Meddersheim
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Meddersheim is an ''
Ortsgemeinde Ortsgemeinde may refer to: * Ortsgemeinde (Austria), a type of municipality in Austria * Ortsgemeinde (Germany) A (; plural ) is a low-level administrative division, administrative unit in the Germany, German States of Germany, federal states ...
'' – a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
belonging to a ''
Verbandsgemeinde A (; plural ) is a low-level administrative division, administrative unit in the Germany, German States of Germany, federal states of Brandenburg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt. A is typically composed of a small group of Municipalitie ...
'', a kind of collective municipality – in the
Bad Kreuznach Bad Kreuznach () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach (district), Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a spa town, known for its medieval bridge dating from around 1300, the Alte Nahebrücke (Bad Kreuznach), Alte Nahebrücke, ...
district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...
in
Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; ; ; ) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the sixteen states. Mainz is the capital and largest city. Other cities are ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Bad Sobernheim, whose seat is in the like-named town. Meddersheim is a
winegrowing Viticulture (, "vine-growing"), viniculture (, "wine-growing"), or winegrowing is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ...
village.


Geography


Location

Meddersheim lies in the Nahe valley between
Idar-Oberstein Idar-Oberstein () is a town in the Birkenfeld (district), Birkenfeld Districts of Germany, district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. As a ''Große kreisangehörige Stadt'' (large city belonging to a district), it assumes some of the respons ...
and
Bad Kreuznach Bad Kreuznach () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach (district), Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a spa town, known for its medieval bridge dating from around 1300, the Alte Nahebrücke (Bad Kreuznach), Alte Nahebrücke, ...
. South of the village is the edge of the
North Palatine Uplands The North Palatine Uplands (, ), sometimes shortened to Palatine Uplands (''Pfälzer Bergland''), is a low mountain range and landscape unit in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate and belongs mainly to the Palatinate region. It is part of ...
. Fertile vineyards, fields, and wooded heights surround the village.


Neighbouring municipalities

Clockwise from the north, Meddersheim's neighbours are the municipality of
Nußbaum Nußbaum (or ''Nussbaum'') is an ''Ortsgemeinde (Germany), Ortsgemeinde'' – a Municipalities of Germany, municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Kreuznach (district), Bad Kreuznach Dist ...
, the town of
Bad Sobernheim Bad Sobernheim () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the like-named ''Verbandsgemeinde'', and is also its seat. It is a state-recognized spa town, and is well known for two fossil discovery sit ...
, and the municipalities of Lauschied,
Bärweiler Bärweiler is an '' Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Bad Sobernhe ...
,
Kirschroth Kirschroth is an '' Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Bad Sobernhe ...
, Merxheim, and
Monzingen Monzingen is an ''Ortsgemeinde (Germany), Ortsgemeinde'' – a Municipalities of Germany, municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Kreuznach (district), Bad Kreuznach Districts of Germany, d ...
, all of which likewise lie within the Bad Kreuznach district.


Constituent communities

Also belonging to Meddersheim are the outlying homesteads of Lohmühle, Schliffgesmühle, Am Meisenheimer Pfad, and the "Felke-Kurhaus Menschel" ("Englischer Hof").


