Oberägeri
Encyclopedia
Oberägeri, until 1798 simply known as Ägeri, is a municipality
in the canton
of Zug in Switzerland
.
The first church in the valley was built in 876. After 1100, the land belonged to the monastery on Einsiedeln
, and was influenced by the Battle of Morgarten
.
The Battle of Morgarten occurred on 15 November 1315 at Morgarten (now part of Oberägeri) and near neighboring Sattel
. It began when a Swiss Confederation force of 1,500 infantry archers ambushed a group of Austrian soldiers of the Holy Roman Empire
near the Morgarten Pass. The Swiss, led by Werner Stauffacher
, thoroughly defeated the Austrians, who were under the command of Duke Leopold I of Austria.
The Confederates prepared a road-block and an ambush at a point between Lake Aegeri and Morgarten pass where the small path led between the steep slope and a swamp. When about 1500 men attacked from above with rocks, logs and halberds, the knights had no room to defend themselves and suffered a crushing defeat, while the foot soldiers in the rear fled back to the city of Zug
. A chronicler described the Confederates, unfamiliar with the customs of battles between knights, as brutally butchering everything that moved and everyone unable to flee. This founded the reputation of the Confederates as barbaric, yet fierce and respectable fighters.
Within a month of the battle, in December 1315, the Confederates renewed the oath of alliance made in 1291, initiating the phase of growth of the Old Swiss Confederacy
.
Within forty years, cities including Lucerne
, Zug
, Zürich
and Bern had joined the confederation.
The victory of the Confederates left them in their virtual autonomy and gave them a breathing-space of some sixty years before the next Habsburg attack resulted in the Battle of Sempach
(1386).
The municipality came into existence in the 15th century. Around 1500, several chapels and the first government building were built in Oberägeri. In 1669 the municipality gained the right to elect its own priest. In 1726 the church was burgled. In 1766 the governments of Oberägeri and Unterägeri
(at the time known as Wilägeri) became involved in an open fight during local parliamentary sessions, and the two municipalities split in 1798.
In 1838 the city of Zurich
stopped collecting interests they had had a right to since medieval times. In the same year the first school building in the municipality was built. The second school was not built until 1956.
Water supplies were established in 1890 by a local pub landlord.
, and 2.07 km² (0.799231468286547 sq mi) or about 5.7% is marsh
or moorland
.
The municipality is located in the eastern pre-alpine, high valley on the northern shores of the Ägerisee at an elevation of about 724 m (2,375.3 ft). It consists of the village of Oberägeri and the hamlets
of Morgarten/Hauptsee and Alosen (at an elevation of 897 m (2,942.9 ft)) as well as scattered farm houses.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the CVP
which received 33% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP
(32.3%), the FDP
(18.1%) and the Green Party
(12%).
In Oberägeri about 76.9% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Oberägeri has an unemployment rate of 1.14%. , there were 251 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 90 businesses involved in this sector. 355 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 44 businesses in this sector. 1,049 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 198 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 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 Zug 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
Oberägeri is first mentioned in 1150 as Agregia. In 1538 it was mentioned as Ober Egere.The first church in the valley was built in 876. After 1100, the land belonged to the monastery on Einsiedeln
Einsiedeln Abbey
Einsiedeln Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the town of Einsiedeln in the Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. The abbey is dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, the title being derived from the circumstances of its foundation, from which the name Einsiedeln is also said to have originated...
, and was influenced by the Battle of Morgarten
Battle of Morgarten
The Battle of Morgarten occurred on November 15, 1315, when a Swiss Confederation force of 1,500 infantry archers ambushed a group of Austrian soldiers of the Holy Roman Empire near the Morgarten Pass...
.
The Battle of Morgarten occurred on 15 November 1315 at Morgarten (now part of Oberägeri) and near neighboring Sattel
Sattel, Switzerland
Sattel is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. Its name is the German word for saddle.-History:thumb|left|Battle of Morgarten Chapel...
. It began when a Swiss Confederation force of 1,500 infantry archers ambushed a group of Austrian soldiers of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
near the Morgarten Pass. The Swiss, led by Werner Stauffacher
Werner Stauffacher
Werner Stauffacher was supposedly the name of the representative of the canton of Schwyz, one of the three founding cantons at the legendary Rütlischwur of 1291, as told by Aegidius Tschudi....
, thoroughly defeated the Austrians, who were under the command of Duke Leopold I of Austria.
The Confederates prepared a road-block and an ambush at a point between Lake Aegeri and Morgarten pass where the small path led between the steep slope and a swamp. When about 1500 men attacked from above with rocks, logs and halberds, the knights had no room to defend themselves and suffered a crushing defeat, while the foot soldiers in the rear fled back to the city of Zug
Zug
Zug , is a German-speaking city in Switzerland. The name ‘Zug’ originates from fishing vocabulary; in the Middle Ages it referred to the right to ‘pull up’ fishing nets and hence to the right to fish.The city of Zug is located in the Canton of Zug and is its capital...
