Dackenheim

Dackenheim is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a '' Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Dürkheim district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

Geography

Location

The municipality lies in the Palatinate along the northernmost stretch of the German Wine Route. Dackenheim lies in the foothills between the Palatinate Forest and the Upper Rhine Plain. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Freinsheim, whose seat is in the like-named town.

Climate

Yearly precipitation in Dackenheim amounts to 534 mm, which is very low, falling into the lowest tenth of the precipitation chart for all Germany. Only at 8% of the German Weather Service's weather stations are even lower figures recorded. The driest month is January. The most rainfall comes in May. In that month, precipitation is 1.9 times what it is in January. Precipitation otherwise hardly varies over the year. At 32% of the weather stations, lower seasonal swings are recorded.

History

As the Dackenheim golf course was being built in 1998, witnesses to prehistory were unearthed in the shape of potsherds, which were identified as being from the Rössen culture (4700-4500 BC), leading to the inference that Dackenheim, like the neighbouring town of Freinsheim, might have been settled as early as the New Stone Age. Another find in 1952, with a sandstone human head, might be from the Bronze Age. It can now be found in the ''Historisches Museum der Pfalz'' (“Historical Museum of the Palatinate”).

Franks and Carolingians

Any evidence of human activity in Roman times has not been forthcoming. The placename ending ''—heim'' (cognate with English ''home'') suggests that Dackenheim might have been founded about 600, at the time when the Franks were taking the land. Clear clues as to settlement in Merovingian times come from grave goods unearthed in 1910 in the rural cadastral area “In den 24 Morgen”, and others brought to light in 1976 in the field “Am Liebesbrunnen”. The village had its first documentary mention on 22 November 766 in the acts of Lorsch Abbey (document 1143) as ''Donatio Nantheri in Dagastisheim'' (Nanther's donation in Dackenheim).

12th to 18th century

In the 12th century, Dackenheim was within the Leiningen Counts’ sphere of influence. It was in this time that the Catholic church was built (1147).

In the wake of the Mainz Monasterial Feud – also known as the Baden-Palatinate War – (1461–1462) and after Margarethe von Leiningen-Westerburg's death, Dackenheim passed in 1471 to Electoral Palatinate. The main source for the time that followed is the ''Dackenheimer Weistum'' of 1485, 1496 and 1579 (a ''Weistum'' – cognate with English ''wisdom'' – was a legal pronouncement issued by men learned in law in the Middle Ages and early modern times). Until the late 18th century, Dackenheim remained in Electoral Palatinate's ownership.

In this time, work on the new Lutheran church was begun in 1716; it was converted in 1857.

French Republic

After having been occupied by the French for a number of years towards the end of the 18th century, the Palatine lands on the Rhine’s left bank were incorporated ''de jure'' into the French Republic under the Treaty of Campo Formio (Mairie de Dackenheim, Canton de Durkheim, Arrondissement de Speier, Département de Mont Tonnerre).

Politics

Municipal council

The council is made up of 8 council members, who were elected by majority vote

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