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Our next stop on our tour around Kaiserslautern County will lead us to the Union Community of Otterbach-Otterberg with a charming history.
The union communities of Otterbach and Otterberg were merged in a communal reform in 2014 and the City of Otterberg is the administrative seat. The current community consists of the individual towns and villages of Frankelbach, Heiligenmoschel, Hirschhorn, Katzweiler, Mehl-bach, Niederkirchen, Olsbrücken, Otterbach-Sambach, Otterberg, Schallodenbach, Schneckenhausen und Sulzbachtal.
The total union community has 20,000 inhabitants and about 300 American families also call it their home.
A game of thrones
Otterberg has an eventful history and in the year 1145 the Cistercians (a Catholic order of monks) founded an abbey in Otterberg. The Cistercians preferred building in river valleys or in swampy areas, and as a sign of their humility and purity they began with the construction of the monastery at the Otterbach (stream). The large monastic church, formerly part of the Cistercian monastery, was built between 1168 and 1254. The church is the most prominent landmark and is the largest sacral building in its original form in Rheinland-Pfalz, located right next to Otterberg’s historic district. After the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century the monastery was abandoned and left to slowly decay.
Otterbach mainly situated along the Lauter River in the Lautertal, has a completely different history. In the Middle Ages the Cisterian monastery owned property as well as a grazing authorization in Otterbach. Up until the end of the 18th century the community belonged to the Leyen family. Of note, from Nov. 28–30, 1793, the community was partially the scene of the Battle of Kaiserslautern against French troops, which was a part of the French Revolutionary Wars.
Otterberg — City of the Walloons
In the year 1579 Palatinate Count Johann Casimir allowed religious refugees from the Spanish Netherlands, exiled Calvinists referred to as Walloons, to settle on the premises of the abandoned monastery. In a decree he defined that certain parts of the monastery complex could be used to build new houses, while the church, chapter house and abbey house were preserved. Initially 400 individuals settled in the refugee encampment, but the industrious community quickly grew and only two years later, in 1581, Otterberg was granted city rights with a population of 1,600.
The Walloons were proficient cloth makers and tanners, blacksmiths, carpenters and skilled craftsmen. Many buildings in the Altstadt were built by these skilled workers, such as the oldest house, the Ferkelsche Haus in 1606, the Alte Apotheke (pharmacy) in 1608, and the Blaues Haus in 1612. Many 17th and 18th century buildings can still be found on Hauptstrasse, where the Walloons and their craftsmanship played a significant role in shaping the character of Otterberg. For a map see: http://www.otterberg.de/sehenswert
You can also get an authentic feel of a covered wagon ride on a virtual tour of the former monastery, which can be booked at https://www.otterbach-otterberg.de/tourismus-freizeit/gaestefuehrungen/time-travel/ or visit the Stadtmuseum which offers insight to the town’s history.
Isidor Straus
Isidor Straus was born in Otterberg in 1845 and emigrated to the U.S. with his Jewish merchant family in 1853. The family settled in Georgia, where his father opened a store and in 1874 took over the porcelain part of H. R. Macy’s Department store in New York City. In 1888 Isidor and his brother became co-owners of Macy’s. Isidor also served as Democratic representative in the House of Representatives in the 1890s. Tragically, he and his wife Ida died during their return trip from a vacation in Europe on board the legendary Titanic in April 1912.
Easy riding and modern innovation
Leaping back into the 20th century, visit the Motorrad Museum in Otterbach. The museum is in the former Protestant church in Otterbach where founder and motorbike race legend, Luthringhauser acted as director until his death in 1997. Among other prizes, Luthringhauser won the Tourist Trophy in 1974, the toughest road race on the Isle of Man. He collected 80 years of motorcycle history in flawless condition, displaying international models and engines.
In the year 1911 the signal tower for changing railway switches was opened at the train station at Lampertsmühle-Otterbach. With increased train services, transporting sandstone from nearby quarries, more mobility and prosperity was available to the town. Since the tower switched to a modern system in 2005, it is no longer in use, but the impressive mechanical devices with pulleys and antiquated signals can be viewed in the Stellwerk Museum. https://www.otterbach-otterberg.de/tourismus-freizeit/museen-und-ausstellungen/stellwerkmuseum
Space walk — What time is it?
The Planetenweg (planet path) starting from Heiligenmoschel leads you on a walk from Pluto past all of the planets in our solar system up to the sun, in exact relation to each other. Enjoy a walk in “outer space” with each planet marked with an information table.
At the end of the trail, you will encounter a walkable sundial (Sonnenuhr) with 12 obelisks made out of local sandstone, which very much resembles Stonehenge in England. While the circle in England is 4,000 years old and had religious character, this structure is much younger and symbolizes the 12 towns in the union community growing together. The sandstone speaks of former residents making a living out of chipping stones. There is a slanted steel column in the middle and each obelisk has the coat of arms of one of the villages, as well as the digit of the hour. Try reading the time of the day without using electronic equipment!
Festivals and fun
There are various restaurants and pubs in picturesque old buildings, music events take place throughout the year. The next classic concert in the Abbey Church and the Hinkelstein Hike both take place on March 30. A garden market is planned for April 27 and the time travel covered wagon rides pick up again in April. The season at the open-air theater in Katzweiler starts in June and a Walloon Fair is planned for July.
Fun facts
The Abbey Church is the second largest sacral building in Rheinland-Pfalz. Only the Cathedral in Speyer is larger (but was partially reconstructed after war damage).
In 1708 joint use of the church by Protestants and Catholics led to problems. A wall was installed leading to services being offered in the transept for Catholics and in the nave for Protestants. In 1979 the wall was removed and the church is shared by both denominations.
Pappelhof is a great place to discover nature and animals or learn an instrument and visit the colorful farmer’s market in September.
