Kundelfingen
Kundelfingen is a hamlet first mentioned in the 13th century between the Schaaren bordering the Rhine and the Buchberg, west of Diessenhofen in Switzerland . A large artesian water source that still exists today probably led to settlement in ancient times. In the second half of the 19th century, the Kundelfingerhof emerged from the feudal farms and various commercial operations as an agricultural estate with trout breeding . At the beginning of the 21st century, the estate was restructured and redistributed through gravel mining , pond construction , land sales, demolitions and new buildings. The agriculture was abandoned, the fish farm expanded and a restaurant business integrated.
history
Early history
The first few traces of settlement point to the Roman era . In 1263 the hamlet and mill is first mentioned as Chunnonvingen . The name stands for the derivation of a clan head named Cunolf or Kunolf, which is synonymous with "the bold wolf".
Mills, grinding shops
In the 13th century the feudal farms with corridors passed from aristocratic property to the monasteries of St. Katharinental and Paradies . In addition to agriculture, the mill had a special place in the 20th century. Due to the almost constant pouring of water from the large spring (known as the Kundelfinger or Schwarzach spring), the value of the mill was still more important than the property for a long time. Eight water wheels are said to have operated with the water from Kundelfingen. The number eight is probably to be understood for the entire course of the approximately four kilometer long stream, named Schwarzach (today also known as "Mülibach"). There are only sparse records relating to the "loop" or " grinding mill in Kundelfingen" mentioned in the 15th century .
The "Pale in Kundelfingen"
Mentioned for the first time in 1602 as " Bleiche zu Kundelfingen", this company later became the first natural bleaching plant in Switzerland for linen cloth. The preserved "Walkehaus" still bears witness to this era.
Fiefdoms and leases
The farms and businesses of Kundelfingen were ceded to the respective managers , both under aristocratic and monastery ownership, according to various feudal systems . Essentially, there were three kinds of feudal Schupflehen , hereditary fief and the temporary inventory fief.
Frequent changes of tenants have been handed down from the 19th century.
The last tenant
Wilhelm Spiess (1823–1904) from Untervogthaus Uhwiesen and former tenant of the Sonnenburg property in Schaffhausen leased the neglected former fiefdom with 22 hectares in the west of the Kundelfingen hamlet from the successor company of the Paradies monastery. Together with his wife Maria Spiess-Stamm (1835–1900) he brought the farm into good condition.
From the hamlet to the estate
In 1876 the Paradies company sold both Kundelfingen farms to Pastor Wiederkehr vom Paradies, whose son was to take over the farms. He was overwhelmed by this, whereupon the tenant Wilhelm Spiess, who had previously invested a lot of work and money in the lease, was able to purchase the entire estate with 36.4 hectares. For the time being, the large water source with brook remained the property of the Paradies company. The headwaters and located partly in the middle of the courtyard area stream with the other border of eight meters was landmarks abgemarkt . Through further acquisitions, later by son Hermann Spiess (1866–1930), the farm area reached 52 hectares. In contrast, the mean farm size in Switzerland at the time was 4.9 hectares. The merging of the farms required extensive renovation work , a new one Operating concept and extensive structural measures. From now on, the hamlet name Kundelfingen has mainly been replaced by the name “Kundelfingerhof”.
Hydropower via rope transmission
The increasing spread of various yard machines towards the end of the 19th century gave rise to further intensive use of water power. For this purpose, the overshot water wheel from the bleaching period was used, which at the “Walkehaus” was supplied with water from the pond of the large spring (discharge of 4,500 lt / min). The energy transfer to the center of the courtyard was achieved by Hermann Spiess with wooden gear drives, belt transmission and a cable transmission over a distance of about 100 m. This construction was derived from the Moserdamm in Schaffhausen, which was built in 1866, in which the water power was transmitted to the industrial plants on the banks of the Rhine by cable transmissions. In Kundelfingen could as early as 1,880 mills , breaking operated and lining cutting machines in the barn with the cattle and horse stables by hydropower. The drive of a simple threshing machine designed for the Göpelsystem right next to the sheaf also made work much easier and increased performance .
