Gerbach

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Gerbach is a small municipality in the Donnersbergkreis district of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It lies on the Appelbach stream in the North Palatine Highlands, northwest of the Donnersberg, between Kaiserslautern and Bad Kreuznach. The municipality includes the settlements Althof, Kahlenbergweiher, Köhlerhof and Schneebergerhof, and the Campingpark Pfalz is located in the area.

Gerbach was first mentioned in 1192. It belonged to the county of Falkenstein until the end of the 18th century. During the First Coalition War, the left bank of the Rhine came under French control. From 1798 to 1814 it belonged to the Kirchheim (Kirchheimbolanden) canton in the Donnersberg department. After the Congress of Vienna, it was Bavarian from 1816 to 1945. In 1946 it became part of Rhineland-Palatinate in the French occupation zone after World War II.

The municipal council has 12 members and an honorary mayor who acts as chairman. The coat of arms shows a green frog on a gold field with a green willow behind it. Gerbach has a primary school serving Bayerfeld-Steckweiler, Dielkirchen, St. Alban, Ruppertsecken and Würzweiler. The L385 and L400 roads intersect in the village, and the A63 motorway provides access to longer routes. The nearest train station is in Rockenhausen on the Alsenz Valley Railway.

Gerbach has an active community life, including a traditional male choir (founded in 1861; 150th anniversary celebrated in 2011), a carnival club and a sports club. The Catholic church in the village is St. Michael. A notable feature is a large Enercon E-126 wind turbine (hub height 135 meters, rotor diameter 127 meters, 7.5 MW); in 2013 a blade broke off, but repairs were completed by May 2014.

As of December 31, 2023, Gerbach had 512 residents. The village covers about 7.32 square kilometers and sits at an elevation of about 257 meters. Postal code: 67813. Area code: 06361. Vehicle registration: KIB.