Feldatal
Encyclopedia
Location
The community lies 285 to 598 m above sea level on the north slope of the Vogelsberg MountainsVogelsberg Mountains
The Vogelsberg Mountains are a group duct of ancient volcanic activity and are separated from the Rhön Mountains by the Fulda River and its valley....
. Through the community flows the river Felda, which empties into the Ohm
Ohm River
The Ohm, the right tributary of the Lahn, is a river in Hesse, Germany, Its total length is 59 km. The Ohm originates in the Vogelsberg Mountains, east of the town Ulrichstein. It flows generally northwest through Ulrichstein, Mücke, Homberg , Amöneburg, and Kirchhain. The Ohm joins the Lahn...
at Gemünden
Gemünden (Felda)
-Location:Gemuenden lies on the rivers Felda and Ohm, flowing from the Vogelsberg Mountains in the region of Upper Hessen amongst Homberg Grünberg, Kirtorf, Romrod and Feldatal, or more broadly, between Gießen and Bad Hersfeld...
.
Neighbouring communities
Feldatal borders in the north on the town of RomrodRomrod
-Neighbouring communities:Romrod borders in the north on the town of Alsfeld, in the east on the community of Schwalmtal, in the south on the community of Feldatal, and in the west on the community of Gemünden and the town of Kirtorf.-Constituent communities:...
, in the northeast on the community of Schwalmtal, in the east on the community of Lautertal
Lautertal
Lautertal is a community in the Vogelsbergkreis in Hesse, Germany.-Location:Lautertal lies from 400 to 700 m above sea level in the High Vogelsberg Nature Park .-Neighbouring communities:...
, in the south on the town of Ulrichstein
Ulrichstein
-Location:Ulrichstein lies in the Vogelsberg Mountains 614 m above sea level and is thereby Hesse's highest town. It is a recognized climatic spa and lies right near the "Hoherodskopf" nature reserve...
, in the southwest on the community of Mücke
Mücke
Mücke is a community in the Vogelsbergkreis in Hesse, Germany.-Location:Mücke lies from 200 to 350 m above sea level in the northwest foothills of the Vogelsberg Mountains on the upper reaches of the river Ohm, a tributary to the Lahn...
, and in the northwest on the community of Gemünden
Gemünden (Felda)
-Location:Gemuenden lies on the rivers Felda and Ohm, flowing from the Vogelsberg Mountains in the region of Upper Hessen amongst Homberg Grünberg, Kirtorf, Romrod and Feldatal, or more broadly, between Gießen and Bad Hersfeld...
.
Constituent communities
The community consists of the centres of Ermenrod, Groß-Felda with constituent community of Schellnhausen, Kestrich, Köddingen, Stumpertenrod, Windhausen and Zeilbach.Amalgamations
Feldatal came into being as a result of the municipal reforms in 1972 when the aforesaid constituent communities were united into a greater community.Politics
The municipal council is made up of 15 members. As of the municipal elections held on 26 March 2006, 4 seats are held by the SPDSocial Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
, 4 by the CDU
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
, 6 by the FWG, a citizens' coalition, and one by the A.L.F.
The municipal executive is made up of 7 members and the mayor. Two seats are held by the SPD, 2 by the CDU, 2 by the FWG, and one by the A.L.F.
The mayor, Dietmar Schlosser was elected with a 67 % share of the vote.
Coat of arms
Feldatal's civic coat of arms might heraldically be described thus: Or a virgin-headed spreadeagle gules crowned azure, therein an inescutcheon argent a hammer and four nails azure.The inescutcheon (smaller inner shield, called a Herzschild or "heartshield" in German heraldry) refers to the dominant handicraft in the community, namely nailsmithing. This trade was practised even into the early 20th century. The virgin-headed spreadeagle (Jungfrauenadler) has its roots in Feldatal's mediaeval noble family's arms.
Buildings
- Hesse's biggest timber-framedTimber framingTimber 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...
church, built in 1696 (in Stumpertenrod) - Zeilbach Church, built in 1668 – shake roof
- Kestrich Church, half-timbered, and right next door the former synagogue and Jewish schoolChederA Cheder is a traditional elementary school teaching the basics of Judaism and the Hebrew language.-History:...
(in Kestrich) - Jewish cemetery (in Kestrich)
- Still working mills, for instance Wolfenmühle in Groß-Felda, Burgsmühle in Zeilbach and Herrenmühle in Ermenrod.
Regular events
- Feldataler Mühlenfest ("mill festival")- Stumpertenrod
- Ostermarkt (Easter Market)- Gross Felda
- Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market)
- Goldwing Meeting in Groß-Felda (every two years)
- Schmiedefest (Blacksmith festival)
External links
- Feldatal
- Feldatal-Windhausen
- http://stumpi.hillcom-solutions.de/