german |
english |
Allmend |
Common land: meadows, forests and uncultivated land used collectively by the eligible parties, who are the members of a community grouping one or more village or hamlet. |
Amt (pl: Ämter) |
1) office
2) district: an administrative area intermediate between a canton and a commune, but normally with no autonomous powers.The word also occurs in place names, eg Freiamt, Knonaueramt both areas in Canton Zurich, Wasseramt in Canton Solothurn |
Amtei (in Canton Solothurn) |
See "Amt" |
Amtsbezirk |
See "Amt" |
Ansassen |
Residents who have moved to a commune (city or village), who do not enjoy the same rights as long term inhabitants |
Bauer |
Farmer (with draft animals: Bern 18thc; had political power in village) |
Bedingte Bürger |
A category introduced in the 17th 18th centuries in some cities; the equivalent of the Ewige Einwohner in Bern. |
Beisassen |
Residents who have moved to a commune (city or village), who do not enjoy the same rights as long term inhabitants |
Bezirk |
See "Amt" |
Bürger |
Citizen. The Swiss derive citizenship from their commune, which is why a person is described as being a Bürger of commune X. |
Burger |
Member of a "burgher commune" in some cantons. (see Burgergemeinde). A difference is made in these cantons between a Burger and a Bürger, who is simply a citizen with voting rights. All Burgers are Bürgers, but not all Bürgers are Burgers. |
Bürgergemeinde (ZH), Burgergemeinde (BE, VS) |
"Burgher commune", the corporation which owns the common land which only its members have the right to use. These members are generally the descendants of the original families of the commune. Belonging to the burgher commune was important because the right to use common grazing land, forests etc was essential for farming. The burgher communes had to give up their political rights in the 19th century, when all inhabitants were given equal rights. However, they kept their exclusive rights to use the common land (for example for hunting.) These communes are now generally registered as legal corporations. |
Bürgerrodel |
Register of families, kept by the Heimatort |
Einwohnergemeinde |
Commune; the administrative division whose residents have political rights there. (contrast: Bürgergemeinde) |
Ewige Einwohner |
Literally: eternal inhabitants. A category introduced in the 17th century in the city of Bern, some towns of Aargau under Bernese jurisdiction and some towns in Vaud: they enjoyed fewer rights than the full citizens (Bürger), since they could not take up public office or sit in government. As of 1643 new citizens were generally accorded only this status. |
Fürstabt, Fürstabtei |
Prince abbot, and the territory he ruled over, so called because the abbot had secular authority from the Emperor as well as spiritual authority from the Pope. By the 18th century the only surviving example was the Prince Abbot of St Gallen. The system was scrapped by the Helvetic Republic in 1798. |
Fürstbischof, Fürstbistum |
Prince bishop, who ruled a prince bishopric, so called because the bishop had secular authority from the Emperor as well as spiritual authority from the Pope. By the 18th century the only major surviving example was the Prince Bishop of Basel. The system was scrapped by the Helvetic Republic in 1798. |
Gemeinde |
Commune; also sometimes translated as municipality or parish. The lowest administrative division |
Gemeinderat(h) |
Commune council |
Habitanten |
See "Ewige Einwohner" |
Habitants (GE) |
Foreigners who had settled in Geneva, but had no political rights there. |
Heimatlose |
Literally = homeless. A person who does not belong to any commune. A person could become "homeless" for different reasons, such as prolonged absence, or violating the law. The "homeless" were usually forced into vagrancy. In 1850 a law was introduced to ensure citizenship for all; before it came into force communes did all they could to move the "homeless" on, because they did not want to have to take responsibility for caring for them. In many cases moving them on meant paying for them to emigrate. |
Heimatort |
Place of origin, where family records are kept. All Swiss citizens have a Heimatort, usually the commune where their family lived in the 18th century, or where the first family member gained citizenship. This is not necessarily the place where they themselves were born. |
Hintersässen, Hintersassen |
Residents who have moved to a commune (city or village), who do not enjoy the same rights as long term inhabitants |
Hochgericht (GR pre-1798, 1803-1854) |
See "Amt" |
Insassen |
Residents who have moved to a commune (city or village), who do not enjoy the same rights as long term inhabitants |
Kirchgemeinde |
Parish |
Kleinburger |
A category introduced in the 17th 18th centuries in some cities; the equivalent of the Ewige Einwohner in Bern. |
Kreis |
Literally "circle." Used for a subdivision of a district (Bezirk) in Cantons Graubünden and Thurgau |
Landsassen |
Residents who have moved to a commune (city or village), who do not enjoy the same rights as long term inhabitants |
Mairie (NE, until 1848) |
See "Amt" |
Neubürger |
A category introduced in the 17th 18th centuries in some cities; the equivalent of the Ewige Einwohner in Bern. |
Oberamt (Canton Bern 1803-31; Canton Solothurn) |
See "Amt" |
Oberämter (Canton Zurich, 1814-31) |
See "Amt" |
Ort |
1) place
2) canton (used for the 13 original cantons which joined the Swiss Confederation between 1291 and 1513) |
Ortsbürger |
Member of a Burgergemeinde |
Ortsbürgergemeinde (UR, AG)Ortsgemeinde (SG, TH) |
See "Burgergemeinde" |
Schultheiss |
1) Mayor (Bern, Lucerne, Fribourg, Solothurn)
2) In some subject towns the representative of the ruling city |
Tagelöhner |
Day laborer |
Tagwan, Tagwen (GL) |
See "Burgergemeinde" |
Tagwenvogt |
Chairman of the Tagwen council |
Tauner |
Farmer without draft animals (BE C18); depended on a Bauer for animals to plough his fields, and in return had to offer his services |
Zenden (VS) (pre-1798, 1815-48) |
See "Amt" |
Genealogy
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