Ubersitz
The Ubersitz , also Übersitz , is a custom in the Haslital ( Bernese Oberland ), in which evil spirits are to be driven out at the end of the year.
The need
In the old year of the year, the evil spirits, ghosts and demons are driven away with the Ubersitz every year until the end of the year. The custom dates from pre-Christian times. In the long winter nights around the solstice, according to pagan belief, the living were haunted by the dead. One tried to impress the dead with gruesome masks to keep them away. With the additional noise generated, the dead were finally driven out of the valley and banished to the afterlife . Among other things, were Harsthörner , Rällen and ratchets used.
With the first Trychels , bells, clumsy and cowbells from agriculture , Trychel trains gradually formed. The bell in particular was said to be able to keep ghosts and demons away. For a long time only tryels and bells were used. For reasons of cost, the trychels were often made from sheet steel themselves. These have a flat and angular design. Few originals and replicas can still be seen in isolated Trychel trains, especially in Meiringen (Sandli-Trychle) and Unterbach. The trychels and bells are considerably larger and heavier today. The first drums probably brought with them by mercenaries (tambours / drummers) from foreign military service and from then on accompanied the trychels and bells with a repetitive drum march, the trychel march.
Unwritten law
The Trychel week extends from December 26th to the New Year . For a long time, Christmas night from December 25th to December 26th was considered holy and it was frowned upon to start tryeling at midnight. Out of respect and consideration of the strict believers, the old year's week did not begin until the following day. Today only the Trychel trains of Willigen and Eisenbolgen adhere to this unwritten law. In the old week of the year, toddling takes place every evening until the early hours of the morning. The afternoons belong to the young trychlers, who try to do so from preschool age.
The highlight at the end of the Trychel week is the Ubersitz. However, the Ubersitz must never fall on a Sunday. Depending on the day of the week in the calendar, this results in a long or short Trychel week. During a short Trychel week, you can trike again without disguise until the New Year. The law was never written down, but passed on orally from generation to generation.
The following also applied earlier:
- Women and girls are not allowed to participate in the Ubersitz.
- Everyone involved must wear a noise instrument. It can be: bells, bells, rälli, rätschi (one-handed and two-handed), harsthorns.
- Masked people without one of these instruments will be turned away from the train.
- Train order: a. Trychelmeister, b. Drummers, c. Plumpi and Tschanggelleni (bells and bells), d. Bells ranked according to the size of the diameter
- If you pass houses where there are mourners or the seriously ill, the Challen (clapper) will cease.
Trychel March
Where the march came from cannot be conclusively stated. It is believed that this was also brought to Haslital by Reisläufer or later mercenaries from foreign war services. Swiss mercenaries, including many Hasler, were in the service of the Kingdom of France , Austria , Spain , the Kingdom of Sardinia , the Kingdom of Naples , the Republic of the Seven United Provinces , Great Britain , Prussia , the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Papal Guard in Rome from 1400 to 1848 . The Thirty Years' War from 1618 to 1648 is always mentioned .
According to another tradition, the march is said to originate from the time of the Neuchâtel trade from 1856 - 1857 or the border occupation of the Franco-German War from 1870 -1871 by two returning Meiringer tambours. In the old Swiss orderly march collection, however, no comparable march is known. The orderly marches were revised and renewed from 1819 to 1845.
It was important for the development of drumming in Europe that the two-skinned Turkish drum began its triumphal march through Europe in the 15th century and was used in a military function - especially in France. In the course of the 15th century, the so-called field game, which became typical for the federal armies, emerged on federal territory. The drum is still an integral part of the Swiss Army troop play today .
The drum 2/4 time was probably originally played faster and adapted to the slow speed of the Trychel train and the capabilities of the tambours. This renewal gradually penetrated all other villages and is said to have marked the end of the traditional Trychel step in Guttannen.
Based on the tradition that the Trychels used to take place without drums, it can be assumed that the drums have only been accompanying the Trychel marches with the Trychel march since the 19th century.
