In 766, Wintersheim had its first documentary mention in the Lorsch codex. On 17 June 766, a man named Hairdin made the first gift to the Lorsch Abbey of a vineyard that yielded 4 Ohm – about 160 L – of wine. Following over the next 40 years were 17 further donations of vineyards. Winegrowing, therefore, must have played an important rôle in the Wintersheim municipal area in the 8th century.
In 1467, Landgrave Hesso von Leiningen-Dagsburg died. His holdings fell to his sister Margarethe von Leiningen-Westerburg. Her brothers, who were styled von Leiningen-Hartenburg, raised fierce opposition to this, and Margarethe had to call on Elector Palatine Friedrich I for help. She promised the Elector in a partition agreement in 1471 half of the disputed 19 villages for his successful support. After Margarethe's death, her son Reinhard I of Leiningen sold Elector Palatine Philip “the Upright” a share of the villages in question. Among the sold villages was Wintersheim, which thereby became Palatine. Wintersheim received in 1589 a court and village charter. It can be found in the Hessian State Archive, Darmstadt in the “Weistümer” collection under the number 118. In the framework of the Napoleonic Wars, there came the first invasion by French Revolutionary troops. The end of Electoral Palatinate rule came after 1796. Wintersheim was assigned to the canton of Oppenheim.
19th century
Wintersheim, Eimsheim and Dolgesheim were united in 1801 at the lowest level of French administration and were given a common mayoralty. With the adoption of the Act of German Confederation, Wintersheim passed with the third province, later known as the Province of Rhenish Hesse, to the Grand Duchy of Hesse. Samuel Dettweiler became Wintersheim's first mayor in 1836. The founding of the Dorn-Dürkheim-Wintersheim savings and load association followed in 1872, and of the consumer association in 1873. In 1875 came the founding of the singing club Einigkeit
The municipality's arms might be described thus: Azure a windmill's windshaft and four sails attached thereto in saltire argent.
Culture and sightseeing
Buildings
A former late mediaevaltower house made of quarrystones comes from the 15th century. In the 18th century it was converted and given a Mansard roof. The tower's cellar dates from 1754. The complex stands at the Dätwyl winery and is still used today as the estate's public house. The former palatial estate of the Barons of Frayss is a complex whose yard is fully enclosed by buildings, a building form called a Vierseithof in German. The manor house with its hip Mansard roof comes partly from 1618. In the first half of the 18th century it was given a Baroque makeover. Adjoining the complex is a walled garden. An estate complex that includes a small house with “shield gables” from about 1600 together with outbuildings stands at Seilenbachgasse 2. The Town Hall is found in a former school from 1829. It is built with Late Classicist plasterwork with flèches. Rheinhessische Weingewölbe, that is, a cowshed with vaulting resting on columns, from the mid 19th century can be found at Eimsheimer Straße 11. The Evangelical church was built in 1896 and 1897 by August Ermel, Worms. It is a Gothic Revival “room” church built of hewn stone with a three-sided apse and a hipped roof with a flèche.
Regular events
The Wintersheimer Weinwandertag is now a firm part of the kermisin September. The winegrowers offer tours guided by the experts. Wine and Sekt sampling takes place right in the vineyards. Easy hiking routes and wonderfully lovely views make this “Wine Hiking Day” into an adventure. The tours are run wholly on paved pathways, so that hiking can be done even after rainy weather. Likewise, tours through the wineries are offered.
