Oberdreis

Oberdreis
Municipality
Coat of arms
Location of Oberdreis within Neuwied district
Oberdreis Show map of Germany Oberdreis Show map of Rhineland-Palatinate
Coordinates: 50°37′45″N7°39′51″E / 50.62917°N 7.66417°E / 50.62917; 7.66417
Country	Germany
State	Rhineland-Palatinate
District	Neuwied
Municipal assoc.	Puderbach
Subdivisions	4
Government
•  Mayor (2024–2029)	Julian Klein [1]
Area
• Total	9.00 km2 (3.47 sq mi)
Elevation	285 m (935 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31) [2]
• Total	891
• Density	99/km2 (260/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	57639
Dialling codes	02684
Vehicle registration	NR
Website	www.puderbach.de

Oberdreis is a municipality in the district of Neuwied, located in the northern part of the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The village is part of the Verbandsgemeinde Puderbach, a collective municipality within the Westerwald region.

Geography

District Oberdreis

Oberdreis is situated on the northeastern edge of the Rhein-Westerwald Nature Park, slightly removed from major transportation routes. The municipality includes the districts of Lautzert and Dendert, as well as the residential areas Guter Trunk Marie (a former quarry known as 'Tonzeche') and Sonnenhof. The village lies at an elevation of approximately 285 meters.

Governance

Municipal Council

The municipal council of Oberdreis consists of 12 elected members and the honorary mayor, who serves as the council’s chair. The most recent election was held on June 9, 2024 ^[3] .

Mayor

The current mayor, Julian Klein, took office on July 3, 2024, after being directly elected with 89.7% of the votes ^[4] . Previous mayors include Ralf Engel (2019–2024) and Dieter Klein-Ventur (1999–2019) ^[5] .

Culture and Landmarks

Evangelical Church of Oberdreis

The village’s evangelical church dates back to at least 1253. Originally built as a fortified church, it served military purposes during the Thirty Years' War. The church underwent significant reconstruction in the late 18th century and was last renovated in 2002. ^[6] The site also houses the grave of Paul Deussen, a renowned philosopher and friend of Friedrich Nietzsche.

Historical Oil Mill

Historical oil mill

The "Owerdresser Ollichsmill", a 300-year-old oil mill, is a notable example of local half-timbered architecture. Restored in 1980, the mill retains its original equipment, including a stamp-powered wedge press and waterwheel. ^[7]

Backhaus (Bakehouse)

Bakehouse in the village center

Next to the former fire station stands a traditional bakehouse, where bread is still baked every two weeks using a stone oven.

Beilstein

Beilstein

The "Beilstein", a basalt volcanic cone, is a natural monument in the Oberdreis forest. While no longer part of the main trail network, it's infrequently a destination for climbing and abseiling.

Renewable Energy

photovoltaic plant in Oberdreis forest

Oberdreis has invested in renewable energy with a 5.6-hectare photovoltaic plant, operational since 2011, generating enough electricity to power 170 households annually. ^[8]

References

1. Kommunalwahlergebnisse Oberdreis 2024, Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 21 Jan 2025.
2. "Bevölkerungsstand 2022, Kreise, Gemeinden, Verbandsgemeinden" (PDF) (in German). Statistisches Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz. 2023.
3. Kommunalwahlergebnisse Oberdreis 2024, Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 21 Jan 2025.
4. Kommunalwahlergebnisse Oberdreis 2024, Landeswahlleiter Rheinland-Pfalz, accessed 21 Jan 2025.
5. Angela Göbler: Nach 20 Jahren als Ortsbürgermeister in Oberdreis abgelöst: Ralf Engel folgt auf Dieter Klein-Ventur. Rhein-Zeitung. Mittelrhein-Verlag GmbH, Koblenz, August 27 2019, accessed 21 Jan 2025. (Paywalled).
6. Sign at Evangelical Church of Oberdreis. Picture of sign
7. Sign at Oberdreiser Ölmühle. Picture of sign
8. Oberdreis beteiligt sich am Solarwerk, Rhein-Zeitung, Accessed Jan 22 2025