Steiningen
Encyclopedia
Steiningen is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district
in Rhineland-Palatinate
, Germany
. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Daun
, whose seat is in the like-named town
.
, 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.
The vanished village
of Allscheid lay northwest of Steiningen at an elevation of 475 m above sea level
.
in Boppard
. The document itself dealt with a confirmation of ownership for Springiersbach Abbey, and it names Steiningen explicitly. In 1136 and 1150, great landholdings were transferred to Springiersbach Abbey. Since all secular land belonged to the Emperor, any transfer of ownership had to have its rightfulness thus confirmed. In 1144, King Conrad III
had done this with Springiersbach, making it necessary for Heinrich VI to confirm the transfer to Sprenkirsbach (Springiersbach) Abbey after he took the throne in 1190.
The document comes from the Koblenz Main State Archive (Landeshauptarchiv Koblenz), and the original parchment
on which it is written measures 40 × 40 cm. It says in the text: In Steguenam curtem unam (“In Steiningen [we own] an estate”)
It is clear from this document that Steiningen was one of Springiersbach Abbey’s holdings. This is also proved by two Steiningen municipal borderstones that were still on hand as recently as the mid 20th century, upon which the inscription “Sp.W”, for Springiersbacher Wald (Wald means “forest”) was chiselled. Two of these stones were used to build the back staircase at the old school, but when new building work was done in 1952, they were walled up along with the staircase, despite pleas from schoolteacher Adolf Molitor.
The manor house belonging to Springiersbach Abbey, which was mentioned in the 1193 document, has completely disappeared; only a waterpipe that was unearthed by ploughing in the 1920s, leading to the estate, is still preserved.
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.
The municipality’s arms
might in English heraldic
language be described thus: Vert a bend sinister wavy, dexter a chapel, sinister a horseshoe between two mullets of five all in bend sinister, all argent.
The chapel
on the dexter (armsbearer’s right, viewer’s left) side refers to the one still standing today not far from Steiningen, where once stood the small village of Allscheid, whose inhabitants forsook their homes in 1852 and emigrated to the United States
. The bend sinister wavy (the slanted stripe) symbolizes the Altbach, which lends character to the local scenery. The horseshoe and the two mullets of five (star shapes) stand for the municipality’s patron saint, Saint Maurice
, who is also patron saint of horses. These charge
s also refer to the custom, traceable to 1749, of the horse blessing.
Municipalities of Germany
Municipalities are the lowest level of territorial division in Germany. This may be the fourth level of territorial division in Germany, apart from those states which include Regierungsbezirke , where municipalities then become the fifth level.-Overview:With more than 3,400,000 inhabitants, the...
belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde
Verbandsgemeinde
A Verbandsgemeinde is an administrative unit in the German Bundesländer of Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt.-Rhineland-Palatinate:...
, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district
Districts of Germany
The districts of Germany are known as , except in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein where they are known simply as ....
in Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate
Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz. English speakers also commonly refer to the state by its German name, Rheinland-Pfalz ....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Daun
Daun (Verbandsgemeinde)
Daun is a collective municipality in the Vulkaneifel district of Rhineland-Palatinate. The seat of the Daun Verbandsgemeinde is in the municipality of Daun.- Constituent municipalities:# Betteldorf# Bleckhausen# Brockscheid...
, whose seat is in the like-named town
Daun, Germany
Daun is a town in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the district seat and also the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde of Daun.- Location :...
.
Location
The municipality lies in the VulkaneifelVulkan Eifel
The Vulkan Eifel is a region in the Eifel Mountains in Germany, that is defined to a large extent by its volcanic geological history. Characteristic of the Vulkan Eifel are its typical explosion crater lakes or maars, and numerous other signs of volcanic activity such as volcanic tuffs, lava...
, a part of the Eifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
known for its volcanic history, geographical and geological features, and even ongoing activity today, including gases that sometimes well up from the earth.
The vanished village
Abandoned village
An abandoned village is a village that has, for some reason, been deserted. In many countries, and throughout history, thousands of villages were deserted for a variety of causes...
of Allscheid lay northwest of Steiningen at an elevation of 475 m above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
.
History
On 28 August 1193, Steiningen had its first documentary mention in a document signed by Emperor Heinrich VIHenry VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VI was King of Germany from 1190 to 1197, Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 to 1197 and King of Sicily from 1194 to 1197.-Early years:Born in Nijmegen,...
in Boppard
Boppard
Boppard is a town in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, lying in the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It belongs to no Verbandsgemeinde. The town is also a state-recognized tourism resort and is a winegrowing centre.-Location:Boppard lies on the upper Middle...
