towns of Eisenberg, Kirchheimbolanden and Rockenhausen Anterior Palatinate (Vorderpfalz) between Upper Rhine and the Haardt range of the Palatinate Forest Bad Dürkheim (DÜW) Rhein-Pfalz-Kreis (RP) and the towns and cities of Frankenthal (FT), Ludwigshafen (LU), Neustadt an der Weinstraße (NW) and Speyer (SP) South Palatinate (Südpfalz). Germersheim (GER) Südliche Weinstraße (SÜW) and the town of Landau (LD) West Palatinate (Westpfalz) up to the western part of the North Palatine Uplands Kaiserslautern (district) (KL) Kusel (KUS) Südwestpfalz (PS) and the towns of Kaiserslautern (KL), Pirmasens (PS) and Zweibrücken (ZW). Climate Like most of Southwestern Germany, the Palatinate’s climate is either humid subtropical in areas below 300 meters or oceanic with influenced by the Atlantic in higher regions of the mountains. The average annual temperatures vary from around 11-14 degrees Celsius in the valleys and 8-10 degrees in the mountains. Wet air from the prevailing westerly and southwesterly winds leads to precipitation in the Mittelgebirge ranges, while it warms up on its way further down to the Rhine Valley. That’s why the valleys have a considerable drier climate than the surrounding Palatine Forest. History Formerly a Celtic region, this area was conquered by the Roman Empire under Emperor Augustus in about 12 BCE, whereafter it was part of the Germania Superior province. During the decay of the Empire, Alamanni tribes settled here; their territory was conquered by Francia under King Clovis I about 496. From 511 onwards the area belonged to the eastern part of Frankish Austrasia, that—as Rhenish Franconia—became part of East Francia according to the 843 Treaty of Verdun. Holy Roman Empire From the Middle Ages until 1792, the Palatinate was divided into 45 secular and ecclesiastical territories, some of which were very small. The largest and most important of these was the Electorate of the Palatinate (Kurfürstentum Pfalz), a number of Franconian territories on both sides of the Rhine formerly held by the Counts palatine (Pfalzgrafen) of Lotharingia. By the late 12th century, the Count palatine had achieved the status of a Prince-elector (Kurfürst), becoming one of the seven higher nobles with the privilege of electing the Emperor, as confirmed by the Golden Bull of 1356. In 1214 the Bavarian House of Wittelsbach was enfeoffed with these estates, which they ruled until 1918, together with the collateral branch of Palatine Zweibrücken from 1410. They lost control (need for stronger protection) with the reunification with Bavaria under Elector Charles Theodore