History

The area that is now Meddersheim was settled as far back as
Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...
and
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
times, and perhaps even earlier. Various
archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...
finds of remnants of a Roman estate on Römerstraße ("
Roman road Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...
"), extensive foundations, and an ancient watermain bear witness to this. The current clump village arose in
Frankish Frankish may refer to: * Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture ** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages, a group of Low Germanic languages also commonly referred to as "Frankish" varieties * Francia, a post-Roman ...
times (6th century) at a favourable, flat site as a crossroads outside the River Nahe's floodplain. Until the 13th century, the village of Meddersheim belonged to the
Archbishops of Mainz The Elector of Mainz was one of the seven Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire. As both the Archbishop of Mainz and the ruling prince of the Electorate of Mainz, the Elector of Mainz held a powerful position during the Middle Ages. The Archb ...
, then passing by way of pledge to the
Waldgrave The first Waldgraves or Wildgraves (Latin: ''comites silvestres'') descended from a division of the House of the Counts of Nahegau in the year 1113. When the (a countship named after the river Nahe) split into two parts in 1113, the count ...
s at the Kyrburg (
castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...
). They held it until the
French Revolutionary Wars The French Revolutionary Wars () were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802. They pitted French First Republic, France against Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain, Habsb ...
in the late 18th century. It was administered by a
Mainz Mainz (; #Names and etymology, see below) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, and with around 223,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 35th-largest city. It lies in ...
''
Schultheiß In medieval Germany, the ''Schultheiß'' () was the head of a municipality (akin to today's office of mayor), a '' Vogt'' or an executive official of the ruler. As official (''villicus'') it was his duty to order his assigned village or county ( ...
'' responsible for the Burgrave at
Disibodenberg Disibodenberg () is a monastery ruin near Staudernheim in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was founded on the eponymous hill near the convergence of the Glan (Nahe), Glan and the Nahe (Rhine), Nahe rivers by Saint Disibod. Hildegard of Bingen, who ...
, beginning in 1240 in
Sobernheim Bad Sobernheim () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach (district), Bad Kreuznach Districts of Germany, district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Bad Sobernheim (Verbandsgemeinde), like-named ''Verbandsgemeinde'', and is also its seat. ...
and then beginning in 1279 at Castle Böckelheim. In 1239, there was a serious dispute between the Archbishop and the Counts in the Nahe region, who opposed the Prince-Archbishop-Elector's political reach into the Nahe region. Moreover, there was a disagreement over the pledge of Meddersheim with
Kirschroth Kirschroth is an '' Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Bad Sobernhe ...
, which was always bound with Meddersheim. Although the Archbishop redeemed both villages, the Waldgrave at the Kyrburg, heir to the Counts of Saarbrücken, did not wish to give them up. The Archbishop prevailed, but later, one of his successors pledged the ''Schultheißerei'' again, this time for good. The feudal and tithing rights were always shared among several lordships. The oldest part of the
church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...
, the
steeple In architecture, a steeple is a tall tower on a building, topped by a spire and often incorporating a belfry and other components. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a relig ...
, comes from the 12th century, while after several conversions and additions, the nave comes from 1756. Particularly worthy of mention are the
pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, accesse ...
from the 18th century, the 1753 Stumm
organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...
, and the 16th-century baptismal font. In 1798, the
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
overran the German lands on the
Rhine The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...
's left bank and imposed their administrative system on the land. Meddersheim became the seat of a ''mairie'' ("mayoralty") in the
Canton Canton may refer to: Administrative divisions * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and entertainment * Canton (band), an It ...
of Meisenheim, which also comprised
Kirschroth Kirschroth is an '' Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Bad Sobernhe ...
and Staudernheim and lay in the Department of Sarre. No, later than
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
ic times, something akin to
gavelkind Gavelkind () was a system of land tenure chiefly associated with the Celtic law in Ireland and Wales and with the legal traditions of the English county of Kent. The word may have originated from the Old Irish phrases ''Gabhaltas-cinne'' or '' ...
 – an equal land division among heirs – was introduced. his led to a splintering of businesses and, in many cases, to impoverishment among smallholder farmers. After Napoleon had been driven out in 1814, Meddersheim was, after a short transitional time, assigned under the terms of the
Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon, Napol ...
in 1816 to the '' Oberamt'' of Meisenheim, and it was then furthermore the seat of an '' Oberschultheißerei''. Thus did Meddersheim become, with the ''Oberamt'' of Meisenheim an
exclave An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is s ...
of the Landgraviate of
Hesse-Homburg Hesse-Homburg was a state of the Holy Roman Empire and a sovereign member of the German Confederation, which consisted of the lordship of Homburg at the foot of the Taunus, which was then known as ''Die Höhe'' ("the Heights"). The reigning princ ...
. In 1866, it passed to the
Grand Duchy of Hesse The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine () was a grand duchy in western Germany that existed from 1806 to 1918. The grand duchy originally formed from the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1806 as the Grand Duchy of Hesse (). It assumed the name ...
. Then, in 1869, the region passed to the Kingdom of
Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
, and Meddersheim now belonged to the Meisenheim district in the ''
Regierungsbezirk A ' (, 'governmental district') is a type of administrative division in Germany. Currently, four of sixteen ' (states of Germany) are split into '. Beneath these are rural and urban districts ' (plural, ) serve as regional mid-level local gov ...
'' of Koblenz in the
Rhine Province The Rhine Province (), also known as Rhenish Prussia () or synonymous with the Rhineland (), was the westernmost Provinces of Prussia, province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia, within the German Reich, from 1822 to 1946. ...
. In 1919, after the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, the ''Bürgermeistereien'' ("Mayoralties") of Meddersheim and Merxheim were merged. After the Meisenheim district was dissolved in 1932, the ''
Amt Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only in Germany, but formerly also common in other countries of Northern Europe. Its size and functions differ by country and the term is roughly equivalent to ...
'' (as it had been called since 1927) no longer existed. In 1935, Meddersheim had the same municipal administration – as it were, a "
personal union A personal union is a combination of two or more monarchical states that have the same monarch while their boundaries, laws, and interests remain distinct. A real union, by contrast, involves the constituent states being to some extent in ...
" at the municipal level – but in 1940, the former ''Amt'' of Meddersheim was merged with the ''Amt'' of Sobernheim, from which arose the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Sobernheim in 1969. On Lehmkaut (a street), remnants of brickworks could still be seen until the 1960s. Made here, right in the village, were field-fired bricks. In Andreas Gottfried's former potter's shop, pottery was made until 1968. The
flax Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. In 2022, France produced 75% of t ...
extensively grown here on the heaths, whose poorer soils were subjected to
controlled burn A controlled burn or prescribed burn (Rx burn) is the practice of intentionally setting a fire to change the assemblage of vegetation and decaying material in a landscape. The purpose could be for forest management, ecological restoration, ...
s, was retted in a great flax-retting tank, which is believed to have been communally organized. In the area of Brechkaut and Brechlöcher (laneways?), there were major brick kilns, and at their ends lay the hot-air shaft measuring about 2 × 3 m on which the flax was retted so that it could then be scutched and
heckled A heckler is a person who harasses and tries to disconcert others with questions, challenges, or gibes. Hecklers are often known to shout discouraging comments at a performance or event, or to interrupt set-piece speeches, with the intent of d ...
. The former herdsmen's houses of the herding association have been gone since the 1950s. Five mills and one pig farm were listed for a time within Meddersheim's limits. At the Ilsberg was a quarry. The red
shale Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of Clay mineral, clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g., Kaolinite, kaolin, aluminium, Al2Silicon, Si2Oxygen, O5(hydroxide, OH)4) and tiny f ...
sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...
was quarried until some time towards the end of the 18th century, whereafter yellow-grey quarried sandstone from surrounding villages was used. In the
Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
, the inhabitants of Meddersheim became
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
under the then-local lordship. The Baroque screen around the altar was removed during renovations at Saint Martin's
Evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
church in 1964. For generations, the church was shared. During
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
, the gate was closed. A few epitaphs, a ceiling-high sacramental shrine in the
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, a Germanic people **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Gothic alphabet, an alphabet used to write the Gothic language ** Gothic ( ...
quire and a Stumm organ, together with a series of pictures in the gallery, bear witness to the wealth of this
winegrowing Viticulture (, "vine-growing"), viniculture (, "wine-growing"), or winegrowing is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ...
,
farming Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
and
craft A craft or trade is a pastime or an occupation that requires particular skills and knowledge of skilled work. In a historical sense, particularly the Middle Ages and earlier, the term is usually applied to people occupied in small scale pr ...
village. In 1960, Meddersheim had some 750 inhabitants. By 2010, it was nearly 1,400.


