Ever wondered where the name Nackenheim comes from? Nackenheim is a charming winegrowing center. It sits in the Mainz-Bingen district. We are in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Nackenheim is the only Ortsgemeinde. It lies directly on the Rhine within the Verbandsgemeinde of Bodenheim. The municipality is idyllic. It nestles between hillside vineyards and the Rhine. These vineyards were first noted over 1,200 years ago.
The islands of Kisselwörth and Sändchen cut Nackenheim off. They separate it from the Rhine’s mainstream. These islands are conservation areas. They belong to the Rheinauen or Rhine Floodplains Habitats Directive area. The area used to be cultivated. Now, you find meadow orchards.
Let’s talk about Nackenheim’s name. Its origin is uncertain. One idea links it to a prehistoric chieftain. This chieftain was named Nacho. So, Nackenheim would mean “Nacho’s Home”. Another idea suggests the name comes from the location. It is in the “neck of the mountain”. Neither theory is confirmed.
The town council has 22 members. This includes the part-time mayor. In May 2019, René Adler became Nackenheim’s mayor.
Nackenheim’s arms display interesting symbols. There is a silver bar. Above, a black orb. Below, a six-spoked wheel. An expert noted an arms stone above the Town Hall entrance. It differs slightly. It features a hook instead of a cross on the globus cruciger. The wheel has eight spokes. The expert believes the eight-spoked wheel is a modified Wheel of Mainz. This relates to Saint Stephen’s Monastery. It was a patronage lord of Nackenheim’s Saint Gereon’s Church.
Nackenheim has a town partnership. It is with Pommard in France. They have a wine stand at the yearly wine festival.
Nackenheim’s Town Hall has an interesting story. Before the 15th century, village court business happened outdoors. It was under a tree on Saint Stephen’s Monastery land. In the 16th century, they built a town hall on monastery land.
In 1751, they replaced it with a new timber-frame building. The upper floors had a local court and consulting room. The ground floor held firefighting equipment. There was also a calibration master’s equipment. He measured wine casks. He certified them with a brand stamp. A holding cell called the Kittje held wrongdoers.
Above the entrance was a niche. It likely held a statue of Saint Stephen. During the French Revolution, it stood empty. In 1931, a Madonna figure was placed there. It was “Mary Mother of Peace”. It gave thanks for the Rhineland’s freeing. During the Third Reich, it was removed. It returned after the Second World War.
The Town Hall was renovated in 1935. The entrance moved to the middle. Further renovations occurred in 1950, 1951, 1962 and 1980. In 1992, they found significant damage. Brown rot had affected the ceiling beams. Extensive structural investigations followed. Work began in November 1994.
Nackenheim hosts regular events. There is a procession with John’s Fire on the Rhine. This is for the feast of John of Nepomuk. The DLRG holds an Island Festival. There is a wine festival on the last weekend in July. Other festivals include parish festivals, church consecrations, and carnival celebrations.
Nackenheim is known for winegrowing. The Gunderloch Winery is a member of the VDP. This is the Verband Deutscher Prädikatseingüter.
The town offers education. There is the Carl Zuckmayer Grundschule. There is also the Janusz Korczak Regionalschule.
Nackenheim is easily accessible. It lies 14 km south of Mainz. Bundesstraße 9 links it to the Autobahn network. The Mainz-Worms railway line serves Nackenheim. A landing stage allows passenger ships to dock. Cycle paths connect Nackenheim to nearby towns.
Carl Zuckmayer was born in Nackenheim in 1896. He immortalized his homeland in his play “The Merry Vineyard”. A bust at the municipal administration entrance honors him. Eduard Zuckmayer was also from here. He was a pedagogue, composer, and pianist.
Christine Darmstadt was a midwife. She was named an honorary citizen of Nackenheim in the 1960s.
Nackenheim, a place where history, culture, and wine intertwine. It creates a unique experience. It welcomes all who visit.