. A chronicler described the Confederates, unfamiliar with the customs of battles between knights, as brutally butchering everything that moved and everyone unable to flee. This founded the reputation of the Confederates as barbaric, yet fierce and respectable fighters.
Within a month of the battle, in December 1315, the Confederates renewed the oath of alliance made in 1291, initiating the phase of growth of the Old Swiss Confederacy
Growth of the Old Swiss Confederacy
The growth of the Old Swiss Confederacy began as an alliance between the communities of the valleys in the Central Alps to facilitate the management of common interests such as free trade and to ensure the peace along the important trade routes through the mountains...
.
Within forty years, cities including Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
, Zug
Zug
Zug , is a German-speaking city in Switzerland. The name ‘Zug’ originates from fishing vocabulary; in the Middle Ages it referred to the right to ‘pull up’ fishing nets and hence to the right to fish.The city of Zug is located in the Canton of Zug and is its capital...
, Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
and Bern had joined the confederation.
The victory of the Confederates left them in their virtual autonomy and gave them a breathing-space of some sixty years before the next Habsburg attack resulted in the Battle of Sempach
Battle of Sempach
An armistice was agreed upon on 12 October, followed by a peace agreement valid for one year, beginning on 14 January 1387.The battle was a severe blow to Austrian interests in the region, and allowed for the further growth of the Old Swiss Confederacy....
(1386).
The municipality came into existence in the 15th century. Around 1500, several chapels and the first government building were built in Oberägeri. In 1669 the municipality gained the right to elect its own priest. In 1726 the church was burgled. In 1766 the governments of Oberägeri and Unterägeri
Unterägeri
Unterägeri is a municipality in the canton of Zug in Switzerland.-History:Oberägeri is first mentioned in 1150 as Agregia. In 1538 it was mentioned as Ober Egere.The first church in the valley was built in 876...
(at the time known as Wilägeri) became involved in an open fight during local parliamentary sessions, and the two municipalities split in 1798.
In 1838 the city of Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
stopped collecting interests they had had a right to since medieval times. In the same year the first school building in the municipality was built. The second school was not built until 1956.
Water supplies were established in 1890 by a local pub landlord.
Geography
Oberägeri has an area, , of 36.2 km² (14 sq mi). Of this area, 0.3 km² (0.115830647577761 sq mi) or about 0.8% is occupied with buildings and 1.04 km² (0.401546244936236 sq mi) or about 2.9% is roads or transportation infrastructure. About a third or 12.24 km² (4.7 sq mi) is used for agriculture, while 0.71 km² (0.2741325326007 sq mi) or about 2.0% is used for small gardens. Forests or other wooded areas cover 13.53 km² (5.2 sq mi) or about 37.4% of the municipality. Of the rest, 6.33 km² (2.4 sq mi) or about 17.5% is covered with water, including the ÄgeriseeÄgerisee
Ägerisee is a glacial lake in the Canton of Zug, Switzerland. The two municipalities along its shore are Oberägeri and Unterägeri. The main tributary is the Hüribach; the Lorze river drains the Ägerisee...
, and 2.07 km² (0.799231468286547 sq mi) or about 5.7% is marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
or moorland
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
.
The municipality is located in the eastern pre-alpine, high valley on the northern shores of the Ägerisee at an elevation of about 724 m (2,375.3 ft). It consists of the village of Oberägeri and the hamlets
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Morgarten/Hauptsee and Alosen (at an elevation of 897 m (2,942.9 ft)) as well as scattered farm houses.
Demographics
Oberägeri has a population (as of ) of . , 19.7% of the population was made up of foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 14.1%. Most of the population speaks German (90.2%), with English being second most common ( 2.6%) and Dutch being third ( 1.1%).In the 2007 federal election
Swiss 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 CVP
Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland
The Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland is a Christian democratic political party in Switzerland. It is the fourth-largest party in the National Council, with 31 seats, and the largest in the Council of States, with 15 seats. It has one seat, that of Doris Leuthard, on the Swiss...
which received 33% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were 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...
(32.3%), 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....
(18.1%) 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:...
(12%).
In Oberägeri about 76.9% 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...
).
Oberägeri has an unemployment rate of 1.14%. , there were 251 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 90 businesses involved in this sector. 355 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 44 businesses in this sector. 1,049 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 198 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1660 | 789 |
| 1743 | 871 |
| 1798 | 1332 |
| 1850 | 1,807 |
| 1900 | 1,891 |
| 1950 | 2,453 |
| 2000 | 4,740 |
- population for the entire municipality of Ägeri 1660 (1'413); 1743 (1'519); 1798 (2'238).