Landkern

Landkern
Municipality
Coat of arms
Location of Landkern within Cochem-Zell district <imagemap>File: Landkern in COC.svg | 240x240px poly 68 2 63 18 68 16 73 19 73 15 86 6 71 6 70 3 Kalenborn poly 62 18 67 15 72 19 73 26 71 29 58 30 Eppenberg poly 57 29 57 37 62 35 70 39 74 39 71 29 Laubach poly 69 39 75 38 82 45 76 56 74 53 70 53 Leienkaul poly 56 36 63 53 69 51 70 38 63 35 Müllenbach poly 87 7 85 11 89 21 79 23 73 27 73 15 Hauroth poly 86 7 85 13 87 21 91 19 95 21 98 20 103 10 92 10 Urmersbach poly 69 30 72 33 73 39 80 46 86 43 85 40 92 35 95 20 88 20 78 23 Masburg poly 101 8 103 10 97 20 102 21 102 23 115 21 119 17 119 3 109 1 Düngenheim poly 94 20 100 20 102 23 101 26 112 33 104 36 101 41 100 43 92 44 86 43 85 39 92 34 Kaisersesch poly 75 54 79 57 81 53 89 53 108 68 114 68 107 54 104 54 99 48 100 44 96 45 87 43 81 45 Landkern poly 99 47 104 43 109 45 118 46 122 62 117 68 115 67 108 55 103 55 Illerich poly 103 22 108 22 115 21 117 31 111 32 102 25 Eulgem poly 102 45 102 39 104 36 116 31 121 40 118 47 109 45 106 42 Hambuch poly 119 12 123 13 130 15 128 22 130 30 130 32 118 32 115 21 120 17 Gamlen poly 118 32 130 32 131 43 127 47 119 49 118 46 120 39 Zettingen poly 129 15 140 14 143 16 142 26 139 30 129 33 Kaifenheim poly 130 32 140 29 142 34 130 42 Brachtendorf poly 20 68 12 45 14 42 16 36 20 34 24 28 32 30 39 41 49 39 52 29 58 29 57 37 63 53 56 58 53 58 48 55 39 53 Ulmen poly 68 52 63 57 57 58 53 58 47 54 40 69 40 73 55 84 58 84 62 73 64 58 Alflen poly 46 54 39 53 24 65 30 70 32 77 39 73 Auderath poly 20 68 21 71 20 79 28 79 33 77 31 70 25 66 Filz poly 21 79 31 78 36 83 25 90 21 90 16 83 Wollmerath poly 31 78 41 73 52 81 45 84 40 80 35 83 Schmitt poly 67 51 73 52 79 57 86 70 79 80 58 84 62 73 63 58 Büchel (municipality) poly 21 89 25 89 29 87 31 93 29 97 23 95 Wagenhausen poly 29 87 30 92 34 96 40 96 55 82 50 81 46 84 39 81 Gillenbeuren poly 51 87 54 84 78 80 80 86 76 91 62 92 56 97 53 88 Gevenich poly 56 97 61 91 76 92 76 95 81 102 80 106 69 107 65 102 57 103 Weiler poly 29 97 31 91 33 95 40 95 51 87 59 104 53 112 48 120 40 124 36 127 35 135 24 132 Lutzerath poly 48 120 47 129 58 146 44 147 36 133 38 125 Bad Bertrich poly 58 102 65 102 68 106 81 106 81 110 68 117 63 115 58 116 53 113 57 108 Urschmitt poly 52 111 55 114 69 116 54 129 50 135 47 128 49 120 Kliding poly 49 134 56 146 72 147 71 142 76 133 73 125 69 127 66 121 60 124 Beuren poly 197 44 198 46 205 49 200 63 195 66 189 56 Moselkern poly 176 57 190 54 197 65 185 67 174 66 Müden poly 166 53 171 53 176 56 174 65 188 67 189 78 192 80 184 85 184 87 170 95 170 98 173 102 166 111 162 112 154 97 155 90 149 83 143 81 144 77 154 77 165 75 162 61 Treis-Karden poly 191 79 183 85 186 91 193 88 197 93 205 84 201 75 Lütz poly 184 87 169 95 178 106 187 106 195 103 199 