in eland - Pal at inate . ▁On ▁ 7 ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁the ▁Orts gemeinde ▁of ▁B ä sch ▁was ▁am alg am ated ▁with ▁Th alf ang . ▁In ▁the ▁years ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁the ▁Orts geme inden ▁of ▁Gr ä f end hr on , ▁Hor ath , ▁M ersch bach , ▁B üd lich , ▁Bre it ▁and ▁He iden burg ▁were ▁grouped ▁together ▁with ▁Th alf ang ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁Verb ands gemeinde ▁of ▁Th alf ang ▁am ▁Er bes k opf . ▁ ▁Among ▁other ▁historical ▁events ▁it ▁might ▁be ▁noted ▁that ▁Er ich ▁H one cker , ▁later ▁the ▁East ▁German ▁leader , ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁ro o fer ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁during ▁construction ▁of ▁what ▁was ▁then ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁new ▁town ▁hall . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁ ▁Municipal ▁council ▁ ▁The ▁council ▁is ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁ 1 6 ▁council ▁members , ▁who ▁were ▁elected ▁by ▁proportional ▁representation ▁at ▁the ▁municipal ▁election ▁held ▁on ▁ 7 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁and ▁the ▁honor ary ▁mayor ▁as ▁chairman . ▁ ▁The ▁municipal ▁election ▁held ▁on ▁ 7 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁yield ed ▁the ▁following ▁results : ▁ ▁Co at ▁of ▁arms ▁ ▁The ▁municipality ’ s ▁arms ▁might ▁be ▁described ▁thus : ▁Argent ▁a ▁cross ▁ab ased ▁and ▁to ▁de xter ▁g ules , ▁sur mount ing ▁the ▁centre ▁of