Gommiswald
Encyclopedia
Gommiswald is a municipality
in the Wahlkreis (constituency) of See-Gaster
in the canton
of St. Gallen in Switzerland
.
The municipality is located in the See-Gaster Wahlkreis on a high ridge between the Linth
valley and the Regelstein valley. It consists of the village of Gommiswald/Gauen and the hamlets
of Attenbach, Giegen, Ottenhofen, Ramendingen, Schubingen and Üetliburg. A merger between the municipalities of Rieden
, Ernetschwil
, and Gommiswald is being considered for 1 January 2013 into a new municipality with an as yet undetermined name.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Gules issuant from base a Hand Or with three fingers raised in blessing clad Sable with a Cross pattee Argent on cuff.
The hand displays the three fingers with which oaths are traditionally sworn in Switzerland. The original Rütlischwur
or founding oath of the Swiss Confederation is depicted with each of the three representatives of the three forest cantons
holding up the thumb and two fingers for the oath.
, 43 are from Italy
, 152 are from ex-Yugoslavia
, 15 are from Austria
, 21 are from Turkey
, and 49 are from another country. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 5.2%. Most of the population speaks German (92.1%), with Albanian being second most common ( 3.2%) and Italian being third ( 1.3%). Of the Swiss national languages , 2,425 speak German
, 11 people speak French
, 35 people speak Italian
, and 5 people speak Romansh.
The age distribution, , in Gommiswald is; 376 children or 14.3% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 358 teenagers or 13.6% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 291 people or 11.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 444 people or 16.9% are between 30 and 39, 395 people or 15.0% are between 40 and 49, and 294 people or 11.2% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 246 people or 9.3% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 163 people or 6.2% are between 70 and 79, there are 61 people or 2.3% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 6 people or 0.2% who are between 90 and 99.
there were 271 persons (or 10.3% of the population) who were living alone in a private dwelling. There were 614 (or 23.3%) persons who were part of a couple (married or otherwise committed) without children, and 1,523 (or 57.8%) who were part of a couple with children. There were 124 (or 4.7%) people who lived in single parent home, while there are 20 persons who were adult children living with one or both parents, 4 persons who lived in a household made up of relatives, 22 who lived household made up of unrelated persons,and 56 who are either institutionalized or live in another type of collective housing.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 46.5% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
(22.2%), the FDP
(10.1%) and the SP
(8.2%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Gommiswald about 70.6% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
). Out of the total population in Gommiswald, , the highest education level completed by 570 people (21.6% of the population) was Primary, while 952 (36.1%) have completed Secondary, 267 (10.1%) have attended a Tertiary school, and 94 (3.6%) are not in school. The remainder did not answer this question.
The historical population is given in the following table:
the average unemployment rate was 2.6%. There were 133 businesses in the municipality of which 26 were involved in the secondary sector of the economy while 73 were involved in the third.
there were 441 residents who worked in the municipality, while 881 residents worked outside Gommiswald and 294 people commuted into the municipality for work.
. Of the rest of the population, there are 25 individuals (or about 0.95% of the population) who belong to the Orthodox Church, and there are 31 individuals (or about 1.18% of the population) who belong to another Christian church. There are 2 individuals (or about 0.08% of the population) who are Jewish
, and 80 (or about 3.04% of the population) who are Islam
ic. There are 4 individuals (or about 0.15% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), 184 (or about 6.99% of the population) belong to no church, are agnostic
or atheist
, and 112 individuals (or about 4.25% of the population) did not answer the question.
.
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 Wahlkreis (constituency) of See-Gaster
See-Gaster (Wahlkreis)
See-Gaster is a constituency in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The Wahlkreis has been established on June 10, 2001 with an area of .It was formed from See District and Gaster District.-Demographics:...
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 St. Gallen 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....
.
History
Gommiswald is first mentioned in 1178 as Göycheim though this comes from a 16th Century copy of the original. In 1440 it was mentioned as Göchams gewalt. The current village of Gommiswald was known as Gauen until the 18th Century, when both Gauen and Gommiswald were used interchangeably. In 1913 the cantonal government directed that the name of Gommiswald would be the official name.Geography
Gommiswald has an area, , of 11.9 km² (4.6 sq mi). Of this area, 42.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while 49.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 8.4% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.2%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).The municipality is located in the See-Gaster Wahlkreis on a high ridge between the Linth
Linth
The Linth is a Swiss river starting above Linthal the mountains of Glarus near the Klausen Pass and flowing from there north through the Glarus valley passing Schwanden, where it is joined by its main tributary Sernft, Ennenda, the town of Glarus, Netstal, and Näfels, from where it is channeled to...
valley and the Regelstein valley. It consists of the village of Gommiswald/Gauen and the hamlets
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Attenbach, Giegen, Ottenhofen, Ramendingen, Schubingen and Üetliburg. A merger between the municipalities of Rieden
Rieden
Rieden is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.-Geography:Rieden has an area, , of . Of this area, 39.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 56.4% is forested...