106 203 102 194 88 187 92 Lieg poly 143 16 143 26 139 30 141 35 144 33 151 33 154 35 160 31 166 30 159 24 Roes poly 156 34 159 30 165 30 172 40 175 41 177 44 173 50 167 49 165 37 Möntenich poly 152 33 153 46 149 45 144 49 142 45 141 35 146 32 Forst (Eifel) poly 141 35 131 42 127 47 131 52 136 50 140 47 142 46 Dünfus poly 153 34 153 47 157 50 159 61 160 62 166 53 166 48 164 37 Brohl poly 131 52 136 50 141 46 144 47 152 45 159 52 159 59 154 58 142 57 134 57 Binningen poly 127 47 134 57 131 63 121 62 119 49 Wirfus poly 160 61 153 75 148 74 149 69 146 57 Brieden poly 133 56 146 57 149 73 136 74 132 65 Kail poly 160 61 155 73 136 74 136 82 142 82 144 76 155 77 164 75 164 62 Pommern poly 91 180 98 166 104 175 105 178 122 199 132 203 148 199 146 206 150 208 152 214 142 225 129 219 126 220 119 209 120 205 106 200 100 201 Briedel poly 148 200 145 205 152 208 152 214 160 217 165 210 163 199 Altlay poly 147 185 148 199 170 199 182 193 184 187 191 184 192 178 189 175 185 175 182 179 173 184 Peterswald-Löffelscheid poly 181 159 173 168 175 176 188 176 Haserich poly 186 129 191 136 188 138 186 149 179 149 176 145 Sosberg poly 176 125 179 128 187 129 174 147 171 138 175 133 Forst (Hunsrück) poly 165 111 177 127 172 139 173 146 166 143 166 135 158 126 158 118 Altstrimmig poly 175 150 167 160 181 158 Reidenhausen poly 159 118 157 123 166 135 166 144 174 146 174 150 166 161 159 161 155 160 156 158 147 152 160 150 153 129 148 126 Mittelstrimmig poly 180 156 181 159 178 162 173 168 172 172 169 176 162 175 160 170 164 167 164 161 171 160 Blankenrath poly 183 175 182 179 172 184 160 183 163 178 160 173 170 175 173 170 175 176 Panzweiler poly 159 168 163 177 161 184 153 185 157 179 157 169 Walhausen poly 149 164 156 168 156 177 154 184 148 186 151 176 151 172 146 168 Schauren poly 147 169 142 173 143 180 152 176 Tellig poly 154 160 166 160 164 165 162 169 154 169 152 165 Hesweiler poly 147 125 153 128 161 149 147 153 144 138 144 129 Liesenich poly 145 142 148 152 156 159 152 166 135 152 Moritzheim poly 145 138 135 138 131 141 127 162 136 161 146 169 150 165 136 152 141 145 146 142 Grenderich poly 111 145 115 150 128 156 127 162 137 162 146 168 143 173 144 178 151 175 151 182 147 186 148 200 133 204 122 200 104 180 103 171 93 158 105 152 104 147 Zell poly 113 145 95 126 93 147 105 148 Neef poly 104 148 92 147 93 158 104 152 Bullay poly 95 131 90 135 76 133 72 140 76 145 94 146 Sankt Aldegund poly 92 144 77 145 74 147 77 152 77 158 93 159 Alf poly 92 158 99 162 92 180 86 172 81 167 81 159 Pünderich poly 79 58 82 52 90 53 107 68 101 72 97 82 90 71 85 71 Greimersburg poly 121 62 131 62 138 73 136 81 128 81 121 87 115 82 112 86 108 87 98 81 103 71 106 68 116 67 Klotten poly 83 73 94 89 91 98 86 99 80 101 76 93 80 86 79 79 Faid poly 91 98 95 103 93 113 