. The document itself dealt with a confirmation of ownership for Springiersbach Abbey, and it names Steiningen explicitly. In 1136 and 1150, great landholdings were transferred to Springiersbach Abbey. Since all secular land belonged to the Emperor, any transfer of ownership had to have its rightfulness thus confirmed. In 1144, King Conrad III
Conrad III of Germany
Conrad III was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia, and Agnes, a daughter of the Salian Emperor Henry IV.-Life and reign:...
had done this with Springiersbach, making it necessary for Heinrich VI to confirm the transfer to Sprenkirsbach (Springiersbach) Abbey after he took the throne in 1190.
The document comes from the Koblenz Main State Archive (Landeshauptarchiv Koblenz), and the original parchment
Parchment
Parchment is a thin material made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin, often split. Its most common use was as a material for writing on, for documents, notes, or the pages of a book, codex or manuscript. It is distinct from leather in that parchment is limed but not tanned; therefore, it is very...
on which it is written measures 40 × 40 cm. It says in the text: In Steguenam curtem unam (“In Steiningen [we own] an estate”)
It is clear from this document that Steiningen was one of Springiersbach Abbey’s holdings. This is also proved by two Steiningen municipal borderstones that were still on hand as recently as the mid 20th century, upon which the inscription “Sp.W”, for Springiersbacher Wald (Wald means “forest”) was chiselled. Two of these stones were used to build the back staircase at the old school, but when new building work was done in 1952, they were walled up along with the staircase, despite pleas from schoolteacher Adolf Molitor.
The manor house belonging to Springiersbach Abbey, which was mentioned in the 1193 document, has completely disappeared; only a waterpipe that was unearthed by ploughing in the 1920s, leading to the estate, is still preserved.
Municipal council
The council is made up of 6 council members, who were elected by majority votePlurality voting system
The plurality voting system is a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member constituencies...
at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.
Mayor
Steiningen’s mayor is Reinhold Schäfer, and his deputies are Horst Michels and Hermann Häb.Coat of arms
The German blazon reads: In Grün durch silbernen, schräglinken Wellenbalken geteilt; vorne eine silberne Kapelle, hinten ein silbernes Hufeisen, begleitet von zwei silbernen, fünfstrahligen Sternen.The municipality’s arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
might in English heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
language be described thus: Vert a bend sinister wavy, dexter a chapel, sinister a horseshoe between two mullets of five all in bend sinister, all argent.
The chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
on the dexter (armsbearer’s right, viewer’s left) side refers to the one still standing today not far from Steiningen, where once stood the small village of Allscheid, whose inhabitants forsook their homes in 1852 and emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The bend sinister wavy (the slanted stripe) symbolizes the Altbach, which lends character to the local scenery. The horseshoe and the two mullets of five (star shapes) stand for the municipality’s patron saint, Saint Maurice
Saint Maurice
Saint Maurice was the leader of the legendary Roman Theban Legion in the 3rd century, and one of the favorite and most widely venerated saints of that group. He was the patron saint of several professions, locales, and kingdoms...
, who is also patron saint of horses. These charge
Charge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
s also refer to the custom, traceable to 1749, of the horse blessing.
Buildings
- Saint MauriceSaint MauriceSaint Maurice was the leader of the legendary Roman Theban Legion in the 3rd century, and one of the favorite and most widely venerated saints of that group. He was the patron saint of several professions, locales, and kingdoms...
’s Catholic Church (branch church; Filialkirche St. Mauritius), Hauptstraße 7 – biaxial aisleless churchAisleless churchAn Aisleless church is a single-nave church building that consists of a single hall-like room. While similar to the hall church, the aisleless church lacks aisles or passageways either side of the nave separated from the nave by colonnades or arcades, a row of pillars or columns...
from 1876. - Hauptstraße 12 – timber-frameTimber framingTimber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
house, partly solid, 18th century. - Heiligenhäuschen (a small, shrinelike structure consecrated to a saint or saints), northeast of the village on the road to UlmenUlmenUlmen is a town in the Cochem-Zell district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the seat of the like-named Verbandsgemeinde – a kind of collective municipality – to which it also belongs.-Constituent communities:...
– enclosed wall block with segmental arches, 18th/19th century. - ChapelChapelA chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, northwest of the village on the road to DarscheidDarscheidDarscheid is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
– small plastered building, early 20th century.