Welgesheim lies on the spot where once the old military road crossed the river Wiesbach. During excavation work several graves were unearthed, leading to the conclusion that there was once a Roman settlement in what is now Welgesheim's municipal area.
The place called Wellingesheim itself had its first documentary mention in 770 in the Lorsch codex. In 874 it appeared under the name Willengisheim and in 1178 as Wellengesheim. Under its current name it appeared about 1194, when Werner von Bolanden was enfeoffed with the church treasure at Welgesheim by Count Lon.
Later, Welgesheim belonged to the lordly domain of the Elector of the Palatinate, with whom the place remained until the late 18th century.
Under Napoleon, Welgesheim belonged as part of the department of Mont-Tonnerre (Donnersberg) from 1801 to 1814 to France, with its attendant laws, such as the Napoleonic code.
This was the case for a hundred years, until Germany's defeat in the First World War, when the Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt was dissolved. Thereafter the region of Rhenish Hesse belonged to the People's State of Hesse, which existed until 1945.
The municipality's arms might be described thus: Or an arrow sable palewise, in chief sinister a crown azure with merlons fleuretty.
Culture and sightseeing
Music
Besides the musical group Alle-für-Alle, there are also a few very good guitarists.
Buildings
Welgesheim has three Heiligenhäuschen (small, chapellike wayside buildings each consecrated to a saint), a monument, an Evangelical church and a Catholic church.
Churchtower at Welgesheim's Catholic church
Churchtower at Welgesheim's Evangelical church
View over Welgesheim
Aerial view of Welgesheim
Sport
Besides table tennis, gymnastics, badminton and dancing, there are in Welgesheim team handball players who mostly play in Zotzenheim/St. Johann/Sprendlingen. The Schneider family, above all, turns out many talented team handball players.
Weindorfhalle at the old school building (mayor's seat with council chamber and municipal library)
Weedestubb, a pleasantly comfortable room for festivals and family celebrations, which before its conversion housed the volunteer fire brigade. The name came about in the local speech from the building's location on the central square in Welgesheim, the Weedeplatz.