20th century, until 1970
Management
While arable farming dominated in the first half of the 19th century , later dairy farming with grass clover and alfalfa alternating with arable farming (grain, potatoes, fodder beet and horse-tooth maize) came to the fore. For many decades the milk and other farm products were delivered to Schaffhausen , initially directly to a steadily growing customer base.
Shortly before the First World War, agriculture was intensified and field vegetables - above all various types of cabbage - were grown over a large area as an intermediate crop on the black, humus-rich soils. The vegetables were delivered to private customers, large kitchens, the food industry and, above all, sauerkraut factories . During the First World War u. a. the canteen of Buhler supplies. Field vegetable growing developed into an important economic basis for the company. The vegetable production system that was introduced first found widespread use in Basadingen and later also in the wider area.
Water source and energy supply
The contractual regulations with the owner of the spring and the Schwarzach flowing through the farm prohibited private use to drive a bone mill or other mills. When a second, smaller spring was found and developed around 1900 about 2 m above the existing spring, this problem could be resolved as this spring was on the land of the landowner and therefore belonged to him. With a discharge of around 1000 lt / min, the prerequisite for an own power plant was given. For this purpose, a storage pond was created below the small spring , the size of which made it possible to operate a shaft turbine ( Schwamkrug system ) with around 5 kW for several hours with a seven meter drop . The inflow to the reservoir pond was too small for continuous operation. A generator (110 V direct current) supplied the farm with electricity from 1903, especially in the evening.
In 1906 Hermann Spiess also acquired the first large spring with a pond, a brook and the adjacent buildings. In 1909 it became possible to install a second turbine based on the Francis system with 3.7 kW and electromechanical control for continuous operation. Together with the Schwamkrug turbine, a maximum system output of 8.8 kW was now available.
"Griesbachhof" leased near Schaffhausen
Between 1916 and 1925, the owner of the Kundelfingerhof also leased the " state domain " Griesbachhof near Schaffhausen with around 50 hectares for joint management . In the beginning, renovations, new buildings and improvements were in the foreground. Because of Hermann Spiess health problems, the lease was not renewed after the lease period of nine years. Since the farm estimate by the Swiss Farmers' Association showed a considerable increase at the end of the lease, Hermann Spiess received additional payments from the canton for some of his own investments.
Technology in the yard and field
As early as 1880, a mower with a cuttings and other machines were used for the forage and grain harvest. The mobile engine was made in 1920 by acquiring a Fordson - tractor with matching implements such. B. Two Schar plow attachments , various Heuwerbemaschinen , Heulader, beet Schwadroder , Mähbinder and a semi-automatic vegetable transplanter with water tank. Especially for the transport of vegetables over long distances, farm wagons were equipped with pneumatic truck tires and tractors alternately with solid rubber tires as early as the 1920s. The four barns with a covered high silo for maize had high entrances which made manual work considerably easier for many decades.
Until the 1960s, a large threshing machine with a straw binder was used by the Basadingen cooperative . The threshing machine was driven around the First World War by a steam locomotive , and later by a tractor or an electric motor. There were individual combine harvester operations in 1948, the first own combine harvester and a collecting harvester for potatoes were used in 1952.
By 1910, the first underground pipes for manure spreading and irrigation were already in place , which were later expanded. Even the more distant fields could now be easily and sufficiently fertilized and watered at the optimal time . Around 1925 Hermann Spiess invented the ball joint coupling for flexible irrigation and manure pipes, which were manufactured and sold in series by a foundry and mechanical engineering company.
household
Until the 1960s, the estate household had to provide for up to 20 people. In addition, there were sporadic temporary workers and sturgeon craftsmen and, before the Second World War, construction workers. The refrigeration system for groceries set up around 1920 was unusual for a private household . Another innovation in the 1920s was the existing bottle washing and filling system for fruit juices as well as a dough kneading machine , electric boiler , washing machine , lack of laundry , central heating and state-of-the-art sanitary facilities.
Rounding off
Through targeted acquisitions and land swaps, a complete consolidation with a uniform field division of the business could be achieved over the course of time .
Trout farming
In addition to carp , trout were also popular food fish during the monastery period. With the acquisition of the large spring, the fishing rights in the Schwarzachbach became operational. Because of the scarce food supply during the First World War , a trout breeding facility was started as a subsidiary business in 1915 .
