Feldatal is a municipality in the

Vogelsbergkreis The Vogelsbergkreis is a ''Kreis'' ( district) in the middle of Hesse, Germany. Neighbouring districts are Schwalm-Eder, Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Fulda, Main-Kinzig Main-Kinzig-Kreis is a Kreis (district) in the east of Hesse, Germany. Neighboring ...

Hesse Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major historic cities are Da ...

, Germany.

Geography

Location

The community lies 285 to 598 m above sea level on the north slope of the

Vogelsberg The is a large volcanic mountain range in the German Central Uplands in the state of Hesse, separated from the Rhön Mountains by the Fulda river valley. Emerging approximately 19 million years ago, the Vogelsberg is Central Europe's largest ...

mountains. Through the community flows the river Felda, which empties into the

Ohm Ohm (symbol Ω) is a unit of electrical resistance named after Georg Ohm. Ohm or OHM may also refer to: People * Georg Ohm (1789–1854), German physicist and namesake of the term ''ohm'' * Germán Ohm (born 1936), Mexican boxer * Jörg Ohm (bo ...

at Gemünden.

Neighbouring communities

Feldatal borders in the north on the town of

Romrod Romrod is a small town in the Vogelsbergkreis in central Hesse, Germany. Geography Location Through the town flows the river Antrift. Neighbouring communities Romrod borders in the north on the town of Alsfeld, in the east on the community of S ...

, in the northeast on the community of Schwalmtal, in the east on the community of Lautertal, in the south on the town of

Ulrichstein Ulrichstein () is a small town in the Vogelsbergkreis in Hesse, Germany. Geography 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 ne ...

, in the southwest on the community of Mücke, and in the northwest on the community of Gemünden.

Constituent communities

The community consists of the centres of Ermenrod, Groß-Felda with constituent community of Schellnhausen, Kestrich, Köddingen, Stumpertenrod, Windhausen and Zeilbach.

History

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

SPD The Social Democratic Party of Germany (german: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, ; SPD, ) is a centre-left social democratic political party in Germany. It is one of the major parties of contemporary Germany. Saskia Esken has been the ...

, 4 by the CDU, 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 current mayor, Leopold Bach, was elected in 2018.

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.

Culture and sightseeing

Buildings

* Hesse's biggest

timber-framed Timber framing (german: Holzfachwerk) and "post-and-beam" construction are traditional methods of building with heavy timbers, creating structures using squared-off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden ...

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 school (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)