Bechtheim

Coat of arms

Bechtheim

Location of Bechtheim within Alzey-Worms district

Coordinates: 49°43′40″N 8°17′32″E / 49.72778°N 8.29222°ECoordinates: 49°43′40″N 8°17′32″E / 49.72778°N 8.29222°E

Country

Government

• Mayor

Jutta Schick

Area

• Total

13.34 km² (5.15 sq mi)

Elevation

131 m (430 ft)

Population (2015-12-31)

• Total

1,838

• Density

140/km² (360/sq mi)

CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)

67595

06242

Website

Bechtheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Wonnegau, whose seat is in Osthofen.

The Frankish nobleman Bero supposedly took his lordly seat here in the 6th century and founded “Beroheim” (–heim means “home”), out of which developed Bechtheim. Saint Lambert’s Basilica was founded in the 8th century by the Cathedral Foundation of Liège, in whose ownership the municipality found itself then.

In 793, Bechtheim had its first documentary mention in a document from Fulda Abbey. In the Lorsch codex the place was named in 1070. First the Lords of Bolanden and thereafter, as of 1267, the Counts of Leiningen held ownership rights to Bechtheim. The latter nobles pledged their holding several times. In 1700, the so-called Simultaneum was also introduced into Bechtheim, whereby Protestant churches could also be used by Catholics, although this spawned quarrels between the two denominations. In 1722, Bechtheim was granted market rights.

In 1934, a “wine partnership” was concluded with Erfurt. In 1964, through the association Heimattreue Erfurter (“Erfurters Loyal to the Homeland” – made up of those from Erfurt living in West Germany), contacts with Bechtheim were newly forged. In particular, the Martinsfest on 10 and 11 November was from then on jointly held in Bechtheim. After German reunification in 1990, the City of Erfurt also officially resumed the partnership.

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Wikipedia