Beringen, Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Beringen is a municipality
in the canton
of Schaffhausen in Switzerland
.
. Several feet below the surface and covered by a layer of rocks, a skeleton was discovered, along with a bronze ax with a blade and dagger, as well as a decorative needle, a piece of wire, and several bronze nails. This grave was typical for the burial customs of the early Bronze Age.
governed the territory, as can be seen by an ancient supporting wall embracing the living quarters and two economy buildings. A spectacular find was discovered when a military tile was unearthed showing the imprint of the 11th and 21st legion
was well as the 26th cohort
, indicating the presence of a corps of volunteers made up of Roman citizens. Similar tiles have been found in Windisch, Bechtersbohl, and Baden-Baden. Further indications of a Roman presence is a complex of walls found near the Aasheimer-Hof in Beringen.
Naturally, the first settlers established themselves close to the creek, one house next to the other. Two rows of houses formed the original village. When fire consumed one of the houses, it was not replaced; instead, a building for public use was erected. This made it possible that six or more households could be supplied with water instead of only one or two. The best and best-preserved example of this is the Leunhof, a well-known restaurant. Others are the Huggehof, Chloesteril, Kellerhof, Vogelhof, and Paradieserhof, Prinzenhof, and the Winkel. The Chelhof stands close to the church and far away from the creek, next to the well.
Today, Beringen's creek is now covered over. Water is supplied through an extensive system of pipes, large blocks for apartments and businesses have been erected, new buildings with small industries, and there are only a few agricultural buildings and outfits existing.
One does not know the Patron Saint of this church, for sure. Possibly it can be Saint George who appears in an ancient coat of arms of Beringen. In a Chronicle of the historian, Rueger is a reference to a church in Beringen from the year 1061, but there is no official record until the year 1231. In 1580, an addition was built at the west end, and in 1642 an addition was constructed at the east end. In 1645 a tower was added, including a clock. New bells replaced four old bells in 1906 and five years later an organ was installed. Two further renovations took place in 1965 and 1991. Residents continue to enjoy the steeple and sun clock
In Switzerland, many restruants and hotels carry the name of an animal for identification ( examples: Lion, Bear, Eagle, etc.) Beringen's most famous restruant was the "Lion." It was first named in a historical record of 1711. Called a tavern or inn, the owner was obliged to affix to the building a very elaborate sign made of cast iron, depicting a lion. The "Lion" served as the seat for the "Society of Boys" of Beringen. Such societies have existed since the 15th century. The one headquartered in the "Lion" is the only one existing in the Canton of Shauffhausen. This building is a large three story building which sits on a corner. Its front is decorated with ornate words and scrolled imagery along with an image of a lion and keeper. This image spans the entire front of the building, between the second and third floors.
In 1845, another organization was founded in the "Lion", an association of artisans and tradesmen, the "Gewerbeverein" It was the first association ever organized in Beringen. Its name was later changed to "Reading Society" (Leseverein), but was dissolved in 1960.
Although the building was still standing in 2004, it was being used for apartments and a beauty salon, the restruant and inn facilities were abandoned in the 1930s. The large Lion sign has been saved and adorns the staircase of the new and more modern community center "Zelg"
This was one of Beringen's oldest section. Houses were built together very tightly ( almost like row houses), with the roofs extending far outwards towards the front as protection against rain and sun, the entrances into the cellars were in the front side of the buildings, and wide stairways lead into the second floor of each house. Such a layout is called a "Hof" and Vogel was the name of one of the families living there. Coopers, furniture builders, and stonemasons were established here and resided in the Vogel Hof. The last survivors of the Vogel family in Beringen died in 1978.
The Flour Mill is several hundred years old. It lies at the upper end of the village. Historically, it was first described in 1536; it belonged to the community as a whole and was leased back to some of the burghers every few years. Repairs and renovations took place in 1843 for the house, 1842 for the mill, and 1841 for the barn. The mill ceased operation decades ago, but the building is still used as a dwelling. Above the main door is the following engraved verse:
1090 AD - Bartholdes de Berinin: witness in a trade involving Beringen.
1102-1112 AD - First mentioning of a Chono de Beringen in a Charter.
1150 AD - Lutfridus and Guntherrus de Beringen-witnesses in a legal dispute between St. Blasien and Allerheiligen involving Mount Staufen.
1568 AD - Beginning of ore excavation on the Laufenberg (Mount Laufen) until the year 1850. Note: blast furnace located at Jestetten, and 1614 near the Rhine Falls
.
1835 AD - Election of the first village of Town Council.
1863 AD - The Railway of the Archduke of Baden begins operating. The first locomotive ran on 12 December 1862 from Neuhausen to Waldshut.
