Why did the Hunzikers emigrate from the Wynetal, Canton Aargau, Switzerland?

When I was 10 years old, my family traveled to visit the ancestral homeland of Kulm, Aargau. I thought the place was beautiful. Upon researching my ancestors’ immigration from Aargau, I wondered further what would cause them to make such an arduous trek.

The following is my attempt to explain to myself why they may have done so. Perhaps it will help other researchers. Please note that my notes are NOT authoritative. As part of my effort, I attempted to translate German text, but do not claim to be able to read German. Any corrections and comments would be appreciated.

Part of the reason for Aargau’s instability during the 1800’s devolves from the political European powerhouse, the Hapsburgs. The Hapsburg line originated in Aargau with Guntram the Rich (~930-990). Many of the Hapsburgs’ castles (Habsburg, Lenzburg and Wildegg) and former monasteries (Wettingen and Muri) remain. The name "Hapsburg" or "Habsburg" derives from the Argovite Habichtsburg (Hawk Castle), built by Radbot about 1020 and remaining the family seat through the 13th century. This ancestral castle is located on the right bank of the River Aare southwest of Brugg in Aargau. The Hapsburg line grew in power following the extinction of the houses of Lenzburg (1173), Zäringen (1218), and Kyburg (1273).

Guntram and his descendants were quite ruthless and their ruthlessness actually drove the creation of the Helvetian Confederation. Shortly after the death of Rudolf of Habsburg (1291) the three valley communities of Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden formed the Eidgenossenschaft or "Everlasting League". This alliance, which at first was enacted to prevent strife in the valleys, gradually developed into a defense pact against the Habsburg supremacy, from which the Swiss confederates finally liberated themselves in the 13th century in the course of numerous battles.

In 1415, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund banned Hapsburg Duke Frederick IV and encouraged others to take the duke's possessions, including Aargau. As part of the Treaty of Senta, Aargau was split into four regions:

Freiamt is also referred to as "Freie Ämter", "Free Bailies", or the free bailiwicks.

The Swiss Confederation (Eidgenossen) took all but Fricktal. Unteraargau was transferred to Bern. Apart from small portions allocated specifically to Luzern and Zurich, Freiamt and Baden were administered jointly by the Acht Alten Orte (“Eight Old Places”), except Uri, as a common property. For Freiamt, this group also excluded Bern. This joint administration was referred to as “gemeine Herrschaften”. Freiamt and Baden were each administered by a Bailiff (Landvogt), appointed for two years by each Canton in turn. Uri joined the administration in 1443. The juridical systems in Baden and Freiamt were very non-uniform, which led to numerous conflicts. Fricktal remained under Hapsburg control as part of Austria.

The Kappelerkriegs resulted from the religious wars occurring throughout Europe and splintered the Eidgenossenschaft. In 1528, Bern made the Unteraargau convert to Protestantism. The first Kappelerkrieg was a conflict between reformed cantons (primarily Zurich) and the Catholic “inneren Orte” or Gegenmassnahme (Luzern, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden and Zug) in Switzerland. It ended bloodlessly in 1529 with a reconciliation meal, the "Kappeler milk soup". As part of the “First Land Peace”, each Gemeinde (municipality) was allowed to accept the catholic or reformed faith by majority decision. At this time, Freiamt and Baden were converted to Protestantism.

In 9 October 1531, the Catholic “inneren Orte” declared war on and defeated Zurich. Ulrich Zwingli was killed. As part of the “Second Land Peace”, Freiamt and Baden were required to return to Catholicism. Heinrich Bullinger, a native of Freiamt and one of the primary Swiss reformers, was forced to flee to Zurich. Many areas of Baden remained predominantly or significantly Protestant.

By the mid 1650’s, the cities had accumulated most trade privileges and the power to collect and raise taxes. In 1653, rural landownders sought economic and political leverage with the cities. Unrest spread from Luzern to Unteraargau, Freiamt, and surrounding regions in the Swiss Farmer War of 1653. An army of 20,000 Aufstaendi (rebels) was defeated by eidgnoessischen army of 9,000 at the Baden towns of Mellingen and Wohlenschwil. The Aufstaendi were ruthlessly destroyed, with leaders banished or put to death. The towns were heavily damaged.

Until 1655, no single document set forth the relationship between the cantons. Instead, the confederation was an interconnection of many treaties. In 1655, Zurich attempted to federalize the Swiss government (the “Bundesprojekt”). The Catholic cantons rejected the attempt. The Catholic cantons had created a Golden Federation that might have been countered by a similar Protestant federation. Zurich used a conflict with catholic Schwyz to attempt to force federalization. In the first Villmergerkrieg, the Catholic cantons essentially fought Zurich and Bern to a stalemate. The war was named for a battle in Aargau at the west Freiamt town of Villmergen. On 24 January 1656, Luzern forces defeated reformed Bern forces. 573 Bernese and 189 central Swiss died. Villmergen was plundered and burned. The resulting “Third Land Peace” of 7 March 1656 essentially re-iterated the Second Land Peace and the Catholic cantons remained dominant.

