Peter Hemmi

Peter Hemmi (born October 16, 1789 in Chur ; † March 1852 ibid) was an important surveyor of the Chur urban area.

Beginnings

Peter Hemmi, who is counted among the most important surveyors in Graubünden today, was born in Chur in October 1789. At that time Europe was in upheaval, the French Revolution began and a lot was changing. One tried to tame nature in order to make new areas usable. Many regions of Graubünden were threatened by floods and landslides. The Nolla in Thusis , in Domleschg, and the Pizokel region near Chur were particularly dangerous. The authorities in Graubünden wanted to find out how the natural hazards could be averted. A precise survey and development of plans by Peter Hemmi should serve as a basis for the protection of the areas.

First orders

As a talented surveyor, Peter Hemmi received numerous important assignments in the canton. Between July and October 1809, for example, he surveyed the area at Pizokel from the Malixer Alp, which was threatened by falling rocks. A few years later he was involved as a surveyor in the expansion of the new road from Chur over the San Bernardino to Bellinzona and from Chur over the Julier Pass to Casaccia. In 1811 he made his first plan for the city of Chur, the "ground plan of the course of the Rhine including the Rheinwuhren, between the area of ​​the city of Chur, the communities Ems and Felsberg". The Rhine near Chur, as measured by Hemmi, was not yet the systematically corrected and blocked river of the present. It was a wild and raging river of various widths. The precautions that were taken against the flood were inadequate, and Hemmi's plans served to further expand flood protection.

Not only the Rhine but also the Plessur was dangerous. Again and again she stepped over the bank. The floods in June and August 1817 were particularly bad. In autumn of the same year, Hemmi was commissioned to measure the river.

On behalf of Chur

Hemmi was appointed by the authorities in 1822 as surveyor for the city of Chur. In this position, however, he did not have a fixed salary, he lived on the fees he received for his work. "The large-format floor plan of Chur - taken and rejuvenated in 1823 by Peter Hemmi" on a scale of 1: 500 is the first precise picture of the city within the city walls. The 150 measuring points were along the larger streets, especially along the city water supply. Additional information such as B. the different roofing of the houses and stables, enriched the plan. Since many buildings were covered with fire-hazardous wooden shingles, it was an important concern of the Chur authorities to get rid of them. Hemmi paid particular attention to the water supply. Some time before, springs were taken at the Pizokel that made more drinking water available to the population. Hemmi drew the 15 fountains in the city in his plan. In addition, the Mühlbach and the city creeks that were used for sewage disposal are shown.

Own publications

In addition, in 1834 Hemmi published a hand-colored lithograph of the canton of Graubünden on a scale of 1: 50,000, which, however, was not widely used.

Later years

In 1833, Hemmi quit without giving any reason, probably because of the irregular payment for his work. A few years later he placed an advertisement in the official gazette, with a single sentence of 26 lines asking that he no longer wanted to be called a surveyor. Only now did the city re-advertise the position, but it was only awarded again four years later after Hemmi's death.

After completing the survey of the Chur municipality, Hemmi hardly made any plans showing parts of the city or the surrounding area. Outside of Chur, Hemmi was still involved in larger projects, e.g. B. 1846 as a surveyor on the St. Gallen - Rorschach railway line. The last plans he made were simple measurements of two meadows in the Gäuggeli.

More than 40 years had passed since he made his first measurements in an urban area. In March 1852 he died of "Schlaggfuss", probably a stroke.

literature

• Ulf Wendler: Chur in fathoms and shoes. Verlag Desertina, Chur 2008, ISBN 978-3-85637-356-6 .