Nitz
Encyclopedia
Nitz 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.
Nitz lies on the Nitzbach, a tributary to the river Nette
. Some 3 km to the northwest are found the Nürburgring
and the Hohe Acht
, at 747 m above sea level
the Eifel’s highest mountain.
, Baar
, Lind
and Kirsbach
.
to the County of Nürburg. In 1815, the village became Prussia
n and was administered by the Bürgermeisterei (“Mayoralty”) of Kelberg in the Adenau district. Since municipal reform in 1970, Nitz has belonged to the Verbandsgemeinde of Kelberg
in the Vulkaneifel district
(formerly called the Daun 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: Argent a bend wavy azure, dexter a lozenge gules, sinister an eagle displayed of the same, armed sable.
The German blazon does not mention the eagle’s attitude
, nor the different tincture
seen in its claws and beak. It also reverses left and right, which are traditionally told from the armsbearer’s point of view (that is, behind the shield), not the viewer’s.
The grounds for the composition seen in these arms were the village’s history of political division. For centuries, the namesake brook that runs through the village, the Nitzbach, stood as a boundary. Until relatively recently, the brook marked the boundary between two districts, Mayen-Koblenz and Daun, and at the same time that between two Regierungsbezirk
e, Trier and Koblenz. Until this arrangement was swept aside by administrative reform, municipal administration was divided at the brook, as were school boards and church parishes. Earlier still, the Nitzbach was the boundary between the respective lordly domains held by the Counts of Nürburg and the Counts of Virneburg. The bend wavy azure (that is, diagonal blue wavy stripe), of course, represents the Nitzbach. The two other charge
s are those once borne by these counts. The lozenge was the Virneburg armorial bearing, while the Nürburgs bore the eagle.
The arms have been borne since 18 December 1986.
Also worth seeing are two mills, the Freundsmühle and the Bauersmühle.
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.
Nitz lies on the Nitzbach, a tributary to the river Nette
Nette (Rhine)
The Nette is a small river in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, a left tributary of the Rhine. It rises in the Eifel, south of Nürburg. The Nette flows east through Mayen before reaching the Rhine between Weißenthurm and Andernach....
. Some 3 km to the northwest are found the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
and the Hohe Acht
Hohe Acht
At , the Hohe Acht is the highest mountain in the Eifel mountains of Germany. It is located on the boundary between the districts of Ahrweiler and Mayen-Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate.- Geography and geology :...
, at 747 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...
the Eifel’s highest mountain.
Neighbouring municipalities
Nitz’s neighbours are DreesDrees
Drees is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
, Baar
Baar, Rhineland-Palatinate
Baar is a municipality in the district of Mayen-Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany....
, Lind
Lind, Mayen-Koblenz
Lind is a municipality in the district of Mayen-Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany....
and Kirsbach
Kirsbach
Kirsbach is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
.
History
Nitz belonged in the Middle AgesMiddle 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...
to the County of Nürburg. In 1815, the village became 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 and was administered by the Bürgermeisterei (“Mayoralty”) of Kelberg in the Adenau district. Since municipal reform in 1970, Nitz has belonged 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....
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 ....
(formerly called the Daun district).
Municipal council
The council is made up of 6 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: Im silbernen Schild eine schrägrechte blaue Wellenleiste. In den Heroldstücken links eine rote Raute und rechts ein roter Adler.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: Argent a bend wavy azure, dexter a lozenge gules, sinister an eagle displayed of the same, armed sable.
The German blazon does not mention the eagle’s attitude
Attitude (heraldry)
In heraldry, an attitude is the position in which an animal, fictional beast, mythical creature, human or human-like being is emblazoned as a charge, supporter or crest. Many attitudes apply only to predatory beasts and are exemplified by the beast most frequently found in heraldry — the lion. ...
, nor the different 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...
seen in its claws and beak. It also reverses left and right, which are traditionally told from the armsbearer’s point of view (that is, behind the shield), not the viewer’s.
The grounds for the composition seen in these arms were the village’s history of political division. For centuries, the namesake brook that runs through the village, the Nitzbach, stood as a boundary. Until relatively recently, the brook marked the boundary between two districts, Mayen-Koblenz and Daun, and at the same time that between two Regierungsbezirk
Regierungsbezirk
In Germany, a Government District, in German: Regierungsbezirk – is a subdivision of certain federal states .They are above the Kreise, Landkreise, and kreisfreie Städte...
e, Trier and Koblenz. Until this arrangement was swept aside by administrative reform, municipal administration was divided at the brook, as were school boards and church parishes. Earlier still, the Nitzbach was the boundary between the respective lordly domains held by the Counts of Nürburg and the Counts of Virneburg. The bend wavy azure (that is, diagonal blue wavy stripe), of course, represents the Nitzbach. The two other 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...
s are those once borne by these counts. The lozenge was the Virneburg armorial bearing, while the Nürburgs bore the eagle.
The arms have been borne since 18 December 1986.
Buildings
- Catholic branch church, Hauptstraße – small 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...
, possibly from earlier half of 18th century, partly renovated in 1933 after a fire. - Kapellenstraße 1 – timber-frameTimber 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...
house, partly solid, 19th century.
Also worth seeing are two mills, the Freundsmühle and the Bauersmühle.