Schwerbach

Schwerbach is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Birkenfeld district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde Herrstein-Rhaunen, whose seat is in Herrstein.

Schwerbach
View from the south
Coat of arms
Location of Schwerbach within Birkenfeld district
Schwerbach
Schwerbach
Coordinates: 49°53′49″N 7°21′21″E
CountryGermany
StateRhineland-Palatinate
DistrictBirkenfeld
Municipal assoc.Herrstein-Rhaunen
Government
 • MayorChristel Roth-Janitz
Area
 • Total2.55 km2 (0.98 sq mi)
Elevation
387 m (1,270 ft)
Population
 (2018-12-31)[1]
 • Total48
 • Density19/km2 (49/sq mi)
Time zoneCET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes
55624
Dialling codes06544
Vehicle registrationBIR
Websitewww.schwerbach.de

Geography

Location

The municipality, a clump village, lies in the central Hunsrück. Between the village and the Kyrbach valley lies the Wacholderheide (“Juniper Heath”) Conservation Area.

Schwerbach is the district's smallest municipality by population.

History

In the Early Middle Ages, the Lords of Wiltberg had built a chapel in Schwerbach on the estate with which the Waldgraves were enfeoffed; it was consecrated on 15 July 1314. Schwerbach had “burial rights” at that time, which were always special rights.

In 1563, there were 12 hearths (for which read “households”) in Schwerbach.[2]

Politics

Municipal council

The council is made up of 6 council members, who were elected by majority vote at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairwoman.[3]

Mayor

Schwerbach's mayor is Christel Roth-Janitz.[4]

Coat of arms

The German blazon reads: In geteiltem Schild oben in Gold ein rotes Fabeltier mit einem Wolfskopf und weit geöffneten Schwingen, belegt mit einem schwarzen Wolfshaken. Unten in Schwarz ein silberner Balken.

The municipality's arms might in English heraldic language be described thus: Per fess Or a beast with a wolf's head and an eagle's body displayed gules, its breast surmounted by a crampon palewise sable, and sable a fess argent.

The upper field is a reference to the village's former allegiance to the “Wild and Rhine” County (ruled by the Waldgraves and Rhinegraves) and shows the court seal used by those counts’ high court at Rhaunen. The lower field shows the arms formerly borne by the Lords of Wiltberg, who were the lords at Schwerbach. In 1310, they had a chapel built at Schwerbach.[5]

Culture and sightseeing

Buildings

The following are listed buildings or sites in Rhineland-Palatinate’s Directory of Cultural Monuments:[6]

  • At Dorfstraße 1 – in the commercial building a “three-naved” stable, about 1850/1860
  • Dorfstraße 3 – house, partly timber-frame (slated), hipped mansard roof, about 1800

Economy and infrastructure

Schwerbach has a village community centre.

Transport

Serving nearby Kirn is a railway station on the Nahe Valley Railway (Bingen–Saarbrücken). To the north lie Bundesstraße 50 and Frankfurt-Hahn Airport.

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References
  1. "Bevölkerungsstand 2018 - Gemeindeebene". Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz (in German). 2019.
  2. Schwerbach’s history
  3. Kommunalwahl Rheinland-Pfalz 2009, Gemeinderat
  4. Schwerbach’s mayor
  5. Description and explanation of Schwerbach’s arms
  6. Directory of Cultural Monuments in Birkenfeld district
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