Lindenschied

Lindenschied is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis (district) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Kirchberg, whose seat is in the like-named town. The municipality lies in the Hunsrück on a ridge. West of the village flows the Kyrbach and to the east lies Dickenschied, through which runs Bundesstraße 421. Lindenschied lies roughly 5 km south of Kirchberg, 12 km southwest of Simmern and 9 km southeast of Frankfurt-Hahn Airport. The municipal area measures 317 ha, of which 66 ha is wooded. In 1345, Lindenschied, which was then under the High Court of Rhaunen, had its first documentary mention. The document itself stated Lindenschied's, and several other villages’, legal status, which at this time was disputed, particularly as to these villages’ rights and boundaries, between the Waldgraves of Kyrburg, to whom Lindenschied belonged, and the Counts of Sponheim. The dispute was arbitrated in 1354 by Archbishop of Mainz Gerlach von Nassau. Beginning in 1794, Lindenschied lay under French rule. In 1815 it was assigned to the Kingdom of Prussia at the Congress of Vienna. Since 1946, it has been part of the then newly founded state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Until 1969, Lindenschied belonged to the now abolished district of Bernkastel. The Evangelical church that stands today was between 1689 and 1907 used by both Evangelicals and Catholics as a simultaneous church. After the church had fallen into considerable disrepair, the Evangelical community renovated the roof and parts of the walls between 1951 and 1953, often doing the work themselves. The ridge turret over the quire was replaced with a newly built tower on the west side. Its wrought-iron cross stood on the churchtower until a storm in 2005, whereupon it was replaced in 2006 with a copper weathercock. Between 1958 and 1963, the walling was secured and the nave was thoroughly renovated. Also, a parish hall was built onto the church.