Niederwald
Origin of the name Niederwald
The form « Zniderwaldt » is recorded in 1526. Where does the name come from? That is still unknown.[1]
Founding of Niederwald
Niederwald is a clustered village of the Goms valley, above the Fiesch terrace. It lies on the old main road from Ernen, which crossed the Rhône near the abandoned hamlet of Rottenbrigge to reach the right side of the valley. In the 14th century the bishops of Sion and the lords of Raron held property and rights here. In the Middle Ages the village came under the episcopal major of Ernen. From the late Middle Ages to 1798 Niederwald was one of the nine quarters of the dizain of Goms. The statutes issued jointly with Rottenbrigge, first mentioned in 1250, date from 1565, those of the burgher community from 1772. Belonging spiritually to Ernen, the village was made a parish in 1666. The parish church of St Theodulus was consecrated in 1678. The economy rested mainly on farming and alpine pasturing. After 1950 the village saw rural depopulation. In the early 21st century the precision engineering firm Gomina AG, with some twenty jobs, was the municipality's largest employer. The hotelier César Ritz was born here in 1850, son of Anton, a mountain farmer and president of the municipality. In 2017 Niederwald was joined with Blitzingen, Grafschaft, Münster-Geschinen and Reckingen-Gluringen in the municipality of Goms.[1]
History of Niederwald
1250. First mention of the hamlet of Rottenbrigge, at the Rhône crossing.[1]
14th century. The bishops of Sion and the lords of Raron hold property and rights in Niederwald.[1]
1526. The village is mentioned in the form « Zniderwaldt ».[1]
1565. Statutes issued jointly with Rottenbrigge.[1]
1666. Niederwald, until then attached to Ernen, is made a parish.[1]
1678. Consecration of the parish church of St Theodulus.[1]
1772. Statutes of the burgher community.[1]
1798. End of the dizain of Goms, of which Niederwald was one of the nine quarters.[1]
1850. César Ritz is born in Niederwald on 23 February.
1898. César Ritz creates the Ritz in Paris.[5]
1899. César Ritz creates the Carlton in London.
1918. César Ritz dies in Küssnacht (SZ) on 26 October.
after 1950. Rural depopulation.[1]
21st century. In the early part of the century the precision engineering firm Gomina AG is the municipality's largest employer.[1]
2000. The municipality has 70 inhabitants.[1]
2017. Niederwald is joined with Blitzingen, Grafschaft, Münster-Geschinen and Reckingen-Gluringen in the municipality of Goms.[1]
Population of Niederwald
Sources and references: [1]
| 1850 | 123 |
| 1900 | 123 |
| 1950 | 145 |
| 2000 | 70 |
Historic sites in Niederwald
St Theodulus church. Parish church consecrated in 1678, after Niederwald was made a parish in 1666.[1]
Memories of César Ritz. César Ritz (1850-1918), founder of the Ritz in Paris (1898) and the Carlton in London (1899), was born in Niederwald. A fountain topped by his statue adorns the village square, and he is buried in Niederwald churchyard, less than 100 metres from the house where he was born.[4]
Remains in Niederwald
Rottenbrigge. Now abandoned hamlet, mentioned in 1250, where the old road from Ernen crossed the Rhône. It keeps a chapel of St Sebastian and a few barns.[1]
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Niederwald » (Robert Walpen, version du 13.01.2017)
- Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, « Ritz, Cäsar » (Bernard Truffer, version du 10.11.2010, version allemande)
- geo.admin.ch, recherche de lieux (coordonnées)
- SRF News, « Freilichtspiel im Goms: ein Theater-Denkmal für Cäsar Ritz » (18.07.2018)
- swissinfo.ch, Rob Brookes, « Mountain village celebrates rags-to-riches tale » (24.02.2000)
Other villages near Niederwald
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