Wilsecker
Encyclopedia
Wilsecker is a municipality in the district of Bitburg-Prüm
Bitburg-Prüm
The Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm is a district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by Luxembourg, Belgium and the districts of Euskirchen, Vulkaneifel, Bernkastel-Wittlich and Trier-Saarburg.- History :...

, 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 ....

, western 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...

.

Wilsecker

Wilsecker is a small town of approximately 200 inhabitants, close to the border of Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...

. Wilsecker is host to a respectively high percentage of American citizens as it is a very affordable town which is conveniently located right in between Spangdahlem Air Force Base and Bitburg
Bitburg
Bitburg It is situated approx. 25 km north-west of Trier, and 50 km north-east of Luxembourg . One American airbase, Spangdahlem Air Base, is located nearby.-History:...

 city, which is known for its famous beer from the Bitburger brewery and its American military facilities.

History

The town’s name derives from its Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 toponym
Toponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...

, villa sacra which means holy town. The reason for this name was an early church which arose from a Roman temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...

. In the High Middle Ages
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages was the period of European history around the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries . The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which by convention end around 1500....

 Wilsecker was the possession of the Abbey of Prüm
Prüm
Prüm is a town in the Westeifel , Germany. Formerly a district capital, today it is the administrative seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Prüm.-Geography:...

. From the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....

 (1618-1648) until to the time of the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...

 (1918) Wilsecker was administrated by the municipality of Kyllburg
Kyllburg
Kyllburg is a town in the district Bitburg-Prüm, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Eifel, on the river Kyll, approx. 10 km north-east of Bitburg.Kyllburg is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Kyllburg....

.

Partnerships

Since 2007 Wilsecker is keeping a partnership with the 52 EMS Armament Flight Unit of Spangdahlem Airbase. The wish for a partnership was requested by the Americans as an effort to work closely with the local community and point out the typical German small town life style to American troops.

Population


Statistic of Wilsecker population
  • 1815 – 196
  • 1835 – 237
  • 1871 – 258
  • 1905 – 221
  • 1939 – 230
  • 1950 – 205
  • 1961 – 193
  • 1965 – 205
  • 1970 – 220
  • 1975 – 192
  • 1980 – 180
  • 1985 – 174
  • 1987 – 184
  • 1990 – 178
  • 1995 – 184
  • 2000 – 200
  • 2005 – 194

  • Source of data: Statistic State office of 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 ....


    Municipal Council


    The Municipal Council of Wilsecker consisits of 6 elected members and the Mayor
    Mayor
    In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

     as chairman.

    Church

    Today's church is consecrated to Saint Nicholas
    Saint Nicholas
    Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...

     and was inaugurated in 1862. A statue of Saint Nicholas is standing on the altar. This altar came from the church of Badem
    Badem
    Badem is a municipality in the district of Bitburg-Prüm, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany....

    in 1907.

    Klappern

    The children from Wilsecker congregate in the holy week to celebrate an old tradition which is called klappern. The children use wooden instruments to replace the missing sound of the church bells from Good Friday to Holy Saturday. On Easter Day they go from door to door to collect easter eggs.

    Daida's BBQ

    Daida's BBQ is one of the local events that attracts Americans and Germans alike and ensures a deep and fraternal alliance between American and German inhabitants of this small German town. This event takes place in irregular intervals.

    Horse blessing

    The horse blessing is an annual event where horsemen ride their horses to town. The horses are then blessed there by a catholic priest.
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