Gerach | |
|---|---|
 Typical old timber-framed house in Mauschendorf | |
_COA.svg) Coat of arms | |
Location of Gerach within Bamberg district  | |
 Location of Gerach | |
  Gerach  Gerach | |
| Coordinates:50°2′N10°48′E / 50.033°N 10.800°E /50.033; 10.800 | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | Bavaria |
| Admin. region | Oberfranken |
| District | Bamberg |
| Municipal assoc. | Baunach |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–26) | Sascha Günther[1] (CSU) |
| Area | |
• Total | 7.78 km2 (3.00 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 276 m (906 ft) |
| Population (2023-12-31)[2] | |
• Total | 1,036 |
| • Density | 133/km2 (345/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 96161 |
| Dialling codes | 09544 |
| Vehicle registration | BA |
| Website | www |
Gerach (German pronunciation:[ˈɡeːʁax]) is amunicipality in theUpper Franconian district ofBamberg and a member of the administrative community (Verwaltungsgemeinschaft) of Baunach. It lies in theNaturpark Haßberge (nature park) roughly 20 km north ofBamberg and roughly 10 km south ofEbern.
Gerach had its first documentary mention on 10 March 1396, although the settlement is believed to be considerably older. Through many sales and donations, Gerach passed through many hands over the following centuries, belonging for a while to the Lords of Schaumburg, and those of Rotenhan. In 1750, the community passed to the prince-Bishopric of Bamberg. As a part of the High Monastery at Bamberg, Gerach fell underBavarian rule whenSecularization came in 1803. With the border adjustments made in 1810, it passed to the Grand Duchy of Würzburg, with which it once again passed to Bavaria in 1814, this time for good.
The mayor is Sascha Günther (CSU), elected in 2020.
The community council is made up of 8 members, listed here by party or voter community affiliation, and also with the number of seats that each hold, since the 2020 local elections:[3]
In 1999, municipal tax revenue, converted toeuros, amounted to €506,000 of which business taxes (net) amounted to €173,000.
Gerach's arms might heraldically be described thus: Party per pale sable and argent, sable a cock sinister Or, argent a bend sinister wavy gules above which a mullet gules.
The municipal arms recall the noble family of Rotenhan (which means “Red Cock” rather than the golden one seen in the arms), the village's owners from the 15th to 18th century. At the same time, thecock is alsoSaint Vitus’s faunal emblem, and it is to him that the localCatholicchurch is consecrated.
The LateRomanesqueKirche Sankt Vitus is said to be one ofFranconia’s oldest churches and parts of it date from the 12th century. Arelief on the church door shows themartyr Vitus praying in a kettle of hot oil. In the church square is found a warriors’ memorial.
When touring the village, one can see historictimber-frame houses, stone field crosses andFelsenkeller (“cliff cellars”) in thesandstone hill. In the outlying centre of Mauschendorf stands theZur Jägersruhinn, which is protected as a monument, and which is one of the district's oldest inns.
Gerach took part successfully many times in the contestUnser Dorf soll schöner werden (“Our village ought to become lovelier”).
| Year | Inhabitants | Year | Inhabitants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 796 | 1996 | 1,000 |
| 1970 | 905 | 1997 | 1,007 |
| 1987 | 927 | 1998 | 998 |
| 1989 | 962 | 1999 | 1,019 |
| 1991 | 957 | 2000 | 1,018 |
| 1993 | 965 | 2001 | 1,014 |
| 1994 | 955 | 2002 | 1,000 |
| 1995 | 967 | 2003 | 1,010 |
| International | |
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| National | |
