Reitnau
Encyclopedia
Reitnau is a municipality
in the district of Zofingen
in the canton
of Aargau
in Switzerland
.
of Lenzburg, though in 1045 it and the village church were granted to the convent
in Schänis
. The property was administered by a representative of the convent. Following the conquest of the Aargau in 1415, the village belonged to Bern and was part of the bailiwick
of Lenzburg. However, the low court
for Reitnau continued to be held in Schänis. It remained part of Bern until 1798 and in 1803 became a municipality in the new canton of Aargau. In 1873 the municipality opened its first schoolhouse, and in 1905, it received a district school.
The church's administration was transferred in 1807 from the convent in Schänis into private hands, and was taken over in 1850 by the District. A church existed in the village before 900, though the present building dates from about 1522.
Until the 19th Century the village was dominated by agriculture. In the 18th Century home cloth weaving brought another source of income. Between 1900-33 there was a Bally Shoe
factory. Around 1990 it became part of the agglomeration
s of Zofingen
and Aarau
. In 2005, the manufacturing sector provided 35% of the jobs, while the services sector provided 41%.
Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 7.6% and transportation infrastructure made up 3.1%. Out of the forested land, 33.7% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.1% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 32.7% is used for growing crops and 15.0% is pastures, while 4.1% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is flowing water.
The municipality is located in the Zofingen district, on the western edge of the Suhre
river valley. Its southern border is shared with the Canton of Lucerne
. It consists of the village of Reitnau.
of the municipal coat of arms
is Azure a Heron Argent beaked and membered Gules stantant on Coupeaux Vert. This may be an example of canting
with the heron
representing the municipality's name."
(93.9%), with Albanian
being second most common ( 1.5%) and Italian
being third ( 0.5%).
The age distribution, , in Reitnau is; 150 children or 12.7% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 164 teenagers or 13.8% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 142 people or 12.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 154 people or 13.0% are between 30 and 39, 227 people or 19.2% are between 40 and 49, and 129 people or 10.9% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 101 people or 8.5% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 78 people or 6.6% are between 70 and 79, there are 34 people or 2.9% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 6 people or 0.5% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.57 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.57 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 58.6% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage
or a rent-to-own agreement).
, there were 33 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 164 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 192 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. , there were 431 private households (homes and apartments) in the municipality, and an average of 2.6 persons per household. there were 180 single family homes (or 39.4% of the total) out of a total of 457 homes and apartments. There were a total of 0 empty apartments for a 0.0% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 0.9 new units per 1000 residents.
In the 2007 federal election
the most popular party was the SVP
which received 43.9% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the EVP Party
(16.75%), the Green Party
(11.68%) and the SP
(9.69%). In the federal election, a total of 421 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
was 49.0%.
The historical population is given in the following table:
there were 585 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 428 or about 73.2% of the residents worked outside Reitnau while 133 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 290 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 6.4% used public transportation to get to work, and 58.9% used a private car.
. Of the rest of the population, there was 1 individual who belonged to the Christian Catholic
faith.
). Of the school age population , there are 134 students attending primary school, there are 62 students attending secondary school in the 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...
in the district of Zofingen
Zofingen (district)
Zofingen District is a district in the Swiss canton of Aargau. It is located in the southwest corner of the Canton. The seat is Zofingen. The largest municipality in population is Oftringen, the smallest is Wiliberg. It has a population of ....
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 Aargau
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
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
Reitnau is first mentioned in 1045 as Reitinouwa. The village was originally owned by the CountCount
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of Lenzburg, though in 1045 it and the village church were granted to the convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
in Schänis
Schänis
Schänis is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.-History:Schänis is first mentioned in 972 as Schennines. Until 1798 it was the capital of the Herrschaft of Gaster and until 1831 it was the capital of the District.-Geography:Schänis has an area,...
. The property was administered by a representative of the convent. Following the conquest of the Aargau in 1415, the village belonged to Bern and was part of the bailiwick
Bailiwick
A bailiwick is usually the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff, and may also apply to a territory in which the sheriff's functions were exercised by a privately appointed bailiff under a royal or imperial writ. The word is now more generally used in a metaphorical sense, to indicate a sphere of...
of Lenzburg. However, the low court
High, middle and low justice
High, middle and low justices are notions dating from Western feudalism to indicate descending degrees of judiciary power to administer justice by the maximal punishment the holders could inflict upon their subjects and other dependents....
for Reitnau continued to be held in Schänis. It remained part of Bern until 1798 and in 1803 became a municipality in the new canton of Aargau. In 1873 the municipality opened its first schoolhouse, and in 1905, it received a district school.
The church's administration was transferred in 1807 from the convent in Schänis into private hands, and was taken over in 1850 by the District. A church existed in the village before 900, though the present building dates from about 1522.
Until the 19th Century the village was dominated by agriculture. In the 18th Century home cloth weaving brought another source of income. Between 1900-33 there was a Bally Shoe
Bally Shoe
The Bally Shoe company was founded as "Bally & Co" high fashion in 1851 by Carl Franz Bally and his brother Fritz in the basement of their family home in Schönenwerd in the Canton of Solothurn, Switzerland.-Business:...
factory. Around 1990 it became part of the agglomeration
Agglomeration
In the study of human settlements, an urban agglomeration is an extended city or town area comprising the built-up area of a central place and any suburbs linked by continuous urban area. In France, INSEE the French Statistical Institute, translate it as "Unité urbaine" which means continuous...
s of Zofingen
Zofingen
Zofingen is a city in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. It is the capital of the district of Zofingen. Zofingen is a walled city and home of an ancient monastic settlement.-Geography:...
and Aarau
Aarau
Aarau is the capital of the northern Swiss canton of Aargau. The city is also the capital of the district of Aarau. It is German-speaking and predominantly Protestant. Aarau is situated on the Swiss plateau, in the valley of the Aar, on the river's right bank, and at the southern foot of the Jura...
