Battle at Hägglingen

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Combat operations in connection with the Helvetic Revolution (1798/99)

The battle near Hägglingen, also known as the Hägglinger War, was a conflict between France and Switzerland in Hägglingen on the Emmetfeld on April 26, 1798 .

Emmet Cross in Hägglingen

The Emmet Cross on the Emmetfeld between Rüti and Hägglingen is a reminder of the Hägglinger War. The inscription on the wayside cross reads as follows: “On April 26, 1798, the Freiämter and the Zugers fought against the invading French here. - Renovated on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Canton of Aargau in 1953 "

Prehistory and course

After the French entered the Confederation, they founded a unitary state , the Helvetic Republic . The canton of Zug was among the places that were against the new constitution. Under General Joseph Leonz Andermatt, the people of Zug decided to move against the French. On the way, Zug received reinforcements from the Freiämter. The march played by the drummers and the Pfeiffer went down in history under the name of the “old Zuger March” or the so-called “Hägglinger”.

The Zug vanguard of 1,300 men advanced from Boswil to Niederwil . The French army, 5,000 strong, marched from Mellingen towards Hendschiken and Dottikon , with the intention of occupying Hägglingen. A Hägglingen mercenary who spoke French well is said to have managed to save the village from pillage, fire and murder. A battle broke out on the range of hills between Hägglingen and Rüti. The main French power was received on the Emmetfeld by heavy gunfire and the two Zug cannons (which, by the way, can still be seen in Zug today). The fight, which began at 12 noon, lasted about 3 hours. The French were already beginning to retreat on one flank and it seemed for a while that the Zugers would win. The French were thrown back three times. But when the French hussars stormed up, the Zugers and Freiämter finally fled and hurriedly retreated through the protective forests. After that, attempts were still made to protect the positions in the St. Wolfgang - Wart - Rumentikon area. But when it became known that the French were advancing to Zug and that troops were also coming from Zurich, the positions there were also given up.

According to Zugerian reports, 16 people from Zug and four free offices fell on the Emmetfeld; the losses of the French are said to have been “much higher”, according to other reports, to 115 men. Of the four perished Freiamt only two are known by name, namely a B. Müller and a Leonz Meier, both from Wohlen . 12 Freiämter came to Aarau in captivity, but were solemnly pardoned on April 27th and released back home to report the generosity of the French nation.

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  • Hägglingen community: "Hägglingen - Our community". In: A small home book 1986 .
  • Gustav Wiederkehr: "Memories from the history of the Freiamt, 1415-1803" . Verlag Sauerländer, Aarau 1907. 153 pages, Hln ,.
  • Renato Morosoli: Andermatt, Joseph Leonz. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .