View of Nuhweiler
Nuhweiler Scenes:
| While visiting Zehler homeland, I was privileged to meet with Berthold Müller, a former Bügermeister of Wadern, the district which includes Nuhweiler. Hr. Müller, middle, explained the history of the area and described how the Count of Dagstuhl employed our ancestor, Peter Hardt, as Game Warden. The picture at the left shows our meeting. | |
| Nuhweiler is a very small settlement in north central Saarland, Germany, located about 3 kilometers
northeast of the village of Lockweiler. Principally devoted to farming, the settlement consists of 5 or 6 homes and farmsteads with surrounding farm fields and
woodlands. Before the French Revolution the cottage of the Count's Game Warden was also located in Nuhweiler, next to the
Zehler farm. One of the Zehler ancestors served as Game Warden.
Peter and Anna Maria Zehler occupied the farm house shown at the right, prior to leaving for America. The farm was apparently inherited by Anna Maria Klasen from her mother's side of the family. |
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| Residence in Nuhweiler | Barn on Zehler Farm |
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| Farm Scene | Farm Scene |
Family Churches
Lockweiler:
| The earliest evidence of the Zehler family is from the village of Lockweiler. Records from the
Roman Catholic Church show that members of the family lived in Lockweiler in the 1680's. And, historical documents indicate the family was in Lockweiler before
the Thirty Years War (1618 to 1648). From Lockweiler, branches of the family spread to nearby Mettnich and Selbach.
The picture at the right shows the Bell Tower of the old Church, which dates from the 12th Century. |
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Mettnich:
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Following his marriage, a member of the Zehler family moved from Lockweiler to Mettnich in the early
1700's. A small village about 5 kilometers from Lockweiler, Mettnich was home our Zehler family until Peter Zehler moved to Nuhweiler after his marriage to Anna
Maria Klasen.
The picture at the left shows part of the old Church (center), with the modern Church in the foreground (right). On the right is the ornate altar from the old Church, which is still in use today. |
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Area Scenes and Sights
Dagstuhl Castle:
| Located near Wadern, Dagstuhl Castle was built by the Counts who ruled this area prior to 1800. The ruins of an early castle sit on a hill, which overlooks the area. On the flats below the ruins is the elegant castle built by the last Count. It serves and a conference center for international meetings and seminars. |  |
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Noswendel:
| Noswendel, a few kilometers south of Wadern, is typical of the scenic villages in rural Saarland. The scenes at right show views of the village park and the annual maypole in the village center. |  |
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Kostenbach:
| Kostenbach, located north of Wadern, is another scenic village of rural Saarland. Surrounding the village are farm fields in early May. The bright yellow rectangles are fields of Rapeseed, which is grown widely in Europe. |  |
Tourist Sights
Villa Borg:
| Located about 50 kilometers west of Wadern, the Villa Borg is a reconstructed Roman Villa, which
highlights the Roman influence in the area. In addition to the buildings, the Villa is an active archeological site.
The city of Trier, 40 kilometers to the north, was the first Roman city in Germany and offers numerous historic buildings and sights. |
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Mosel River Valley:
| Fifty kilometers west of Wadern, lays the Mosel River, which forms the border between Saarland and Luxembourg. The valley is world renowned for its Riesling wines. Vineyards cover the slopes and floor of the valley and wine outlets abound along the roads, which pass through small villages and cities. |  |
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Roscheider Hof:
| Located on the outskirts of Knoz and along the Mosel River, Roscheider Hof is an open air museum. The museum displays the rural culture of the Rhineland, Luxembourg and Lorraine regions. |  |
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Saarschleife:
| The Saarscheife, located about 35 kilometers west of Wadern, is a hairpin turn in the Saar River as it flows north to its confluence with the Mosel. A public park overlooks the river from the high cliffs. |  |
Accommodations
Freienwohnung Lauer:
| The Freienwohnung Lauer is the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lauer, who rent the upstairs apartment to vacationers. For anyone interested in visiting this lovely rural area, their home offers spacious, economical accommodations. For a peaceful and restful vacation this is a wonderful location. The Lauers do not speak English, so a modest knowledge of German is helpful. Further information is available on their web site. |  |