Rural community (Thuringia)

The rural community in Thuringia is a form of a district community introduced in 2008. There are currently 29 rural communities in Thuringia (as of December 31, 2019).

Statutory Regulations

Pursuant to Section 6 (5) of the Thuringian Municipal Code , neighboring municipalities belonging to the district can merge to form a rural municipality with at least 3000 inhabitants. The rural community has a local constitution according to § 45 a, according to which the community is divided into localities, and elects a local council and a local mayor in each locality. In perspective, the rural communities in Thuringia should replace the administrative communities .

Thuringian municipalities can apply to the Thuringian Ministry of the Interior , which is responsible for municipal law, to form a rural municipality . The prerequisite for submitting an application is that the municipalities willing to merge express their will to merge through corresponding resolutions by the municipal councils of all municipalities involved and corresponding contractual provisions. These were particularly promoted in 2018 and 2019 as part of the regional reform with merger premiums.

The Thuringian Landtag resolves the formation of the rural communities by law; Most recently, on December 28, 2018, the Thuringian law on the voluntary restructuring of municipalities belonging to the district was passed in 2019 .

The merger is basically voluntary and is funded by the Free State of Thuringia with a corresponding merger premium.

Town Mayor

The local mayors are honorary officials of the community and are elected according to the provisions of the Thuringian Local Election Act for the duration of the legal term of office of the local council. If the election is unsuccessful, the local council elects the local mayor from among its members. The mayor of the locality has the right to take part in an advisory capacity at all meetings of the local council and committees that affect the locality and to submit corresponding applications. To this end, he is to be invited like a council member.

Local council

Local councils in rural communities have more decision-making powers than local councils in a unitary community. For example, you can have a say in infrastructure investments. The local council is formed for the duration of the legal term of office of the local council. It consists of the local mayor and the other members of the local council. The number of other members of the local council, who are elected by secret ballot, is in localities

with up to 500 inhabitants 4,
with more than 500 up to 1000 inhabitants 6,
with more than 1000 up to 2000 inhabitants 8 and
with more than 2000 inhabitants 10.

The other members of the local council are active on a voluntary basis.

List of rural parishes

All rural communities in the Free State of Thuringia are listed in the following table :

