Breitenbach am Herzberg
Encyclopedia
Breitenbach am Herzberg (officially Breitenbach a. Herzberg) is a community in southwesternmost Hersfeld-Rotenburg
district in eastern Hesse
, Germany
.
gebirge (range). The constituent communities are scattered through the Jossa valley and its side valleys.
The municipal area’s lowest point is to be found on the Jossa in the constituent community of Oberjossa and lies 234 m above sea level
. Its highest point lies 529 m above sea level on the slopes of the Rimberg.
The community lies between Alsfeld
(some 18 km to the west) and Bad Hersfeld
(some 20 km to the northeast).
and Oberaula
(both in the Schwalm-Eder-Kreis
), in the east on the communities of Kirchheim
and Niederaula
(both in Hersfeld-Rotenburg), in the south on the towns of Schlitz and Grebenau
and in the west on the town of Alsfeld
(all three in the Vogelsbergkreis
).
From 1290 to 1298, Herzberg Castle was built on the trade road Kurze Hessen by Heinrich von Romrod. Heinrich acquired the area around the village as a fief from the Landgraves of Hesse
.
In 1372 and 1373, the castle was a main stronghold under Friedrich von Herzberg of the Sternerbund, a knightly order that in the last fourth of the 14th century was fighting against the growing power of the Landgraves of Hesse. Over several hundred years thereafter, the castle and later state fort of Herzberg was held by the Barons of Dörnberg.
The community’s executive (Gemeindevorstand) is made up of five members, with three seats allotted to the SPD and 1 to the FWG.
on 10 February 2008 with 65.5% of the vote. He succeeded Siegfried Steube (FWG), who had been elected on 27 January 2002 with 71.7% of the vote. Before him came Paul Orth (SPD), who was elected on 3 March 1996 with 70.8% of the vote.
might be described thus: Bendy wavy sinister argent and azure a crenellated tower party per bend gules and Or royally crowned, thereover a mullet of six counterchanged.
The tower stands for Herzberg Castle. The mullet of six (six-pointed star) recalls the knighly order of the Sternerbund (Stern is German
for “star”), who had an important stronghold in the castle. The tincture
s gold and red come from the arms borne by the Barons of Dörnberg, who held the castle beginning in 1477.
Hersfeld-Rotenburg
Hersfeld-Rotenburg is a Kreis in the east of Hesse, Germany. Neighboring districts are Werra-Meißner, Wartburgkreis, Fulda, Vogelsbergkreis, Schwalm-Eder.-History:...
district in eastern Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, 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 community lies at the foot of the Hirschberg (often also known as the Herzberg) and the Rimberg in the southern KnüllKnüll
Knüllgebirge or Knüll is a small mountain range in Hesse, Germany. It is located in the Northern part of Hesse approximately 45 km South of Kassel, its highest peak is the Eisenberg having an altitude of 636 m. Its area has a rather low population density and is heavily forested...
gebirge (range). The constituent communities are scattered through the Jossa valley and its side valleys.
The municipal area’s lowest point is to be found on the Jossa in the constituent community of Oberjossa and lies 234 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 highest point lies 529 m above sea level on the slopes of the Rimberg.
The community lies between Alsfeld
Alsfeld
Alsfeld is a town in the center of Hesse, somewhere in Germany. Large towns nearby are Bad Hersfeld about 33 km to the east, Fulda 36 km to the southeast, Gießen 47 km to the west and Marburg an der Lahn about 36 km to the northwest...
(some 18 km to the west) and Bad Hersfeld
Bad Hersfeld
The festival and spa town of Bad Hersfeld is the district seat of Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, Germany, roughly 50 km southeast of Kassel....
(some 20 km to the northeast).
Neighbouring communities
Breitenbach borders in the north on the communities of OttrauOttrau
-Constituent communities:The community of Ottrau is made up of six constituent communities:* Ottrau: 730 inhabitants* Immichenhain: 605 inhabitants* Weißenborn: 377 inhabitants* Görzhain: 374 inhabitants...
and Oberaula
Oberaula
-Location:Oberaula lies in the Knüllgebirge, a low mountain range, in the Aula river valley and its neighbouring valleys.The nearest towns are Bad Hersfeld , Schwalmstadt , and Homberg .-Constituent communities:The community consists of the six centres of Hausen, Friedigerode, Ibra, Oberaula...
(both in the Schwalm-Eder-Kreis
Schwalm-Eder-Kreis
Schwalm-Eder is a Kreis in the north of Hesse, Germany. Neighboring districts are Kassel, Werra-Meißner, Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Vogelsbergkreis, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Waldeck-Frankenberg.-History:...
