Oberotterbach is a municipality in
Südliche Weinstraße district, in
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; german: link=no, Rheinland-Pfalz ; lb, Rheinland-Pfalz ; pfl, Rhoilond-Palz) 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 ...
, western
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
Geography
The village is located between the
Palatine Forest biosphere reserve and the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
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, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
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river.
The municipality of Oberotterbach also includes the settlements of Brendelsmühle and Heidenbrunnenhof.
History
The village was first mentioned in 992 in a deed of grant from emperor
Otto III to Selz Abbey located in the Alsace region.
Religion
In 2007, 55.6 percent of the population were Protestant and 25.4 percent were Roman Catholic. The rest were not registered to pay
Church tax
A church tax is a tax collected by the state from members of some religious denominations to provide financial support of churches, such as the salaries of its clergy and to pay the operating cost of the church.
The constitution of a number o ...
.
Politics
Gemeinderat
The local council
Gemeinderat
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
in Oberotterbach consists of 16 members, who were elected on 7 June 2009 and work for the voluntary mayor as their chairman.
Coat of Arms
The blazon of the coat of arms are: „Parteed and separated above, documented with the silver heart shield , within a red armoured and defeated blue lion, on top heraldic in black a red armoured and defeated gold lion. On top on the left it is silver and blue lozenged, located at the bottom in green is a silver silberner an angular wave bar aside from silver spheres“.
It was approved by the Bavarian imperial governor in 1938 and dates back to a seal from 1558.
[Karl Heinz Debus: ''Das große Wappenbuch der Pfalz''. Neustadt an der Weinstraße 1988, ]
Culture and Sights
* Ruin of
Guttenberg Castle located in the
Mundat Forest
The term 'Mundat Forest' refers to two forests that overlie the modern border between Germany and France near Wissembourg, Alsace. The ''Upper Mundat Forest'' is a small part of the mountainous Palatinate Forest. The smaller ''Lower Mundat Fores ...
; Staeffelsberg Tower (observation tower, 1887)
* Westwall-Hiking Trail – comprising a ten-kilometre-long hiking trail along blasted bunkers and war trenches established in June 2009.
References
External links
Official town website
Municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate
Palatinate (region)
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