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***image2***The union community of Otterbach with the villages Otterbach, Sambach, Katzweiler, Mehlbach, Hirschhorn, Sulzbachtal, Olsbrücken and Frankelbach is located north of Kaiserslautern in the upper Lauter Valley.
About 10,000 inhabitants live on an area of 622 hectares. The union community mayor is Heinz Christmann; his office is located in the town hall on Konrad-Adenauer-Strasse in Otterbach.
In 1143, Otterbach and Sambach were documented for the first time. They belonged to the prince-bishopric of Speyer. From 1794 to 1818, they belonged to Otterberg and were under French administration.
Otterbach and Sambach were united in 1969 and, in 1971, the union community Otterbach with the other villages was established.
Otterbach has a motorcycle museum, which is located in a former Protestant church. Since 1980, interested motorcycle friends can admire unique motorbikes. A nature adventure playground is located near the bike path between Otterbach and Otterberg.
Katzweiler is the second biggest village in the union community. It is well known in the area for its open-air stage in the forest. During the summer months each year, local citizens perform plays. Worth a visit is the historical mill-wheel from 1911. It is the biggest working mill-wheel in the Pfalz. The mill hiking path takes hikers from the Dorfplatz on eight kilometers to Eulenbis. Katzweiler also has a horse stable, Bonanza Ranch, which offers wagon rides, outdoor performances and classes in horseback riding. There is also a trout pond, where fish seminars and guided tours are offered.
Mehlbach is the village with the most forest surrounding it. It has many walking paths, a grill hut and a children’s forest playground. Events such as concerts and dances take place throughout the year in the community hall, called Pfalzwaldhalle.
Hirschhorn has walking and biking paths and view points on Kreimberg and Kreuzberg.
***image1***Sulzbachtal is known for a bell tower and a fossil exhibition.
Olsbrücken is located in the middle of the Lauter Valley. It got known for its sandstone which was won in several local quarries. There are biking and hiking paths and the Palatinate Forest Association has a hut in the forest, where hikers rest and locals meet after Fasching to “burn winter.”
Frankelbach has remains of a Roman quarry from the third to fourth century known as “Teufelsstein,” devil’s stone. Close by is a forest classroom with display boards.
There is also a former smithy and a wooden workshop offering wooden items.
The Lauter Valley bike path takes riders 40 kilometers from Kaiserslautern along some of the Otterbach union community villages, located on federal street B270, to Lauterecken.
Official Nordic walking routes start at Lautertalhalle in Katzweiler, on Hebelstrasse in Mehlbach and near the barbecue hut “Im Himmelreich” in Otterbach. Near the Himmelreich leisure area there are also tennis courts and a boule field.
On a regular basis, the village of Otterbach offers culinary night walks. A night watchman and interpreter take people through Otterbach, explaining traces of the past. The group stops at local restaurants for a three-course menu. The cost for groups with at least 15 people is €35 per person. Otterbach also offers a two-hour-long historical guided tour with a night watchman for children, ages 6 to 12. The children’s tour costs €35 for the group plus the cost for the interpreter.
For reservations and more information, call 06301-6070, stop by the Touristik-Pavilion, next to the town hall in Otterbach, Konrad-Adenauer-Strasse 19, or visit www.vg-otterbach.de.