85 115 80 110 81 100 Dohr poly 71 115 93 118 94 132 90 134 76 133 74 125 69 128 64 121 Bremm poly 147 83 156 91 154 92 163 112 158 117 154 117 150 112 142 112 136 107 135 101 141 97 138 92 144 89 Bruttig-Fankel poly 144 129 137 133 137 128 132 129 126 131 125 133 121 120 118 121 118 129 125 137 118 138 115 144 112 144 115 151 128 155 131 141 134 139 144 138 Senheim poly 117 129 125 137 117 138 112 137 112 132 Nehren poly 120 107 122 111 119 113 121 120 116 121 117 131 112 131 112 136 117 137 116 142 112 146 93 126 93 119 72 116 79 111 82 111 85 114 92 114 93 109 102 107 113 109 Ediger-Eller poly 120 119 127 122 129 122 134 128 125 132 Mesenich poly 129 82 145 82 149 84 139 94 127 97 121 96 125 93 Valwig poly 122 97 141 96 135 101 134 104 126 108 122 104 Ernst poly 142 115 147 124 138 134 137 128 142 123 Beilstein poly 159 117 153 117 148 112 141 111 134 104 128 108 128 108 123 104 121 107 120 111 119 114 121 119 128 114 136 120 142 117 144 116 146 125 149 125 Ellenz-Poltersdorf poly 120 119 128 113 133 118 142 119 142 123 135 129 130 122 124 123 Briedern poly 87 69 92 72 98 81 107 87 115 83 120 86 131 80 125 93 121 95 123 104 117 108 112 110 105 107 94 110 95 104 91 99 94 87 83 75 Cochem poly 62 0 66 1 58 29 53 28 51 38 45 38 38 41 32 31 25 28 20 35 15 36 14 44 11 45 21 70 20 79 16 83 22 94 29 97 24 107 25 123 20 125 18 131 10 136 7 129 0 135 2 0 Vulkaneifel poly 0 137 0 228 129 228 120 209 119 204 107 200 100 202 98 196 92 186 88 172 80 168 80 159 77 159 77 154 72 147 57 146 47 147 35 135 25 133 23 125 19 125 18 131 10 136 6 131 Bernkastel-Wittlich poly 63 0 69 1 70 5 88 7 90 5 91 10 101 9 102 6 110 1 119 3 118 12 122 12 128 14 140 13 145 17 152 17 163 27 171 40 177 42 177 45 174 49 168 48 168 53 171 53 176 57 190 56 192 49 197 44 200 48 206 49 199 64 188 68 189 78 201 75 204 83 209 81 214 84 227 71 219 62 223 61 222 54 228 47 228 0 Mayen-Koblenz poly 130 228 125 221 130 219 142 225 148 223 152 216 162 218 166 212 164 199 173 199 186 194 185 188 191 186 191 177 186 174 182 157 175 152 177 147 181 150 186 151 191 135 186 129 181 129 166 113 171 108 174 104 178 109 187 108 196 104 199 107 202 103 204 98 198 94 205 82 208 82 215 85 226 72 219 63 225 63 223 56 228 49 228 228 Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis desc bottom-right </imagemap>
Landkern Landkern
Coordinates: 50°11′38″N 7°09′08″E
Country	Germany
State	Rhineland-Palatinate
District	Cochem-Zell
Municipal assoc.	Kaisersesch
Government
• Mayor (2019–24)	Thomas Heucher
Area
• Total	10.61 km2 (4.10 sq mi)
Elevation	410 m (1,350 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	950
• Density	90/km2 (230/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	56814 (OT Neuhof: 56759)
Dialling codes	02653
Vehicle registration	COC
Website	www.landkern.de

