Hochscheid


Hochscheid is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.

Geography

Location

This rural municipality lies in the middle of low-mountain country in the Hunsrück, at the foot of the Idarkopf. Hochscheid belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Bernkastel-Kues, whose seat is in the like-named town.

Neighbouring municipalities

Neighbouring municipalities within a five-kilometre radius are Horbruch, Wahlenau, Hirschfeld, Kleinich and Krummenau. The nearest middle centre is Bernkastel-Kues.

History

Antiquity

The most important sanctuary to the Gallic divinity Sirona stands in Hochscheid, where a Latin inscription “DEO APOLLINI ET SANCTE SIRONE” can also be found, in which the Roman Apollo likely has been identified with the Celtic god Grannus through the Interpretatio Romana. Since Apollo and Diana were held to be siblings, this kinship is here transferred to Sirona and Apollo Grannus.

Medieval/Early Modern

Hochscheid belonged to the “Hinder” County of Sponheim. The first known chapel was already standing here by 1529. It was probably consecrated to Saint Giles. By 1743 this chapel had been destroyed, possibly in the Thirty Years' War. In 1752 the chapel was built anew, but by 1790, only the tower was still standing. Later, a “winter school” was built onto the tower. Hanging in the chapel was a bell from 1629 with the inscription “Johann Burchart Trarbach Pfarher zu Clenich. Johann Schüßler Kirchenmeister. Anno MDCXXIX”.

Politics

Municipal council

The council is made up of 6 council members, who were elected by majority vote at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.

Coat of arms

The municipality’s arms might be described thus: Vert in base water argent with ripples of the field, dexter a lyre of the second, leaning against which a laurel twig bendwise slipped in base Or.
The arms are derived from a Roman spring sanctum from the 2nd century unearthed high in the woods. It shows the spring god Apollo’s attributes, the lyre and the laurel, as well as springwater.

Economy and infrastructure

Public transport in Hochscheid is integrated into the Verkehrsverbund Region Trier, whose fares therefore apply.