Lirstal
Encyclopedia
Lirstal is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district
in Rhineland-Palatinate
, Germany
. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Kelberg
, whose seat is in the like-named municipality
.
, a part of the Eifel
known for its volcanic history, geographical and geological features, and even ongoing activity today, including gases that sometimes well up from the earth.
The name underwent its last change in spelling, from “Lierstall” to “Lirstal”, on 23 November 1966, mainly to thwart vandals who kept altering the signposts and other public notices that bore the old spelling – in a most uncomplimentary way.
Lirstal belonged from the beginning until 1794 to the County of Virneburg.
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman. The six seats are shared among three voters’ groups. The last election in 2004 had been done by majority vote
.
The municipality’s arms
might in English heraldic
language be described thus: Per fess Or seven lozenges gules, four and three, and gules a sword bendwise argent hilted of the first.
The pattern above the line of partition is the Virneburg lozenges, once borne as an armorial charge
by the Counts of Virneburg. The old chapel, which burnt down in 1825, had as its patron saint Martin
, whose attribute is a sword. This is borne as a charge below the line of partition.
There is a legend telling of the reason for the inclusion of the Virneburg lozenges in Lirstal’s arms. According to this story, one of the Counts of Virneburg was an inveterate card player, and during one game – with the Bishop, no less – he won the parish of Retterath
. The winning card that he laid was the seven of diamonds, explaining why the charge was chosen for inclusion in the Count’s arms, as a mark of good luck.
As a former part of the County of Virneburg, Lirstal now bears this same charge in its arms.
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 Vulkaneifel 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...
. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Kelberg
Kelberg (Verbandsgemeinde)
Kelberg is a Verbandsgemeinde in the district Vulkaneifel, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The seat of the Verbandsgemeinde is in Kelberg....
, whose seat is in the like-named municipality
Kelberg
Kelberg is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the like-named Verbandsgemeinde, and is home to its seat...
.
Location
The municipality lies in the VulkaneifelVulkan Eifel
The Vulkan Eifel is a region in the Eifel Mountains in Germany, that is defined to a large extent by its volcanic geological history. Characteristic of the Vulkan Eifel are its typical explosion crater lakes or maars, and numerous other signs of volcanic activity such as volcanic tuffs, lava...
, a part of 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....
known for its volcanic history, geographical and geological features, and even ongoing activity today, including gases that sometimes well up from the earth.
History
In 1336, Lirstal had its first documentary mention. At that time, the village was called Leppelzal. The name has been written many different ways over the centuries since then, as shown in this table:| Year | Spelling | Year | Spelling |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1336 | Leppelzal | 1724 | Lyrstall |
| 1348 | Lerstal | 1724 | Lyhrstall |
| 1553 | Lirstall | 1776 | Lueschtal |
| 1555 | Lerstall | 1780 | Lehrstahl |
| 1559 | Lersthaill | before 1789 |
Lirstahl |
| 1595 | Lierstail | 1790 | Lurschthal |
| 1631 | Lierßdall | 1809 | Liersthal |
| 1632 | Lierstal | 1810 | Liersdahl |
| 1680 | Lirefelt | 1840 | Liersthal |
| 1689 | Lierefeldt | about 1890 |
Lierstall |
| 1705 | Liehstall | since 1966 |
Lirstal |
The name underwent its last change in spelling, from “Lierstall” to “Lirstal”, on 23 November 1966, mainly to thwart vandals who kept altering the signposts and other public notices that bore the old spelling – in a most uncomplimentary way.
Lirstal belonged from the beginning until 1794 to the County of Virneburg.
Municipal council
The council is made up of 6 council members, who were elected by proportional representationProportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman. The six seats are shared among three voters’ groups. The last election in 2004 had been done by majority vote
Plurality voting system
The plurality voting system is a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member constituencies...
.
Mayor
Lirstal’s mayor is Dirk Grombein, and his deputies are Dorothea Pomerlan and Manfred Kutscheid.Coat of arms
The German blazon reads: Von Gold über Rot geteilt, oben 7 (4:3) zu zwei Balken aneinandergereihte rote Rauten, unten ein schrägrechtes gewendetes, silbernes Schwert mit goldenem Griff.The municipality’s arms
Coat 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 in English heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
language be described thus: Per fess Or seven lozenges gules, four and three, and gules a sword bendwise argent hilted of the first.
The pattern above the line of partition is the Virneburg lozenges, once borne as an armorial charge
Charge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
by the Counts of Virneburg. The old chapel, which burnt down in 1825, had as its patron saint Martin
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
, whose attribute is a sword. This is borne as a charge below the line of partition.
There is a legend telling of the reason for the inclusion of the Virneburg lozenges in Lirstal’s arms. According to this story, one of the Counts of Virneburg was an inveterate card player, and during one game – with the Bishop, no less – he won the parish of Retterath
Retterath
Retterath is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
. The winning card that he laid was the seven of diamonds, explaining why the charge was chosen for inclusion in the Count’s arms, as a mark of good luck.
As a former part of the County of Virneburg, Lirstal now bears this same charge in its arms.
Buildings
- Catholic church, Hauptstraße, triaxial aisleless churchAisleless churchAn Aisleless church is a single-nave church building that consists of a single hall-like room. While similar to the hall church, the aisleless church lacks aisles or passageways either side of the nave separated from the nave by colonnades or arcades, a row of pillars or columns...
from about 1952. - Wayside cross, south of the village on the road to LaubachLaubach, Cochem-ZellLaubach is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Cochem-Zell district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Kaisersesch, whose seat is in the like-named town...
, basaltBasaltBasalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
beam cross from 1776 (copy?).