Jewish history

Meddersheim had a small
Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...
ish community in the 19th century. It arose in the 18th century. The forebears of the Families Feibelmann and Ostermann lived here as early as the latter half of the 18th century. In the 19th century, the number of Jewish inhabitants developed as follows: * In 1808, 32 Jewish inhabitants were in seven families, and 16 children were altogether. * In 1855, there were 54. * In 1861, the Jewish population peaked at 55. In the latter half of the 19th century, the number shrank owing to migration to the towns and cities, particularly because Meddersheim had no
railway Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
link so in 1895, only 23 Jewish inhabitants were left. The Family Feibelmann moved to
Sobernheim Bad Sobernheim () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach (district), Bad Kreuznach Districts of Germany, district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Bad Sobernheim (Verbandsgemeinde), like-named ''Verbandsgemeinde'', and is also its seat. ...
, while a branch of the Family Ostermann moved to
Bochum Bochum (, ; ; ; ) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia. With a population of 372,348 (April 2023), it is the sixth-largest city (after Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen and Duisburg) in North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous German federa ...
. In the way of institutions, there was a prayer room in one of the Jewish houses and a graveyard. Jewish children, too, likely got their schooling in one of the Jewish houses. One member of Meddersheim's Jewish community fell in the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Arthur Ostermann (b. 16 September 1890 in Meddersheim, d. 8 December 1914). His name can be found on the memorial to the fallen at the Jewish graveyard in Bad Sobernheim. He is listed as
missing in action Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty (person), casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoner of war, prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire. They may have been ...
on the warriors' memorial at Meddersheim's municipal graveyard. Also lost in the Great War was ''
Gefreiter Gefreiter (, abbr. Gefr.; plural ''Gefreite'') is a military rank used in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria since the 16th century. It is typically the second rank or grade to which an Enlisted rank, enlisted soldier, airman, or sailor can be prom ...
'' Richard Feibelmann (b. 26 November 1889 in Meddersheim, d. 21 November 1917), but he had moved to Sobernheim by 1914. About 1924, when there were still 16 members of the local Jewish community, they had joined the Jewish community in Sobernheim. Research in the village has drawn different accounts from Meddersheim inhabitants regarding where the former Jewish community's prayer room was. It could be that services were held at various Jewish houses because no room in the village had been specifically set up for the purpose. Towards the end, services were surely irregular and perhaps held only on high holidays. In 1933, the year when
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
and the
Nazis Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
seized power, 12 Jews were still living in Meddersheim. In the years that followed, though, some of the Jews moved away or even
emigrated Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...
in the face of the
boycott A boycott is an act of nonviolent resistance, nonviolent, voluntary abstention from a product, person, organisation, or country as an expression of protest. It is usually for Morality, moral, society, social, politics, political, or Environmenta ...
ing of their businesses, the progressive stripping of their rights and repression, all brought about by the Nazis. The livestock dealer Leo Rauner went to
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
in 1938, and a few Family Ostermann members also went to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. In April 1942, the last Jews living in the village, the four-headed Family Braun, were deported. According to the '' Gedenkbuch – Opfer der Verfolgung der Juden unter der nationalsozialistischen Gewaltherrschaft in Deutschland 1933-1945'' ("Memorial Book – Victims of the Persecution of the Jews under National Socialist Tyranny") and
Yad Vashem Yad Vashem (; ) is Israel's official memorial institution to the victims of Holocaust, the Holocaust known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (). It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Jews who were murdered; echoing the stories of the ...
, of all Jews who either were born in Meddersheim or lived there for a long time, seven were killed during Nazi persecution (birthdates in brackets): #Hermine Braun ''née'' Gärtner (1898) #Hildegard Braun (1923) #Norbert Braun (1926) #Siegmund Braun (1862) #Siegmund Braun (1889) #Walter Haas (1904) #Jakob Ostermann (1872)


Religion

As at 30 November 2013, there are 1,344 full-time residents in Meddersheim, and of those, 811 are
Evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
(60.342%), 250 are
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
(18.601%), 15 (1.116%) belong to other religious groups and 268 (19.94%) either have no religion or will not reveal their religious affiliation.


