Langenlonsheim
Langenlonsheim is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde Langenlonsheim-Stromberg, and is also its seat. Langenlonsheim is a state-recognized tourism community and a winegrowing village. Geography Location Langenlonsheim lies between the southern edge of the Hunsrück and the Nahe. Lying 7 km away is the district seat, Bad Kreuznach, while Bingen am Rhein lies just under 10 km away. On the municipality's western outskirts, the Guldenbach flows by, while the Nahe flows by to the south. Langenlonsheim is well known for its good vineyards and wineries and its Qualitätsweine. Fertile loess soils and the region's warm climate have been defining factors for the village. Neighbouring municipalities Clockwise from the north, Langenlonsheim's neighbours are the municipalities of Laubenheim, Grolsheim, Gensingen, Bretzenheim, Guldental, Windesheim, Waldlaubersheim and Dorsheim. Grolsheim and Gensingen both lie in the neighbouring Mainz-Bingen district, whereas all the others likewise lie within the Bad Kreuznach district. Langenlonsheim also comes to within a few metres of two other neighbours: the municipality of Rümmelsheim in the northwest and the town of Bad Kreuznach in the southeast. Constituent communities Also belonging to Langenlonsheim is the outlying homestead of Forsthaus Langenlonsheim. History Even as long ago as Roman times, there was winegrowing in what is now Langenlonsheim. In 769, Langenlonsheim had its first documentary mention as Longistisheim. Over its long history, the village changed owners many times. Under French rule, Langenlonsheim became the seat of a mairie ("mayoralty") in 1800, to which five municipalities belonged. This arrangement persisted even after the French were driven out and the region was assigned under the terms of the Congress of Vienna to the Kingdom of Prussia in 1815, although it was thereafter known as a Bürgermeisterei (also "mayoralty"). In those days, the population was still very much engaged in agriculture as its main income earner. Jewish history Langenlonsheim had a Jewish community until sometime between 1938 and 1942. It arose sometime in the 17th or 18th century. The earliest mention of a Jewish family in the village – named Benedict – comes from 1685. In 1695 a Wendel Judt was named. In 1722, two Jewish families were named (Jud Benedict and Mayer), while in 1743 it was four (Hayum Benedict, Götz Benedict, Juda Kahn and Meyer). In 1790, the following Jewish household heads were named: Hayum Benedict (widow), Joseph Benedict, Nadan Benedict Maier, Gottschlag Jude, Benedict Joseph, Sükkind Juda, David Götz and Benedict Nadan. In the 19th century, the number of Jewish inhabitants developed as follows: in 1808 there were 45; in 1843, there were 42 (of all together 1,236 inhabitants); in 1858, 73; in 1895, 70. In 1808, the following Jewish families were listed (the names given in brackets were those borne after Napoleonic French rule ended): Israel Brill, Benoît (Benedict) Goetz, Gottschalk Kahn, Widow (?) Rebekka Kuhn, Widow (of Joseph Kaufmann) Schoene Kaufmann née Kuhn, Benoît (Benedict) Natt, Mayer Natt, Jacques (Jakob) Scheier (Scheuer),