Utzerath

Utzerath is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Daun, whose seat is in the like-named town. The municipality is a state-recognized tourism community (Fremdenverkehrsgemeinde).GeographyLocationThe municipality lies in the Vulkaneifel, a part of the Eifel known for its volcanic history, geographical and geological features, and even ongoing activity today, including gases that sometimes well up from the earth.HistoryIn 1518, the municipality was still called Otzenrode. The ending —rode makes it clear that the village arose from a clearing in the woods (roden means “clear” in German, in the context of felling woodland). The local scenery today, still heavily wooded, makes this easy to imagine.The name Utzerath was first used in the 18th century, although it was first spelt Outzenrath.PoliticsMunicipal councilThe 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 chairman.