, Ernetschwil
Ernetschwil
Ernetschwil is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.-Geography:Ernetschwil has an area, , of . Of this area, 67.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while 20.2% is forested...
, and Gommiswald is being considered for 1 January 2013 into a new municipality with an as yet undetermined name.
Coat of arms
The blazonBlazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
of the municipal coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is Gules issuant from base a Hand Or with three fingers raised in blessing clad Sable with a Cross pattee Argent on cuff.
The hand displays the three fingers with which oaths are traditionally sworn in Switzerland. The original Rütlischwur
Rütlischwur
The Rütlischwur is a legendary oath of the Old Swiss Confederacy, taken on the Rütli, a meadow above Lake Lucerne near Seelisberg. The oath is notably featured in the Wilhelm Tell drama of 1804 by Friedrich Schiller.-Early accounts:...
or founding oath of the Swiss Confederation is depicted with each of the three representatives of the three forest cantons
Federal Charter of 1291
The Federal Charter or Letter of Alliance documents the Eternal Alliance or League Of The Three Forest Cantons , the union of three cantons in what is now central Switzerland. It is dated in early August, 1291 and initiates the current August 1 national Swiss holiday. This agreement cites a...
holding up the thumb and two fingers for the oath.
Demographics
Gommiswald has a population (as of ) of . , about 13.6% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Of the foreign population, , 50 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...
, 43 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...
, 152 are from ex-Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, 15 are from Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, 21 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 49 are from another country. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 5.2%. Most of the population speaks German (92.1%), with Albanian being second most common ( 3.2%) and Italian being third ( 1.3%). Of the Swiss national languages , 2,425 speak German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, 11 people speak French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, 35 people speak Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, and 5 people speak Romansh.
The age distribution, , in Gommiswald is; 376 children or 14.3% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 358 teenagers or 13.6% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 291 people or 11.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 444 people or 16.9% are between 30 and 39, 395 people or 15.0% are between 40 and 49, and 294 people or 11.2% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 246 people or 9.3% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 163 people or 6.2% are between 70 and 79, there are 61 people or 2.3% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 6 people or 0.2% who are between 90 and 99.
there were 271 persons (or 10.3% of the population) who were living alone in a private dwelling. There were 614 (or 23.3%) persons who were part of a couple (married or otherwise committed) without children, and 1,523 (or 57.8%) who were part of a couple with children. There were 124 (or 4.7%) people who lived in single parent home, while there are 20 persons who were adult children living with one or both parents, 4 persons who lived in a household made up of relatives, 22 who lived household made up of unrelated persons,and 56 who are either institutionalized or live in another type of collective housing.
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 46.5% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
(22.2%), 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....
(10.1%) and the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(8.2%).
The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Gommiswald about 70.6% 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...
). Out of the total population in Gommiswald, , the highest education level completed by 570 people (21.6% of the population) was Primary, while 952 (36.1%) have completed Secondary, 267 (10.1%) have attended a Tertiary school, and 94 (3.6%) are not in school. The remainder did not answer this question.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1850 | 1,092 |
| 1900 | 1,010 |
| 1950 | 1,187 |
| 2000 | 2,637 |
Economy
, Gommiswald had an unemployment rate of 1.27%. , there were 87 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 37 businesses involved in this sector. 322 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 27 businesses in this sector. 365 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 79 businesses in this sector.the average unemployment rate was 2.6%. There were 133 businesses in the municipality of which 26 were involved in the secondary sector of the economy while 73 were involved in the third.
there were 441 residents who worked in the municipality, while 881 residents worked outside Gommiswald and 294 people commuted into the municipality for work.
Religion
From the , 1,711 or 65.0% are Roman Catholic, while 485 or 18.4% belonged to the Swiss Reformed ChurchSwiss 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...
. Of the rest of the population, there are 25 individuals (or about 0.95% of the population) who belong to the Orthodox Church, and there are 31 individuals (or about 1.18% of the population) who belong to another Christian church. There are 2 individuals (or about 0.08% of the population) who are Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, and 80 (or about 3.04% of the population) who are Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic. There are 4 individuals (or about 0.15% of the population) who belong to another church (not listed on the census), 184 (or about 6.99% of the population) belong to no church, are agnostic
Agnosticism
Agnosticism is the view that the truth value of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, but also other religious and metaphysical claims—is unknown or unknowable....
or atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
, and 112 individuals (or about 4.25% of the population) did not answer the question.
Sights
The Uetliburg/Berg Sion near the village of Gommiswald is designated as part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage SitesInventory of Swiss Heritage Sites
The Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites is part of a 1981 Ordinance of the Swiss Federal Council implementing the Federal Law on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage.-Sites of national importance:-Types:...
.