Oberlahnkreis

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coat of arms Germany map
Coat of arms of the Oberlahnkreis district
Oberlahnkreis
Map of Germany, position of the Oberlahnkreis district highlighted

Coordinates: 50 ° 29 ′  N , 8 ° 15 ′  E

Basic data (as of 1974)
Existing period: 1867-1974
State : Hesse
Administrative region : Wiesbaden
Administrative headquarters : Weilburg
Area : 392.54 km 2
Residents: 59,400 (Dec. 31, 1973)
Population density : 151 inhabitants per km 2
License plate : WEL
Circle key : 06 1 47
Circle structure: 15 municipalities
District Administrator : Kurt Leuninger ( SPD )

The Oberlahnkreis (until March 31, 1886 Ober-Lahn-Kreis ) existed from July 1, 1867 to June 30, 1974, when today's Limburg-Weilburg district was established. The district office was located in Weilburg in central Hesse .

geography

location

The Oberlahnkreis was between the low mountain ranges Taunus and Westerwald in central Hesse . A large part of the district area was taken up by the Weilburg Lahntal area . The eponymous Lahn flowed through the district from northeast to southwest.

Neighboring areas

Before its dissolution in 1974, the district bordered clockwise in the north, starting with the Dillkreis , the Wetzlar district , the Hochtaunuskreis , the Limburg district (all in Hesse) and the Westerwaldkreis in Rhineland-Palatinate .

history

The Oberlahnkreis on a map section from 1905
Seal mark Royal Prussian District Administrator of the Oberlahnkreis

Traces of settlement from the Middle Paleolithic (around 100,000 years ago) testify to the stone box finds from Niedertiefenbach , which have been destroyed today, and the destroyed Wildscheuerhöhle near Steeden . The district area has a special density of finds in some districts and every find documents the former importance of the region, the Niederlahngau .

The early medieval noble noble family of the Konradines, who were highly regarded in the Franconian Empire , ruled the Lahn area of the district. There is a certificate for the Walpurgis Foundation in Weilburg, according to which Konrad I gave the foundation a gift in 912 for the salvation of his ancestors' souls. The Konradin domestic policy testifies to a great transport policy foresight in the development of their territory. At intervals of daily stages, the Konradines secured their domain by founding monasteries along the Lahn (Limburg, Weilburg, Wetzlar) and on the Westerwald (Montabaur). In terms of imperial politics, the family reached its zenith with King Konrad I , the only Conradin ruler on the East Franconian throne. On his deathbed, according to the chronicler Widukind , Konrad showed statesmanlike greatness when he asked his brother to deliver the imperial insignia to his bitter opponent, the Saxon Duke Heinrich , the so-called Weilburg Testament .

Weilburg, located above a large bend in the Lahn, originally owned by the Counts of Conradin, had the Worms bishops as an imperial fief since the 10th century . The Counts of Nassau have acted as their bailiffs since 1195 , who in 1294, as one of their own, namely Adolf , was German king , acquired the town and castle as property. The city (since 1295) became the residence of the counts (from 1737 princes) of Nassau-Weilburg in 1355 and remained so until 1816.

The only 19 year old Count Philip III. von Nassau-Weilburg called the Protestant pastor Erhard Schnepf to Weilburg in autumn 1526 . His public disputation in the house of the dean of the monastery on October 31 of the same year marks the beginning of the Reformation in Weilburg.

From the territorial changes in the German states at the beginning of the 19th century, the Duchy of Nassau emerged in 1806 , whose government was initially jointly owned by Duke Friedrich August von Nassau-Usingen and Prince Friedrich Wilhelm von Nassau-Weilburg . After their two deaths in 1816, the sole reign passed to the Nassau-Weilburg house. The magnificent Weilburg Palace , which today provides the setting for the Weilburg Palace Concerts , has now stepped back behind the Biebrich Palace in Wiesbaden . Nassau, which fought on Austria's side in the German War in 1866 , became spoils of war and officially annexed by Prussia on October 1, 1866 . Duke Adolph went to Luxembourg and became Grand Duke of Luxembourg . Nassau went together with the city of Frankfurt am Main in the new Wiesbaden administrative district of the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau .

After the Kingdom of Prussia took possession of it , the Oberlahnkreis with Weilburg as its seat was formed by a Prussian ordinance of February 22, 1867. It initially consisted of the former Nassau offices of Runkel , Hadamar and Weilburg .

During the district reform of 1886, the Oberlahnkreis was redesigned:

After 1950 April 1 Audenschmiede after Weilmünster was incorporated, the Oberlahnkreis included until the start of the municipal reform in Hesse 64 municipalities, of which with Weilburg and Runkel two city rights possessed. As a result of numerous parish mergers in 1970 and 1971, the number of parishes in the district decreased to 15 by 1974.

On July 1, 1974, after 107 years of existence, the Oberlahnkreis merged with the Limburg district formed in 1886 to form the Limburg-Weilburg district through a voluntary change of territory . The two districts thus came before a forced merger. At the same time, the communities of Altenkirchen and Philippstein moved to what was then the district of Wetzlar and were incorporated into Braunfels there .

As the first circular wide association, the closed circle Firefighters Association Oberlahnstein together with the neighboring county firefighters association Limburg in the newly formed district. The delegates of the two associations decided on September 20, 1975 in Obertiefenbach to unite with immediate effect to form the Limburg-Weilburg District Fire Brigade Association.

Population development

Due to the Prussian district reform of 1886, the Oberlahnkreis was significantly reduced.

year Residents source
1871 57.043
1900 39,550
1910 40,856
1925 40.163
1933 41,035
1939 41,843
1950 58,856
1960 56,000
1970 58,800
1973 59,400

politics

District administrators

coat of arms

The coat of arms combines the historical rulership coats of arms in the area of ​​the district.

Description : Quartered, 1. in blue with golden (yellow) shingles a golden lion ( Nassau ), 2. in green a green inclined cross accompanied by 12 little crosses ( Merenberg ), 3. in silver (white) a red, continuous cross ( Kurtrier ), 4th in silver three red posts covered by a blue free quarter ( Runkel )

Communities

The following table contains all municipalities that belonged to the Oberlahnkreis after the district reform of 1886, as well as the data of all incorporations.

local community incorporated
after 		Date of
incorporation
Ahausen Weilburg December 31, 1970
Allendorf Merenberg December 31, 1970
Altenkirchen Braunfels ( Wetzlar district ) July 1, 1974
Arfurt Runkel December 31, 1970
Audenschmiede Weilmünster April 1, 1950
Aulenhausen Weilmünster December 31, 1970
Aumenau Villmar 1st February 1971
Barig-Selbenhausen Merenberg December 31, 1970
Bermbach Weilburg December 31, 1970
Blessenbach Weinbach 1st December 1970
Dietenhausen Weilmünster December 31, 1970
Dillhausen Mengerskirchen December 31, 1970
Drommershausen Weilburg December 31, 1970
Edelsberg Weinbach July 1, 1974
Elkerhausen Weinbach July 1, 1974
Ennerich Runkel 1st December 1970
Ernsthausen Weilmünster December 31, 1970
Eschenau Runkel December 31, 1970
Essershausen Weilmünster December 31, 1971
Falkenbach Villmar December 31, 1970
Freienfels Weinbach 1st December 1970
Gaudernbach Weilburg December 31, 1970
Graeveneck Weinbach 1st December 1970
Hasselbach Weilburg December 31, 1970
Heckholzhausen Beselich December 31, 1970
Hirschhausen Weilburg December 31, 1970
Hofen Runkel December 31, 1970
Kirschhofen Weilburg December 31, 1970
Kubach Weilburg July 1, 1974
Laimbach Weilmünster December 31, 1970
Langenbach Weilmünster December 31, 1970
Long hedge Villmar December 31, 1970
Laubuseschbach Weilmünster December 31, 1970
Löhnberg
Lützendorf Weilmünster December 31, 1970
Mengerskirchen
Merenberg
Möttau Weilmünster December 31, 1970
Muenster Selters July 1, 1974
Niedershausen Löhnberg December 31, 1970
Niedertiefenbach Beselich December 31, 1970
Obershausen Löhnberg December 31, 1970
Obertiefenbach Beselich December 31, 1970
Odersbach Weilburg December 31, 1970
Philippstein Braunfels ( Wetzlar district ) July 1, 1974
Probbach Mengerskirchen December 31, 1970
Reichenborn Merenberg December 31, 1970
Rohnstadt Weilmünster December 31, 1970
Rückershausen Merenberg December 31, 1970
Runkel , city
Schadeck Runkel 1st December 1970
Schupbach Beselich December 31, 1970
Seelbach Villmar December 31, 1970
Selters Löhnberg July 1, 1974
Steeden Runkel 1st December 1970
Villmar
Waldernbach Mengerskirchen December 31, 1970
Waldhausen Weilburg December 31, 1970
Weilburg , city
Weilmünster
Weinbach
Weyer Villmar December 31, 1971
Angle Mengerskirchen December 31, 1970
Whirlwind Runkel December 31, 1970
Wolfenhausen Weilmünster December 31, 1970