), in the east on the communities of Kirchheim
Kirchheim, Hesse
Kirchheim is a community in Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, Germany.-Location:The community lies on the south slope of the Knüllgebirge in the valley of the brook Ibra and the Aula, which empties into the Fulda near Niederaula...
and Niederaula
Niederaula
Niederaula is a market community in Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, Germany, 59 km south of Kassel.-Location:The community lies on the Fulda between the outliers of the Rhön, the Vogelsberg and the Knüllgebirge...
(both in Hersfeld-Rotenburg), in the south on the towns of Schlitz and Grebenau
Grebenau
-Location:Lying from 220 to 350 m above sea level, Grebenau is northeast of the Vogelsberg some 26 km northwest of Fulda, at the place where the Schwarza empties into the Jossa, itself a tributary to the Fulda.-Neighbouring communities:...
and in the west on the town of Alsfeld
Alsfeld
Alsfeld is a town in the center of Hesse, somewhere in Germany. Large towns nearby are Bad Hersfeld about 33 km to the east, Fulda 36 km to the southeast, Gießen 47 km to the west and Marburg an der Lahn about 36 km to the northwest...
(all three in the Vogelsbergkreis
Vogelsbergkreis
The Vogelsbergkreis is a Kreis in the middle of Hesse, Germany. Neighbouring districts are Schwalm-Eder, Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Fulda, Main-Kinzig, Wetteraukreis, Gießen and Marburg-Biedenkopf.-Geography:...
).
Constituent communities
Breitenbach’s Ortsteile are Breitenbach, Hatterode, Oberjossa, Gehau and Machtlos.History
In 1290, Breydenbach apud stratam bi dem Herzisberg had its first documentary mention. The document itself deals, however, with other, older documents, leading to the supposition that the villages arose as early as some time between 400 and 800.From 1290 to 1298, Herzberg Castle was built on the trade road Kurze Hessen by Heinrich von Romrod. Heinrich acquired the area around the village as a fief from the Landgraves of Hesse
Landgraviate of Hesse
The Landgraviate of Hesse was a Landgraviate of the Holy Roman Empire. It existed as a unity from 1264 to 1567, when it was divided between the sons of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse.-History:...
.
In 1372 and 1373, the castle was a main stronghold under Friedrich von Herzberg of the Sternerbund, a knightly order that in the last fourth of the 14th century was fighting against the growing power of the Landgraves of Hesse. Over several hundred years thereafter, the castle and later state fort of Herzberg was held by the Barons of Dörnberg.
Amalgamations
With effect from 31 December 1971, the communities of Breitenbach, Hatterode and Oberjossa willingly merged, founding the new greater community of Breitenbach am Herzberg. The centres of Gehau and Machtlos joined them in the course of municipal reform on 1 July 1972.Community council
The municipal election held on 26 March 2006 yielded the following results:| Parties and voter communities | % 2006 |
Seats 2006 |
% 2001 |
Seats 2001 |
|
| SPD | Social Democratic Party of Germany Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
50.7 | 8 | 53.9 | 8 |
| FWG | Freie Wählergemeinschaft Breitenbach a. H. | 49.3 | 7 | 46.1 | 7 |
| Total | 100.0 | 15 | 100.0 | 15 | |
| Voter turnout in % | 61.8 | 62.1 | |||
The community’s executive (Gemeindevorstand) is made up of five members, with three seats allotted to the SPD and 1 to the FWG.
Mayors
Volker Jaritz was elected mayor in a runoff electionTwo-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
on 10 February 2008 with 65.5% of the vote. He succeeded Siegfried Steube (FWG), who had been elected on 27 January 2002 with 71.7% of the vote. Before him came Paul Orth (SPD), who was elected on 3 March 1996 with 70.8% of the vote.
Coat of arms
The community’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: Bendy wavy sinister argent and azure a crenellated tower party per bend gules and Or royally crowned, thereover a mullet of six counterchanged.
The tower stands for Herzberg Castle. The mullet of six (six-pointed star) recalls the knighly order of the Sternerbund (Stern is German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for “star”), who had an important stronghold in the castle. 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 gold and red come from the arms borne by the Barons of Dörnberg, who held the castle beginning in 1477.
Buildings
- Burg Herzberg (Herzberg Castle), Hesse’s biggest hilltop castle, on the Hirschberg (formerly Herzisberg)
Regular events
- Burg-Herzberg-Festival, open-air festival, every summer
- Kobold-Kirmes (church consecration festival)
- Knightly tournament with the Castle Market (Burgmarkt)