Politics


Municipal council

The council is made up of 16 council members, who were elected by
proportional representation Proportional representation (PR) refers to any electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to political divisions (Political party, political parties) amon ...
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairwoman. The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:


Mayor

Meddersheim's mayor is Renate Weingarth-Schenk, and her deputies are Karl Curt Bamberger, Michael Engisch and Günter Weinel.


Coat of arms

The German blazon reads: ''In Blau auf silbernem Roß, der golden nimbierte, rot gekleidete St. Martin, der mit silbernem Schwert den roten Mantel dem auf der Erde sitzenden Bettler zuteilt; im linken Obereck ein goldenes Schildchen, darin ein roter, blau gekrönter Löwenkopf.'' The municipality's
arms Arms or ARMS may refer to: *Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to: People * Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader Coat of arms or weapons *Armaments or weapons **Fi ...
might in English
heraldic Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branc ...
language be described thus: Azure on a horse passant argent bridled sable and saddled of the field Saint Martin reguardant with nimbus Or vested gules cutting his mantle with a sword of the second for a beggar man sitting on the ground, in sinister chief an inescutcheon of the fourth charged with a lion's head erased of the fifth crowned of the first. This scene from Saint Martin's life appears in many German civic coats of arms. Indeed, Meddersheim's arms are not even the only ones in the
Bad Kreuznach Bad Kreuznach () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach (district), Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a spa town, known for its medieval bridge dating from around 1300, the Alte Nahebrücke (Bad Kreuznach), Alte Nahebrücke, ...
district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...
to bear this image, with
Norheim Norheim (in the local speech ''Norem'') is an '' Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verb ...
and
Rüdesheim an der Nahe Rüdesheim an der Nahe, or simply Rüdesheim, is an '' Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ' ...
likewise bearing arms depicting Martin cutting off a piece of his cloak for a beggar. In Meddersheim's case, the image goes back to the village's old court seal, which also bore this image. Meddersheim's arms are distinguished, however, by the small
inescutcheon In heraldry, an inescutcheon is a smaller Escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon that is placed within or superimposed over the main shield of a coat of arms, similar to a Charge (heraldry), charge. This may be used in the following cases: * as a sim ...
in sinister chief (upper left corner to the armsbearer, and thus upper right to the viewer). The
charge Charge or charged may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Charge, Zero Emissions/Maximum Speed'', a 2011 documentary Music * ''Charge'' (David Ford album) * ''Charge'' (Machel Montano album) * '' Charge!!'', an album by The Aqu ...
thereon, a lion's head, is a reference to historical lordships. Meddersheim was an '' Oberschultheißerei'' in the Waldgraviate-Rhinegraviate. In 1750 it belonged as a
condominium A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership regime in which a building (or group of buildings) is divided into multiple units that are either each separately owned, or owned in common with exclusive rights of occupation by individual own ...
to the lines of Salm-Kyrburg and Dhaun, with each holding a one-half share. Salm-Kyrburg bore arms gules three lions Or (a red shield with three gold lions). For heraldic reasons, the lion's head is borne in Meddersheim's arms in reversed
tinctures A tincture is typically an extract of plant or animal material dissolution (chemistry), dissolved in ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Solvent concentrations of 25–60% are common, but may run as high as 90%.Groot Handboek Geneeskrachtige Planten by Ge ...
.


Town partnerships

Meddersheim fosters partnerships with the following places: *
Nea Kios Nea Kios () is a small town and former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Argos-Mykines, of which it is a municipal unit. The emblem of the town is Argo. The municipal ...
,
Argolis Argolis or Argolida ( , ; , in ancient Greek and Katharevousa) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the modern regions of Greece, region of Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, situated in the eastern part of the Peloponnese penin ...
,
Peloponnese The Peloponnese ( ), Peloponnesus ( ; , ) or Morea (; ) is a peninsula and geographic region in Southern Greece, and the southernmost region of the Balkans. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridg ...
,
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
::The partnership agreement between Meddersheim and Nea Kios () was read out by mayors Tilo Krauß (Meddersheim) and Georgios Maninis (Nea Kios) and signed amid much festivity on 15 July 2008 in Meddersheim.


