Beulich


Beulich is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde Hunsrück-Mittelrhein, whose seat is in Emmelshausen.

Geography

Location

The municipality lies on a high ridge in the northeast Hunsrück between the Ehrbach and Baybach valleys. It has an area of 1 310 ha and an elevation of 310 m above sea level.

Neighbouring municipalities

Beulich's neighbours are Morshausen, Mermuth and Gondershausen.

History

In 1212, the church at Buliche had its first documentary mention. Beulich formed together with Morshausen a Vogtei, which was held in fief by the Lords of Boos von Waldeck. In the 14th century, there was a change in the feudal overlordship when it passed from the Counts of Sayn to the Electorate of Trier. In the 15th century, further feudal landholders cropped up alongside the family Boos von Waldeck. Beginning in 1794, Beulich lay under French rule. In 1815 it was assigned to the Kingdom of Prussia at the Congress of Vienna. Since 1946, it has been part of the then newly founded state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Flurbereinigung was undertaken between 1964 and 1967.

Politics

Municipal council

The council is made up of 12 council members, who were elected by majority vote at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.

Mayor

Beulich's mayor is Friedhelm Vogt, and his deputies are Jörg Andres and Werner Kremer.

Coat of arms

The German blazon reads: In dem von fünf Zinnen geteilten Schild oben heraldisch rechts in Silber ein schräglinkes grünes Eichenblatt, daneben heraldisch links ein schwarzer Rost. Unten drei schräg rechts aneinander gereihte rautenförmige silberne Schnallen.
The municipality's arms might in English heraldic language be described thus: Per fess embattled of five argent dexter an oakleaf bendwise vert and sinister a gridiron, the handle palewise to base, sable, and gules three arming buckles flory conjoined in bend, the tongues to dexter chief, of the first.
Above the “embattled” line of partition are two charges. The one on the dexter side, the oakleaf, refers to the municipality's rich woodlands. The black gridiron on the sinister side is Saint Lawrence's attribute, thus representing the church's patron saint. Below the line of partition are three buckles, the heraldic device formerly borne by the Lords of Boos von Waldeck, once the local landholders in Beulich.

Culture and sightseeing

Buildings

The following are listed buildings or sites in Rhineland-Palatinate’s Directory of Cultural Monuments:
Also worthy of note at the parish church are the Stumm organ, lavishly restored in the 1990s, and the community centre built in 1766. This is known as the Bagges, or Backes, both local forms of the German word Backhaus – “bakehouse”. It is the venue not only for community events of various kinds, but also the place where Beulich's municipal council meetings are regularly held. The council chamber is on the top floor.

Regular events

The traditional kermis is held each year in Beulich on the second weekend in August – at about the time of Saint Lawrence's Day.