Did you know that Longuich’s story is interwoven with Roman roots and abbey rule? Welcome to Longuich. This municipality in the Trier-Saarburg district lies on the Moselle River.
Imagine Longuich as it began around 100 A.D. No less than nine roads led from the old Roman road to this place. The name Longuich itself whispers tales of its origin. Some say it comes from the Latin “longus vicus” meaning long village. Others believe it’s Celtic, derived from “lunc-wich” meaning crooked creek. The Moselle River curves around Longuich-Kirsch.
For over 1200 years, the Trier Abbey of St. Maximin governed this village. Consider the families who lived here. The WOLLSCHEID-BARTHELMES family resided in Kirsch. Kirsch was formerly cressiacum, a Latinized Celtic word. Longuich and Kirsch eventually grew together. They formed what is known in German as a Doppelort or double place.
Picture Jacob WOLLSCHEID marrying Katharina BARTHELMES in Longuich on January 25, 1797. Their religious ceremony may have taken place in one of two churches. Perhaps it was in the Kirsch Chapel, the succursal church of St. Sebastian. This chapel was built in 1781 on the site of a former church. Or maybe it was in the St. Laurentius Parish Church built in 1771. Both churches stand today.
Imagine their children. Johann Peter was born in 1799. Anna Maria followed in 1800. Christina was born in 1802. Sadly, Christina died young at only 17 months old. Another daughter, Katharina, was born in 1805.
Jacob’s wife Katharina died in 1822. Jacob passed away three years later. A double wedding took place in Longuich in 1827. Jacob’s daughters, Anna Maria and Katharina, both married. Later, their brother Johann Peter married in 1828.
Two grandsons of Jacob and Katharina went to America. Nicholas was the first. He requested permission to emigrate in 1865. His younger brother Paul applied in 1867. Paul said he would live with his brother in America. Nicholas enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1866 in Petersburg, Virginia.
Longuich is more than just a place. It is a tapestry woven with Roman threads, abbey rule, and family stories. As you stand here, remember the echoes of the past. Longuich’s history continues to flow like the Moselle.