Merkers-Kieselbach is a former municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany. Since 31 December 2013, it is part of the municipality Krayenberggemeinde.
Geography
Merkers-Kieselbach lies on either side of the River Werra near the Thuringian Forest and Rhön hills. It contains the settlements of Merkers, Kieselbach and Kambachsmühle.
History
Kieselbach was first mentioned 1155 in a deed from Kloster Hersfeld, and Merkers in 1308.
Merkers-Kieselbach was formed in 1994 by merging the two village councils. but didn't last long, as in 2013 it too merged with the neighbouring Dorndorf forming Krayenberggemeinde.
The ceremonial coat-of arms of the authority was designed in 1994 by the heraldic designer Uwe Reipert. The "Wellenbalken or silver fess wavy" with "Kieseln- golden stones" symbolises the word Kieselbach, the castle symbolises the Krayenburg Crossed miners hammers and a green hill are included.
Population statistics
Population
Data source: Thüringer Landesamt für Statistik - Taken on 31 December
Last Council
The last Merkers-Kieselbach chamber had 16 elected members: FWG Merkers-Kieselbach: 5 members CDU: 5 members LINKE: 4 members SPD: 1 member GRÜNE: 1 member Data source: Kommunalwahl am 7 June 2009.
Last elected Bürgermeister
The last elected Bürgermeister, Inka Sollmann, (independent) taking 91% of the popular vote.
World War II
The Merkers area of the municipality is famous for its salt mine, where large amounts of Nazi gold, and many stolen works of art were discovered by the United States Army in 1945. General Dwight D. Eisenhower himself went into the mine in April 1945 in order to examine the find. The area is now a visitor attraction, the Merkers Adventure Mines.
Capture of Merkers
Merkers was captured by the advancing Third Army in the spring of 1945. “…the 90th Division… reached the Werra River on April 2nd (1945), crossed immediately, and discovered that there, in a last desperate effort, the enemy had erected a line beyond which the Americans were not to advance. Ignorant of the German determination to hold at all costs, however, the 90th advanced, smashed the line, and moved forward. Vacha was taken with stiff opposition, Dippach and Oberzella and Merkers. One regiment was detailed to guard the treasure at Merkers, and the rest of the Division pushed ahead. All roads were lined with liberated slave laborers, some walking aimlessly, becoming slowly accustomed to their freedom, some walking determinedly, burdened by huge packs, with their eyes firmly fixed on the road leading to home. Allied prisoners of war were liberated in increasingly large numbers: American, British, Canadian, French and Russians. The German Army was dissolving into a hodge-podge of Volksturm, Hitler Jugend, highly disorganized veterans and a few SS. As usual, resistance was encountered at only infrequent intervals, and as usual, it was quickly overwhelmed.”
“…The next morning [April 2, 1945] we headed out in motorized column for Bad Hersfeld, and then on via a two lane road to positions just west of the Werra River… Earlier in the day our rifle companies had crossed the Werra and captured the town of Dippach, and then run unexpectedly into fierce and determined resistance, again from Hitler Youth and SS troops, in the Town of Vitzeroda. C company lost six men killed and about 30 wounded… While the 357th was heavily engaged in Vitzeroda and other nearby villages, the 358th, to our south had followed a main road eastward over the Werra, taking Vacha and Merkers. We, in the 357th, were laboring over small country roads and paths, taking village after village, many of which had names with the syllable “roda” which we later learned meant “mine.” Thus, “Vitzeroda” and “Gosperoda”.