Talschaft
Encyclopedia
In Swiss politics and the history of the Old Swiss Confederacy
, a Talschaft is
the body of voting
population in a certain valley
(as it were English dale-ship).
The grouping of voters by valley rather than municipality
is a tradition harking back to before the establishment of the current administrative divisions with the foundation of Switzerland as a federal state
in 1848. A Talschaft will typically include voters of several municipalities. For example, the Talschaft of Lauterbrunnen Valley includes the voting population of the municipalities of Lauterbrunnen
, Wengen
, Mürren
, Stechelberg
, Gimmelwald
and Isenfluh
.
Similarly, the Talschaft of Hasli
consists of six miunicipalities, Gadmen
, Guttannen
, Hasliberg
, Innertkirchen
, Meiringen
and Schattenhalb
. In this case, the Talschaft is coterminous with the Bernese district
of Oberhasli.
Historically, Leute der Talschaft is the traditional German translation of the Latin term homines vallis in the Federal Charter of 1291
, literally "the people of the valley". Thus, the enumeration of the confererates,
is rendered as
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
, a Talschaft is
the body of voting
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
population in a certain valley
Valleys of the Alps
-Rhine basin :High Rhine*Aare**Limmat***Linth ****Lake Walen*****Seez****Klöntal****Sernftal**Reuss River***Lake Lucerne****Sarner Aa ****Muotathal***Schächen, Klausen Pass connects to Glarus...
(as it were English dale-ship).
The grouping of voters by valley rather than municipality
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...
is a tradition harking back to before the establishment of the current administrative divisions with the foundation of Switzerland as a federal state
Switzerland as a federal state
The rise of Switzerland as a federal state began on September 12, 1848, with the creation of a federal constitution, which was created in response to a 27-day civil war in Switzerland, the Sonderbundskrieg...
in 1848. A Talschaft will typically include voters of several municipalities. For example, the Talschaft of Lauterbrunnen Valley includes the voting population of the municipalities of Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.The municipality lies in the Lauterbrunnen Valley and comprises the villages Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren, Gimmelwald, Stechelberg and Isenfluh...
, Wengen
Wengen
Wengen may refer to:*Wengen, a village and winter resort in Switzerland*La Val, a commune in South Tyrol, Italy with the German name "Wengen"*in Germany:**Wengen , a village in the municipality of Nennslingen in Mittelfranken...
, Mürren
Mürren
Mürren is a traditional Walser mountain village in Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, at an elevation of 1,650 m above sea level and unreachable by public road....
, Stechelberg
Stechelberg
Stechelberg is a small village in the glacier carved Lauterbrunnen valley of the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland, sitting at the base of the Jungfrau mountain...
, Gimmelwald
Gimmelwald
Gimmelwald is a small village in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland, halfway up the mountain between Stechelberg and Mürren, at an elevation of 1363 meters...
and Isenfluh
Isenfluh
Isenfluh is a hamlet in Switzerland, north of the road from Wilderswil to Lauterbrunnen.In 1973, Isenfluh, together with Wengen, Muerren, Gimmelwald, Stechelberg and Lauterbrunnen, became part of the municipality of Lauterbrunnen....
.
Similarly, the Talschaft of Hasli
Oberhasli
Oberhasli may refer to:* Oberhasli, a historical region in the Bernese Oberland in the canton of Berne, Switzerland* Oberhasli District, a former district* Oberhasli , a breed of goat named after the Bernese district...
consists of six miunicipalities, Gadmen
Gadmen
Gadmen is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.The name Gadmen comes from the Old High German "gadum," meaning barn or small house, and was first mentioned in 1382....
, Guttannen
Guttannen
Guttannen is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.- Geography :Guttannen lies in the Bernese Oberland near Grimsel Pass. It is the highest settlement in the Haslital...
, Hasliberg
Hasliberg
Hasliberg is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-History:Hasliberg is first mentioned in 1358 as Hasle an dem berge. After 1834 it was known as Gem Hasleberg. Since 1923 the spelling has been Hasliberg.-Geography:Hasliberg has...
, Innertkirchen
Innertkirchen
Innertkirchen is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.Its coat of arms depicts an eagle wearing an imperial crown.-History:...
, Meiringen
Meiringen
-References:...
and Schattenhalb
Schattenhalb
Schattenhalb is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-History:The municipality was created in 1834 from the cooperative farms of "Willigen," "Geissholz," "Falchern" and "Lugen." The name Schattenhalb refers to the shady face of...
. In this case, the Talschaft is coterminous with the Bernese 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 Oberhasli.
Historically, Leute der Talschaft is the traditional German translation of the Latin term homines vallis in the Federal Charter of 1291
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...
, literally "the people of the valley". Thus, the enumeration of the confererates,
- homines vallis Uranie universitasque vallis de Switz ac communitas hominum Intramontanorum Vallis Inferioris
is rendered as
- "the people of the Talschaft UriCanton of UriUri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
, the entirety of the valley of SchwyzSchwyzThe town of is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.The Federal Charter of 1291 or Bundesbrief, the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the Bundesbriefmuseum.-History of the toponym:...
and the community of people of the Talschaft of UnterwaldenUnterwaldenUnterwalden is the old name of a forest-canton of the Old Swiss Confederacy in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne, consisting of two valleys or Talschaften, now organized as two half-cantons, an upper part, Obwalden, and a lower part, Nidwalden.Unterwalden was one of the three participants...
"