Even in the early days, the sale of nesting fish, especially as brown trout, was of certain importance. In 1965 a trout smokehouse was set up.
Training, trial and model operation
Since the beginning of the 20th century, agricultural vocational training with up to seven interns per year (including Griesbach) has become increasingly important (apprenticeship training was not yet introduced at that time).
In 1934, the training of household tutors was regulated in Eastern Switzerland and in 1946 the professional examination for women farmers was introduced. Anna-Elise "Liseli" Spiess worked as a course instructor for field vegetable growing and teacher at Kundelfingerhof from an early age, and from 1943 as the first farmer's consultant and examination expert in Thurgau.
As early as the beginning of the 20th century, lively contacts were maintained with many specialists and institutions at home and abroad, and numerous experiments in the fields of crop production, mechanization, poultry and trout farming were undertaken in cooperation with experts. Together with the Hohenheim Agricultural University, the Heinzen (Steinacher hay huts) were further developed and attempts were made to break up straw for feeding purposes. With Volg -Winterthur, Jakob Hermann Spiess developed and tested pelletized dry food for trout.
From the time of the First World War onwards, the company achieved a high level of awareness in specialist circles and became the target of many group visits.
Timetable
- Neolithic 4000 BC: To the left of the Kundelfinger brook in the Niegelsee corridor, in 1935 several piles from a Neolithic settlement can be found.
- Late Bronze Age 1300-800 BC: A bronze ax weighing 0.49 kg was found west of the Kundelfingerhof in 1926.
- Late Latène period 120-80 / 70 BC: A Celtic silver coin was found in 2004 near the courtyard buildings.
- Roman times from 15 BC (north-eastern Central Plateau): In the area of Kundelfingen, modest traces of Roman settlement were found in the 19th century and further east in Ratihart when the railway line was built (1894) a vessel with 200 silver coins was found.
- 1263: Oldest Kundelfinger certificate, first mentioned as Chunnonvingen: A mill with a large water source and land totaling 27 Jucharten (approx. 9 hectares) are sold by the knight Rudolf von Strass to the Paradies monastery.
- 1271: Count Rudolf von Habsburg donates goods in Chunolvingen to the St. Katharinental monastery.
- 1425 and 1477: For the first time a "loop" or "grinding mill" is mentioned in Kundelfingen.
- 1602 and 1785: Mention of the bleach in Kundelfingen.
- 1804: The Thurgau government decides to merge the administrations of the Paradies and St. Katharinental monastery estates.
- In 1836 the Paradies monastery was abolished by a resolution of the Grand Council and the property holdings totaling 478 hectares were sold to Melchior Wegelin von Diessenhofen and eight other participants (known as “Gesellschaft Paradies”).
- In 1869 the monastery of St. Katharinental was dissolved by the state.
- In 1870 Wilhelm Spiess von Uhwiesen (1823–1904) leased one of the former fiefdoms with 22 hectares in Kundelfingen for 6 years.
- 1876: Wilhelm Spiess and Maria Spiess-Stamm (1835–1900) buy and merge the farms, the bleaching shop and the former mill. The hamlet name Kundelfingen is from now on mainly replaced by the name Kundelfingerhof.
- 1893: Construction of the Schaffhausen-Diessenhofen railway line. In the wash house in Kundelfingen, the construction office and a large kitchen are set up for the many Italian guest workers.
- 1900: Discovery and development of the second upper spring.
- 1901: Hermann Spiess (1866–1930) and Maria Magdalena Spiess-Herrmann (1871–1936) take over the company.
- In 1903, the first Schwamkrug water turbine system was set up for power generation and direct drive: the first electric light in the area.
- 1905: A telephone connection with the number 29 is installed.
- 1906: Hermann Spiess also acquires the large water source with Walkerhaus. This means that an efficient Francis turbine can also be installed in 1909 for continuous operation.
- 1912: An official measurement of the large Kundelfinger spring confirms a discharge of 4500 liters per minute as the largest spring occurrence in Thurgau.
- 1915: Start of trout farming with pond construction.
