Urmersbach is an Ortsgemeinde – a municipality belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde, a kind of collective municipality – in the Cochem-Zell district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Kaisersesch, whose seat is in the like-named town. Geography Location The municipality lies in the Eifel roughly 2 km north of Kaisersesch and 10 km southwest of Mayen. Extent of municipal area In 1787, the area within municipal limits was 361 ha, and in 1789, it was given as 623 Morgen. In 1925, it was quoted as being 433 ha, and today it is slightly bigger at 434 ha. History In 1253, Urmersbach had its first documentary mention. Beginning in 1794, it lay under French rule. In 1815 it was assigned to the Kingdom of Prussia at the Congress of Vienna. Since 1946, it has been part of the then newly founded state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Population development The oldest population figure comes from 1612 and gives the village's population as 11 incolae, that is to say, families, which suggests roughly 70 persons. In 1784, Urmersbach counted 233 inhabitants, and by 1910, 508. The population changed very little over the Second World War, falling from 471 in 1939 to 465 in 1950. On 31 December 1999, 229 families were living im Urmersbach, comprising 510 persons, of whom 261 were female and 249 male. Politics Municipal council The council is made up of 8 council members, who were elected at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman. The eight seats on council are shared between two voters’ groups. Mayor Urmersbach's mayor isThilo Schmitt, and his deputies are Markus Schröder and Markus Kusterer. Coat of arms The German blazon reads: Das Schild in Silber, darauf ein rotes Andreaskreuz, belegt mit zwei goldenen Ähren. The municipality's arms might in English heraldic language be described thus: Argent a saltire gules charged with two ears of wheat per saltire Or. The two crossed ears of wheat stand for both agriculture and the miller's craft, both of which underlay the village's livelihood for centuries. Culture and sightseeing Buildings The following are listed buildings or sites in Rhineland-Palatinate’s Directory of Cultural Monuments: Saint Andrew’s Catholic Church (branch church; Filialkirche St. Andreas), Auf'm Henchen – Baroque aisleless church, 1792, expansion 1954 Hauptstraße 30 – basalt wayside cross, marked 1725 Hauptstraße 32 – basalt fountain, 19th century Hauptstraße 51 – grave cross, marked