Culture and sightseeing


Buildings

The following are listed buildings or sites in
Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; ; ; ) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the sixteen states. Mainz is the capital and largest city. Other cities are ...
's Directory of Cultural Monuments: *
Evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...
, Naheweinstraße 32 – Romanesque quire tower, spire 1814, Late Gothic quire, about 1500, Late Baroque
aisleless church An 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 on either side of the nave and separated from the nave by col ...
, 1756; gateway arch to the rectory, mid 19th century, churchyard wall, below in the graveyard gravestones, 19th century * Hintergasse 15 –
timber-frame Timber framing () 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 pegs. If the struc ...
house, partly solid, marked 1805 * Hohlgasse 1 – Baroque timber-frame house, plastered, possibly 18th century * Hohlgasse 3 –
inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway. Before the advent of motorized transportation, they also provided accomm ...
;
Classicist Classics, also classical studies or Ancient Greek and Roman studies, is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, ''classics'' traditionally refers to the study of Ancient Greek literature, Ancient Greek and Roman literature and ...
timber-frame building, plastered and slated, marked 1830 * Kirschrother Straße 6/8 – estate complex; pair of
semi-detached A semi-detached house (often abbreviated to semi) is a single-family Duplex (building), duplex dwelling that shares one common party wall, wall with its neighbour. The name distinguishes this style of construction from detached houses, with no sh ...
houses, timber framing plastered, marked 1830; commercial building 19th century * Naheweinstraße, graveyard – Schlarb gravestone,
stele A stele ( ) or stela ( )The plural in English is sometimes stelai ( ) based on direct transliteration of the Greek, sometimes stelae or stelæ ( ) based on the inflection of Greek nouns in Latin, and sometimes anglicized to steles ( ) or stela ...
with antique relief, towards 1900 * Naheweinstraße 6 – Late Historicist villa, marked 1911 * Naheweinstraße 21 – four-sided estate; Classicist timber-frame house, plastered, about 1830/1840; commercial building, partly timber-frame * Naheweinstraße 24 – Late Baroque building with hipped
mansard roof A mansard or mansard roof (also called French roof or curb roof) is a multi-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterised by two slopes on each of its sides, with the lower slope at a steeper angle than the upper, and often punctured by dormer wi ...
, timber framing plastered, latter half of the 18th century * Naheweinstraße 30 – former schoolteacher's house; Baroque building with half-hip roof, marked 1737 * Naheweinstraße 32/34 – Evangelical
school A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most co ...
house and rectory; representative building with hip roof, about 1850/1860 * Naheweinstraße 36 – Baroque timber-frame house, partly solid, marked 1723 * Naheweinstraße 46 – former Rhinegravial estate; 16th to 19th centuries; two-part complex of buildings made up of timber-frame houses, built-in
staircase tower A staircase tower or stair tower (, also ''Stiegenturm'' or ''Wendelstein'') is a tower-like wing of a building with a circular or polygonal plan that contains a stairwell, usually a helical staircase. History Only a few examples of staircase ...
, marked 1592 * At Naheweinstraße 49 – Classicist door with skylight, marked 1820 * At Neugasse 5 – house door, marked 1834 * Sobernheimer Straße 2 – inn "Zur Traube"; Baroque building with hipped mansard roof, partly timber-frame, marked 1747 * Sobernheimer Straße 5 – Baroque timber-frame house, partly slated, marked 1681 and 1725, alterations in the 19th century * Sobernheimer Straße 16 – ''Altes Rathaus'' ("Old Town Hall"); partly timber-frame, essentially possibly from about 1600 and from the 17th century,
ridge turret A ridge turret is a turret or small tower constructed over the ridge or apex between two or more sloping roofs of a building. It is usually built either as an architectural ornament for purely decorative purposes or else for the practical housing ...
with bell, 1719 * Unterm Winkel –
bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...
, two-arched, latter half of the 19th century * Bridge across the Nahe, on ''
Kreisstraße A Kreisstraße (, or 'county road') is a class of road in Germany. It carries traffic between the towns and villages within a ''Districts of Germany, Kreis'' or district or between two neighbouring districts. In importance, the ''Kreisstraße'' ...
'' 62 – five-arched bridge,
sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...
-block, about 1860, after demolition with
explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An ex ...
s in 1946/1947 reconstructed *
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
graveyard "Auf dem Judenkirchhof" (monumental zone)Landkreis Bad Kreuznach: Inhaltsverzeichnis des Kreisrechtes
retrieved 31 October 2011.
– area with some 40 gravestones from the 18th (?) to early 20th centuries (see also below) * ''Schliffgesmühle'' (mill), on the Nahe – Late Classicist bungalow with
knee wall A knee wall is a short wall, typically under three feet (one metre) in height, used to support the rafters in timber roof construction. In his book ''A Visual Dictionary of Architecture'', Frank Ching, Francis D. K. Ching defines a knee wall as "a ...
, commercial building, partly timber-frame, mid 19th century


