and Saint James's Church (Kirche St. Philippus und Jakobus) was built between 1766 and 1769 and cost, according to a surviving request document sent to the then Prince-Archbishop-Elector of Trier, Johann Phillip von Walderdorf, 2,000 Reichsthaler. The first work to strengthen the church's structure was undertaken as early as 1777. Further work needed to be done in 1845, 1861, 1863, 1881 and 1883. Remodelling between 1959 and 1962 fundamentally altered the church, with the chancel and quire being completely changed. Church bells Mittelstrimmig managed to keep its church bells in the First World War while others were being seized in the war effort to be melted down. What they were spared in the Great War, however, they were not spared in the Second World War; in 1943, the Army High Command decided to take the bells for war requirements. In 1951, however, sacrifices by the parish made it possible for the church to obtain four new steel bells, listed in the table at right. One of the old bells was actually saved from the Wehrmacht. It dates from 1373 and is now at the church in Altstrimmig. Heiligenhäuschen Mittelstrimmig is home to three Heiligenhäuschen – small, shrinelike structures, each consecrated to a saint or saints. The Dietzen-Heiligenhäuschen between Mittelstrimmig and Liesenich was built in 1700 by the Schöffe (roughly “lay jurist”) Johann Dietzen. In 2003, it was completely renovated. The figures were stolen by a thief from Valwig, but were replaced. The Schock-Heiligenhäuschen was built in the 18th century and stands on Landesstraße 202 between Mittelstrimmig and Blankenrath. A parallel path leads to the Galgenflur (roughly, “Gallows Field”). The Schock-Heiligenhäuschen was every condemned man's last stop on the way to the gallows. There is a third Heiligenhäuschen in the cadastral area called Konnel. Economy and infrastructure Education In Mittelstrimmig are found the Kindergarten Strimmiger Berg and the Grundschule Strimmiger Berg (primary school), which are also attended by children from surrounding villages. Secondary schools are to be found in Blankenrath, Kastellaun, Zell and Cochem. References Cochem-Zell