Sommerloch is a municipality in the district of Bad Kreuznach administrative region in Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany.

Sommerloch
Coat of arms of Sommerloch
Location of Sommerloch within Bad Kreuznach district
Sommerloch is located in Germany
Sommerloch
Sommerloch
Sommerloch is located in Rhineland-Palatinate
Sommerloch
Sommerloch
Coordinates: 49°53′N 07°46′E / 49.883°N 7.767°E / 49.883; 7.767
CountryGermany
StateRhineland-Palatinate
DistrictBad Kreuznach
Municipal assoc.Rüdesheim
Government
 • Mayor (2019–24) Thomas Haßlinger[1]
Area
 • Total2.53 km2 (0.98 sq mi)
Elevation
246 m (807 ft)
Population
 (2022-12-31)[2]
 • Total396
 • Density160/km2 (410/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
55595
Dialling codes06706
Vehicle registrationKH
Websitewww.vg-ruedesheim.de
Greeting Sign at Sommerloch

Geography edit

Location edit

Sommerloch lies 12km northwest of Bad Kreuznach in the vicinity of the Nahe Valley, on the edge of the Soonwalds. The village is surrounded by vineyards. Seven wineries grow about 100 hectares of vines, primarily Riesling grapes. This wine region is not far from the "middle" Rhine River, just 25km from Bingen am Rhein or 33 km from Ingelheim am Rhein.

In the town on Weinbergstraße (Wine Mountain Street) is Saint Aegidius Roman Catholic church built in 1789.

Nearby villages include Sankt Katharinen, Braunweiler and Wallhausen.

History edit

A valley, not a summer hole edit

In the 1158 Sommerloch was mentioned as managed by the Rupert Monastery of Bingen. In the first documents, the area was noted as "Sumerlachen". Later the location was ruled by the Herrschaft Dalberg.

The name originally referred to the location as being a wet basin or a wet valley. Today the village is situated in a pleasant valley surrounded by hills planted with rows of grapes.

The Schünemann house also belongs to Sommerloch.

The German newsmedia term Sommerloch refers to a boring time in the summer when news is lacking.

Alternatively, the popular translation of the German word Sommerloch is in English "silly season".

Year Population
1815 175
1835 268
1871 233
1905 261
1939 264
Year Population
1950 319
1961 331
1970 349
1987 386
2005 434
2011 430
2017 417

Religion edit

The population of Sommerloch is mostly Roman Catholic. Saint Aegidius is the only church in the village; built in 1789. The church is managed by the church staff of nearby Wallhausen.

 
St Aegidius Church Interior

Council and Mayor edit

The Sommerloch council consists of eight council members. The members are voluntary; the mayor is the council chairman.

Local mayor is Thomas Haßlinger. In the local elections on May 26, 2019, he was confirmed in office with 61.22% of the vote.[1]

Business and infrastructure edit

In the south is the Federal Highway 41. In the nearby town of Bad Kreuznach is a station of the railway Bingen-Saarbrücken.

The largest employer of Sommerloch is HUM-Festerbau.

 
Industrial Park - includes HUM-Festerbau

Literature edit

  • 200 Jahre St. Ägidius Sommerloch. 1789–1989. o. O. 1989 – In German

References edit

  1. ^ a b Direktwahlen 2019, Landkreis Bad Kreuznach, Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 2 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Bevölkerungsstand 2022, Kreise, Gemeinden, Verbandsgemeinden" (PDF) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz. 2023.

External links edit

  Media related to Sommerloch at Wikimedia Commons

See also edit