Bärenbach, Rhein-Hunsrück

Bärenbach 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.GeographyLocationThe municipality lies in the Hunsrück about 1 km east of the river Nahe.Rhineland-Palatinate’s geographical midpoint is found within Bärenbach’s municipal limits. A stone marks the spot at precisely where the midpoint lies.HistoryMiddle Ages and early modern timesIn 1103, Bärenbach had its first documentary mention. Between 1234 and 1437, Bärenbach belonged to the Upper Rhenish Circle, the Margraviate of Baden, the “Further” County of Sponheim and the Oberamt of Kirchberg. In this time, the Counts of Sponheim shared their holdings out in a “Further” County and a “Hinder” County. To the Oberamt of Kirchberg in the “Further” County belonged Altlay, Bärenbach, Belg, Büchenbeuren, Hahn, Niedersohren, Niederweiler, Rödelhausen, Sohren, Wahlenau and Würrich.