Münchweiler an der Rodalb
| Münchweiler an der Rodalb | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
  Münchweiler an der Rodalb | ||
Location of Münchweiler an der Rodalb within Südwestpfalz district  | ||
| Coordinates: 49°13′04″N 7°42′15″E / 49.21787°N 7.70419°ECoordinates: 49°13′04″N 7°42′15″E / 49.21787°N 7.70419°E | ||
| Country | Germany | |
| State | Rhineland-Palatinate | |
| District | Südwestpfalz | |
| Municipal assoc. | Rodalben | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Steffen Zimmermann (CDU) | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 27.19 km2 (10.50 sq mi) | |
| Population (2015-12-31)[1] | ||
| • Total | 2,812 | |
| • Density | 100/km2 (270/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) | |
| Postal codes | 66981 | |
| Dialling codes | 06395 | |
| Vehicle registration | PS | |
| Website | www.muenchweiler.de | |
Münchweiler an der Rodalb is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The primary industry of the village was that of a shoe manufacturer. It lies on Strasse B-10 between Karlsruhe and Pirmasens. It once had a US Army base that housed soldiers and families for the 636th Ordnance Co. (EOD), the 110th MP Company, HHC 84th Ordnance Battalion and others. The main building on the base was a mirror image of the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. The base has since been sold to real estate developers who have demolished all the buildings and have started building residential housing. The chapel is all that remains of the original buildings on the base. With the withdrawal of the military from Münchweiler, it has had a profound effect on the town with the closure of many businesses and a decrease in real estate values. There is a nearby train tunnel that was rumored to have been used to hide artillery during the war and in the forest can be seen the remnants of an old Roman era road. The base was also used by NATO troops and had a functioning hospital.
The first mention of Münchweiler an der Rodalben was in 1179. The village was founded my monks and relied on its religion as its focal point. Because of its poor soil quality, the area has never been able to rely on agriculture. There is some industry from logging and crafts, After the construction of the railway line between Zweibruecken-Landau in the late 1800s, the area's financial hardship lessened. The area though has little industry other than the one shoe factory to rely on.
The 84th Ordnance Battalion and 636th Ordnance Company was housed on the base along with some German troops. The 636th Ordnance Company guarded and maintained the then classified stocks of GB and VX nerve gas located at Site 59 in Clausen. The propellants for the 15,500 rounds and the decontamination equipment for Site 59 was located on Leimen Site 67. Both Site 59 and 67 were closed and the nerve gas stocks destroyed. Site 59 - Clausen is now used for solar power generation and for growing mushrooms in the bunkers that used to store nerve gas. While the military used site 59 for storage, there were numerous leaks and spills of nerve gas within the bunkers. Many Army personnel were affected by low-dose exposures.
References
- ↑ "Gemeinden in Deutschland mit Bevölkerung am 31. Dezember 2015" (PDF). Statistisches Bundesamt (in German). 2016.