Lütz 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 Cochem. Lütz is a state-recognized climatic spa (Luftkurort). Geography The municipality lies in the northern Hunsrück in a side valley of the river Moselle (between the Moselle centres of Burgen and Treis-Karden), only a few kilometres from the river. Lütz lies in the Lützbach valley, which has almost no road links. The village distinguishes itself with a row of outstanding timber-frame houses. History King Childebert II (570-595) donated to the Bishopric of Verdun holdings between the Lützbach (Luceia) and the Baybach (Beia). The estate has no further mention, but it was likely traded with the Abbey of Echternach, which crops up in the historical record as a landholder in the area in the Late Middle Ages. On 1 January 912, Lütz had its first documentary mention when King Karl III donated his landholdings at Lutiaco to St. Maximin's Abbey. In a donation document from Heinrich von Trier about 1163, an estate on the "rivulus Luzze" is named. Also holding estates in Luzze in 1323 was the knight Heinrich von Eltz. Saint Maximin's Church (Kirche St. Maximinus) was built in 1753. Ecclesiastically, the parish of Lütz belonged to the rural chapter of Zell within the Archbishopric of Trier, although it did not lie within Electoral-Trier territory. The church was first mentioned in 1220 in the Archbishop's directory of holdings. Parochially united with Lütz were the villages of Lahr, Lieg and Zilshausen. In 1749, a fire destroyed part of the village, and Saint Maximin's Church (with the exception of the 12th-century Romanesque tower) and the town hall had to be newly built. In the 14th century, Lütz lay under the lordship of the Lords of Eltz. Lütz was an Imperial Knightly holding and belonged until the annexation of the lands on the Rhine's left bank in the French Revolutionary Wars in 1794 to the Barons of Wiltberg. In 1815 Lütz 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. Politics Municipal council The council is made up of 8 council members, who were elected by majority vote at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman. Mayor Lütz's mayor