Kludenbach is an ''

Ortsgemeinde A Verbandsgemeinde (; plural Verbandsgemeinden) is a low-level administrative division, administrative unit in the Germany, German States of Germany, federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt. A Verbandsgemeinde is typically compose ...

'' – a municipality belonging to a '' Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the

Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis is a district (german: Kreis) in the middle of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The neighbouring districts are (from north clockwise) Mayen-Koblenz, Rhein-Lahn, Mainz-Bingen, Bad Kreuznach, Birkenfeld, Bernkastel-Wittlich, Coc ...

( district) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Kirchberg, whose seat is in the like-named town.

Geography

Location

The municipality lies in the

Hunsrück The Hunsrück () is a long, triangular, pronounced upland in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is bounded by the valleys of the Moselle-Saar (north-to-west), the Nahe (south), and the Rhine (east). It is continued by the Taunus mountains, past ...

roughly 2 km southeast of Kappel and 4 km west-northwest of Kirchberg. The Rhine flows 25 km to the east-northeast at

Oberwesel Oberwesel () is a town on the Middle Rhine in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis (district) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' Hunsrück-Mittelrhein, whose seat is in Emmelshausen. Geography Location Oberwesel lies ...

. The area within Kludenbach's municipal limits is 288 ha, of which 80 ha is wooded.

History

Prehistoric Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...

and early historic barrows can be found just south of Kludenbach right at the municipal limit with

Metzenhausen Metzenhausen is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis (district) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of K ...

, bearing witness to early settlers here. In 1173, Kludenbach had its first documentary mention in a donation document from Springiersbach Monastery that named a Sir Richard von Clodenbach. The

Counts of Sponheim The House of Sponheim or Spanheim was a medieval German noble family, which originated in Rhenish Franconia. They were immediate Counts of Sponheim until 1437 and Dukes of Carinthia from 1122 until 1269. Its cadet branches ruled in the Imperial C ...

had an estate at Kludenbach. They and the Knights of Wildberg also held tithing rights. Early on, a village named Lampenrode (now Lampertsmühle) vanished. Beginning in 1794, Kludenbach lay under

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

rule. In 1815 it was assigned to the Kingdom of Prussia at the Congress of Vienna. In the 19th century,

iron ore Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the fo ...

was mined east of '' Bundesstraße'' 421. Since 1946, it has been part of the then newly founded state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Politics

Municipal council

The council is made up of 6 council members, who were elected by

majority vote A majority, also called a simple majority or absolute majority to distinguish it from related terms, is more than half of the total.Dictionary definitions of ''majority'' aMerriam-Webster 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 language be described thus: Per bend sinister gules a waterwheel spoked of eight Or above a fess wavy abased argent and chequy of thirty of the second and azure surmounted by an abbot's staff sinister issuant from base sinister counterchanged, of the first on the second and of the third on the fourth. The “chequy” pattern on the sinister (armsbearer's left, viewer's right) side refers to the former

mediaeval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

landholders, the Counts of Sponheim. Kludenbach was part of the Sponheim ''

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 ...

'' of Kirchberg. The waterwheel on the dexter (armsbearer's right, viewer's left) side recalls the two old mills that were run in the municipal area. The “fess wavy abased” (horizontal wavy stripe shown somewhat lower than the middle of the field) below this is a canting charge for the placename ending ''—bach'' (

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

for “brook”). The staff refers to Ravengiersburg Monastery, which held seven fiefs in Kludenbach. Each year in December, a special court day was held for these holdings. The ''Weistum'' (cognate with English ''wisdom'', this was a legal pronouncement issued by men learned in law in the Middle Ages and early modern times) about this event is preserved.Description and explanation of Kludenbach’s arms

Notable people

* Horst Gehann, (1928–2007, died in Kludenbach), conductor, composer, concert organist, harpsichordist and music publisher

References

External links

Kludenbach in the collective municipality’s webpages
{{authority control Municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis