# Schmidthachenbach

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{{Infobox German location
|name               = Schmidthachenbach
|type                =
|image_photo        =
|imagesize          =
|image_caption      =
|image_coa            = SchmidthachenbachWappen.svg
|coordinates        = {{coord|49|43|52|N|07|28|14|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan = Schmidthachenbach in BIR.svg
|state        = Rheinland-Pfalz
|district         = Birkenfeld
|Verbandsgemeinde  = Herrstein-Rhaunen
|elevation              = 255
|area            = 10.05
|postal_code               = 55758
|area_code           = 06757
|licence               = BIR
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 07 1 34 077
|website           = [http://www.schmidthachenbach.de/ www.schmidthachenbach.de]
|mayor             = Roger Stumm<ref name=mayor>[https://www.wahlen.rlp.de/de/kw/wahlen/kd/gebiete/1340000000000.html Direktwahlen 2019, Landkreis Birkenfeld], Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 10 August 2021.</ref>
|leader_term       = 2019&ndash;24
}}
'''Schmidthachenbach''' is an ''[Ortsgemeinde](/source/Ortsgemeinde_(Germany))'' – a [municipality](/source/Municipalities_of_Germany) belonging to a ''[Verbandsgemeinde](/source/Verbandsgemeinde)'', a kind of collective municipality – in the [Birkenfeld](/source/Birkenfeld_(district)) [district](/source/Districts_of_Germany) in [Rhineland-Palatinate](/source/Rhineland-Palatinate), [Germany](/source/Germany). It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' [Herrstein-Rhaunen](/source/Herrstein-Rhaunen), whose seat is in [Herrstein](/source/Herrstein).

==Geography==

===Location===
Schmidthachenbach lies in the Großbach valley, a side valley of the [Nahe](/source/Nahe_(Rhine)). Half the municipal area is wooded.

===Neighbouring municipalities===
Schmidthachenbach borders in the north on the municipality of [Heimweiler](/source/Heimweiler), in the east on the municipality of [Becherbach bei Kirn](/source/Becherbach_bei_Kirn), in the southeast on the municipality of [Otzweiler](/source/Otzweiler), in the south on the municipality of [Sienhachenbach](/source/Sienhachenbach), in the southwest on the municipality of [Oberreidenbach](/source/Oberreidenbach), in the west on the municipality of [Mittelreidenbach](/source/Mittelreidenbach) and in the northwest on the municipality of [Bärenbach](/source/B%C3%A4renbach%2C_Bad_Kreuznach). The first three and last of Schmidthachenbach's neighbours named here are in the neighbouring district of [Bad Kreuznach](/source/Bad_Kreuznach_(district)), while the rest are in the Birkenfeld district. Schmidthachenbach also meets the municipality of [Sien](/source/Sien%2C_Germany) to the south at a single point, which is also shared with two other municipalities.

===Constituent communities===
Also belonging to Schmidthachenbach are the outlying homesteads of Antesmühle and Forsthaus Antestal.<ref>[http://www.statistik.rlp.de/fileadmin/dokumente/berichte/A1132_201001_ur_G.pdf Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz – Amtliches Verzeichnis der Gemeinden und Gemeindeteile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125005812/http://www.statistik.rlp.de/fileadmin/dokumente/berichte/A1132_201001_ur_G.pdf |date=2015-11-25 }}, Seite 20 (PDF)</ref>

==History==
In 1075, Hugo de Hachenfels sold his lands in [Olkenbach](/source/Bausendorf) to Saint Simeon's Monastery at [Trier](/source/Trier) for 260 silver marks in a deed documented by Archbishop of Trier [Udo](/source/Udo_(Archbishop_of_Trier)). The Lords of Hachenfels are said to be the village's namesake. In 1112, Cuno de Hachenfels cropped up in a document about an exchange of holdings between [Disibodenberg](/source/Disibodenberg) Monastery and Provost Richard von Liebfrauen in [Mainz](/source/Mainz). Named as an occupant of the Hachenburg (an old [castle](/source/castle) near the Hachenfels) in 1128 was Adalbero de Hachenfels, who also cropped up in a donation document from Archbishop of Mainz [Adalbert I](/source/Adalbert_I_of_Mainz) to Disibodenberg Monastery. In 1140, Emicho VI's two sons formed the lines of the [Waldgrave](/source/Waldgrave)s and Rhinegraves (Konrad) and the [Raugraves](/source/Raugraves) (Emich VII). It was in this time that a new castle, the Naumburg, was built near Bärenbach, within whose domain lay Schmidthachenbach. In 1172, Emich VII transferred ownership of the Naumburg to his brother Gerlach. In 1323, Raugrave Conrad sold Archbishop of Trier [Baldwin](/source/Baldwin_of_Luxembourg) the Naumburg for 1200 ''[Heller](/source/Heller_(money))'', whereupon Baldwin enfeoffed Conrad with the very castle that he had just sold.

The year 1361 is important in Schmidthachenbach's history, for this date was to be found on the lintel over the old town hall's door. In 1393, the castle and the ''[Amt](/source/Amt_(country_subdivision))'' of Naumburg fell under the lordship of the [Counts of Sponheim](/source/County_of_Sponheim), whom the Counts of Oberstein owed allegiance. The Obersteins themselves held the patronage and tithing rights at the parish church at Becherbach, within whose parish lay Schmidthachenbach. This put the village in the “Further” [County of Sponheim](/source/County_of_Sponheim). In 1439, Wyrich von Dune, Lord of Oberstein, was enfeoffed by the Archbishop of Trier with the castle.

In 1557, the [Reformation](/source/Protestant_Reformation) was introduced into the County of Sponheim. In 1572, Schmidthachenbach had its first documentary mention under the name ''Hachenbach''. In 1599 came the first documentary mention of the ''Junkerhof'' within Schmidthachenbach's limits. The owner at the time was [Junker](/source/Junker) Hans Jakob von Dietz, Lord at [Mittelreidenbach](/source/Mittelreidenbach). In 1618, the [Thirty Years' War](/source/Thirty_Years'_War) broke out, and locally, it gave rise to “The Legend of the Sunken Rider”.<ref>[http://www.schmidthachenbach.de/S_H_Mythen.html Text of “The Legend of the Sunken Rider” (in German)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425152317/http://www.schmidthachenbach.de/S_H_Mythen.html |date=2012-04-25 }}</ref>

In 1707, the ''Amt'' of Naumburg was taken over by the [Margrave](/source/Margrave) of [Baden](/source/Baden). Beginning in 1795, Schmidthachenbach lay under [French](/source/France) rule and became a ''mairie'' (“mayoralty”) in the [canton](/source/Cantons_of_France) of Grumbach, the [arrondissement](/source/Arrondissements_of_France) of Birkenfeld and the [Department](/source/Departments_of_France) of [Sarre](/source/Sarre_(department)). Beginning in 1798, Schmidthachenbach belonged to the French Republic; in 1800 there were roughly 300 inhabitants. That same year, Johannes Bückler, commonly known as “[Schinderhannes](/source/Schinderhannes)”, attacked the Antesmühle, an outlying mill in Schmidthachenbach in the Antes valley.

In 1815, in the wake of [Napoleon](/source/Napoleon)’s downfall and the [Congress of Vienna](/source/Congress_of_Vienna), [French](/source/France) rule ended and Schmidthachenbach found itself in the Duchy of [Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld](/source/Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld) while remaining a ''mairie'' – although now called a ''Bürgermeisterei'', the [German](/source/German_language) word for the same thing – within the constituent territory of the Principality of Lichtenberg with [Sankt Wendel](/source/Sankt_Wendel) as its capital. In 1834, Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld sold the Principality of Lichtenberg to the Kingdom of [Prussia](/source/Prussia), and it became the Sankt Wendel district. At the time when the [German Empire](/source/German_Empire) was founded in 1871, Schmidthachenbach had 466 inhabitants. The “Peace Oak” was also planted near the church this year on the occasion of the end of the [Franco-Prussian War](/source/Franco-Prussian_War).

In 1937, in the time of the [Third Reich](/source/Nazi_Germany), unlike its two neighbouring municipalities, Schmidthachenbach was grouped into the Birkenfeld district. In 1950, Schmidthachenbach had 498 inhabitants, and this year also marked the end of [winegrowing](/source/winegrowing) in the municipality. In 1957, ''[Flurbereinigung](/source/Flurbereinigung)'' began. In 1958, a memorial was built and dedicated to those who fell or [went missing](/source/Missing_in_action) in the [First World War](/source/First_World_War) and the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War). In the course of administrative restructuring in [Rhineland-Palatinate](/source/Rhineland-Palatinate), the ''Amt'' of Weierbach was dissolved and Schmidthachenbach was grouped into the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Herrstein.<ref>[http://www.schmidthachenbach.de/S_H_Ortsgeschichte.html Schmidthachenbach’s history] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425152322/http://www.schmidthachenbach.de/S_H_Ortsgeschichte.html |date=2012-04-25 }}</ref>

==Politics==

===Municipal council===
The council is made up of 8 council members, who were elected by [majority vote](/source/Plurality_voting_system) at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.<ref>[http://wahlen.rlp.de/kw/wahlen/2009/gemeinderatswahlen/ergebnisse/1340307700.html Kommunalwahl Rheinland-Pfalz 2009, Gemeinderat]</ref>

===Mayor===
Schmidthachenbach's mayor is Roger Stumm.<ref name=mayor/>

===Coat of arms===
The municipality's [arms](/source/Coat_of_arms) might be described thus: Per pale Or a barrulet sable between an anvil in perspective, the horn to sinister chief, of the same and an oakleaf palewise slipped proper, and countercompony azure and Or.

The [charge](/source/charge_(heraldry))s on the dexter (armsbearer's right, viewer's left) side are an anvil and an oakleaf. The former is [canting](/source/Canting_arms) for the first syllable in the municipality's name (''Schmidt'' comes from the base of ''Schmiede'', meaning “smithy”). It is said that Schmidthachenbach was founded by eight blacksmiths. The latter of the two charges, the oakleaf, represents the natural environment within Schmidthachenbach's limits. The countercompony (that is, two rows of squares of alternating [tincture](/source/tincture_(heraldry))s) pattern is a reference to the village's former allegiance to the [Counts of Sponheim](/source/County_of_Sponheim), who for centuries ruled the area, and bore arms that were “chequy” (similar, but with more than two rows).

The arms have been borne since 26 August 1963.<ref>[http://ngw.nl/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Schmidthachenbach Description and explanation of Schmidthachenbach’s arms]</ref>

==Culture and sightseeing==

The following are listed buildings or sites in [Rhineland-Palatinate](/source/Rhineland-Palatinate)’s Directory of Cultural Monuments:<ref>[http://denkmallisten.gdke-rlp.de/Birkenfeld.pdf Directory of Cultural Monuments in Birkenfeld district]</ref>
* [Evangelical](/source/Evangelical_Church_in_Germany) parish church, Kirchpfad – [aisleless church](/source/aisleless_church), [Rundbogenstil](/source/Rundbogenstil), 1848; belltower, 1903, architect August Senz, [Düsseldorf](/source/D%C3%BCsseldorf); Stumm [organ](/source/organ_(music)), 1852
* Bachweg 6 – Parallel estate, 19th century
* Bergstraße 5 – Evangelical rectory; building with half-hipped roof, Reform architecture, 1912/1913, architect Friedrich Otto, [Kirn](/source/Kirn)
* Kirchpfad 4 – hook-shaped commercial building, [sandstone](/source/sandstone)-framed [breccia](/source/breccia) building, barn marked 1872, stable part marked 1883
* Talstraße (parallel to the Großenbach), Lambach pump – pumphouse, spring tapping, well house, cistern, works water storage pit, 1911

==Economy and infrastructure==

Running west of the municipality is ''[Bundesstraße](/source/Bundesstra%C3%9Fe)'' 41. Serving nearby [Kirn-Sulzbach](/source/Kirn-Sulzbach) is a [railway station](/source/railway_station) on the [Nahe Valley Railway](/source/Nahe_Valley_Railway) ([Bingen](/source/Bingen_am_Rhein)–[Saarbrücken](/source/Saarbr%C3%BCcken)).

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.schmidthachenbach.de/ Municipality’s official webpage] {{in lang|de}}

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

{{Authority control}}

Category:Birkenfeld (district)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Schmidthachenbach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmidthachenbach) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmidthachenbach?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.