Ever wonder why Uckerath is more than just a name on a map? It is a place with a story etched in time. Uckerath a part of Hennef today once stood proud as the main hub of its own district.
Let’s journey back to 1131. Uckerath’s first recorded mention appears. Pope Innocent II affirmed Cassius-Stift’s rights to the church. It included all tithes. The suffix “roth” signifies clearing a typical founding act from the early second millennium.
By 1555 the parish of Uckerath was divided. It included Uckerath, Buelgenauel Gierscheid Adscheid Wellesberg and Lichtenberg.
Uckerath was strategically vital. The Frankfurter Strasse or Hohe Strasse passed through it. Today this is the B8. It served as a customs post for Berg. It was also a Thurn and Taxis postal station.
Between 1794 and 1796 French and Imperial troops camped here often. In 1796 the Battle of Uckerath occurred resulting in a victory for the Imperial forces.
In 1742 Uckerath counted 392 residents in 68 families. By 1791 the number rose to 423 residents in 80 families. Uckerath itself included Meisenbach Sommershof Wasserhess and Harth. By 1807 there were 463 residents. The area spanned 1374 acres.
1816 marked a significant change. Uckerath became the main town of the Uckerath district. However in 1820 the districts of Siegburg and Uckerath merged. Siegburg became the district seat.
On February 25 1923 Uckerath was occupied by French troops.
The municipality of Uckerath covered 4099 hectares. Of this 1941 hectares were fields 340 hectares were meadows and 1397 hectares were woodland.
In 1885 Uckerath had 3272 residents 1634 men and 1634 women. 3249 were Catholic with their own parish. Eleven residents were Protestant attending church in Eitorf. There were also twelve Jewish residents. The population shifted. In 1890 only 3010 residents were recorded. This was due to well-paid jobs in urban factories.
August 1 1969 marked the end of Uckerath’s independence. It was incorporated into the new municipality of Hennef Sieg.
The church of St. Johannes der Taufer stands as a testament to Uckerath’s past. First mentioned in 1131 it was rebuilt by 1160. In 1898 the three-aisled main building was demolished. The old church tower remained. The ground floor became a chapel. In 1955 it was dedicated to those who died in the Second World War. The tower collapsed on October 5 1968.
The new church a three-aisled Romanesque basilica was consecrated on October 30 1892.
Uckerath is a mosaic of battles occupations and community shifts. Its landmarks tell tales of resilience faith and transformation.