Jewish graveyard

The
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
graveyard in Meddersheim was laid out the earlier half of the 19th century (about 1840?) and is documented until sometime after 1933. The last confirmed burial there was in 1935 (Julius Feibelmann, d. 16 September 1935), although it is also believed that Salomon and Babette Braun, as well as a child born in 1937 to the Family Braun who died quite young (Salomon's and Babette's grandchild), were buried at the graveyard later. After the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the graveyard was first refurbished and fenced in in 1955 with state funding, because the mayor and municipal council had refused to contribute financially to the project, citing the municipality's empty coffers. In 1973, too, the graveyard was refurbished, with gravestones that had fallen over or been thrown about being set upright again. The graveyard's area is 1 358 m2. Thirty-one graves can still be made out. The gravestones quite likely do not all stand in their original places. The graveyard lies southeast of Meddersheim on the slope of the Dornberg near the so-called ''Mühlenwäldchen'' ("Little Mill Wood").


Winegrowing

Meddersheim has four
wineries A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the cultivation and production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feat ...
(''Weingüter'') and one winemakers' collective. The Meddersheim
winegrowing Viticulture (, "vine-growing"), viniculture (, "wine-growing"), or winegrowing is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ...
area belongs to the winemaking appellation – ''Großlage'' – of "Paradiesgarten". Well known individual winegrowing locations – ''Einzellagen'' – are the "Altenberg", the "Edelberg" and the "Rheingrafenberg". On roughly 60% of the village's
vineyard A vineyard ( , ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines. Many vineyards exist for winemaking; others for the production of raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is kno ...
area, it is the
Riesling Riesling ( , ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling ...
grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began approximately 8,0 ...
that is grown. Meddersheim's wineries are listed here: *''Weingut Bamberger'' *''Weingut Hehner-Kiltz'' *''Weingut Hexamer'' *''Weingut Schlarb'' Meddersheim belongs to the Nahe wine region. Far beyond the district's limits, Meddersheim is known for its wine festival. The local winemakers offer their wares each year on the last weekend in August at the village square. There the festival begins with the tapping of the Meddersheim wine barrel and the free dispensing of the contents by the incumbent mayor. As well, the local clubs supply the guests with alcohol-free drinks and food. This festival draws hundreds to the village each year.


''Unser Dorf hat Zukunft''

Vying in 2012 in the contest ''Unser Dorf hat Zukunft'' ("Our village has a future") at the state level were 269 municipalities. Twenty-four villages qualified in the state judging in the main and special classes. Among the 12 villages in the main class, Meddersheim earned a respectable place in the middle of the field. Before this, Meddersheim had qualified at the district and regional (Koblenz) contests as a winner in the main class. This was quite outstanding for a village that had not competed in this contest – then known as ''Unser Dorf soll schöner werden'' ("Our village should become lovelier") – for more than 20 years.


