Hartenfels
Hartenfels is an Ortsgemeinde – a community belonging to a Verbandsgemeinde – in the Westerwaldkreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The community belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Selters, a kind of collective municipality. Geography Hartenfels lies 4 km from Herschbach and 8 km from Selters on the Holzbach. History Hartenfels Castle was first mentioned in old writings in 1249. The community is known for its castle ruins, of whose former shape only a few walls and one tower now remain. It was built in the 13th century to keep watch over the nearby trade road leading from Frankfurt to Cologne. In dialectal speech, the ruins bear the name Schmanddippe. In 1999, the community celebrated 750 years of existence. Seven years later came a chronicle. Politics The municipal council is made up of 12 council members, as well as the honorary and presiding mayor (Ortsbürgermeister), who were elected in a majority vote in a municipal election on 7 June 2009. Economy and infrastructure The most important employer is Huf Haus GmbH & Co which employs 470 people. Hartenfelser Kopf Windfarm In the summer of 2006, 12 Enercon E-70 wind turbines were installed on the Hartenfelser Kopf. These supply roughly 12,500 households, making it