The municipality lies in the Eifel some 16 km west of Wittlich in the middle of broad mixed forests.

In 1231, the Archbishop of Trier Theoderich documented and confirmed an accord from Himmerod Abbey with the knight Werner von der Pforte zu Bruch dealing with plots of land in Rodenerde (a long vanished village[3]) "not far from Dodenburg and monastery" (Heckenmünster).

The two-winged building with the round corner towers, which still recall the former moated castle, is likewise today under private ownership.

[4] The German blazon reads: Der Schild ist von links oben nach rechts unten geteilt.

In der rechten oberen Hälfte oben in Silber ein roter Drache, in der linken unteren Hälfte 9 mal in Silber und Blau quer geteiltes Feld.