
Canton Glarus (GL)
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In 2011 the community structure of canton Glarus was reorganised - now only
three administrative communities exist:
Glarus
Nord including the original communities Bilten, Niederurnen, Oberurnen, Näfels, Mollis, Filzbach, Obstalden
and Mühlehorn.
Glarus
including the original communities Netstal, Glarus, Riedern and Ennenda.
Glarus
Süd including the original communities Mitlödi, Sool, Schwändi, Schwanden, Nidfurn, Haslen, Leuggelbach, Luchsingen, Hätzingen, Betschwanden, Diesbach, Rüti, Linthal, Braunwald, Engi, Matt, and Elm.
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Demographic Development of the Canton of Glarus
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This text is based on a history written by Peter Jehli,
and was translated by Sue Wolf,

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St. Fridolin
Fridolin was an Irish monk, who, according to the legend,
should have lived at the time of the Frankish king Clovis, around
about 500 A.D. Many learned people doubt whether Fridolin had
really lived. According to tradition he (according to an
apparition of St. Hilarius) founded the cloister, Säckingen on
the Rhine.
The land of Glarus belonged to the cloister for a long time
through a donation; this is the likely reason why Fridolin became
the cantonal patron.
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The land of Glarus originates
- The actual colonization of the valleys began a few
centuries before Christ. Celts and Raetians left behind
traces of simple farming activity.
- Around the birth of Christ the Romans established estates
and smaller fortified installations in our valley.
- In the 6th and 7th centuries the Allemanns
immigrated into our valley.
- In the 8th century the Carolingians assumed
power, exercised jurisdiction in our canton and collected
taxes. Since about 750 a quarter of the land
belonged as a donation to the Säckingen cloister.
- Around 820 the name Glarona was first
mentioned in the legend of Felix and Regula.
- 1264 - Rudolf of Habsburg becomes the Holy Roman
Empire official over Glarus.
- The opposition of the Glarner population was awakened
under the increasing pressure of the Habsburgs. Although
they should have participated on the Habsburg's side of
it, the Glarnese in 1315 stayed away from the Morgarten
war.
- 1351 - the Zurichers and the Forest Cantons
occupied Glarus.
- On June 4, 1352 the Glarnese sealed a first
federation, which was never recognized by the Habsburgs.
Since it awarded the confederation more rights than the
Glarnese, this signified to them that it was a so-called inferior
or bad federation.
- In July 1386 (Sempacher War) the Glarnese
breached the Oberwindegg castle near Niederurnen.
Filzbach [a commune] received the land rights. With help
of the confederation the town of Weesen is captured.
- On March 11, 1387 the first Popular Assembly
[Landsgemeinde] in Glarus took place. The Glarnese
declared themselves free and drew up the first
constitution.
- On the night of February 21 and 22, 1388 the
people of the Glarnese army of occupation in Weesen were
murdered by troops loyal to the Habsburgs.
- On April 9, 1388 there was a battle at Näfels.
The Habsburg army was crushingly defeated by the
Glarnese, with the help of a handful of confederates.
After that Glarus was considered a confederated canton of
equal status.
- 1419 - the market town of Glarus became the
capital.
- As late as 1473 the Glarnese now also received
formal equality in the improved federation.
- 1476 - participation of the Glarnese in the
battles against Karl den Kühnen [Karl the Bold].
- From 1506 till 1516, Ulrich Zwingli, the later
Reformer, is pastor in Glarus.
- Between 1525 and 1529 the Reformation was
introduced into the majority of the Glarner communes.
Mainly the wealthier northern communes remained true to
the old faith, however.
- 1548 - the first game-shooting reserve of
Switzerland was established : the Freiberg Kärpf.
- 1623 - cantonal agreement brings
denominationally separate Popular Assemblies.
- 1798 - the French conquered Switzerland. The
defeat of the Glarnese near Wollerau. Glarner
land was occupied.
- 1799 - the French, Austrians and Russians fought
on Glarner soil.
- 1803 - the land of Glarus became Canton
Glarus by Napoleon's constitution.
- 1811 - the inauguration of the Escher canal.
- 1822 - the inauguration of the Linth canal.
- 1837 - new cantonal constitution and
elimination of the denominational land partition.
- 1861 - the burning of Glarus (Picture
1, Picture
2, and Picture3).
- 1864 - the first industrial law of
Switzerland was passed in Glarus.
- 1881 - landslide of Elm.
- 1887 - the Popular Assembly gave itself a new
cantonal constitution.
- 1899 - the "Klausenstrasse"
between Linthal and Altdof, Uri was inaugurated.
- 1916 - the first old people's and surviving
dependent's insurance for Switzerland was introduced
in Glarus.
- 1972 - the first Popular Assembly with the participation
of women took place.
Reports about the most recent Assemblies may be viewed in
German with short abstracts in English..
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The local genealogical societies are
GENEALOGISCH-HERALDISCHE
GESELLSCHAFT ZÜRICH
and (for some parts)
RÄTISCHE VEREINIGUNG FÜR
FAMILIENFORSCHUNG
If you have questions about genealogical research in Canton
Glarus you may contact
Just keep in mind, that all these volunteers are amateur
genealogists, answering your questions in their spare time.
==> please give them sufficient time to respond <==
You are further invited to discuss your questions with other researchers
interested in canton Glarus on the "Genealogieforum Glarus" (dialogue
in German
or French).
The archive is open to visitors to read; in order to be able to respond or start
a new thread, however, registration (free of charge) is required. When posting,
please, keep in mind that only topics related to Glarus should be placed here;
for topics related to other regions, please, change to the corresponding canton
or to the forum for Switzerland in general (dialogue in German
or French).
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Landesarchiv
(State Archive)
Postgasse 29
Postfach 515
CH - 8750 Glarus
phone: +41 55 646 63 01
Fax: +41 55 646 63 13
E-mail: landesarchiv@gl.ch
Information on heraldic and genealogic sources (in
German)
Register of
libraries and archives in Canton Glarus
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1. Official Home Page of Canton
2. Home Pages of Tourist Offices and the like :
- Glarus Tourist Information (German)
3. Private Pages on Canton :
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1. Family Pages
2. Sources
List of all locations, for which
sources have been filmed by LDS (the Mormons).
The History of the Citizen Families of
Engi and their Development by Martin Baumgartner :
Altmann, Baumgartner, Blumer, Bräm,
Giger, Hämmerli, Luchsinger,
Marti, Norder, Wyss
The History of the Glarus Families,
especially of the Sernf Valley by Gottfried Heer :
Altmann,
Bäbler, Baumgartner, Beglinger, Blumer, Bräm,
Disch, Elmer, Freitag, Giger, Hämmerli,
Hauser, Hefti, Kubli,
Luchsinger, Madutz, Marti,
Rhyner, Schneider, Schuler,
Speich, Stauffacher, Wirth, Wohlwend,
Wyss, Zentner
Database for Wild (and
related families) in canton Glarus
Further hints on Swiss
Genealogy in Canton Glarus by Barton T. Geger, S.J., and Sue
Wolf
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This provisional page is maintained by Wolf W. Seelentag
(with contributions by Peter Jehli and Sue Wolf). / Last
updated 04 August 2017.
Please forward any comments and/or additions to this webpage
to the WebMasterCH.