1893 AD - Street lighting installed in Beringen.
1897 AD - Introduction of ballot boxes is approved by the Cantonal Chancellery of Schaufhausen.
1905 AD - The public street car system begins operations.
1950 AD - Ewald Rahm installs a private historical museum on the upper floor of Schlachthuesli (sort of a butchers building). The public water supply system is with the city of Neuhausen.
1962 AD - The Swiss Industrial Society (SIG Schweizerische Industrie Gesell-schaft) builds a factory for wrapping machinery in Beringen. Max Bircher, mechanical engineer, moves from Schauffhausen to Beringen into the new factor building.
1963 AD - Bachmann and Company, builders of cranes, opens a factory in Beringen.
1964 AD - A new public streetcar company (ASS) starts operation on 1 October, replacing the old system of 1905.
1965 AD - A 100th Anniversary celebration of Beringen.
1967 AD - Consecration of the Catholic Church at Shauffhausen-Street.
1969 AD - Consecration of the new municipal swimming pool
1976 AD - Dedication of the Village Center "Zelg" with new city offices, post office, Savings and Loan Bank, and Fire Department. Ewald Rahm donates his entire historical collection to the community and is given a room in the new village center.
1977 AD - First International Festival of Beringen.
1979 AD - Purchase of Nature Preserve "Faerberwiesli" by the village council.
1984 AD - Dedication of "Zimmerberg" multi-purpose center.
1990 AD - Decation of the new Co-op Center
The municipality is located in the Schaffhausen district. It consists of the linear village
of Beringen on the south base of the Randen
range in the upper Klettgau. Today it is mostly an industrial municipality.
, 22.9% are from Italy
, 2.7% are from Croatia
, 12.6% are from Serbia
, 1.5% are from Macedonia
, 0.5% are from Turkey
, and 20.5% are from another country. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 11.2%. Most of the population speaks German (93.6%), with Italian being second most common ( 1.9%) and Serbo-Croatian being third ( 1.0%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 20.5% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 60.1% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 19.3%.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 38.6% of the vote. The next two most popular parties were the SP
(31.9%), and the FDP
(29.5%) .
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Beringen about 81.2% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule
). In Beringen, , 1.99% of the population is attending kindergarten
or another pre-school, 7.43% are attending a Primary School, 3.59% attend a lower level Secondary School, and 2.84% attend a higher level Secondary School.
, 23.3% of the population belonged to the Roman Catholic Church
and 58.1% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church
.
The historical population is given in the following table:
the mid year average unemployment rate was 1.7%. There were 151 non-agrarian businesses in the municipality and 69% of the (non-agrarian) population was involved in the secondary sector of the economy while 31% were involved in the third. At the same time, 83.3% of the working population was employed full-time, and 16.7% was employed part-time. There were 2009 residents of the municipality were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 32.9% of the workforce. there were 426 residents who worked in the municipality, while 1109 residents worked outside Beringen and 1179 people commuted into the municipality for work.
, there are 6 restaurants, and 1 hotel with 51 beds. The hospitality industry in Beringen employs 32 people.
Municipalities of Switzerland
Communes , also known as municipalities, are the smallest government division in Switzerland, numbering 2,596 . While many have a population of a few hundred citizens, the largest cities such as Zürich or Geneva also have the legal status of municipalities...
in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Schaffhausen in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Bronze Age
In the Eschheimer Valley near Beringen, a gravesite had been discovered that is believed to reach back to the early Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
. Several feet below the surface and covered by a layer of rocks, a skeleton was discovered, along with a bronze ax with a blade and dagger, as well as a decorative needle, a piece of wire, and several bronze nails. This grave was typical for the burial customs of the early Bronze Age.
Age of The Romans
There is good evidence that a "Hof" (cluster of buildings) in the Lieblosen-Valley dates back to the time when the RomansRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
governed the territory, as can be seen by an ancient supporting wall embracing the living quarters and two economy buildings. A spectacular find was discovered when a military tile was unearthed showing the imprint of the 11th and 21st legion
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
was well as the 26th cohort
Cohort (military unit)
A cohort was the basic tactical unit of a Roman legion following the reforms of Gaius Marius in 107 BC.-Legionary cohort:...
, indicating the presence of a corps of volunteers made up of Roman citizens. Similar tiles have been found in Windisch, Bechtersbohl, and Baden-Baden. Further indications of a Roman presence is a complex of walls found near the Aasheimer-Hof in Beringen.