Rural community	status	district	Population (December 31, 2019)	Area (in km²)	fulfilling church also for	Creation and gains
At the Ettersberg	local community	Weimar Country	7098	92.42	Ballstedt , Ettersburg and Neumark	01/01/2019: Foundation from the municipalities from the city of Buttelstedt and the municipalities of Berlstedt , Großobringen , Heichelheim , Kleinobringen , Krautheim , Ramsla , Sachsenhausen , Schwerstedt , Vippachedelhausen and Wohlsborn 01/08/2019: no more city
At the Ohmberg	local community	Eichsfeld	3621	31.34		01.12.2010: Foundation from the communities of Bischofferode , Großbodungen and Neustadt
On the jewelry	city	Kyffhäuserkreis	5967	95.29	Etzleben and Oberheldrungen	01.01.2019: Foundation from the city of Heldrungen and the communities of Bretleben , Gorsleben , Hauteroda , Hemleben and Oldisleben
Artern	city	Kyffhäuserkreis	6688	45.05	Borxleben , Gehofen , Kalbsrieth , Mönchpfiffel-Nikolausrieth and Reinsdorf	01.01.2019: Foundation from the city of Artern / Unstrut and the communities Heygendorf and Voigtstedt
Auma-Weidatal	city	Greiz	3441	55.75		01.12.2011: Foundation from the city of Auma and the communities Braunsdorf , Göhren-Döhlen , Staitz and Wiebelsdorf
Bad Sulza	city	Weimar Country	7688	46.32	Eberstedt , Großheringen , Niedertrebra , Obertrebra , Rannstedt and Schmiedehausen	December 31, 2012: Foundation from the city of Bad Sulza and the municipalities of Auerstedt , Flurstedt , Gebstedt , Reisdorf and Wickerstedt January 1, 2019: Integration of the Ködderitzsch municipality December 31, 2019: Integration of the Saaleplatte municipality
Bleicherode	city	Nordhausen	10,327	108.20	Großlohra , Kehmstedt , Kleinfurra , Lipprechterode and Niedergebra	01/01/2019: Foundation from the city of Bleicherode and the communities Etzelsrode , Friedrichsthal , Hainrode , Kleinbodungen , Kraja , Nohra , Wipperdorf and Wolkramshausen
Buttstädt	local community	Sömmerda	6660	104.8		01/01/2019: Founding from the city of Buttstädt and the communities Ellersleben , Eßleben-Teutleben , Großbrembach , Guthmannshausen , Hardisleben , Kleinbrembach , Mannstedt , Olbersleben and Rudersdorf .
Dingelstädt	city	Eichsfeld	6887	59.40		01/01/2019: Foundation from the city of Dingelstädt and the communities of Helmsdorf , Kefferhausen , Kreuzebra and Silberhausen
Three of a kind	local community	Gotha	7934	84.49	Schwabhausen	07/06/2018: Foundation from the communities Drei Gleichen and Günthersleben-Wechmar
Geratal	local community	Ilm district	8884	82.33		01/01/2019: Foundation from the communities Frankenhain , Geraberg , Geschwenda , Gossel , Gräfenroda and Liebenstein
Georgenthal	local community	Gotha	7261	74.76	Emleben and Herrenhof	December 31, 2019: Foundation from the communities Georgenthal, Hohenkirchen , Leinatal and Petriroda
Grammetal	local community	Weimar Country	6519	88.28		December 31, 2019: Foundation from the communities Bechstedtstraß , Daasdorf a. Berge , Hopfgarten , Isseroda , Mönchenholzhausen , Niederzimmer , Nohra , Ottstedt a. Berge and Troistedt
Großbreitenbach	city	Ilm district	6253	80.76		01/01/2019: Foundation from the town of Großbreitenbach and the communities Altenfeld , Böhlen , Friedersdorf , Gillersdorf , Herschdorf , Neustadt am Rennsteig and Wildenspring
Harz Gate	local community	Nordhausen	7577	74.12		01/01/2012: Foundation from the communities of Ilfeld and Niedersachswerfen 06/07/2018: Integration of the communities Harzungen , Herrmannsacker and Neustadt / Harz
Pegs / helmets	city	Nordhausen	4720	66.73	Görsbach and Urbach	01.12.2010: Foundation from the city of Heringen / Helme and the communities of Auleben , Hamma , Uthleben and Windehausen
Hörsel	local community	Gotha	4699	70.46		01.12.2011: Foundation from the communities Aspach , Ebenheim , Fröttstädt , Hörselgau , Laucha , Mechterstädt , Metebach , Teutleben , Trügleben and Weingarten
Ilmtal Wine Route	local community	Weimar Country	6348	64.84		December 31, 2013: Foundation from the municipalities of Liebstedt , Mattstedt , Niederreißen , Niederroßla , Nirmsdorf , Oberreißen , Oßmannstedt , Pfiffelbach and Willerstedt January 1, 2019: Integration of the municipalities of Kromsdorf , Leutenthal and Rohrbach
Kindelbrück	local community	Sömmerda	3791	57.85		01.01.2019: Foundation from the city of Kindelbrück and the communities of Bilzingsleben , Frömmstedt and Kannawurf
Mohlsdorf-Teichwolframsdorf	local community	Greiz	4734	50.45		01/01/2012: Foundation from the communities Mohlsdorf and Teichwolframsdorf
Nesse-Apfelstädt	local community	Gotha	5962	39.47		December 1st, 2009: Foundation from the communities Apfelstädt , Gamstädt , Ingersleben and Neudietendorf ; first rural community
Nessetal	local community	Gotha	7939	91.53		01/01/2019: Foundation from the municipalities Ballstädt , Brüheim , Bufleben , Friedrichswerth , Goldbach , Haina , Hochheim , Remstädt , Wangenheim , Warza and Westhausen
Nottertal-Heilinger Heights	city	Unstrut-Hainich district	5760	75.95	Grains and marolterode	December 31, 2019: Foundation from the city of Schlotheim and the communities of Bothenheilingen , Issersheilingen , Kleinwelsbach , Neunheilingen and Obermehler
Roßleben-Wiehe	city	Kyffhäuserkreis	7476	45.05		01/01/2019: Foundation from the cities of Roßleben and Wiehe and the communities of Donndorf and Nausitz
Schwarzatal	city	Saalfeld-Rudolstadt	3543	25.99		01/01/2019: Foundation from the city of Oberweißbach / Thuringian Forest and the communities Mellenbach-Glasbach and Meuselbach-Schwarzmühle
Sunstone	local community	Eichsfeld	4505	94.51		01.12.2011: Foundation from the communities of Bockelnhagen , Holungen , Jützenbach , Silkerode , Steinrode , Stöckey , Weißenborn-Lüderode and Zwinge
Südichsfeld	local community	Unstrut-Hainich district	6604	59.88	Rodeberg	01.12.2011: Foundation from the communities of Diedorf , Faulungen , Heyerode , Hildebrandshausen , Katharinenberg , Lengenfeld unterm Stein , Schierschwende and Wendehausen
Unstrut-Hainich	local community	Unstrut-Hainich district	5181	94.34	Schönstedt	01/01/2019: Foundation from the communities Altengottern , Flarchheim , Großengottern , Heroldishausen , Mülverstedt and Weberstedt
Bailiwick	local community	Unstrut-Hainich district	4353	49.50	Kammerforst and Oppershausen	December 31, 2012: Foundation from the communities Langula , Niederdorla and Oberdorla

List of former rural parishes

coat of arms	Rural community	status	district	Residents before the dissolution	Area (in km²)	fulfilling church also for	Establishment and dissolution
	Miter	city	Ilm district	3782	43.85		December 31, 2013: Foundation from the city of Gehren and the municipality of Möhrenbach July 6, 2018: Incorporation into the city of Ilmenau

Web links

Individual evidence

^ Population of the municipalities from the Thuringian State Office for Statistics ( help on this ).

[1] Population of the municipalities from the Thuringian State Office for Statistics ( help on this ).