankfurt) and A 48 (to Koblenz
). The nearest InterCityExpress
stop is the railway station at Montabaur on the Cologne-Frankfurt high-speed rail line.
Erinnern für die Zukunft. 60 Jahre nach der Befreiung von der Nazi-Herrschaft im Westerwald
Westerwaldkreis
The Westerwaldkreis is a district in the east of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
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...
. Selters is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde of Selters
Selters (Verbandsgemeinde)
Selters is a Verbandsgemeinde in the district Westerwaldkreis, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The seat of the Verbandsgemeinde is in Selters....
, a kind of collective municipality.
Location
The town lies in the WesterwaldWesterwald
The Westerwald is a low mountain range on the right bank of the River Rhine in the German federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is a part of the Rhine Massif...
between Koblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
and Siegen
Siegen
Siegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
, roughly 12 km northwest of Montabaur
Montabaur
Montabaur is a town and the district seat of the Westerwaldkreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. At the same time, it is also the administrative centre of the Verbandsgemeinde of Montabaur – a kind of collective municipality – to which 24 other communities belong...
, and 25 km northeast of Koblenz.
History
In 1194/1198, Selters had its first documentary mention as Saltres. On 9 November 1938Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass, and also Reichskristallnacht, Pogromnacht, and Novemberpogrome, was a pogrom or series of attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany and parts of Austria on 9–10 November 1938.Jewish homes were ransacked, as were shops, towns and...
, the synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
was burnt down. In October 1939, Selters was “Jew-free”. Only the Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
graveyard on the Wacht still bears witness to the Jews’ history in Selters. On 15 October 2000, the then community of Selters, by decision of the Ministry of the Interior and Sport, was granted town rights.
Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic parish of Saint BonifaceSaint Boniface
Saint Boniface , the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid, Wynfrith, or Wynfryth in the kingdom of Wessex, probably at Crediton , was a missionary who propagated Christianity in the Frankish Empire during the 8th century. He is the patron saint of Germany and the first archbishop of Mainz...
has existed only since the late 19th century. In 1892, the parish’s own church was consecrated, which was built in neo-Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style. In November 1965, owing to the church building’s unsoundness, it was torn down, and on the land a new, modern church was built. Beneath this church is found the parish centre with meeting and event rooms. In the parish church, the relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s of Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows
Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows was an Italian Passionist clerical student. Born to a professional family, he gave up hopes of a secular career to enter the Passionist Congregation...
are kept and worshipped. Particular stress is the devotion to church music and youth work. Many musical groups busy themselves, without pay, in the parish and enrich church services with their musical pieces. Since August 2009, the priest Marcus W. Fischer has headed the parish.
Evangelical Church
The 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...
parish in Selters has owned its own church since 1842. This building’s side wings also housed the Selters elementary school until 1958. The same rooms are now used by the town administration. In 1850, the Evangelical parish got its first minister. In 1963, a kindergarten
Kindergarten
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...
and a parish centre were dedicated. Since 2006, Mr. Wehrmann has been the one responsible for leading the parish.
Town council
The council is made up of 22 council members, as well as the honorary and presiding mayor (Ortsbürgermeister), who were elected in a municipal election on 13 June 2004.Apportionment of seats on town council:
| SPD | CDU | BLS | Total | |
| 2004 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 22 seats |
Transport
The town lies west of BundesstraßeBundesstraße
Bundesstraße , abbreviated B, is the denotation for German and Austrian national highways.-Germany:...
8, leading from Limburg an der Lahn
Limburg an der Lahn
Limburg an der Lahn is the district seat of Limburg-Weilburg in Hesse, Germany.-Location:Limburg lies in western Hesse between the Taunus and the Westerwald on the river Lahn....
to Siegburg
Siegburg
--122.148.78.228 05:06, 14 November 2011 Siegburg is a city in the district of Rhein-Sieg-Kreis, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany...
. Selters also lies right near the Autobahnen A 3 (Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
–Frankfurt) and A 48 (to Koblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
). The nearest InterCityExpress
InterCityExpress
The Intercity-Express or ICE is a system of high-speed trains predominantly running in Germany and neighbouring countries. It is the highest service category offered by DB Fernverkehr and is the flagship of Deutsche Bahn...
stop is the railway station at Montabaur on the Cologne-Frankfurt high-speed rail line.
Sons and daughters of the town
- John Peter AltgeldJohn Peter AltgeldJohn Peter Altgeld was the 20th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1893 until 1897. He was the first Democratic governor of that state since the 1850s...
(1847–1902), 20th Governor of IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,... - Dominik Schwaderlapp, Vicar-General of the Archbishopric of Cologne and Capitular
- Dieter Stoodt, (b. 1927), theology professor in Frankfurt
Sources
Landjuden in Selters/Westerwald. In: Nassauische Annalen, Bd. 108. Wiesbaden 1997, S. 169-183.Erinnern für die Zukunft. 60 Jahre nach der Befreiung von der Nazi-Herrschaft im Westerwald