Local history in Switzerland.
18 February 2021
The canton of Neuchâtel is the heart of the Swiss watchmaking industry. Farmers-watchmakers already produced clocks and watches in the eighteenth century. La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle were the biggest producers of watches in 1914. The unique symbiosis of town planning and industry, and urban and architectural unity of these two industrial cities gave them … Read more » “The Watchmaking Canton”
16 February 2021
The town in the canton of Valais is situated at the foot of the Dents du Midi, the Portes du Soleil, the Val d’Illiez, and its river, the Vièze. The town’s name and castle first appeared in the 13th century (castrum Monteyz). Much more is known of the local Monthéleo dynasty (see, among others, Abbé … Read more » “Monthey and the Monthéleo dynasty”
13 February 2021
The roads in the Val-de-Travers in the Jura Mountains of the canton of Neuchâtel form an east-west connection. The valley has always been an essential trade route from the Franche-Comté to the Swiss Plateau. The valley became an industrial hotspot for the production of textiles, asphalt, absinthe, and watches in the eighteenth century. The heart of the … Read more » “Swiss Rhythm in Fleurier”
11 February 2021
The village takes its name from Pery (Champ à Péry, Champ Péry and Champéry), apparently the first inhabitant of the valley in the Middle Ages. The village was part of the second kingdom of Burgundy (888-1032) and was ruled by the Dukes of Savoy until 1536. In 1536, the Sieben Zenden ( les Sept-Dizains) of … Read more » “Champéry”
10 February 2021
Available in French and Dutch.
3 February 2021
Wibrandis Rosenblatt (1504-1564) lived in the rectory of St. Martin’s Church in Basel, near the cathedral on the Münster. She was married to the reformer Johannes Oecolampadius, also known as Oekolampad (1482-1531), one of the reformers in Basel. The Reformation and this marriage had nothing to do with the emancipation of women. Wibrandis took care of … Read more » “Wibrandis Rosenblatt”
23 January 2021
The Count of Neuchâtel founded the city of Le Landeron in 1325. In 1449, however, the city concluded an alliance with the town of Solothurn. The Counts of Neuchâtel, the Prince-Bishopric of Basel, and Bern were seeking influence in this area. A fierce religious dispute arose between Bern and Solothurn after 1530. Bern tried to introduce … Read more » “Le Landeron Remains Catholic”
15 January 2021
The new history of Basel (Die neue Basler Stadtgeschichte ) appears in 2024. This book tells the story of the economic, social, and cultural successes of the canton of Basel-Stadt and the city on the Rhine, as well as the missed opportunities. From an economic and cultural perspective, medieval Basel was mainly focused on the … Read more » “The Independent Republic of Grossbasel”
14 January 2021
Available in French and Dutch.
22 December 2020
The modern Chablais is an area that covers parts of Eastern France and Western Switzerland. The Swiss area extends over the cantons of Valais and Vaud. In France, this region is located in the department of Haute-Savoie and is bordered to the north by Lake Geneva and the Swiss border town of St. Gingolph. At … Read more » “Swiss Chablais”
