Eulgem 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 The municipality lies in the Eifel roughly 2 km northeast of Kaisersesch. Name The village’s name has taken various forms over the ages. About 1100, it was Hylichenheim, in 1278 Holichenheim, in 1427 Ulchenheym, in 1592 Ulchem, in 1656/1657 Eulchem and in 1789 Eultgem. Clearly, the placename is one of many that end in —heim, or at least it originally was. This placename ending is very typical of places founded in Frankish times. Over time, the —heim ending has been corrupted to —em. Werner Schumacher offers several possible derivations for the distinguishing prefix, but none is certain. It could be from the Latin for elm, or perhaps from Olk or Ulca, meaning “land that can be worked by plough” or “land that is worked”. Schumacher also cites a Dr. Beestermöller who believes that the root may be a Celtic reference to wetlands. History Somewhat outside the village as it stands today, near the brook, there was supposedly a find that might have been of some importance, some stone remains that might have pointed to very early settlers in the area. As far as is known, however, these were never investigated. They might have been from an early settlement, farm or oil mill established before the Franks took over the land, but nothing is certain. In 1100, Eulgem had its first documentary mention under the name Hylichenheim. Beginning in 1794, Eulgem 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. Politics Municipal council The council is made up of 6 council members, who were elected by majority vote at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairwoman. Mayor Eulgem’s mayor is Martina Geers. Coat of arms The German blazon reads: Das Wappen geteilt von Silber und Grün. Oben schräggekreuzt eine schwarze Speerspitze und ein blauer Lilienstab, in der Mitte gedeckt mit einer roten Rose. Unten eine silberne Urne, umrahmt von silbernen Steinen eines Hügelgrabes in der Vorderansicht. The municipality’s arms might in English heraldic language be described thus: Per fess argent a