Clubs

The following clubs are active in Meddersheim: *''Angelsportverein'' —
angling Angling (from Old English ''angol'', meaning "hook") is a fishing technique that uses a fish hook attached to a fishing line to tether individual fish in the mouth. The fishing line is usually manipulated with a fishing rod, although rodless te ...
club *''Apollo-Chor'' —
choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
*''Förderverein Feuerwehr'' — fire brigade promotional association *''Förderverein Evangelische Martinskirche'' — Saint Martin's
church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...
promotional association *''Förderverein Kindergarten'' —
kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
promotional association *''Frauenhilfe'' — women's aid *''Freiwillige Feuerwehr'' — volunteer
fire brigade A fire department (North American English) or fire brigade (Commonwealth English), also known as a fire company, fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and ...
*''Fremdenverkehrsverein'' —
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
club *'' Hunsrückverein'' — local history, culture and
hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...
club *''Jugendclub'' — youth club *''Landfrauen Meddersheim'' — countrywomen's club *''Motorsportclub Meddersheim'' — motorsport club *''Schießsportverein'' —
shooting sport Shooting sports is a group of competitive and recreational sporting activities involving proficiency tests of accuracy, precision and speed in shooting — the art of using ranged weapons, mainly small arms (firearms and airguns, in forms such ...
club *''Stobbler'' — club for partying and making wine out of grape remnants left after harvest in local vineyards *''Turn- und Sportverein'' —
gymnastic Gymnastics is a group of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, artistry and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, sho ...
and
sport club A sports club or sporting club, sometimes an athletics club or sports society or sports association, is a group of people formed for the purpose of playing sports. Sports clubs range from organisations whose members play together, unpaid, and ...
*''VdK'' — social advocacy group local chapter


Economy and infrastructure


Education

Meddersheim has a
kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
(''Kindergarten Rasselbande'') and the ''Volksbildungswerk Meddersheim'' (a "people's education" programme), but other than these, all education is to be found in neighbouring municipalities or farther afield in the case of colleges and universities. The ''Grundschule Monzingen'' (
primary school A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...
) is in neighbouring
Monzingen Monzingen is an ''Ortsgemeinde (Germany), Ortsgemeinde'' – a Municipalities of Germany, municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Kreuznach (district), Bad Kreuznach Districts of Germany, d ...
, while the '' Realschule plus Bad Sobernheim'' and the ''Emanuel Felke, Emanuel-Felke-Gymnasium (school), Gymnasium'' are both in neighbouring
Bad Sobernheim Bad Sobernheim () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the like-named ''Verbandsgemeinde'', and is also its seat. It is a state-recognized spa town, and is well known for two fossil discovery sit ...
.


Transport

Running through Meddersheim is ''Landesstraße'' 232, which is met in the village core by ''
Kreisstraße A Kreisstraße (, or 'county road') is a class of road in Germany. It carries traffic between the towns and villages within a ''Districts of Germany, Kreis'' or district or between two neighbouring districts. In importance, the ''Kreisstraße'' ...
'' 52 and ''Landesstraße'' 376. Just over 2 km along the first of these roads is an interchange (road), interchange onto ''Bundesstraße'' 41 in
Bad Sobernheim Bad Sobernheim () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the like-named ''Verbandsgemeinde'', and is also its seat. It is a state-recognized spa town, and is well known for two fossil discovery sit ...
's west end. Also serving Bad Sobernheim is a Bad Sobernheim station, railway station on the Nahe Valley Railway (Bingen am Rhein, Bingen–Saarbrücken).


Famous people


Honorary citizens

* Werner Hilkene (1927–2010), former mayor from 1964 to 1999, recipient of the ''Verdienstmedaille des Landes Rheinland-Pfalz'' (
Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; ; ; ) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the sixteen states. Mainz is the capital and largest city. Other cities are ...
Service Medal) and the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' Service Badge in bronze, silver and gold.


References


External links


Municipality's official webpage
{{Authority control Bad Kreuznach (district) Naheland Holocaust locations in Germany