Sumiswald
Encyclopedia
Sumiswald is a municipality
in the district
of the Emmental administrative district
in the canton
of Bern, Switzerland
.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 2.7% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.7%. 43.4% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.9% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 11.3% is used for growing crops and 25.0% is pastures and 10.9% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
Sumiswald consists of three localities (Sumiswald, Grünen and Wasen) in the lower Emmental
. It is one of the largest municipalities in the canton with an area of 5933 ha. The town has a population of around 5,000.
term summa vallis ("bank over the valley") or the designation "Zum Oswald" ("to Oswald"), because in the Middle Ages
there was a chapel in Sumiswald dedicated to Oswald of Northumbria
.
From 1225, Sumiswald was a commandery of the Teutonic Knights
of the "Ballei" Swabia-Alsace-Burgundy. In 1525, the town bought its way out of serfdom
, but stayed a part of the Teutonic Knights even after the Protestant Reformation
was introduced in 1528; Sumiswald was sold to the city of Bern for 36,000 Reichs thaler
in 1698.
Hans Haslibacher, who was decapitated
on October 20, 1571 in Bern because of his Anabaptist
conviction came from Sumiswald; his decapitation was the last execution of an Anabaptist in Bern.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
which received 45.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the FDP
(13.4%), the SPS
(12.6%) and the local small left-wing parties (10.6%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 26.2% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 55.5% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 18.3%. In Sumiswald about 68.4% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
windows of the church Mariekirche depict benefactors with their patron saint
s.
The old Teutonic Knight castle is somewhat outside of Sumiswald. It was endowed in 1225 with the condition that a hospital be housed in it, therefore the castle's name is Spittel.
It is said that all the men in Sumiswald could have taken a seat at the large table in the inn "Bären" after the plague
in 1434.
manufacturer Mobatime can be found in Sumiswald.
Sumiswald has an unemployment rate of 1.02%. , there were 599 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 206 businesses involved in this sector. 1222 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 84 businesses in this sector. 1162 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 146 businesses in this sector.
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 district
Districts of Switzerland
In contrast to centrally organised states, in the federally constituted Switzerland each canton iscompletely free to decide its own internal organisation. Therefore there exists a variety of structures and terminology for the subnational entities between canton and municipality, loosely termed...
of the Emmental administrative district
Emmental (administrative district)
Emmental District in the Canton of Bern was created on 1 January 2010. It is part of the Emmental-Oberaargau administrative region. It contains 42 municipalities with an area of and a population of 93,082....
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 Bern, 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....
.
Geography
Sumiswald has an area, , of 59.34 km² (22.9 sq mi). Of this area, 28.44 km² (11 sq mi) or 47.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 27.45 km² (10.6 sq mi) or 46.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 3.05 km² (1.2 sq mi) or 5.1% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.38 km² (0.146718820265163 sq mi) or 0.6% is either rivers or lakes and 0.06 km² (14.8 acre) or 0.1% is unproductive land.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 2.7% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.7%. 43.4% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.9% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 11.3% is used for growing crops and 25.0% is pastures and 10.9% is used for alpine pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
Sumiswald consists of three localities (Sumiswald, Grünen and Wasen) in the lower Emmental
Emmental
For the cheese made in the region, see Emmental .The Emmental is a region in west central Switzerland, forming part of the canton of Bern. It is a hilly landscape comprising the basins of the Emme and Ilfis rivers. The region is mostly devoted to farming, particularly dairy farming...
. It is one of the largest municipalities in the canton with an area of 5933 ha. The town has a population of around 5,000.
History
The name Sumiswald is first mentioned in 1130. The name either comes from the Germanic settler "Suomolt", the LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
term summa vallis ("bank over the valley") or the designation "Zum Oswald" ("to Oswald"), because in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
there was a chapel in Sumiswald dedicated to Oswald of Northumbria
Oswald of Northumbria
Oswald was King of Northumbria from 634 until his death, and is now venerated as a Christian saint.Oswald was the son of Æthelfrith of Bernicia and came to rule after spending a period in exile; after defeating the British ruler Cadwallon ap Cadfan, Oswald brought the two Northumbrian kingdoms of...
.
From 1225, Sumiswald was a commandery of the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
of the "Ballei" Swabia-Alsace-Burgundy. In 1525, the town bought its way out of serfdom
Serfdom
Serfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
, but stayed a part of the Teutonic Knights even after the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
was introduced in 1528; Sumiswald was sold to the city of Bern for 36,000 Reichs thaler
Thaler
The Thaler was a silver coin used throughout Europe for almost four hundred years. Its name lives on in various currencies as the dollar or tolar. Etymologically, "Thaler" is an abbreviation of "Joachimsthaler", a coin type from the city of Joachimsthal in Bohemia, where some of the first such...
in 1698.
Hans Haslibacher, who was decapitated
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
on October 20, 1571 in Bern because of his Anabaptist
Anabaptist
Anabaptists are Protestant Christians of the Radical Reformation of 16th-century Europe, and their direct descendants, particularly the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites....
conviction came from Sumiswald; his decapitation was the last execution of an Anabaptist in Bern.
Demographics
Sumiswald has a population (as of ) of . , 6.3% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -6.4%. Most of the population speaks German (94.0%), with Albanian being second most common ( 1.4%) and Serbo-Croatian being third ( 0.9%).In the 2007 election 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 45.6% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were 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....
(13.4%), the SPS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(12.6%) and the local small left-wing parties (10.6%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 26.2% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 55.5% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 18.3%. In Sumiswald about 68.4% 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...
).
Attractions
The glassGlass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
windows of the church Mariekirche depict benefactors with their patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
s.
The old Teutonic Knight castle is somewhat outside of Sumiswald. It was endowed in 1225 with the condition that a hospital be housed in it, therefore the castle's name is Spittel.
It is said that all the men in Sumiswald could have taken a seat at the large table in the inn "Bären" after the plague
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
in 1434.
Economy
The clockClock
A clock is an instrument used to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time. The word clock is derived ultimately from the Celtic words clagan and clocca meaning "bell". A silent instrument missing such a mechanism has traditionally been known as a timepiece...
manufacturer Mobatime can be found in Sumiswald.
Sumiswald has an unemployment rate of 1.02%. , there were 599 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 206 businesses involved in this sector. 1222 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 84 businesses in this sector. 1162 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 146 businesses in this sector.