The holiday resort of Bausendorf with its outlying centre of Olkenbach is found sheltered at the foot of the broad Kondelwald forest in the southern Eifel in the lower Alf valley.

Beginning in 1794, Bausendorf was under French rule, and then in 1814 the village was assigned to the Kingdom of Prussia at the Congress of Vienna.

Today's Ortsgemeinde came into being within the framework of administrative reform through the merger of the formerly separate municipalities of Bausendorf and Olkenbach on 7 June 1969.

The municipal council is made up of 16 council members, who were elected by proportional representation at the municipal election held on 7 June 2009, and the honorary mayor as chairman.

The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:[3] The St. Bartholomäus Wallfahrtskirche Heinzerath (“Saint Bartholomew’s Heinzerath Pilgrimage Church”) in the outlying centre of Olkenbach stands on the bank of the Alf.