Dernbach, Westerwaldkreis

Dernbach
Coat of arms
Dernbach
Location of Dernbach within Westerwaldkreis district
Coordinates: 50°27′31″N 7°47′14″E / 50.45861°N 7.78722°E / 50.45861; 7.78722Coordinates: 50°27′31″N 7°47′14″E / 50.45861°N 7.78722°E / 50.45861; 7.78722
Country	Germany
State	Rhineland-Palatinate
District	Westerwaldkreis
Municipal assoc.	Wirges
Government
• Mayor	Andreas Quirmbach
Area
• Total	8.73 km2 (3.37 sq mi)
Elevation	260 m (850 ft)
Population (2015-12-31)
• Total	2,447
• Density	280/km2 (730/sq mi)
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	56428
Dialling codes	02602
Vehicle registration	WW

Dernbach (Westerwald) is a local community (Ortsgemeinde) in the district of Westerwaldkreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, and part of the municipal association Verbandsgemeinde Wirges. The village is known throughout the country by the three-way interchange A48/A3, called "Dernbacher Dreieck", and wellknown worldwide by the international congregation Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, called "Dernbacher Schwestern".

Unlike many other surrounding villages, Dernbach has not a franconian, but a celtic toponym. Several communities and families have the same name, so it has become customary to say "Dernbach bei Montabaur", to avoid confusion.

Dernbach is located north of Montabaur within the wooded hills of the national nature reserve "Naturpark Nassau". Surrounding villages are Ebernhahn, Wirges, Staudt, Eschelbach and Elgendorf.

Due to its subterranean natural recources, such as iron ore, silver an lead deposits, Dernbach for a long time was characterized by intensive mining. This very day only some typical place names (Silberstollen, Alte Grube, Schöne Aussicht) remind us of this.

Dernbach has a temperate-oceanic climate with cool winters and warm summers. Its avarage annual temperature is 8,9°C (48°F). In January the mean temperature is -2,0°C (28°F), while the mean temperature in Juli is 22°C (71°F). Temperatures can vary significantly over the course of a month with warmer and colder weather. Precipitation is spread evenly throughout the year with a light peak in summer due to showers and thunderstorms.

Under its former name "Derinbach", the rural commune was mentioned in a document for the first time in 1220 AD. The medieval village structure was dominated by an impressive knight`s castle (build around 1200 AD) and a much older chapel, built after 1136 AD in late Romanesque style. The knightly family of Dernbach, related to the noble House of Isenburg in terms of ministeriality, guarded and defended the nearby residence of the Archbishop and Prince-elector of Trier in Montabaur (castellum Humbacense) after his return from a Crusade in the Holy Land (1217 AD). As the male line of the family died (around 1400 AD), the famous Hilchen von Lorch inherited the Dernbach castle and owned it for almost 300 years. After the end of the Holy Roman Empire the medieval moated fortress in Dernbach was converted into a courtyard (1812/15 AD) by the House of Nassau. The ancient chapel dedicated to the Hl. St. Lawrence was demolished in 1901 when the new church in Dernbach had been completed.