Growth of Beringen
Beringen grew up along the creek that now runs though the village. The water drove mills in Beringen, such as the flour mill (no longer in operation), the gypsum mill (replaced by homes), and the so-called Oele (now the site of the municipal swimming pool). Water was needed for the dye-shops in the former Doktorhaus (house for Doctors, now a business establishment). Along the banks of the town creek, people washed everything, including pails, troughs, and related objects. The creek also served as drinking water for livestock, and was the only help in case of a fire.Naturally, the first settlers established themselves close to the creek, one house next to the other. Two rows of houses formed the original village. When fire consumed one of the houses, it was not replaced; instead, a building for public use was erected. This made it possible that six or more households could be supplied with water instead of only one or two. The best and best-preserved example of this is the Leunhof, a well-known restaurant. Others are the Huggehof, Chloesteril, Kellerhof, Vogelhof, and Paradieserhof, Prinzenhof, and the Winkel. The Chelhof stands close to the church and far away from the creek, next to the well.
Today, Beringen's creek is now covered over. Water is supplied through an extensive system of pipes, large blocks for apartments and businesses have been erected, new buildings with small industries, and there are only a few agricultural buildings and outfits existing.
Beringen's History is in its Buildings
There many notable old building that still exist in Beringen:- The Church of Beringen
One does not know the Patron Saint of this church, for sure. Possibly it can be Saint George who appears in an ancient coat of arms of Beringen. In a Chronicle of the historian, Rueger is a reference to a church in Beringen from the year 1061, but there is no official record until the year 1231. In 1580, an addition was built at the west end, and in 1642 an addition was constructed at the east end. In 1645 a tower was added, including a clock. New bells replaced four old bells in 1906 and five years later an organ was installed. Two further renovations took place in 1965 and 1991. Residents continue to enjoy the steeple and sun clock
- Castle of the Huen of Beringen Family (cica. 13th century)
- The Peradise-Estate (Monastery)
- The Lions Inn (circa. before 1711)
In Switzerland, many restruants and hotels carry the name of an animal for identification ( examples: Lion, Bear, Eagle, etc.) Beringen's most famous restruant was the "Lion." It was first named in a historical record of 1711. Called a tavern or inn, the owner was obliged to affix to the building a very elaborate sign made of cast iron, depicting a lion. The "Lion" served as the seat for the "Society of Boys" of Beringen. Such societies have existed since the 15th century. The one headquartered in the "Lion" is the only one existing in the Canton of Shauffhausen. This building is a large three story building which sits on a corner. Its front is decorated with ornate words and scrolled imagery along with an image of a lion and keeper. This image spans the entire front of the building, between the second and third floors.
In 1845, another organization was founded in the "Lion", an association of artisans and tradesmen, the "Gewerbeverein" It was the first association ever organized in Beringen. Its name was later changed to "Reading Society" (Leseverein), but was dissolved in 1960.
Although the building was still standing in 2004, it was being used for apartments and a beauty salon, the restruant and inn facilities were abandoned in the 1930s. The large Lion sign has been saved and adorns the staircase of the new and more modern community center "Zelg"
- The Old School House (c. 1739)
- The Vogel Hof
This was one of Beringen's oldest section. Houses were built together very tightly ( almost like row houses), with the roofs extending far outwards towards the front as protection against rain and sun, the entrances into the cellars were in the front side of the buildings, and wide stairways lead into the second floor of each house. Such a layout is called a "Hof" and Vogel was the name of one of the families living there. Coopers, furniture builders, and stonemasons were established here and resided in the Vogel Hof. The last survivors of the Vogel family in Beringen died in 1978.
- The Old Flour Mill
The Flour Mill is several hundred years old. It lies at the upper end of the village. Historically, it was first described in 1536; it belonged to the community as a whole and was leased back to some of the burghers every few years. Repairs and renovations took place in 1843 for the house, 1842 for the mill, and 1841 for the barn. The mill ceased operation decades ago, but the building is still used as a dwelling. Above the main door is the following engraved verse:
- The "Old" Post House
- Community House (Gemeindehaus Restaurant)
- The Eagle-House
Historical Timeline
965 AD - The first mentioning of Peringen known to be in existence, from the Oehninger Chronicles, though the document is considered to be a 12th Century forgery.1090 AD - Bartholdes de Berinin: witness in a trade involving Beringen.
1102-1112 AD - First mentioning of a Chono de Beringen in a Charter.
1150 AD - Lutfridus and Guntherrus de Beringen-witnesses in a legal dispute between St. Blasien and Allerheiligen involving Mount Staufen.
1568 AD - Beginning of ore excavation on the Laufenberg (Mount Laufen) until the year 1850. Note: blast furnace located at Jestetten, and 1614 near the Rhine Falls
Rhine Falls
The Rhine Falls is the largest plain waterfall in Europe.The falls are located on the Upper Rhine between the municipalities of Neuhausen am Rheinfall and Laufen-Uhwiesen, near the town of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland, between the cantons of Schaffhausen and Zürich. They are 150 m ...
.
1835 AD - Election of the first village of Town Council.
1863 AD - The Railway of the Archduke of Baden begins operating. The first locomotive ran on 12 December 1862 from Neuhausen to Waldshut.
