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The Community and Its History

 

The Municipal Community of Waldmohr

Waldmohr lies in the southern part of the district Kusel and extends to a length of 14.5 km and width up to 3 km along the Rhineland-Palatinate border with the Saarland. While the southeast half lies in part of the Westpfaelz moorland valley, the northwest part projects into the southern extension of the Nordpfalz mountain country. 

Waldmohr encloses three communities within an area of 2797 hectars - Breitenbach (2225 inhabitants), Dunzweiler (1082 inhabitants) and Waldmohr  (5797 inhabitants) - and thus has a total of 9104 inhabitants (as of 31 October 2000).  The administrative seat of the municipal community is located in the city of Waldmohr.

Waldmohr is one of the oldest settlements in the Westpfalz.  Archeological finds testify that humans lived here as long ago as the stone age.  Mound graves and the remains of iron ore smelting from the Celtic times are also present.  Likewise, there is evidence of Roman settlement, around the "Shrine [Heiligtum] of Waldmohr" in the Hengstwald
 

Around 830 

First authenticated mention of Waldmohr as a royal courtyard "villa Moraha" (village on the swamp creek) in the Lorscher Codex.  The same document notes that charcoal was processed to pitch and/or tar here. 

1190

Friedrich "de Moran ", a member of the Niederadels, is mentioned as Gefolgsmann of the counts of Homburg. There was probably a small, castle-like "firm house" in Waldmohr.

1219

 Kaplan Thiederich of More is recorded as a witness to a deed of donation by the Homburger counts. At that time Waldmohr was already the seat of a parish with a church consecrated by Saint George.

1257 

Count Friedrich of Homburg exchanged a tenth of Bliesbrücken for the monastery Werschweiler belonging "mul to More ".  Thus the Mohrmuehle, one of the oldest mills of the Pfalz, is mentioned for the first time with Waldmohr

14th Century

The gentlemen of Homburg pawn Waldmohr several times to the counts of Veldenz

1383 

Waldmohr is mentioned as the seat of a jury. 

1418

The place name approximates as "Waltmore", for the first time similar to the way it is writen today.

1449

The place Waldmohr comes into the hands of the dukes of Pfalz Zweibruecken. It remains in their posession up until the fall of the duchy in the French revolution.

1547

In the Gerichtsdorf of Waldmohr lives 43 farmers with their families.  It is the largest place in the Oberamt Zweibrücken. Over the Bartenfurt runs an age-old trade route and escort road, which connect Waldmohr with Zweibrücken, Kusel and Kaiserslautern. 

1567

 With Quirin Bender are called for the first time a Waldmohrer Foerster.  As seat of a forest office today, Waldmohr still holds to this tradition. 

1622 - 1635

The village of Waldmohr is destroyed several times during the 30-years war, because it lies "in the roads ".

1752

Building of the Eichelscheider by duke Christian IV.  It soon becomes a well-known horse breeding center. 

1763

For the first time, the brick cabin in the Hengstwald [stallion forest] is mentioned. It was the start of the today's local Hengstwalder [stallion forest] brick cabin. 

1764

Building of the venerable old Protestant church, which still today shapes the silhouette of the town. 

1798

 Waldmohr becomes the principal place of the canton of the same name in the Saardepartement and seat of a mayor (Buergermeisterei), as well as a justice of the peace (Friedensgerichts). 

1816

The Pfalz becomes part of Bavaria.  Waldmohr remains the canton seat and the central place for an administrative territory, which spans from Kirkel in the today's Saarpfalzkreis to Glan Muenchweiler, with 17,380 inhabitants in 57 villages. 

1848/49

Waldmohrer citizens actively take part in the Palatine revolution, under the leadership of the clerk of the court Veit Zoeller

After 1850

Waldmohr becomes the center of a blossoming linen weaving mill, which specializes in the production of "Schamasstoffen" and continues until around 1900. 

Around 1880

Numerous Waldmohrer citizens find work, and bread, in the coal mines of the Saar district, particularly in the Frankenholz pit. The profession of the miner farmers shapes the social structure into the 1950s. 

1900 - 1905

The "Consolidiertes Nordfeld" (consolidated north field) mine gives work and bread to about 500 miners, before it breaks down because of economic speculation. 

1920

Waldmohr and the surrounding countryside suffer strongly when the Saar boarder is drawn. The seat of the canton must give up much of its authority to the district office for Kusel, to which it is subordinated as district branch office. 

1947

After the establishment of the Rhineland-Palatinate state, Waldmohr remains an independent municipality and overcomes the problems of renewed separation from the Saarland. 

1964

The development of industrial areas at the western boarder begins.  Thus is created the basis of the Waldmohr's present industrial site. 

1971

At the conclusion of the Rhineland-Palatinate reorganization, Waldmohr is designated the Waldmohr municipal seat and regains at least one part of its "historical authority ". 

Today, Waldmohr is a place with numerous businesses, banks, and other important enterprises, as well as stately houses and broad roads, all of which make it an important regional center.  It has developed into an economic center and into an efficient and expansive industrial site with a direct motorway connection to markets.  Numerous industries and crafts have settled in Waldmohr, making it the most important industrial site in the Kusel district.  Nevertheless, Waldmohr, with its mantle of reborn forests and its reputation as tourist place, retains popularity for high recreational value and quality living.

References

  1. Waldmohr Website


The German Genealogy Net
Waldmohr Homepage - This is the website of the community of Waldmohr, which also includes the old communities of Breitenbach and Dunzweiler.


 

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 This page was last updated on: Friday, April 3, 2015.

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