Schellenberg
Encyclopedia
Schellenberg is a municipality in the lowland area of Liechtenstein
, on the banks of the Rhine. , it has a population of 952 and covers an area of 3.5 km² (1.4 sq mi).
conquered the area in 15 BC, and made it part of the province of Rhaetia. The Province later became a county (countship) under Charlemagne
. The county was repeatedly divided among heirs.
The Lordship of Schellenberg was purchased by the Counts of Vaduz
in 1437 and the two states have been united in fact ever since. After the Swabian War
in 1499, both came under Austria
n suzerainty. Different dynasties of counts bought and sold them, until their purchase in the early 18th century by the Liechtenstein dynasty, which had been granted princely status in 1706, but which needed to acquire a territory with imperial immediacy in order to vote in the Diet of the Princes of the Empire. The emperor formally united Vaduz and Schellenberg in 1719 as the Principality of Liechtenstein.
at the border town of Hinterschellenberg
that commemorates the asylum given to Russian soldiers. At the close of World War II, Liechtenstein granted asylum to approximately five hundred soldiers of the First Russian National Army, a collaborationist Russian force within the German Wehrmacht
. This act was no small matter as the country was poor and had difficulty feeding and caring for such a large group of refugees. Eventually, Argentina
agreed to resettle the asylum seekers permanently. In contrast, the British repatriated the Russians who fought on the German side to the USSR
.
, manned by Austrian, Swiss border guards.
Liechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
, on the banks of the Rhine. , it has a population of 952 and covers an area of 3.5 km² (1.4 sq mi).
Early history
The area was first settled by Celts, then by Rhaetians. RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
conquered the area in 15 BC, and made it part of the province of Rhaetia. The Province later became a county (countship) under Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
. The county was repeatedly divided among heirs.
The Lordship of Schellenberg was purchased by the Counts of Vaduz
Vaduz
Vaduz is the capital of the principality of Liechtenstein and the seat of the national parliament. The town, located along the Rhine, has about 5,100 inhabitants , most of whom are Roman Catholic. Its cathedral is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop....
in 1437 and the two states have been united in fact ever since. After the Swabian War
Swabian War
The Swabian War of 1499 was the last major armed conflict between the Old Swiss Confederacy and the House of Habsburg...
in 1499, both came under Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n suzerainty. Different dynasties of counts bought and sold them, until their purchase in the early 18th century by the Liechtenstein dynasty, which had been granted princely status in 1706, but which needed to acquire a territory with imperial immediacy in order to vote in the Diet of the Princes of the Empire. The emperor formally united Vaduz and Schellenberg in 1719 as the Principality of Liechtenstein.
World War II
In the municipality, there is a monumentRussian Monument (Liechtenstein)
The Russian Monument Liechtenstein is a small memorial stone in the hamlet of Hinterschellenberg, near Liechtenstein's border with Austria. Translated into English, the inscription on the monument reads as follows:...
at the border town of Hinterschellenberg
Hinterschellenberg
Hinterschellenberg is a village of Liechtenstein, located very close to the Austrian border and belonging to the municipality of Planken.-Overview:...
that commemorates the asylum given to Russian soldiers. At the close of World War II, Liechtenstein granted asylum to approximately five hundred soldiers of the First Russian National Army, a collaborationist Russian force within the German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. This act was no small matter as the country was poor and had difficulty feeding and caring for such a large group of refugees. Eventually, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
agreed to resettle the asylum seekers permanently. In contrast, the British repatriated the Russians who fought on the German side to the USSR
Operation Keelhaul
Operation Keelhaul was carried out in Northern Italy by British and American forces to repatriate Soviet Armed Forces POWs of the Nazis to the Soviet Union between August 14, 1946 and May 9, 1947...
.
Transport
In Schellenberg, there is a small road crossing to AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, manned by Austrian, Swiss border guards.