Palatinate, << puh LAT uh `nayt,` >> was the name of two small countries of the German Empire. The two Palatinates were one political unit until 1620. One was called the Upper Palatinate. The other was called the Lower, or Rhenish, Palatinate. The name Palatinate once referred to a castle of the German emperor. The Upper Palatinate is now part of Bavaria. The Lower Palatinate is part of Rhineland-Palatinate. The Lower Palatinate region has long been famous for its fertile soil. It produces crops of potatoes, tobacco, hemp, flax, wheat, rye, and barley. It has always been noted for its wine.
