Schwerbach is an Ortsgemeinde â a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality â in the Birkenfeld district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde Herrstein-Rhaunen, whose seat is in Herrstein.
The municipality, a clump village, lies in the central Hunsrück. Between the village and the Kyrbach valley lies the Wacholderheide (âÂÂJuniper HeathâÂÂ) Conservation Area.
Schwerbach is the district's smallest municipality by population.
In the Early Middle Ages, the Lords of Wiltberg had built a chapel in Schwerbach on the estate with which the Waldgraves were enfeoffed; it was consecrated on 15 July 1314. Schwerbach had âÂÂburial rightsâ at that time, which were always special rights.
In 1563, there were 12 hearths (for which read âÂÂhouseholdsâÂÂ) in Schwerbach.
The council is made up of 6 council members, who were elected by majority vote at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairwoman.
Schwerbach's mayor is Claudia Endres.
The German blazon reads:
The municipality's arms might in English heraldic language be described thus: Per fess Or a beast with a wolf's head and an eagle's body displayed gules, its breast surmounted by a crampon palewise sable, and sable a fess argent.
The upper field is a reference to the village's former allegiance to the âÂÂWild and Rhineâ County (ruled by the Waldgraves and Rhinegraves) and shows the court seal used by those countsâ high court at Rhaunen. The lower field shows the arms formerly borne by the Lords of Wiltberg, who were the lords at Schwerbach. In 1310, they had a chapel built at Schwerbach.
The following are listed buildings or sites in Rhineland-PalatinateâÂÂs Directory of Cultural Monuments:
Schwerbach has a village community centre.
Serving nearby Kirn is a railway station on the Nahe Valley Railway (BingenâÂÂSaarbrücken). To the north lie BundesstraÃÂe 50 and Frankfurt-Hahn Airport.