Between 1867 and 1886, the Oberlahnkreis also owned the town of Hadamar and the communities of Ahlbach , Dorchheim , Dorndorf , Ellar , Elz , Faulbach , Frickhofen , Fussingen , Hangenmeilingen , Hausen , Heuchelheim , Hintermeilingen , Lahr , Langendernbach , even before it was incorporated into the Limburg district . Malmeneich , Mühlbach , Niederhadamar , Niederweyer , Niederzeuzheim , Oberweyer , Oberzeuzheim , Offheim , Steinbach , Thalheim , Waldmannshausen and Wilsenroth .

From October 1, 1932 to October 1, 1933, the Oberlahnkreis temporarily belonged to Emmershausen , Gemünden , Heinzenberg , Mönstadt and Winden, five municipalities of the Usingen district, which was dissolved at that time .

Attractions

The Weilburg Castle

  • The Lahn in the district

  • The Westerwald in the district

  • The Taunus in the district

  • The shipping tunnel in Weilburg, which is unique in Germany

  • Kubacher crystal cave in Weilburg

  • Beselich monastery ruins near Obertiefenbach

  • Catholic pilgrimage chapel Maria Hilf zu Beselich near Obertiefenbach

  • Laneburg in Löhnberg

  • Mengerskirchen Castle, now town hall

  • Merenberg castle ruins

  • Marble bridge over the Lahn in Villmar

  • Kirbergturm in Weilmünster

  • Freienfels castle ruins in Freienfels

License Plate

On July 1, 1956, the district was assigned the distinctive sign WEL when the vehicle registration number that is still valid today was introduced . It was derived from the district town of Weilburg and was issued until June 30, 1974. It has been available again in the Limburg-Weilburg district since January 2, 2013 .

literature

  • The district committee of the district of Limburg-Weilburg: Limburg-Weilburg - Contributions to the history of the district , Limburg 1986.
  • Ferdinand Luthmer: The architectural and art monuments of the Lahn area. Oberlahnkreis, Kreis Limburg, Unterlahnkreis , (The architectural and art monuments of the Wiesbaden administrative district, vol. 3), Frankfurt am Main 1907.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ District order for the province of Hessen-Nassau 1886 (digitized version)
  2. ↑ a b Limburg-Weilburg district. Historical local dictionary. In: Landesgeschichtliches Informationssystem Hessen (LAGIS).
  3. ^ Federal Statistical Office (ed.): Historical municipality directory for the Federal Republic of Germany. Name, border and key number changes in municipalities, counties and administrative districts from May 27, 1970 to December 31, 1982 . W. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart / Mainz 1983, ISBN 3-17-003263-1 , p. 373 .
  4. ^ Franz-Josef Sehr : District Fire Brigade Association Limburg-Weilburg . In: Freiwillige Feuerwehr Obertiefenbach e. V. (Ed.): 125 years of the Obertiefenbach volunteer fire brigade . Reference 2005, ISBN 978-3-926262-03-5 , pp. 107-113 .
  5. ^ The municipalities and manor districts of the Hesse-Nassau province and their population in 1871
  6. ↑ a b c d e f g h Michael Rademacher: German administrative history from the unification of the empire in 1871 to the reunification in 1990. oberlahn.html. (Online material for the dissertation, Osnabrück 2006).
  7. ↑ Statistical Yearbook for the Federal Republic of Germany 1972
  8. ↑ Statistical Yearbook for the Federal Republic of Germany 1975
  9. ^ The municipalities and manor districts of the province of Hessen-Nassau and their population 1871: Oberlahnkreis