Hofen, Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Hofen was a municipality
in the canton
of Schaffhausen in Switzerland
. On 1 January 2009 Hofen merged with Altdorf, SH
, Bibern, SH
, Opfertshofen
and Thayngen
to form the municipality of Thayngen.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Gules a Lion rampant Or langued of the first and armed Argent holding in dexter a Fleur-de-lis of the last.
The coat of arms comes from the mayor of Schaffhausen and resident of Hofen, Tobias Holländer (24 February 1636 - 1711). His family came from Holland (the origin of the last name) though he was born in Basel
. He became mayor in 1683 and on 18 January 1684 bought land in Hofen and built his manor house, the Holländer's house. Holländer was ambitious and a follower of King Louis XIV of France
and he created a personal army in the model of Louis' army. His coat of arms represented his origin and ambition. The lion represents the lion of the Dutch Republic
while the fleur-de-lis
represents Louis XIV. When he built barracks for his private army in Hofen, he decorated them with his personal coat of arms, which is still visible. His coat of arms became the village coat of arms.
The village is located in the Reiat district in the Biber valley. It is on the border with Baden-Württemberg
in Germany
, and half way between Opfertshofen
, Switzerland and Büsslingen, Germany, on the Swiss Hauptstrasse from Thayngen
to Büsslingen.
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 52.2% of the vote. The next two most popular parties were the SP
(25.4%), and the FDP
(22.5%).
The historical population is given in the following table:
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....
. On 1 January 2009 Hofen merged with Altdorf, SH
Altdorf, Schaffhausen
Altdorf was a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland. On 1 January 2009 Altdorf merged with Bibern, SH, Hofen, SH, Opfertshofen and Thayngen to form the municipality of Thayngen....
, Bibern, SH
Bibern, Schaffhausen
Bibern was a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland. On 1 January 2009 Bibern merged with Altdorf, SH, Hofen, SH, Opfertshofen and Thayngen to form the municipality of Thayngen....
, Opfertshofen
Opfertshofen
Opfertshofen was a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in the north of Switzerland. On 1 January 2009 Opfershofen merged with Altdorf, SH, Bibern, SH, Hofen, SH, and Thayngen to form the municipality of Thayngen....
and Thayngen
Thayngen
Thayngen is a village and a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland. On 1 January 2009 Altdorf, SH, Bibern, SH, Hofen, SH, Opfertshofen merged into Thayngen.-Geography:...
to form the municipality of Thayngen.
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 a Lion rampant Or langued of the first and armed Argent holding in dexter a Fleur-de-lis of the last.
The coat of arms comes from the mayor of Schaffhausen and resident of Hofen, Tobias Holländer (24 February 1636 - 1711). His family came from Holland (the origin of the last name) though he was born in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. He became mayor in 1683 and on 18 January 1684 bought land in Hofen and built his manor house, the Holländer's house. Holländer was ambitious and a follower of King Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
and he created a personal army in the model of Louis' army. His coat of arms represented his origin and ambition. The lion represents the lion of the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
while the fleur-de-lis
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
represents Louis XIV. When he built barracks for his private army in Hofen, he decorated them with his personal coat of arms, which is still visible. His coat of arms became the village coat of arms.
Geography
Hofen has an area, , of 1 km² (0.386102158592535 sq mi). Of this area, 73.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while 8.7% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 16.3% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (1.9%) is non-productive (rivers or lakes).The village is located in the Reiat district in the Biber valley. It is on the border with Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
in Germany
Germany
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...
, and half way between Opfertshofen
Opfertshofen
Opfertshofen was a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in the north of Switzerland. On 1 January 2009 Opfershofen merged with Altdorf, SH, Bibern, SH, Hofen, SH, and Thayngen to form the municipality of Thayngen....
, Switzerland and Büsslingen, Germany, on the Swiss Hauptstrasse from Thayngen
Thayngen
Thayngen is a village and a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland. On 1 January 2009 Altdorf, SH, Bibern, SH, Hofen, SH, Opfertshofen merged into Thayngen.-Geography:...
to Büsslingen.
Demographics
In the 2007 federal electionSwiss 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 52.2% 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....
(25.4%), 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....
(22.5%).
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1850 | 123 |
| 1900 | 126 |
| 1950 | 140 |
| 1980 | 108 |
| 2000 | 127 |