Glarus pages by Bart Geger and Sue Wolf within SwissGen

The following is a list of common Swiss word components:

• -tal = valley
• -bach = brook
• -kopf = summit
• -berg = mountain
• -stock = massif
• -li = little

I have checked Duden's Swiss dictionary, Wie sagt man in der Schweiz? and researched Swiss governmental organization (see below).

In Swiss-German:

• Gemeinde = commune
• Tagwen = full citizens of the commune
• Ort = member canton of Old Confederation
• Land = canton (estate)[old]
• Stand = canton
• Bund = federal
• Rat = council
• Vogt = a local "overseer" official, representing the overlord [old]; Ammann is used today.

So, I have translated the following official titles:

• Ratsherr = councillor
• Ständerat = Councillor of States
• Landrat = cantonal councillor
• Landvogt = cantonal official
• Tagwenvogt = Tagwen official
• Tagwenschreiber = Tagwen recorder
• Gemeinderat = communal councillor
• Gemeindeschreiber = communal recorder
• Gemeindepräsident = communal president
• Verwalter = administrator
• Unterleher = assistant teacher
• Spennvogt = charity official

The Swiss government/citizenship exists on three levels: Communal, Cantonal, and Federal. Sometimes there is a fourth level, District [Bezirk], between the commune and the canton, but I did not find mention of it in Canton Glarus.

The Goverment in Canton Glarus

The Swiss government/citizenship exists on three levels: Commune, Canton, and Federation. Sometimes there is a fourth level, District [Bezirk], between the commune and the canton, but I did not find mention of it in Canton Glarus.

• I. Commune: the local community, the primary political/governmental unit. There are 29 communes in Canton Glarus (see below). [Gemeinde]
• a. Communal Council (executive) [Gemeinderat]
• ---Gemeindepräsident
• ---Gemeindeschreiber
• ---Gemeindeverwalter
• b1. Communal Assembly (legislative, of full citizens only) [Tagwenversammlung]
• ---Tagwenpräsident
• ---Tagwenschreiber
• ---Tagwenvogt
• b2. Communal Assembly (legislative, of full and limited citizens) [Gemeindeversammlung]
• c. Justice of the Peace (judicial) [Vermittler]

• II. Canton: 20 full cantons and 6 half cantons in Switzerland.
• a. Cantonal Commission (executive) [Ständeskommission]
• ---Landamman (runs this and the Landsgemeinde)
• ---Landschreiber
• ---Landvogt
• b1. Popular Assembly (legislative) [Landsgemeinde]
• ---Landamman
• ---Landweibel
• b2. Cantonal Council (legislative-advisory) [Landrat]
• c. Superior Court (judicial) [Kantonsgericht]

• Federation: as of 1848.
• a. Federal Council (executive) [Bundesrat]
• b. Federal Assembly (legislative)* [Bundesversammlung]
• ---National Council [Nationalrat]
• ---Council of States [Ständerat]
• c. Federal Tribunal (judicial) [Bundesgericht]
• d. Federal Chancellery (the Secretariat to a. & b.) [Bundeskanzlei]

* From before 1400 until 9/1848 there was a single chamber, the Tagsatzung, representing the cantons. The members were known as Ratsherr.

Canton Glarus presently has 29: Betschwanden, Bilten, Braunwald, Diesbach, Elm, Engi, Ennenda, Filzbach, Glarus, Haslen, Hätzingen, Leuggelbach, Linthal, Luchsingen, Matt, Mitlödi, Mollis, Mühlehorn, Nafels, Netstal, Nidfurn, Niederurnen, Oberurnen, Obstalden, Riedern, Rüti, Schwanden, Schwändi, Sool.

There are three levels of residents:
a. Burger (full citizens by birth or purchase). They have the right to vote on everything concerning the commune. They may use the common lands. They are supported if in poverty. In Glarus these comprise the Tagwen, or Burger-gemeinde. The existing Burgers were reluctant to extend their privileges to new members, so the price to acquire the Tagwen rights was often quite high.
b. Niedergelassenen (limited citizens). They may vote except on matters concerning the common lands or the poor funds. They are, however, full cantonal and federal citizens.
c. Aufenthalter (residents without political rights)

Primary types of communes: citizens, churches, schools.

500-300 B.C. Celts: Raetians (Etruscan/Celt?) - eastern, Helvetians - western

58 B.C.-401 A.D. Raetia: Julius Caesar and Roman Empire

c.250-534 A.D. Allemanni (eastern, Germanic, pagan) and Burgundians
(western, Christian)

534-800 A.D. Curraetia: Franks (Germanic); feudalism

800-1291 A.D. Holy Roman Empire (Germanic)

1291-1798 A.D. Old Confederation (officially free in 1501)

1352 A.D. Glarus joins the Confederation

1647 Switzerland free of Germany

1798-1815 A.D. Helvetic Republic (Napoleon made Switz. part of France)

1816-1848 A.D. New Confederation

1848-present Swiss Confederation

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