Speicher, Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Speicher is a municipality
in the canton
of Appenzell Ausserrhoden
, in Switzerland
.
was fought at the village of Vögelinsegg, near Speicher in 1403. A monument to the battle, a pointing Appenzell farmer with a morning star
, was built in 1903 on the ridge of Vögelinsegg.
A right of way had to be blasted through the rock at Vögelinsegg to lay the track for the Trogenerbahn in 1900.
The municipality is located in the former District of Mittelland. Until the 1950s the municipality was lightly settled with scattered farm houses and two small settlements, Speicher and Speicherschwendi. Both have expanded into larger villages since then.
, the gender distribution of the population was 49.5% male and 50.5% female. The age distribution, , in Speicher is; 298 people or 7.7% of the population are between 0–6 years old. 477 people or 12.4% are 6-15, and 190 people or 4.9% are 16-19. Of the adult population, 164 people or 4.3% of the population are between 20–24 years old. 1,104 people or 28.7% are 25-44, and 1,077 people or 28.0% are 45-64. The senior population distribution is 405 people or 10.5% of the population are between 65–79 years old, and 138 people or 3.6% are over 80.
In the 2007 federal election
the FDP
received 72.2% of the vote.
In Speicher about 78% of the population (between age 25-64) have completed either non-mandatory upper secondary education or additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule
).
Speicher has an unemployment rate of 1.2%. , there were 86 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 34 businesses involved in this sector. 256 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 47 businesses in this sector. 617 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 156 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 Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Appenzell Ausserrhoden is a canton of Switzerland. The seat of the government and parliament is Herisau, judicial authorities are in Trogen. Appenzell Ausserrhoden is located in the north east of Switzerland, bordering the cantons of St...
, 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
Speicher is first mentioned in 1309 as Spicher. The name originated in the Middle Ages, during the heyday of the Abbey of Saint Gall. At that time the village church served as a granary of the monastery. The first battle of the Appenzell WarsAppenzell Wars
The Appenzell Wars were a series of conflicts that lasted from 1401 until 1429 in the Appenzell region of Switzerland. The wars were a successful uprising of cooperative groups, such as the farmers of Appenzell or the craftsmen of the city of St. Gallen, against the traditional medieval power...
was fought at the village of Vögelinsegg, near Speicher in 1403. A monument to the battle, a pointing Appenzell farmer with a morning star
Morning star (weapon)
The term morning star is used to describe medieval club-like weapons which included one or more spikes. Each used, to varying degrees, a combination of blunt-force and puncture attack to kill or wound the enemy.- Design :...
, was built in 1903 on the ridge of Vögelinsegg.
A right of way had to be blasted through the rock at Vögelinsegg to lay the track for the Trogenerbahn in 1900.
Geography
Speicher has an area, , of 8.2 km² (3.2 sq mi). Of this area, 54.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 28.6% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 16.1% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (0.5%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).The municipality is located in the former District of Mittelland. Until the 1950s the municipality was lightly settled with scattered farm houses and two small settlements, Speicher and Speicherschwendi. Both have expanded into larger villages since then.
Demographics
Speicher has a population of 4,012, of which about 8.5% are foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years the population has grown at a rate of 1.8%. Most of the population speaks German (93.5%), with Spanish being second most common ( 1.3%) and Albanian being third ( 0.9%)., the gender distribution of the population was 49.5% male and 50.5% female. The age distribution, , in Speicher is; 298 people or 7.7% of the population are between 0–6 years old. 477 people or 12.4% are 6-15, and 190 people or 4.9% are 16-19. Of the adult population, 164 people or 4.3% of the population are between 20–24 years old. 1,104 people or 28.7% are 25-44, and 1,077 people or 28.0% are 45-64. The senior population distribution is 405 people or 10.5% of the population are between 65–79 years old, and 138 people or 3.6% are over 80.
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 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....
received 72.2% of the vote.
In Speicher about 78% 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...
).
Speicher has an unemployment rate of 1.2%. , there were 86 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 34 businesses involved in this sector. 256 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 47 businesses in this sector. 617 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 156 businesses in this sector.
The historical population is given in the following table:
| year | population |
|---|---|
| 1667 | 908 |
| 1734 | 1,634 |
| 1910 | 3,315 |
| 1941 | 2,137 |
| 1990 | 3,789 |
| 2000 | 3,953 |
| 2005 | 3,921 |
| 2007 | 3,953 |
Sights
The Holzpalast house in the municipality is listed as a heritage site of national significanceSwiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...
.
Sports
- Tennis Hall
- Indoor swimming pool with gym
- Sports facilities with artificial turf skate park and outdoor handball field
- Beach volleyball
- Various sports clubs: FC-Speicher, TV-Speicher, Uni hockey, tennis club
- foothills of open and wooded terrain. Attractive for hiking, mountain biking and Nordic walking.
- Cross-country ski in the winter
- Vita-Parcours
- Arguably the most successful club in the village is the FC Speicher. Founded in 1962, the club can demonstrate some success in the Swiss amateur football. It is known, in the region, for its excellent junior work.