Landkern is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Cochem-Zell district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Kaisersesch, whose seat is in the like-named town.

Geography

Location

The municipality lies on the eastern edge of the Endert valley between Cochem and Kaisersesch, a few kilometres from the river Moselle. The municipality's wooded area totals 3.63 km².

Neighbouring municipalities

Landkern's neighbours are Illerich to the east and Greimersburg to the west.

History

Kern, as the village was called in the Middle Ages, had its first documentary mention about 1051 when Richeza, who was a Rhenish count palatine's granddaughter and former Polish queen who had been driven from her adopted homeland, and who had been living in nearby Klotten, made a great many donations to the Brauweiler Monastery near Cologne, among which was an estate at Kern.

Kern was quite possibly the smallest village of the many that belonged to the Klotten high court region in those days. One by one, Klotten relinquished the parishes of Urschmitt, Kaifenheim and Hambuch, thus leaving only the villages of Greimersburg, Landkern, Illerich and Wirfus in the parish by 1335. These four villages, however, found this rather annoying. Thus, they made a petition to Archbishop Richard von Greifenklau in Trier, which was signed by the reeves of Greimersburg, Landkern, Illerich and Wirfus and by the estate holders in Esper, Fahrenday, Neuhof, Kaveloch and Annisch.

On 21 January 1512, the Archbishop granted the request and approved Sunday Mass to be held alternately at the chapels in Kern and Illerich. In the document from the Foundation, though, it was expressly stated that all members of these affiliated congregations were to attend Mass, along with their chaplains, at the parish church in Klotten on the following holidays: Good Friday, Easter, Whitsun, the Assumption, All Hallows, Christmas and Candlemas. It was also set forth that the chaplain was to "have an abode near the chapel at Kern and enough cropland, meadowland and freely from our livestock 50 sheep, 5 swine and 4 cows." Baptisms were sometimes held in Kern, but they were recorded in the baptismal register in Klotten.

Kern was not left unscathed by the Thirty Years' War. In 1620, soldiers stole the holy vessels. The same happened in Greimersburg, and in 1656, the chapel at Illerich lay in rubble. Population figures from the time, shown here together with those for Greimersburg, give some idea of the kind of times that these were:

Year	Hearths in Kern	Hearths in Greimersburg
1563	14	26
1680	14	18
1684	12	22

A "hearth" – or household – contained on average seven persons, but sometimes as many as ten.

In the two centuries that followed, the population grew considerably. In 1717, Landkern had 17 families, and in 1778 there were 137 inhabitants. In 1832, Landkern had 56 families (308 inhabitants). Population figures for 1848 and 1872 were 441 and 589 respectively.

It was this population growth that led to the building of the new parish church, which still stands today. The foundation stone was laid on 14 August 1859.

On 21 June 1726, the four Bergdörfer ("Mountain Villages") at last got their wish and were split from the parish of Klotten, with that municipality's agreement. The first Landkern parish priest, Father Franz Wilhelmy, born in Hambuch, began keeping the baptismal and death registers in 1728. The new parish comprised not only the four Bergdörfer but also the estates of Esper (first mentioned in 1399) and Fahrenday (mentioned in a document from 1431).

The chapel in Landkern, first mentioned in 1511, whose patron even then was Saint Servatius, was succeeded by another chapel on 13 August 1737, less than a decade after the first parish priest had arrived. The new church was a small, east-oriented building with a tall west tower and stood parallel to the road towards Greimersburg. The cost had to be borne by parochial funds while the municipality had to come up with the wherewithal for the tower.

The chapel mentioned in 1511 had two altars, whereas the new church had three. This church lasted until it was replaced with yet another, which was consecrated on 22 July 1862. It was also at this time that the organ was built into the church.

Four times between 1777 and 1860, bells were consecrated, and three new ones were mentioned in 1861. Only one of these survived the Second World War.

In 1630, Kern still had no school. The villagers brought this subject up at the Visitations that were held from time to time, and eventually a school appeared. The first schoolteacher known to history in Landkern was Peter Schnitzler. He died in 1769. In 1779, 29 boys and 9 girls were attending this school. The tuition for the (agricultural) Winterschule ("Winter School") was 13 Albus, and for Sunday school and holiday school it was 3 Albus.

