Elz, Hesse Facts for Kids

Elz is a charming village and municipality (like a small town area) located in the state of Hesse in Germany. It's part of the Limburg-Weilburg Rural District, which is a larger administrative area. Elz is nestled along the beautiful Lahn river. In 2004, about 8,088 people lived there.

Exploring Elz's Geography
A Look at Elz's History
- Town Privileges and Walls
How Elz is Governed
- The Mayor of Elz
Economy and Daily Life in Elz
Famous People from Elz
See also

Exploring Elz's Geography

Elz is located in a special area called the "Limburger Becken" valley. This valley surrounds the town of Limburg an der Lahn. The village sits at an elevation between 110 and 291 meters (about 360 to 955 feet) above sea level.

Rivers and Neighboring Towns

The "Elbbach" is another river that flows through Elz. It eventually joins the larger Lahn river. Elz shares its borders with several other communities. These include the municipalities of Hundsangen, Hambach, Görgeshausen, Niedererbach, and Obererbach. It also borders the towns of Hadamar and Limburg an der Lahn.

Villages within Elz

The municipality of Elz is made up of two main villages. The larger village is Elz itself, which had about 7,743 residents. The smaller village is Malmeneich, with around 345 residents.

Weather in Elz

The average temperature in Elz is about 10.5 °C (50.9 °F). In Malmeneich, it's slightly cooler at 9.9 °C (49.8 °F). While these averages sound mild, temperatures can change a lot. In winter, it can get as cold as -20 °C (-4 °F). In summer, it can reach up to 40 °C (104 °F)! Elz usually gets about 600mm (23.6 inches) of rain each year. Malmeneich gets a bit more, around 720mm (28.3 inches).

A Look at Elz's History

Elz was first mentioned in a very old document from the year 933 AD. Sadly, this original document doesn't exist anymore. Elz became important because of its location on the "Hohe Straße." This was once the most important road connecting Frankfurt am Main and Cologne. Today, this historic road is part of the "Bundesstraße 8" (Federal Highway 8).

Town Privileges and Walls

In 1442, Elz was granted "town privileges." This meant it had special rights, like being able to hold markets. Soon after, a wall was built around the town for protection. However, this wall was later taken down.

How Elz is Governed

Elz has a local council that helps run the municipality. This council has 31 members. Most of the members, 19 of them, are from the Christian Democrats party. Seven members are from the Social Democratic Party. Four members belong to the Free Voters' Community, and one member is from the Green Party.

The Mayor of Elz

The mayor of Elz is Horst Kaiser. He is a member of the Christian Democrats. He was elected in 2005 with a large majority of the votes.

Economy and Daily Life in Elz

Elz is a busy place with more than 600 businesses. These businesses provide over 2,000 jobs for people in the area. The main industrial area is located along the B8 highway, between Elz and Malmeneich.

Getting Around Elz

Elz is well-connected by roads. It's located on the B8 highway, which stretches from the Dutch border all the way to Passau. Elz is also near the Autobahn 3. This major highway connects important cities like Würzburg, Frankfurt am Main, and Cologne.

Public Places in Elz

Elz has many facilities for its residents. There is a large outdoor swimming pool where people can cool off in summer. For sports, there are two gyms, along with several sports and tennis fields. The municipality also has two homes for older people.

Learning in Elz

For younger residents, Elz has three kindergartens. There are also two primary schools. For older students, there is a "Haupt- und Realschule." This is a type of German secondary school.

Famous People from Elz

Elz has been home to some notable individuals:

Theodor Blank (1905-1972) was an important politician. He served as the Federal Minister for Defense from 1955 to 1956. Later, he was the Federal Minister for Employment and Social Matters from 1957 to 1965.
Joseph Blank (1913-1994) was also a politician. He was a minister for spatial planning, building, and public works in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia from 1962 to 1963.

Elz, Hesse facts for kids

Contents