Bäuert
Encyclopedia
In some areas of Switzerland
(Berner Oberland or Graubünden
) a Bäuert is a small farming community. It is a type of agricultural cooperative with shared equipment and land. For a time the Bäuert was the lowest level of government in some regions of Switzerland. They may also have been known as pürt, peürth, geburden, pursame or similar.
Starting around the 14th Century the members (bürtlüt) of small farming communities met together to make decisions on the use of their common lands, forests and alps. They discussed when animals would be moved to higher or lower pastures (see Transhumance in the Alps
), wood usage, and road and bridge construction. With all decisions being made according to the majority in a vote. The community also appointed custodians (bürtvogt) and punished infractions. Membership was limited to those who lived in the community. Immigrants had to buy their way into the Bäuert and members who left the community lost their membership.
In the 16th Century, the rights were limited somewhat. Each member was only allowed to have as many cattle in the summer pasture as they could support over the winter. Also, each household was only allowed to have a single vote or Bäuert right.
Large church parishes
included a number of separate Bäuert. For example, in 1800 the Frutigen
parish included 15 Bäuert.
In the 19th Century, municipalities
rose as the lowest level of Swiss government. The municipalities did not arise from the Bäuert, however, in some regions they survived as subdivisions of municipalities. In these areas, the Bäuert still provided some of the services in rural areas (such as public education) which the municipality couldn't.
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....
(Berner Oberland or Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
) a Bäuert is a small farming community. It is a type of agricultural cooperative with shared equipment and land. For a time the Bäuert was the lowest level of government in some regions of Switzerland. They may also have been known as pürt, peürth, geburden, pursame or similar.
Starting around the 14th Century the members (bürtlüt) of small farming communities met together to make decisions on the use of their common lands, forests and alps. They discussed when animals would be moved to higher or lower pastures (see Transhumance in the Alps
Transhumance in the Alps
Transhumance in the Alps, or seasonal migration between valley and high pastures is a traditional practice that has shaped much of the landscape in the Alps, as without it, most areas below 2000 m would be forests.While tourism and industry contribute today much to Alpine economy, seasonal...
), wood usage, and road and bridge construction. With all decisions being made according to the majority in a vote. The community also appointed custodians (bürtvogt) and punished infractions. Membership was limited to those who lived in the community. Immigrants had to buy their way into the Bäuert and members who left the community lost their membership.
In the 16th Century, the rights were limited somewhat. Each member was only allowed to have as many cattle in the summer pasture as they could support over the winter. Also, each household was only allowed to have a single vote or Bäuert right.
Large church parishes
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
included a number of separate Bäuert. For example, in 1800 the Frutigen
Frutigen
Frutigen is a municipality in the Bernese Oberland in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is the capital of the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district.-History:...
parish included 15 Bäuert.
In the 19th Century, municipalities
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...
rose as the lowest level of Swiss government. The municipalities did not arise from the Bäuert, however, in some regions they survived as subdivisions of municipalities. In these areas, the Bäuert still provided some of the services in rural areas (such as public education) which the municipality couldn't.