Only once has there ever actually been a priest from Landkern. This was Father Johann Peter Bast, born on 1 May 1881, but he entered the priesthood in the U.S. state of Kansas.

Two estates now belong to Landkern. One is Esper, and the other is Dreifaltigkeit ("Trinity"). There are also three outlying centres, Neuhof, Meilenstein and Jorscheid, along with individual houses of Schöne Aussicht. All together, there are just under 900 inhabitants.

Beginning in 1794, Landkern lay under French rule, and by 1800 it had been assigned to the canton of Kaisersesch. 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.

Name

The municipality's name was originally Kern, but since the 18th century, the name Landkern has been customary. Landkern was once also called Feldkern.

Politics

Municipal council

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

The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:

	FWG Münich	WG Bretz	WG Mohrs	Total
2009	7	3	2	12 seats
2004	7	5	-	12 seats

Mayor

Landkern's mayor is Thomas Heucher.

Coat of arms

The municipality's arms might be described thus: Per saltire, first gules a wooden shoe Or, second argent issuant from the line of partition an abbot's staff sable, third argent a bear's gambe couped at the shoulder palewise embowed of the fourth armed of the third, and fourth vert a kernel bendwise of the second.

The wooden shoe is Saint Servatius’s attribute, thus representing the church's patron saint. The abbot's staff refers to Brauweiler Abbey, which after Queen Richeza's bequest in 1053 had extensive holdings in Landkern. The bear's paw is a legacy from Klotten. The municipality was formerly part of the parish and high court district of Klotten, both of which bore arms charged with Saint Maximin and his attribute, a bear. The golden kernel is a canting charge, since the word for one of these in German is Kern, the municipality's former name. The tincture vert (green) in this same field refers to agriculture, which is important in Landkern even today.

The arms have been borne since 16 July 1980.

Culture and sightseeing

Buildings

The following are listed buildings or sites in Rhineland-Palatinate’s Directory of Cultural Monuments:

• Saint Servatius’s Catholic Parish Church (Pfarrkirche St. Servatius), Hauptstraße 9 – Gothic Revival basilica, slate quarrystone, 1859–1862, architect Vincenz Statz (1819–1898), Cologne, west tower 1892-1894 replaced by new building; whole complex with graveyard: sandstone Gothic Revival graveyard cross, latter half of the 19th century; warriors' memorial, Archangel Michael, 1920s
• Bergstraße – Heiligenhäuschen (a small, shrinelike structure consecrated to a saint or saints), 19th century
• Hauptstraße 23 – former rectory; timber-frame house, partly solid, from 1668; timber-frame barn, partly solid, from 1780; stable, 19th century
• Hauptstraße 37 – L-shaped complex; timber-frame house and timber-frame house, partly solid, essentially from the 18th century, alterations in the 19th century
• Unterer Berg 1 – estate along the street; one-floor timber-frame house, partly plastered, essentially from the 18th century, remodelled in the 19th century
• On Kreisstraße (District Road) 17, going towards Greimersburg – Heiligenhäuschen; plastered building with relief, 18th century
• On Landesstraße (State Road) 107 – milestone, basalt obelisk
• Southeast of Landkern – Dreifaltigkeitskapelle ("Trinity Chapel"); six-sided plastered building, pyramidal roof, 18th century, wayside cross inside; four reliefs, 18th century, one from 1787; sandstone grave cross fragment, from 1819

Clubs

• Landkerner Carneval-Club (Carnival)
• Heimat- und Verkehrsverein (local history and transport)
• Kirchenchor St. Cäcilia (church choir)
• SV Blau-Weiß 1922 (sport)
• Volunteer fire brigade
• Frauengemeinschaft Landkern ("women's association")
• Jugendgruppe Landkern ("youth group")

Economy and infrastructure

Transport

There is a regular bus link to Cochem and Kaisersesch, where the nearest railway stations are to be found.

Education

The municipality has at its disposal one primary school and one kindergarten.

External links

• Municipality's official webpage (in German)