imported>Onel5969: Disambiguating links to Ortsgemeinde (link changed to Ortsgemeinde (Germany)) using DisamAssist.

2023-06-01T17:23:19Z

Disambiguating links to Ortsgemeinde (link changed to Ortsgemeinde (Germany)) using DisamAssist.

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{{Infobox German location
|image_photo =
|image_coa = DEU Neichen COA.svg
|coordinates = {{coord|50.26142|6.87054|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan = Neichen in DAU.svg
|state = Rheinland-Pfalz
|district = Vulkaneifel
|Verbandsgemeinde = Kelberg
|elevation = 480
|area = 2.95
|postal_code = 54552
|area_code = 02692
|licence = DAU
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 07 2 33 048
|website = [http://www.neichen-eifel.de/ www.neichen-eifel.de]
|mayor = Peter Annen<ref name=mayor>[https://www.wahlen.rlp.de/de/kw/wahlen/kd/gebiete/2330000000000.html Direktwahlen 2019, Landkreis Vulkaneifel], Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 10 August 2021.</ref>
|leader_term = 2019–24
}}
'''Neichen''' is an ''[[Ortsgemeinde (Germany)|Ortsgemeinde]]'' – a [[Municipalities of Germany|municipality]] belonging to a ''[[Verbandsgemeinde]]'', a kind of collective municipality – in the [[Vulkaneifel]] [[Districts of Germany|district]] in [[Rhineland-Palatinate]], [[Germany]]. It belongs to the [[Kelberg (Verbandsgemeinde)|''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Kelberg]], whose seat is in the [[Kelberg|like-named municipality]].

== Geography ==

The municipality lies in the [[Vulkan Eifel|Vulkaneifel]], a part of the [[Eifel]] known for its volcanic history, geographical and geological features, and even ongoing activity today, including gases that sometimes well up from the earth.

Roughly 150 people live in Neichen.

== History ==
The name “Neichen” derives from a 14th-century description of the place as the ''hof von den Eichen'' (“Estate of the Oaks”), from which arose the shorter form ''Neichen'' through [[Rebracketing|faulty separation]] of the last two words.<ref>Lamprecht: Deutsches Wirtschaftsleben im Mittelalter</ref><ref>[http://www.swr.de/landesschau-rp/hierzuland/-/id=100766/nid=100766/did=6230350/17xa9t1/index.html Neichen’s history]</ref>

Until 1970, the municipality belonged to the [[Daun (Verbandsgemeinde)|''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Daun]], when it, along with [[Beinhausen]], [[Boxberg, Rhineland-Palatinate|Boxberg]], [[Dreis-Brück|Brück]], [[Hörschhausen]] and [[Katzwinkel]], was annexed to the [[Kelberg (Verbandsgemeinde)|''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Kelberg]].

== Politics ==

=== Municipal council ===
The council is made up of 6 council members, who were elected by [[Plurality voting system|majority vote]] at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.

=== Mayor ===
Neichen's mayor is Peter Annen.<ref name="mayor" />

=== Coat of arms ===
The German blazon reads: ''In Gold ein grüner Schrägrechtsbalken, belegt mit goldenem Eichenblatt und gold-silbernen Früchten, begleitet oben und unten von je einem grünen Eichenblatt mit grün-silbernen Früchten.''

The municipality's [[Coat of arms|arms]] might in English [[Heraldry|heraldic]] language be described thus: Or a bend vert charged with an oakleaf of the field fructed of two argent and between two oakleaves bendwise of the second likewise fructed.

The oakleaves are [[Canting arms|canting]] for the municipality's name which, as mentioned above, derives from the [[German language|German]] word ''Eichen'' (“oaks”) prefixed with a faultily separated [[Dative case|dative]] [[plural]] [[definite article]] ending.<ref>[http://www.vgv-kelberg.de/vg_kelberg/Gemeinden/Neichen/ Description and explanation of Neichen’s arms]</ref>

== Culture and sightseeing ==
In the village centre stands the small [[Roman Catholicism|Catholic]] chapel from 1827 which is consecrated to [[Brigid of Kildare|Saint Brigid]], patron saint not only of [[Ireland]] but also of, among other things, [[cattle]]. This once led to a yearly custom in which farmers would fetch water consecrated to Saint Brigid – ''Brigittenwasser'' – in little bottles from the church and take it home to put in sick livestock's fodder as needed. This was supposed to help the animals. This custom, however, is no longer practised.<ref>[http://www.swr.de/landesschau-rp/hierzuland/-/id=100766/nid=100766/did=6230350/17xa9t1/index.html Neichen’s history]</ref>
[[File:Neichen, kapel 2009-08-06 11.39.JPG|thumb|200px|left|Neichen, chapel]]

=== Buildings ===
* [[Roman Catholicism|Catholic]] branch church, Kapellenstraße, triaxial [[aisleless church]] from 1826 (or 1827 according to the above source).
* Hauptstraße 10 – [[Timber framing|timber-frame]] house of a corner estate, mid 19th century.
* Hauptstraße/corner of Im Backesgarten – wayside cross, beam cross from 1687.
* [[Saint Hubert]]’s Catholic Parish Church (''Pfarrkirche St. Hubertus''), Hauptstraße, so-called Hilgerath Church (''Kirche Hilgerath''), [[Middle Ages|mediaeval]] west tower, aisleless church 1803, expanded in 1950; grave crosses in the outer wall, 17th and 18th centuries.
* Wayside chapel, south of Saint Hubert's Catholic Parish Church, [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] brick building from 1907, Gothic Revival altar.<ref>[http://denkmallisten.gdke-rlp.de/Vulkaneifel.pdf Directory of Cultural Monuments in Vulkaneifel district]</ref>

=== Natural monuments ===
The ''Drees'', a mineral [[spring (hydrosphere)|spring]], gushes forth from the ground at the village's outskirts. The water is sour and contains [[iron]] and [[carbonic acid]]. The spring is a product of the now mostly extinct [[Volcano|volcanic activity]] that gives the [[Vulkan Eifel|Vulkaneifel]] its name. The springwater is definitely an acquired taste, but its fanciers swear by their daily glass of ''Drees'' even today.<ref>[http://www.swr.de/landesschau-rp/hierzuland/-/id=100766/nid=100766/did=6230350/17xa9t1/index.html Neichen’s history]</ref>

== Economy and infrastructure ==
Since there is only one business in the village, a honey wholesaler's, most people work in the bigger places in the surrounding area, like [[Daun, Germany|Daun]] or [[Mayen]].

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.vgv-kelberg.de/vg_kelberg/Gemeinden/Neichen/ Neichen in the collective municipality’s Web pages] {{in lang|de}}

{{Cities and towns in Vulkaneifel (district)}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate]]
[[Category:Vulkaneifel]]

Neichen - Revision history

imported>Onel5969: Disambiguating links to Ortsgemeinde (link changed to Ortsgemeinde (Germany)) using DisamAssist.