were also only a few Jews in town. The ratio of Catholics to Protestants shifted in the wake of the Second World War markedly in the Protestants’ favour as ethnic Germans driven out of Germany's former eastern territories came to town looking for a new place to live. Adherents of Islam nowadays also live in town, and many inhabitants adhere to no religion at all. For a long time, near what is today the Stadtkirche ("Town Church"), once stood a forerunner building about which nothing is known for sure. It was replaced in 1725 by a Protestant church and until a Catholic church was built, it had to be shared by the denominations. This church was torn down in the latter half of the 19th century, and right nearby arose the current Evangelical church in 1865–1866. Work on a new Catholic church began in 1845 and it was ready for use by 1853. Politics Town council The council is made up of 16 council members, who were elected by proportional representation at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman. The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results: "FWG" is a voters’ group. Mayor Lauterecken's mayor is Isabel Steinhauer-Theis. Coat of arms The town's arms might be described thus: Argent a lion passant azure armed and langued gules upon a triangle reversed voided inside which a triangle voided, its angles conjoined with the sides of the other, both of the third. The lion appearing in Lauterecken's current arms is drawn from arms once borne by the House of Wittelsbach. Lauterecken has had other arms. The arms shown in the Coffee Hag albums about 1925 are sable a triangle reversed voided argent, that is, a black shield bearing only one charge, a silver, hollow triangle standing on one point. Very similar arms were apparently borne in 1841, but the triangle was gules (red). Town partnerships Lauterecken fosters partnerships with the following places: Sombernon, Côte-d'Or, France since 1974 There are regular school exchanges and citizen visits between Lauterecken and Sombernon, along with friendships between various clubs and families. The Sombernon Stone, placed on the Roseninsel (island), reminds everyone of this contribution to peace in Europe. Culture and sightseeing Buildings The following are listed buildings or sites in Rhineland-Palatinate’s Directory of Cultural Monuments: Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Parish Church (Pfarrkirche St. Franziskus Xaverius),