. In 2005, the manufacturing sector provided 35% of the jobs, while the services sector provided 41%.
Geography
Reitnau has an area, , of 5.81 square kilometres (2.2 sq mi). Of this area, 3.01 km² (1.2 sq mi) or 51.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 2.08 km² (0.803092489872473 sq mi) or 35.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 0.68 km² (0.262549467842924 sq mi) or 11.7% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.02 km² (4.9 acre) or 0.3% is either rivers or lakes.Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 7.6% and transportation infrastructure made up 3.1%. Out of the forested land, 33.7% of the total land area is heavily forested and 2.1% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees. Of the agricultural land, 32.7% is used for growing crops and 15.0% is pastures, while 4.1% is used for orchards or vine crops. All the water in the municipality is flowing water.
The municipality is located in the Zofingen district, on the western edge of the Suhre
Suhre
The river Suhre is a 34 kilometer long tributary of the river Aare in the Swiss cantons of Lucerne and Aargau. The river sources in Lake Sempach at an altitude of 504 meters above sea level, and joins the Aare east of the town Aarau at an altitude of 362 meters...
river valley. Its southern border is shared with the Canton of Lucerne
Canton of Lucerne
Lucerne is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population of the canton is . , the population included 57,268 foreigners, or about 15.8% of the total population. The cantonal capital is Lucerne.-History:...
. It consists of the village of Reitnau.
Coat of arms
The blazonBlazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
of the municipal coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is Azure a Heron Argent beaked and membered Gules stantant on Coupeaux Vert. This may be an example of canting
Canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name in a visual pun or rebus. The term cant came into the English language from Anglo-Norman cant, meaning song or singing, from Latin cantāre, and English cognates include canticle, chant, accent, incantation and recant.Canting arms –...
with the heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
representing the municipality's name."
Demographics
Reitnau has a population of , 7.0% of the population are foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (1997–2007) the population has changed at a rate of 3%. Most of the population speaks GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
(93.9%), with Albanian
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
being second most common ( 1.5%) and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
being third ( 0.5%).
The age distribution, , in Reitnau is; 150 children or 12.7% of the population are between 0 and 9 years old and 164 teenagers or 13.8% are between 10 and 19. Of the adult population, 142 people or 12.0% of the population are between 20 and 29 years old. 154 people or 13.0% are between 30 and 39, 227 people or 19.2% are between 40 and 49, and 129 people or 10.9% are between 50 and 59. The senior population distribution is 101 people or 8.5% of the population are between 60 and 69 years old, 78 people or 6.6% are between 70 and 79, there are 34 people or 2.9% who are between 80 and 89,and there are 6 people or 0.5% who are 90 and older.
the average number of residents per living room was 0.57 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.57 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m² (43.1 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics. About 58.6% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
or a rent-to-own agreement).
, there were 33 homes with 1 or 2 persons in the household, 164 homes with 3 or 4 persons in the household, and 192 homes with 5 or more persons in the household. , there were 431 private households (homes and apartments) in the municipality, and an average of 2.6 persons per household. there were 180 single family homes (or 39.4% of the total) out of a total of 457 homes and apartments. There were a total of 0 empty apartments for a 0.0% vacancy rate. , the construction rate of new housing units was 0.9 new units per 1000 residents.
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 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 43.9% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the EVP Party
Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland
The Evangelical People's Party of Switzerland is a political party in Switzerland.In questions of redistribution, education, environmentalism, immigration policy, the EVP stands rather center-left. In questions of euthanasia, abortion, and registered partnership and other typically Christian...
(16.75%), 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:...
(11.68%) and the SP
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
(9.69%). In the federal election, a total of 421 votes were cast, and the voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was 49.0%.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1764 | 461 |
| 1850 | 1,082 |
| 1900 | 812 |
| 1950 | 915 |
| 1990 | 904 |
| 2000 | 1,143 |
Economy
, Reitnau had an unemployment rate of 1.43%. , there were 84 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 31 businesses involved in this sector. 125 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 17 businesses in this sector. 144 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 32 businesses in this sector.there were 585 workers who lived in the municipality. Of these, 428 or about 73.2% of the residents worked outside Reitnau while 133 people commuted into the municipality for work. There were a total of 290 jobs (of at least 6 hours per week) in the municipality. Of the working population, 6.4% used public transportation to get to work, and 58.9% used a private car.
Religion
From the , 196 or 17.1% were Roman Catholic, while 830 or 72.6% belonged to the Swiss Reformed ChurchSwiss 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...
. Of the rest of the population, there was 1 individual who belonged to the Christian Catholic
Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland
The Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland is the Swiss member church of the Union of Utrecht, also known as Old Catholic Church, originally founded by the jansenists, with a later influx of discontented Catholics following their disappointment with the First Vatican Council. It has 14,000...
faith.
Education
In Reitnau about 72.3% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a FachhochschuleFachhochschule
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...
). Of the school age population , there are 134 students attending primary school, there are 62 students attending secondary school in the municipality.