Wintrich
Encyclopedia
Wintrich is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich
district
in Rhineland-Palatinate
, Germany
.
s and in places by woods climb up to the Eifel
over on the other side of the river. Wintrich belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Bernkastel-Kues, whose seat is in the like-named town
.
, Kesten and Brauneberg
. The nearest middle centres
are Bernkastel-Kues
, some 10 km away, and Wittlich
, some 20 km away. Trier
lies some 40 km away.
shields Wintrich 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. On the whole, an almost Mediterranean climate
prevails here, as witnessed by the record temperature of 41.2 °C in the shade, the highest ever air temperature recorded in the Federal Republic, confirmed in neighbouring Brauneberg
on 11 August 1998.
and Franks
settled the land where Wintrich would later stand. Wintrich had its first documentary mention in AD 960. the Celtic-Roman name vindriacum meant “Winemaking Village”; there has been winegrowing here since days of yore. Timber-frame
houses, lanes with little nooks and crannies and old wineries bear witness to the historic tradition.
The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:
was installed on the Geyerskopf in the vineyards, which fit the old name. It serves as the winemaking village’s landmark, and can easily be seen both day and night, for it is floodlit then, from a great distance. Riesling
is the customary grape variety here, although small quantities of Pinot, Müller-Thurgau
, Kerner
and Dornfelder
are also grown.
life. The plays are well attended, with 8,000 playgoers coming for the one-hundred-year jubilee. The production venue is the church in Wintrich, this offering the best suited backdrop. The greater part of the players comes from the Passion Play Club (Passionsspielverein) with its roughly 350 members. Besides the players, the choir is one of the most important elements. The last Passion Plays were held in 2007, meaning that the next ones will not be staged until 2012.
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 in the natural and cultivated landscape of the Moselle valley on the river’s right bank, where the valley broadens out into country marked by even slopes and former oxbows of the Moselle. Against this, however, moderate slopes covered in 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 and in places by woods climb up to 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....
over on the other side of the river. Wintrich 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, MinheimMinheim
Minheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
, Kesten and 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...
. 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 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 10 km away, and 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 20 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....
lies some 40 km away.
Climate
The barrier formed by the EifelEifel
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 Wintrich 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. On the whole, an almost Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
prevails here, as witnessed by the record temperature of 41.2 °C in the shade, the highest ever air temperature recorded in the Federal Republic, confirmed 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.
History
Quite early on, Celts, RomansAncient 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....
and 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...
settled the land where Wintrich would later stand. Wintrich had its first documentary mention in AD 960. the Celtic-Roman name vindriacum meant “Winemaking Village”; there has been winegrowing here since days of yore. Timber-frame
Timber framing
Timber 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...
houses, lanes with little nooks and crannies and old wineries bear witness to the historic tradition.
Municipal council
The council is made up of 12 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:
| Kessler | Bollig | Wintrich | Kullik | Total | |
| 2009 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 seats |
Winegrowing
Winegrowing is practised in the vineyards of Geierslay, Ohligsberg and Stefanslay. Wintrich became widely known mainly for the “Großer Herrgott” vineyard (whose name means “Great Lord God”). In 1968, an uncommonly big crucifixCrucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
was installed on the Geyerskopf in the vineyards, which fit the old name. It serves as the winemaking village’s landmark, and can easily be seen both day and night, for it is floodlit then, from a great distance. Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
is the customary grape variety here, although small quantities of Pinot, Müller-Thurgau
Müller-Thurgau
Müller-Thurgau is a variety of white grape which was created by Hermann Müller from the Swiss Canton of Thurgau in 1882. It is a crossing of Riesling with Madeleine Royale. It is used to make white wine in Germany, Austria, Northern Italy, Hungary, England, in Australia, Czech Republic, Slovakia,...
, Kerner
Kerner (grape)
The Kerner grape is an aromatic white grape variety. It was bred in 1929 by August Herold by crossing Trollinger and Riesling. Herold was working at a plant breeding station in Lauffen in the Württemberg region of Germany. This station belonged to a state breeding institute headquartered in...
and Dornfelder
Dornfelder
Dornfelder is a dark-skinned variety of grape of German origin used for red wine. It was created by August Herold at the grape breeding institute in Weinsberg in the Württemberg region in 1955. Herold crossed the grape varieties Helfensteiner and Heroldrebe, the latter which bears his name, to...
are also grown.
Wintricher Passionsspiele
The Wintricher Passionsspiele (Wintrich Passion Plays) have been produced over several weeks every five years since 1902. They portray a part of Jesus Christ’sJesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
life. The plays are well attended, with 8,000 playgoers coming for the one-hundred-year jubilee. The production venue is the church in Wintrich, this offering the best suited backdrop. The greater part of the players comes from the Passion Play Club (Passionsspielverein) with its roughly 350 members. Besides the players, the choir is one of the most important elements. The last Passion Plays were held in 2007, meaning that the next ones will not be staged until 2012.