Ahrbrück

Ahrbrück (German pronunciation: [ˈaːɐ̯bʁʏk]) is a municipality in the district of Ahrweiler, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The municipality comprises the three districts of Ahrbrück (formerly known as Denn), Brück and Pützfeld.

Ahrbrück
Municipality
Coat of arms
Location of Ahrbrück within Ahrweiler district
Ahrbrück Show map of Germany Ahrbrück Show map of Rhineland-Palatinate
Coordinates: 50°28′57″N 06°59′21″E
Country	Germany
State	Rhineland-Palatinate
District	Ahrweiler
Municipal assoc.	Altenahr
Government
• Mayor (2019–24)	Walter Radermacher[1]
Area
• Total	12.56 km2 (4.85 sq mi)
Elevation	186 m (610 ft)
Population  (2023-12-31)[2]
• Total	1,097
• Density	87/km2 (230/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	53506
Dialling codes	02643
Vehicle registration	AW
Website	gemeinde-ahrbrueck.de

History

Ahrbrück crystal factory in a refugee operation, April 1952

In 893, Pützfeld was mentioned as a possession of the monastery of Prüm. The rural communities of Bruck and Denn were first documented in 1265. In the 13th century, the three settlements belonged to the County of Are and by 1246 they were part of the Electorate of Cologne. Pützfeld had a larger castle and by 1681 it's Lady chapel was built next to the river Ahr.

In 1938, the citizens of Denn were evacuated to permit the establishment of an Air Force training area. The town was renamed Ahrbrück when the settlement was re-colonized after the Second World War. The Ahrbrück crystal factory became a refuge for ethnic Germans expelled from Sudetenland.

Today's church was rebuilt on 7 June 1969, after the dissolution of the previously independent municipalities of Ahrbrück (502 inhabitants), Brück (443 inhabitants) and Pützfeld (230 inhabitants).

Population

Population as of 31. December:^[3]

1815: 1936 1835: 2419 1871: 2146 1905: 2309 1939: 560 1950: 592

1961: 1041 1965: 1073 1970: 1179 1975: 1207 1980: 1116 1985: 1032

1987: 551 1990: 1124 1995: 1127 2000: 1185 2005: 1244 2011: 1215

Data source: Statistical Office of Rhineland-Palatinate

Politics

The local council in Ahrbrück consists of 16 Council members who were elected by the local elections of 7 June 2009. The council appoints an honorary mayor as chairman.

Distribution of seats in the elected council:^[4]

Year	SPD	CDU	FDP	FWG	Total
2009	2	9	1	4	16 seats
2004	2	10	–	4	16 seats
1999	3	4	–	9	16 seats

Culture

St. Katharina in Brück

Notable are the village chapels of St. Rochus in Ahrbrück and of St. Katharina in Brück. Additionally, the baroque shrine Marien-Wallfahrtskapelle (English: Mary shrine) in Pützfeld was restored in 1993.