A walk around old Zunzgen |
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In 1980 a school class worked on this route with our municipality president, Jakob Wagner, now deceased, as a local history and geography project, and in addition wrote the text. Put this "mini-local history and geography" into your pocket and go by "old Zunzgen," we wish you much pleasure and many enriching encounters with houses, places and people. For the working local history and geography group of Zunzgen Heiner Krattiger
The Green Troll The green troll. A man from Zunzgen wanted to lead a cow on the footpath to Sissach. A green troll stood at the place with a little bench. The cow did not want to continue. The farmer had to turn around with it and use the highway. Also a man with a dog showed up at the troll. The animal would not continue, barked loudly, bit the leash in two, and ran home. The green troll sculpture was created by the artist Ruedi Pfirter of Hölstein for the inauguration of the multipurpose hall in 1990.
Zunzgen – upper village The Zunzger upper village. In former times a brick oven had been under the motorway bridge. Here the well-known nose bricks were burned. In the past, in the area of Forest Hard road 29 there was a winery, attributed "to the Leutenegger." The landlord, Colonel Leutenegger produced its wine, he owned his own vines in the area of the today's Weidliweges. The house of this winery was built about 1780. The Hard Forest stream flowed down along the Hard road and flowed into the Bachtelen into the Nästelbächlein.
The Wooden Shoe Meier The wooden shoe Meier. In the past the "wooden shoe Meier" lived in the area of Hard Forest road 26. He manufactured shingles and timber floorings for shoes. The shingles, which he cut, were from fir wood. However, the wood had to be branch-free, otherwise the tap fell out and the shingle would leak water. This shingles were used, in order to seal the gaps between the nose bricks. In nearly each house there was at that time a stable and a barn.
In the Bachtelen In the Bachtelen. About 90 years ago at the address of Bachtelenweg 12 there was still another shop. One sold food, buttons, thread, cords etc. With the inlet of the school lane in the Bachtelenweg the Nästelbaechlein and the Hardbächlein flow together. In a dole one hears the Nästelbaechlein rush by.
Buuchhus (The Wash House) Buuchhus (wash house). Today where the emergency restaurant and former military kitchen stand, was in former times the "Buuchhus" (the wash house). There the Zunzger women washed their laundry each day, since they still had no laundry room available at home. A wash plan regulated the wash time for each family. Also in the "Buuchhus" the most important pieces of news were exchanged daily.
The Zähntehus (Tax House?) The Zaehntehus. It was still to the Landvogtszeit, as one had to deliver one part in ten to the Zaehntehus (today the taxes). Thus the farmers brought meat, grain, fruit etc. to the Zaehntehus. A servant of the Landvogts received the taxes. The Zaehntehus has stood there for about 400 years.
At the old schoolhouse At the old school building. Until 1930 a cemetery was next to the old school building. The former school building was built in three stages. The first teachers carried out small farm enterprises beside the school, since they earned too little from their occupation of teacher. In a school room up to sixty girls and boys were taught at that time. Often the children had to help the teacher with the work in the field. To the left beside the former local administration stood the Zunzger poorhouse (Schulegasse 10). Also, until 1911 milk was still accepted in this house. The Burgmattbächlein flowed hereby the old school building along the cemetery wall against the village square.
The Büchel. The legendary Zunzger Büchel is an artificially up-poured earth hill, a so-called "moth". It might have developed in the Middle Ages (9./10. century). Results of archaeological excavations in 1881 and 1950 indicate an established hill castle which was protected by palisade wall, probably accessible over wood stairs.
The Granary The Granary. A granary belongs to the Zaehntehus (Tax House). It stands beside the real estate Hard road 7. It is over 500 years old. Grain, hemp and flax were stored there In the past. In the cellar arable crops were kept. The storehouse on the Hard road 3a stands like the other one in preservation of the regional tradition. It is about 400 years old and served as underground storage. Wine and cider were kept in the basement, on the first floor grain, in the second floor hemp, flax, nuts and dried fruit. Red (ox blood) and black (soot) color were over the entrance in former times
Round the village square. Around the village square. In the past, there was a Wagnerei (wagon shop) and a carpenter's workshop (formerly "Bohnyhaus" [Bohny/Bohni is family name long associated with Zunzgen]) opposite the Hotel Hard. There cars, wheels, trucks and still many other devices of wood were made. Also in the same house Sunday school was held. The old country road once was the former main street. It led along the Hard and afterwards over the Rössli bridge towards Mühleholdenweg and Industriestrasse [Industry Street]. In the house at Alte Landstrasse 6 was the legendary village shop of the well-known Mrs. "post office Rosi.[this was Rosa Scholer-Buser]" The village square with the water well shows itself today almost as in earlier times.
The cheese factory The old cheese factory. This large, remarkable house possesses walls from yellow and red bricks. In the top it has latch plate construction, with strong timber beams, as one finds it in east Switzerland. It was built in 1909 from a design of a Thurgauer architect. The milk cooperatives of many villages of the region had united with the northwest Swiss milk and cheese factory cooperative (late Miba). This federation operated here one of the largest cheese factories of Switzerland. Cheese production from the milk supplied by the farmers took place up to the time of the Second World War.
The Hotel Rössli. In former times a wedding party occured in the Rössli almost every Saturday. Often there were more than 10 carriages, also over 20 horses. These were maintained and fed in the stalls belonging to the hotel. The driving people of the valley came to the Rössli and satisfied their hunger and thirst. Meanwhile the horses at the well drank water. The butcher's shop and the hotel belonged together in former times. The young people of the area often met at the Rössli dance.
In Mill Lane (Mühlegasse) In the mill lane (Mühlegasse). In Mühlegasse 2 was the first Zunzger kindergarten, which was cared for by sisters. The house of family Belser (Mühlegasse 6) exhibits a magnificent old front. In the upper window level the year 1597 is displayed. But nevertheless at the lower window 1570! How does that happen? The building was obviously interrupted and was completed 27 years later.
The Mill The mill. In the building of Muhlegasse 9 had been a mill, in which one had converted raps, poppy and sunflower cores to vegetable oil. In former times an open channel flowed by the mill lane. About 1940 it was covered. Behind the mill are the buildings of the iron furniture factory. It was created in the year 1898. People of Zunzgen, Tenniken and Sissach found new jobs here.
(Translated by Charles Scholer – my apologies for any errors.)
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