Hermiswil
Encyclopedia
Hermiswil is a municipality
in the Oberaargau administrative district in the canton
of Bern in Switzerland
.
During the 13th and 14th Centuries, the Hermiswil area had been granted by the Kyburg
family to the vom Stein family. In 1466 the city of Solothurn
inherited all the vom Stein holdings, which included Hermiswil. Following the Wyniger Vertrag, of 1665, the village was given to Bern. It was placed under the authority for low justice from Bollodingen
and administered by the Landvogtei
of Wangen
. The Roman Catholic citizens of Hermiswil were placed under the guidance of the Reformed
parish
of Herzogenbuchsee
.
While the village is located along two transportation routes (the road from Bern into the Aargau, and since 1857 the rail line from Olten
to Bern) it has remained a small farming community.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 3.0% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.7%. 32.6% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.2% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 18.3% is used for growing crops and 40.7% is pastures, while 2.1% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
The village of Hermiswil is located in the Önz valley.
In the 2007 election the most popular party was the SVP
which received 41.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the local small left-wing parties (17.9%), the SPS
(13.7%) and the Green Party
(10.1%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 23.8% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 63.4% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 12.9%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Hermiswil about 82.5% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Hermiswil has an unemployment rate of 0.94%. , there were 14 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 5 businesses involved in this sector. 2 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 1 business in this sector. 20 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 4 businesses in this sector.
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 Oberaargau administrative district 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 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
Hermiswil is first mentioned in 1289 as Hermanswile.During the 13th and 14th Centuries, the Hermiswil area had been granted by the Kyburg
Kyburg (castle)
Kyburg Castle is a castle in the municipality of Kyburg of the Canton of Zurich in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance.-History:...
family to the vom Stein family. In 1466 the city of Solothurn
Solothurn
The city of Solothurn is the capital of the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. The city also comprises the only municipality of the district of the same name.-Pre-roman settlement:...
inherited all the vom Stein holdings, which included Hermiswil. Following the Wyniger Vertrag, of 1665, the village was given to Bern. It was placed under the authority for low justice from Bollodingen
Bollodingen
Bollodingen is a former municipality in the Oberaargau administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. On 1 January 2011 it was merged with the municipality of Bettenhausen.-Geography:...
and administered by the Landvogtei
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
of Wangen
Wangen an der Aare
Wangen an der Aare is a municipality in the Oberaargau administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.This small town lies between Olten and Solothurn in rural surroundings on the Aare, a major river of the west-central lowland region of Switzerland, the Mittelland. An ancient wooden...
. The Roman Catholic citizens of Hermiswil were placed under the guidance of the Reformed
Swiss 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...
parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Herzogenbuchsee
Herzogenbuchsee
Herzogenbuchsee is a municipality in the Oberaargau administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.The population is 6,646 , counting the villages in the Oberaargau. The traditional name was Buchsi.- History :...
.
While the village is located along two transportation routes (the road from Bern into the Aargau, and since 1857 the rail line from Olten
Olten
Olten is a town in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland and capital of the district of the same name.Olten's railway station is within 30 minutes of Zurich, Bern, Basel, and Lucerne by train, and is a rail hub of Switzerland.-History:...
to Bern) it has remained a small farming community.
Geography
Heimiswil has an area, , of 23.35 km² (9 sq mi). Of this area, 14.27 km² (5.5 sq mi) or 61.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while 7.88 km² (3 sq mi) or 33.7% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 1.18 km² (0.455600547139191 sq mi) or 5.1% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.04 km² (9.9 acre) or 0.2% is either rivers or lakes.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 3.0% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.7%. 32.6% of the total land area is heavily forested and 1.2% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 18.3% is used for growing crops and 40.7% is pastures, while 2.1% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.
The village of Hermiswil is located in the Önz valley.
Demographics
Hermiswil has a population (as of ) of . , 3.2% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has decreased at a rate of -8.7%. Most of the population speaks German (99.0%), with other 1% speaking Rhaeto-romance.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 41.1% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the local small left-wing parties (17.9%), the SPS
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(13.7%) and the Green Party
Green Party of Switzerland
The Green Party of Switzerland is the fifth-largest party in the National Council of Switzerland, and the largest party that is not represented on the Federal Council.-History:...
(10.1%).
The age distribution of the population is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 23.8% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 63.4% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 12.9%. The entire Swiss population is generally well educated. In Hermiswil about 82.5% 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...
).
Hermiswil has an unemployment rate of 0.94%. , there were 14 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 5 businesses involved in this sector. 2 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 1 business in this sector. 20 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 4 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1764 | 74 |
| 1850 | 155 |
| 1900 | 112 |
| 1950 | 101 |
| 2000 | 101 |