The Toggenburgerkrieg or Second Villmergerkrieg pitted the Catholic “inneren Orte” and abbott of St. Gallen against the reformed cantons Bern and Zurich and the Toggenburgern. The Toggenburgern resisted the counter-reformation and return to Catholicism. The Catholic cantons did not receive support from France or the Hapsburgs due to the War of the Spanish Succession. The Toggenburgerkrieg lasted from 12 April to 17 August 1712. A significant part of this war took place in the Freiamt and Baden. On 24 July 1712, again at the Freiamt town of Villmergen in which 206 Catholic and over 2,000 Reformed soldiers died. Villmergen was again plundered and burned. Various towns in Baden were occupied by reformed forces. The reformed forces triumphed in the war. As part of the “Fourth Land Peace”, Zurich, Bern, and Glarus assumed control of Baden and lower (north) Freiamt, including Bremgarten. The Catholic cantons continued to participate in administering upper (south) Freiamt, including Muri and Hitzkirch.

Famine and plague are common during the 1700’s.

In 1798 Switzerland was occupied by Napoleon's armies and became a French protectorate. Napolean created the Helvetic Republic. Bernese Aargau became the canton of Aargau of the Helvetic Republic. (Western Amt Aarburg remained with Bern until 1803.) Baden and Freiamt were combined into the canton of Baden. (In 1803, part of the Limmattal around Dietikon, Huettikon, Leuggern, Oetwil an der Limmat, & Schlieren transferred from Baden to Zurich, Amt Hitzkirch from Freiamt to Luzern, and Amt Merenschwand from Luzern to Muri.) Pursuant to the treaties of Campo Formio (1797) and Lunéville (1801), Austria ceded Fricktal to the Helvetic Republic. During 1802-1803, Fricktal was briefly a separate Canton. However, governor Sebastian Fahrländer proved ineffective and Canton Fricktal effectively folded. In 1803, the former parts of Aargau were re-united as the canton of Aargau, which was then admitted a full member of the reconstituted Confederation in 1805. In 1814 the young canton succeeded in defying the attempts of Bern to grab its territory. (The west region of Canton Berne is called Emmental-Oberaargau.).

Unfortunately, the new union of Aargau was not stable. The reconstituted Canton Aargau was formed from regions subject to different religious forces. Some had been forced into Protestantism or Catholicism. For example, Berne and Zurich had strong oligarchies that suppressed Catholicism in areas of Aargau controlled by those cantons. Other regions were allowed religious freedom. The 1815 constitution fixed a 50% representation of catholics and reformed in the cantonal parliament.

Rural landowners, particularly in Freiamt, felt unrepresented by the new canton. Freiamt would have preferred union with Zug or Luzern. The government of Aargau refused to address various tax issues. In December 1830, Johann Heinrich Fischer, a landlord and parliamentarian from Merenschwand, triggered an event called the Freiamtersturm. 6,000 armed Aufstaendi marched on Aarau and took the arsenal. The Canton’s government fell without a fight. Although some tax issues were addressed, the rural landowners remained largely unsatisfied.

In January 1834, the liberal Swiss cantons issued resolutions called the Badener Article, which was named after Baden in Aargau. These resolutions demanded that the Catholic Church be placed under national supervision.

The 1841 constitution changed to representation according to number of inhabitants. Aargau's predominantly catholic areas (Fricktal, Freiamt, Baden) revolted. The revolt was stopped by armed force. On 12 January 1841, Canton and rebel forces fought at Villmergen, where 7 Aufstaendi and 2 government soldiers died. Aargau’s High Council closed monastaries on 20 Jan 1841. Over 10,000 Argovite troops were stationed in Freiamt. Part of the cantonal response was due to lingering resentment and distrust of the Hapsburgs and the monasteries that the Hapsburgs had founded. Even a liberal catholic leader called for the abolishment of the monasteries. Johann Heinrich Daniel Zschokke, an Argovite politician and writer, was a leader in the liberal cause.

Starting in 1845, Switzerland suffered the same potato rot as infested Ireland. While the famine was not as severe as in Ireland, it contributed to civil unrest in Switzerland. The situation was acerbated by an expanding population.

In response to the Argovite action, increasing federalization and regional fighting (including in Aargau), the conservative governments of various catholic cantons created a secret "Sonderbund" (special alliance). When the secret alliance became public in June 1846, the other cantons were upset and federalist constitutions were enacted in most cantons. Despite pressure from the Papacy, Prussia and Austria, the "Sonderbund" alliance was declared illegal under federal law. In October 1847, both sides selected military commanders and mobilized soldiers. The civil war opened on 3 Nov 1847 by attacks of the Sonderbund on Ticino and Aargau. On November 12, a battle in Geltwil in Freiamt resulted in 12 deaths. Federal troops marched to Fribourg and Zug, which surrendered without a battle. At the borders between Zug and Lucerne, and between Berne and Lucerne there were several battles on November, 23rd. Subsequently federal troops occupied Lucerne without further fighting and the other Sonderbund cantons surrendered by . The commander in chief ensured that casualties were few and that the war ended quickly before any foreign power could enter.

Apart from the civil unrest and crop failure, Aargau’s industry experienced dishevel during the 1800’s. The economy of Kulm relied upon the cottage industries of cotton and silk weaving and cigar production. During the 1800’s, the development of factories in England and elsewhere devastated the cottage industries.

Overpopulation, collapse of cottage industries, consistent conflict, underlying religious tension, and crop failure. Sometimes a beautiful land is not sufficient.

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