Lötzbeuren
Encyclopedia
Lötzbeuren is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich
district
in Rhineland-Palatinate
, Germany
.
and belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Traben-Trarbach
, whose seat is in the like-named town
. Nearby lies Frankfurt-Hahn Airport
.
history, little is known for sure. Until the 18th century, it was a bone of contention between the Palatine and Badish joint lords of the County of Sponheim
as to whether the village lay in the “Further” or “Hinder” County. In 1332, Lötzbeuren was under the Further County’s ownership, but seems to have transferred to the Hinder County by 1417. Nevertheless, the Further County’s lords time and again tried to assert their rights, especially Baden
, which claimed Lötzbeuren for the Further County and as of 1707 regarded it as a Badish possession without, however, having any lasting success. In 1776, Baden finally forsook the village in Palatinate-Zweibrücken
’s favour. At the same time, however, there was also a dispute with the Electorate of Trier over who held sovereignty. Since Electoral-Trier serfs were the overwhelming majority of the population, Trier deemed the village to be among its holdings. Moreover, there were further claims by other lords, making the situation quite convoluted. It is known that about the year 1637, Lötzbeuren had 36 townsmen, of whom 16 were of Electoral-Trier origin, 7 of Sponheim origin, 4 each of Palatinate-Simmern, Rhinegravial and Oberstein origin and one of Schmidtburg
origin. Worth noting, however, is that only two of these were not Lutheran
. One of the Sponheimers was Catholic and one of the Palatinate-Simmern townsmen was Reformed
. It is therefore easy to see that Palatinate-Birkenfeld
, the more influential of the Hinder County’s two joint lords eventually managed to assert itself, at least in the ecclesiastical sphere. It cannot be said, though, exactly when and how the Reformation
was introduced into Lötzbeuren, but it might well have been not long after 1557, when the Hinder County of Sponheim
saw the Reformation in. To this day, Lötzbeuren is an Evangelical
community.
Owing to the tangle of disputes that reigned at the time, the villagers of Lötzbeuren might well have taken themselves to be a “free village” where no lord had any rights but those that he could exercise over his serfs. Thus it might well have been that no jurisdictional lord was recognized. For any misdeed, one had to turn to the jurists who answered to the lord under whose ownership the serf or serfs in question stood. Only in this light can one understand the Reverend Caspar Streccius’s words, which he wrote upon leaving Lötzbeuren in 1632 or 1633 as a result of the dispute, to take up the parish clergyman’s post at Irmenach
:
The church that stands today comes from 1718. Within are found many paintings, some of which were only rediscovered in the 1950s. Furthermore, the church houses a one-manual Stumm organ
from 1745.
When the Hinder County of Sponheim
was divided in 1776, Lötzbeuren passed together with the whole Oberamt of Trarbach to Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. In the wars that came in the French Revolution
’s wake, the County’s history came to an end. The area passed into Prussia
n possession and Lötzbeuren was assigned to the Bürgermeisterei of Büchenbeuren
in the new Zell district. In 1969, Lötzbeuren belonged for a short while to the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis, until in 1970, at its own wish, it was annexed to the Verbandsgemeinde of Traben-Trarbach
in the Bernkastel-Wittlich
district.
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.
The municipality’s arms
might in English heraldic
language be described thus: Per fess Or a plough azure and gules a gridiron argent.
The plough stands for the villagers’ old livelihood, agriculture
. The gridiron is Saint Lawrence’s attribute, for he is the parish’s patron saint. The tincture
s gules and argent (red and silver) refer to the Hinder County of Sponheim, which was involved with the village for centuries.
The arms were designed by A. Friderichs of Zell an der Mosel
.
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 HunsrückHunsrück
The Hunsrück is a low mountain range in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by the river valleys of the Moselle , the Nahe , and the Rhine . The Hunsrück is continued by the Taunus mountains on the eastern side of the Rhine. In the north behind the Moselle it is continued by the Eifel...
and belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Traben-Trarbach
Traben-Trarbach (Verbandsgemeinde)
Traben-Trarbach is a Verbandsgemeinde in the district Bernkastel-Wittlich, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Its seat of administration is in Traben-Trarbach....
, whose seat is in the like-named town
Traben-Trarbach
Traben-Trarbach on the Middle Moselle is a town in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the seat of the like-named Verbandsgemeinde and a state-recognized climatic spa .- Location :...
. Nearby lies Frankfurt-Hahn Airport
Frankfurt-Hahn Airport
-Cargo airlines:-Other facilities:AirIT Services AG, a subsidiary of Fraport, has its head office in Building 663 at Hahn Airport.-References:*Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 USAF Reference Series, Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force,...
.
History
About Lötzbeuren’s mediaevalMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
history, little is known for sure. Until the 18th century, it was a bone of contention between the Palatine and Badish joint lords of the County of Sponheim
County of Sponheim
The County of Sponheim was an independent territory in the Holy Roman Empire which lasted from the 11th century until the early 19th century...
as to whether the village lay in the “Further” or “Hinder” County. In 1332, Lötzbeuren was under the Further County’s ownership, but seems to have transferred to the Hinder County by 1417. Nevertheless, the Further County’s lords time and again tried to assert their rights, especially Baden
Baden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
, which claimed Lötzbeuren for the Further County and as of 1707 regarded it as a Badish possession without, however, having any lasting success. In 1776, Baden finally forsook the village in Palatinate-Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Zweibrücken is a former state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its capital was Zweibrücken.-Overview:→ History before 1394 see main article County of Zweibrücken→ History before 1444 see main article County of Veldenz...
’s favour. At the same time, however, there was also a dispute with the Electorate of Trier over who held sovereignty. Since Electoral-Trier serfs were the overwhelming majority of the population, Trier deemed the village to be among its holdings. Moreover, there were further claims by other lords, making the situation quite convoluted. It is known that about the year 1637, Lötzbeuren had 36 townsmen, of whom 16 were of Electoral-Trier origin, 7 of Sponheim origin, 4 each of Palatinate-Simmern, Rhinegravial and Oberstein origin and one of Schmidtburg
Schmidtburg
Schmidtburg is a ruin of a former castle next to Schneppenbach in Germany. The castle was built up in 926, and was destroyed during the War of the Grand Alliance by French troops in 1688.-External links:**...
origin. Worth noting, however, is that only two of these were not Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
. One of the Sponheimers was Catholic and one of the Palatinate-Simmern townsmen was Reformed
Reformed churches
The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations characterized by Calvinist doctrines. They are descended from the Swiss Reformation inaugurated by Huldrych Zwingli but developed more coherently by Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger and especially John Calvin...
. It is therefore easy to see that Palatinate-Birkenfeld
Palatinate-Birkenfeld-Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Birkenfeld-Zweibrücken was a state of the Holy Roman Empire based around the Duchy of Zweibrücken in modern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany....
, the more influential of the Hinder County’s two joint lords eventually managed to assert itself, at least in the ecclesiastical sphere. It cannot be said, though, exactly when and how the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
was introduced into Lötzbeuren, but it might well have been not long after 1557, when the Hinder County of Sponheim
County of Sponheim
The County of Sponheim was an independent territory in the Holy Roman Empire which lasted from the 11th century until the early 19th century...
saw the Reformation in. To this day, Lötzbeuren is an Evangelical
Evangelical 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...
community.
Owing to the tangle of disputes that reigned at the time, the villagers of Lötzbeuren might well have taken themselves to be a “free village” where no lord had any rights but those that he could exercise over his serfs. Thus it might well have been that no jurisdictional lord was recognized. For any misdeed, one had to turn to the jurists who answered to the lord under whose ownership the serf or serfs in question stood. Only in this light can one understand the Reverend Caspar Streccius’s words, which he wrote upon leaving Lötzbeuren in 1632 or 1633 as a result of the dispute, to take up the parish clergyman’s post at Irmenach
Irmenach
Irmenach is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.- Location :...
:
| Dialectal German | English translation |
|---|---|
Hierauf nahm ich mir in den Sinn, Zu Lützbeurn forth zu bleiben imm', Denn sehr ein ruchlos Volk es ist, Lässt sich regir'n zu keiner Frist. Sind vielerley Herrschaft unterthon, Von keinem sich wollen regiren lohn. |
Hereupon I got it into my mind, To leave Lötzbeuren evermore to keep away, For very nefarious folk they are, Who let themselves rule with no respite. Even if subject to all kinds of lordship, By none they want to have themselves ruled. |
The church that stands today comes from 1718. Within are found many paintings, some of which were only rediscovered in the 1950s. Furthermore, the church houses a one-manual Stumm organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
from 1745.
When the Hinder County of Sponheim
County of Sponheim
The County of Sponheim was an independent territory in the Holy Roman Empire which lasted from the 11th century until the early 19th century...
was divided in 1776, Lötzbeuren passed together with the whole Oberamt of Trarbach to Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. In the wars that came in the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
’s wake, the County’s history came to an end. The area passed into Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n possession and Lötzbeuren was assigned to the Bürgermeisterei of Büchenbeuren
Büchenbeuren
Büchenbeuren is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Kirchberg, whose seat is in the like-named town...
in the new Zell district. In 1969, Lötzbeuren belonged for a short while to the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis, until in 1970, at its own wish, it was annexed to the Verbandsgemeinde of Traben-Trarbach
Traben-Trarbach (Verbandsgemeinde)
Traben-Trarbach is a Verbandsgemeinde in the district Bernkastel-Wittlich, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Its seat of administration is in Traben-Trarbach....
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.
Municipal council
The council is made up of 12 council members, who were elected by majority votePlurality 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...
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.
Coat of arms
The German blazon reads: Geteilt, oben in goldenem Feld ein blauer Pflug, unten in rotem Feld ein silberner Rost.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 a plough azure and gules a gridiron argent.
The plough stands for the villagers’ old livelihood, agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. The gridiron is Saint Lawrence’s attribute, for he is the parish’s patron saint. 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 gules and argent (red and silver) refer to the Hinder County of Sponheim, which was involved with the village for centuries.
The arms were designed by A. Friderichs of Zell an der Mosel
Zell (Mosel)
Zell is a town in the Cochem-Zell district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Zell has roughly 4,300 inhabitants and is the seat of the like-named Verbandsgemeinde.-Location:...
.
Further reading
- Friedrich Back, Heinrich Rodewald: Die Pfarrei Lötzbeuren, in: Monatshefte für Rheinische Kirchengeschichte 19 (1925), S. 69–78.