Zeltingen-Rachtig is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Geography Location The municipality lies surrounded by vineyards in the great bend in the Moselle between Bernkastel-Kues and Traben-Trarbach not far from the university town of Trier. Both Ortsteile – Zeltingen and Rachtig – are found on the river's right bank where the valley broadens out into very flat country bordering on the Hunsrück. Zeltingen-Rachtig belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Bernkastel-Kues, whose seat is in the like-named town. Nearby municipalities Neighbouring municipalities are, among others, Erden, Ürzig and Graach an der Mosel. The nearest middle centres are Bernkastel-Kues, some 5 km away, and Wittlich, some 15 km away. Trier lies some 45 km away. Climate Zeltingen-Rachtig lies in a transitional zone between temperate oceanic climate and continental climate; compared to other regions in Germany, a very warm and sunny climate prevails here. In nearby Brauneberg on 11 August 1998, a record temperature of 41.2 °C in the shade, the highest ever air temperature recorded in the Federal Republic, was confirmed. The barrier formed by the Eifel shields the double municipality from west winds, putting it in a rain shadow and sometimes subjecting it to a föhn effect. At the same time, the warming of the air is favoured by the only slight exchange of air with the surrounding area. Tied in with this is the high humidity due to ongoing evaporation of water from the Moselle, which, especially in summer, makes at times for heavy and muggy weather, and which also brings many storms along with it. History Remnants of human settlements near Bernkastel-Kues date from the time of the Linear Pottery culture, about 3000 BC. As early as 500 BC, the Treveri, a people of mixed Celtic and Germanic stock, from whom the Latin name for the city of Trier, Augusta Treverorum, is also derived, settled in the region around Zeltingen-Rachtig. Celtanc and Raptacum are the oldest names for today's Zeltingen-Rachtig that have been handed down; they document its Celtic beginnings. Until the 19th century, the double municipality was an enclave of the Archbishopric of Cologne. Cunibert of Cologne, who was once the Archbishop, was descended from the Moselle-Franconian nobility. The local lore has it that he was born at a castle near Zeltingen. Politics Municipal council The council is made up of 16 council