Waldstätte (German: [ˈvaltʃtɛtə], "forested sites;" Latin: civitates silvestres) is a term which has been used since the early thirteenth century to refer to the Stätte (singular: Statt, "sites"), or later Ort (plural: Orte, "place") or Stand (plural: Stände, "estate") of the early confederate allies of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden in today's Central Switzerland.
From the 13th to 19th centuries, the term Waldstätte also synoptically referred to the nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden; later, the term was gradually replaced by the term Urschweiz.
The term Wald ("forest; woods") is to be understood in contrast to Forst, the former in Middle High German terminology referring to cultivated land of alternating pastures, fields and woods, while the latter referred to deep, uncultivated forests (silva invia et inculta).
History
The Middle High German terms Waldstette or Stette (in the sense of "forested site/settlement") are also used alongside Stett (modern Stadt, or "town, city", in the sense of a powerful, possibly protected settlement with special rights) and Lender (modern Länder, in the sense of rural countrysides) in reference to the individual confederate allies into the first half of 15th century and became gradually replaced by the term Ort ("point; lieu") or Stand ("state"), which stayed prominent in German-speaking Switzerland until the Helvetic Republic; the term canton (in German: Kanton), in origin a Romance translation of German Ort, was unknown for the German-speaking allies until around 1650.
The first recorded use of the term specifically as referring to the wooded valleys of Central Switzerland is in a document dated 1289, mentioning ze Swiz in der waltstat (i.e. "in Schwyz, in the wooded site").
In 1323, Glarus is named a Waldstatt alongside Schwyz. The application to the allies of the early Swiss Confederacy dates to 1309. In 1310, Duke Frederick the Fair complains about the king impeding his rights to the civitatibus Silvanis.
With the establishment of the Confederacy in the 1310s, the term is adopted as an exonym, and in the pacts which expanded the Confederacy, with Lucerne in 1332 and with Berne in 1353.[citation needed]
The inclusion of Lucerne as a "fourth" Waldstätte is first mentioned in an addition dated to the 1450s in the Silver Book of Egloff Etterlin.
In the protocols of the Swiss Diet in the second half of the 15th century, under the presidency of Lucerne, the term vier waltstette sees frequent use. Albrecht von Bonstetten in his Superioris Germaniae Confoederationis descriptio (1479) suggests that the term vier Waldstett (Latinized quatuor Loca Silvarum) was in common use.
Lake Lucerne is given the new name of Vierwaldstättersee (aka Lake of Four Forested Sites) in the 16th century.
See also
- Formation of the Old Swiss Confederacy
- Federal Charter of 1291
- Eidgenossenschaft
- Reichsvogt
- Talschaft
- Canton of Waldstätten
References
- Josef Wiget: Waldstätte in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, 27 December 2014.
- Georg Kreis: Urschweiz in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, 13 November 2013.
- Per Wiget (2014); but Konrad von Würzburg has the Middle High German term as a common noun referring to a forest wilderness in Der trojanische Krieg v. 5902 (ed. Keller 1858): ez was ein wildiu clûse / und ein vil tiefiu schrunde [...] zuo dirre wüesten waltstete / kam Thetis gerüeret (cited after Grimm, Deutsches Wörterbuch).
- Andreas Kley: Kantone in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, 13 April 2016.
- Josef Wiget: Waldstätte in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, 2014.
- Hans Stadler: Vierwaldstättersee in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, 2013.
Waldstatte German ˈvaltʃtɛte forested sites Latin civitates silvestres is a term which has been used since the early thirteenth century to refer to the Statte singular Statt sites or later Ort plural Orte place or Stand plural Stande estate of the early confederate allies of Uri Schwyz and Unterwalden in today s Central Switzerland 1645 map showing the Waldstatte Uri Schwyz Unterwalden and Lucerne From the 13th to 19th centuries the term Waldstatte also synoptically referred to the nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy of Uri Schwyz and Unterwalden later the term was gradually replaced by the term Urschweiz The term Wald forest woods is to be understood in contrast to Forst the former in Middle High German terminology referring to cultivated land of alternating pastures fields and woods while the latter referred to deep uncultivated forests silva invia et inculta HistoryThe Middle High German terms Waldstette or Stette in the sense of forested site settlement are also used alongside Stett modern Stadt or town city in the sense of a powerful possibly protected settlement with special rights and Lender modern Lander in the sense of rural countrysides in reference to the individual confederate allies into the first half of 15th century and became gradually replaced by the term Ort point lieu or Stand state which stayed prominent in German speaking Switzerland until the Helvetic Republic the term canton in German Kanton in origin a Romance translation of German Ort was unknown for the German speaking allies until around 1650 The first recorded use of the term specifically as referring to the wooded valleys of Central Switzerland is in a document dated 1289 mentioning ze Swiz in der waltstat i e in Schwyz in the wooded site In 1323 Glarus is named a Waldstatt alongside Schwyz The application to the allies of the early Swiss Confederacy dates to 1309 In 1310 Duke Frederick the Fair complains about the king impeding his rights to the civitatibus Silvanis With the establishment of the Confederacy in the 1310s the term is adopted as an exonym and in the pacts which expanded the Confederacy with Lucerne in 1332 and with Berne in 1353 citation needed The inclusion of Lucerne as a fourth Waldstatte is first mentioned in an addition dated to the 1450s in the Silver Book of Egloff Etterlin In the protocols of the Swiss Diet in the second half of the 15th century under the presidency of Lucerne the term vier waltstette sees frequent use Albrecht von Bonstetten in his Superioris Germaniae Confoederationis descriptio 1479 suggests that the term vier Waldstett Latinized quatuor Loca Silvarum was in common use Lake Lucerne is given the new name of Vierwaldstattersee aka Lake of Four Forested Sites in the 16th century See alsoFormation of the Old Swiss Confederacy Federal Charter of 1291 Eidgenossenschaft Reichsvogt Talschaft Canton of WaldstattenReferencesJosef Wiget Waldstatte in German French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland 27 December 2014 Georg Kreis Urschweiz in German French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland 13 November 2013 Per Wiget 2014 but Konrad von Wurzburg has the Middle High German term as a common noun referring to a forest wilderness in Der trojanische Krieg v 5902 ed Keller 1858 ez was ein wildiu cluse und ein vil tiefiu schrunde zuo dirre wuesten waltstete kam Thetis gerueret cited after Grimm Deutsches Worterbuch Andreas Kley Kantone in German French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland 13 April 2016 Josef Wiget Waldstatte in German French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland 2014 Hans Stadler Vierwaldstattersee in German French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland 2013 Portal Switzerland