1893 AD - Street lighting installed in Beringen.
1897 AD - Introduction of ballot boxes is approved by the Cantonal Chancellery of Schaufhausen.
1905 AD - The public street car system begins operations.
1950 AD - Ewald Rahm installs a private historical museum on the upper floor of Schlachthuesli (sort of a butchers building). The public water supply system is with the city of Neuhausen.
1962 AD - The Swiss Industrial Society (SIG Schweizerische Industrie Gesell-schaft) builds a factory for wrapping machinery in Beringen. Max Bircher, mechanical engineer, moves from Schauffhausen to Beringen into the new factor building.
1963 AD - Bachmann and Company, builders of cranes, opens a factory in Beringen.
1964 AD - A new public streetcar company (ASS) starts operation on 1 October, replacing the old system of 1905.
1965 AD - A 100th Anniversary celebration of Beringen.
1967 AD - Consecration of the Catholic Church at Shauffhausen-Street.
1969 AD - Consecration of the new municipal swimming pool
1976 AD - Dedication of the Village Center "Zelg" with new city offices, post office, Savings and Loan Bank, and Fire Department. Ewald Rahm donates his entire historical collection to the community and is given a room in the new village center.
1977 AD - First International Festival of Beringen.
1979 AD - Purchase of Nature Preserve "Faerberwiesli" by the village council.
1984 AD - Dedication of "Zimmerberg" multi-purpose center.
1990 AD - Decation of the new Co-op Center
Geography
Beringen has an area, , of 14.1 km² (5.4 sq mi). Of this area, 28.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 59.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 11.3% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.2%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).The municipality is located in the Schaffhausen district. It consists of the linear village
Linear village
In geography, a linear village, or linear settlement, is a small to medium-sized settlement that is formed around a transport route, such as a road, river, or canal. Wraysbury, a village in Berkshire, is one of the longest villages in England....
of Beringen on the south base of the Randen
Hagen (Randen)
The Hagen is the highest point of the Swiss canton of Schaffhausen.-References:* Swisstopo maps* to-urs.ch...
range in the upper Klettgau. Today it is mostly an industrial municipality.
Demographics
Beringen has a population of 3,375, of which 16.3% are foreign nationals. Of the foreign population, , 39.3% are from GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, 22.9% are from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 2.7% are from Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, 12.6% are from Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, 1.5% are from Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, 0.5% are from Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and 20.5% are from another country. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 11.2%. Most of the population speaks German (93.6%), with Italian being second most common ( 1.9%) and Serbo-Croatian being third ( 1.0%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 20.5% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 60.1% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 19.3%.
In the 2007 federal election
Swiss federal election, 2007
Elections to the Swiss Federal Assembly, the federal parliament of Switzerland, were held on Sunday, 21 October 2007. In a few cantons, a second round of the elections to the Council of States was held on 11 November, 18 November, and 25 November 2007...
the most popular party was the SVP
Swiss People's Party
The Swiss People's Party , also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre , is a conservative political party in Switzerland. Chaired by Toni Brunner, but spearheaded by Christoph Blocher, the party is the largest party in the Federal Assembly, with 58 members of the National Council and 6 of...
which received 38.6% of the vote. The next two most popular parties were the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(31.9%), and the FDP
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
(29.5%) .
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Beringen about 81.2% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either University or a Fachhochschule
Fachhochschule
A Fachhochschule or University of Applied Sciences is a German type of tertiary education institution, sometimes specialized in certain topical areas . Fachhochschulen were founded in Germany and later adopted by Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Greece...
). In Beringen, , 1.99% of the population is attending kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
or another pre-school, 7.43% are attending a Primary School, 3.59% attend a lower level Secondary School, and 2.84% attend a higher level Secondary School.
, 23.3% of the population belonged to the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and 58.1% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church
Swiss Reformed Church
The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zürich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basel , Bern , St...
.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1531 | 43 Households |
| 1771 | 702 |
| 1850 | 1,418 |
| 1900 | 1,208 |
| 1950 | 1,757 |
| 2000 | 3,027 |
| 2011 | 3,538 |
Industry
Beringen has an unemployment rate of 1.27%. , there were 37 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 13 businesses involved in this sector. 1,194 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 48 businesses in this sector. 540 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 105 businesses in this sector.the mid year average unemployment rate was 1.7%. There were 151 non-agrarian businesses in the municipality and 69% of the (non-agrarian) population was involved in the secondary sector of the economy while 31% were involved in the third. At the same time, 83.3% of the working population was employed full-time, and 16.7% was employed part-time. There were 2009 residents of the municipality were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 32.9% of the workforce. there were 426 residents who worked in the municipality, while 1109 residents worked outside Beringen and 1179 people commuted into the municipality for work.
, there are 6 restaurants, and 1 hotel with 51 beds. The hospitality industry in Beringen employs 32 people.