- 1925: A bell weighing 11 kg in A-tuning from the Aarau bell foundry is installed in a turret on the roof.
- 1920–1930: Complete rounding, field division according to a two-hectare grid; Soil pipes for irrigation and slurry application are being built for almost the entire plant area. From 1920 seed grain production.
- 1930–1943: After the death of Hermann Spiess (1930) and his wife Maria Magdalena (1936), the third generation of the Spiess brothers and siblings ran the business together for 13 years.
- 1943: Jakob Hermann Spiess (1894–1975) and Helene Gertrud Spiess-Hotz (1913–1993) take over the company.
- 1944: A four-engine US bomber crashes into fields in the courtyard. The crew was able to save themselves beforehand by parachuting.
- 1959: Several underground nuclear bunkers are built in the dump and in the forest east of the courtyard.
- 1968: Filling of the Kundelfingerhof springs: 5300 liters per minute.
- 1970: The fourth generation of the business passes to son Hermann Spiess (born 1944) as the last owner of the Spiess family. Fish farming is being expanded.
- 1992: The Kundelfingerhof springs are damaged by seismic measurements by Nagra . The flow rate drops to 3400 liters per minute.
- 1995: Filling of the Kundelfingerhof springs: 5650 liters per minute.
- From 1995 the company underwent a number of structural interventions and changes such as the leasing of large fields, gravel mining and the establishment of a court restaurant.
- 2005: After rezoning approx. 12 hectares of arable land in the north and east of the courtyard area, gravel extraction for the creation of large ponds for fish keeping, natural swimming and fishing, construction of additional roads. Sale of fields in the east for vegetable growing.
- From 2012: abandonment of agriculture, division and sale of the homestead and fields to several subsequent owners.
- Around 2015, demolition of the historic wash house and the grain barn. New residential building.
- 2017/18: Demolition of the eastern fish ponds, construction of a new fish farm with two company buildings and additional groundwater wells.
- 2019: The Kundelfingerhof springs decline to a discharge of 1080 liters per minute.
Spring pond 1910, water drainage 4500 liters per minute, Kundelfingerhof
Courtyard entrance with wash house around 1920, Kundelfingerhof
Manor around 1930, Kundelfingerhof
Kundelfingerhof around 1950
Kundelfingerhof around 2000
Kundelfingerhof in 2018
Literature / sources
- Ernst Leisi: History of Schlatt. 1952. Cantonal library TG.
- Rosina Schmid-Spiess: Memories of my youth in Kundelfingen. 1955. Kundelfingen archive.
- Martin Forster: Chronicle of the Kundelfingerhof. 1963. Thurgau State Archives
- Anna-Elise Spiess, story: Kundelfingen 1900–1949. 1986. Audio documents women archive (State Archive) TG
- Helen Bachmann-Ruesch: The Kundelfingerhof - studies of history. 1990. Monument preservation TG
- Peter Spiess: Biel family archive.
- Certificates / documents for Kundelfingen, Kundelfingerhof and Griesbach; State Archives TG and SH, City Archives Schaffhausen
- Kundelfingen archive (family property)
Web links
- Erich Trösch: Willisdorf. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .
- Chundelfinge on ortsnamen.ch - The portal for Swiss place name research ( Schweizerisches Idiotikon )
- Kundelfingerhof on a map scale of 1: 10,000 at swisstopo
- Website "Quellpark Kundelfingerhof"
- Kundelfingerhof is to be included in the zoning plan as a conservation zone. / Rezoning of Kundelfingerhof. Diessenhofen website, 2011, accessed on February 3, 2019.
- Water portal Thurgau, Office for the Environment, Kundelfingerhofquellen: http://www.hydrodaten.tg.ch/app/index.html#Q1275
Individual evidence
- ^ Elisabeth Bommeli: In memory of Liseli Spiess. In: Thurgauer Bauer, Jan. 6, 1989, State Archives TG
- ↑ a b Office for the Environment TG: Communication on hydrology from February 11, 2020
- ^ Office for the Environment TG: Communication on hydrology of June 27, 2019
Coordinates: 47 ° 40 '37.8 " N , 8 ° 42' 27.9" E ; CH1903: 695,303 / 281495