Bechenheim

Bechenheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Alzey-Land, whose seat is in Alzey.GeographyLocationAs a winegrowing centre, Bechenheim lies in Germany’s biggest winegrowing district, in the southwest of Rhenish Hesse. Bechenheim is Rhenish Hesse’s highest winegrowing municipality.HistoryIn 824, Bechenheim had its first documentary mention in a document from Fulda Abbey.PoliticsMunicipal councilThe council is made up of 8 council members and the honorary mayor as chairman. The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:Coat of armsThe municipality’s arms might be described thus: Gules a dexter arm embowed armed argent, the hand naked of the same and holding a beaker Or.Economy and infrastructureWinegrowingBechenheim belongs to the “Wonnegau Winegrowing Area” in Rhenish Hesse. Active in the municipality are six winegrowing businesses with 33 ha of vineyard under cultivation. Some 76% of the wine made there is white varieties . In 1979, 22 such businesses were still running, and vineyards covered 32 ha.