Trychel trains
In the old week of the year, toddling takes place in all villages of the Haslital. After the formation of a train (from two to six rows) has been set up, it starts moving slowly and rhythmically in step and trieschelt through the alleys of the village. First the drums , followed by trychels and bells . The tumbled march is precisely coordinated with the rhythm of the trychels and bells. The Trychel train takes a break after a turn (Trychel round) in a previously specified inn. If two Trychel trains meet, they cross through the rows. The trains used to cross side by side, which often led to disputes and assault due to lack of space. A Trychel platoon consists of around 40 to 180 Trychlers on average. There are currently nine Trychel trains in the Haslital. The Trychel trains come from the villages of Meiringen , Willigen , Hausen, Eisenbolgen, Unterbach , Innertkirchen , Hasliberg , Gadmen and Guttannen and differ in the choice of instruments and the number of Trychlers.
The Trychel trains Meiringen, Willigen, Hausen, Eisenbolgen, Innertkirchen and Guttannen are formed with drum, Trychel and bell. The Trychelzug Hasliberg drumming and tryingchels. Basically, the Meiringen, Willigen and Hausen drums carry the old Swiss Army orderly drums. Eisenbolgen, Innertkirchen, Hasliberg and Guttannen, on the other hand, use the tall Basel drums . However, the Hasliberg Trychel train only carries large Trychels at Ubersitz. The Trychel trains, Unterbach and Gadmen, Tryelte and Bells. The Trychel trains Gadmen and Guttannen usually visit Meiringen the evening before the Ubersitz. The Gadmer uniformly wear the white entry shirt (hooded shirt for bringing in hay). During the old week of the year, mainly the Trychel trains from Meiringen, Willigen and Hausen are on the way in the village of Meiringen.
Trychel major / Trychel master
Each Trychel train has a Trychel major or a Trychel master. He is responsible for the Trychel procession, looks after law and order and organizes the course of the old year week with the other Trychel majors.
Schniggeln, Botzelen and Heischen
Willigen's school-age boys go sniggling in the old year. The two oldest boys dress up as man and woman (Hans and Greti), in so-called botzeni, go from house to house and beg for money, gingerbread, mandarins, nuts, cookies and other sweets. The income is then shared among the children. In Geissholz, a village above Willigen as well as in Guttannen Schniggeln, all children. In Guttannen, however, the custom is called Botzelen. Schniggeln was widespread throughout the valley until the 1930s. In the other communities the custom was also called Heischen. The requesting schoolboys were called Gloiser.
In the old days, the following slogan was uttered by the schoolboys in Willigen when they were snapping:
“There are lots of stones on Geissholz and lots of sticks on the fence. The pigs are butchered here, the Böck on the Hasliberg. And in the cold nights, you are not thirsty. So we want to ask you and give us a sausage. "
Memento mori - remember the dead
One night in the old year, the train from Meiringen tries to get to the church around midnight. Directly in front of the old arsenal chapel in front of the cemetery, the train stops and trieschelt two marches at a standstill to commemorate the deceased Trychlers.
In the case of a recently deceased villager, out of respect, however, his house was not trundled past.
Ubersitz
At the Ubersitz, the highlight of the old year's week, the Trychlers from Meiringen, Willigen, Hausen, Eisenbolgen, Innertkirchen and Guttannen dress up in so-called Botzeni. Especially popular costumes are young and old women, witches and terrifying characters. The Eisenbolgner dress up almost exclusively with natural materials. The Trychelzug Unterbach traditionally wears the Chüjermutz (velvet jacket with puff sleeves). The Haslibergers and Gadmer try to chill without disguise. The Innertkirchner, Gadmer and Guttanner each spend the Ubersitz in their own villages. According to tradition, the Innertkirchen Trychel train does not come to the village of Meiringen until Ubersitz morning and after a few turns it returns to Innertkirchen. The word Ubersitz came about because you don't go to rest until the next day. That night the inns stay open until the next day. The streets of Meiringen are densely populated by spectators when an approaching Trychel train appears. People from near and far, including many Hasler living abroad, meet here and attend the Ubersitz. A few Trychel trains try to work until the next evening. The main town at Ubersitz is Meiringen.
Unlike all other Trychel trains, the Trychel train from Guttannen begins undisguised on the evening of the Ubersitz. Then the Trychlers go home to their relatives. At midnight, the Trychlers meet again, disguised as Botzeni, and keep trying. In the inn there is no talk and the masks are not removed. Villagers can now guess who is under the mask. The last unrecognized person won.
Huttewybli
The Meiringen, Willigen and Hausen trains are led by a so-called Huttewybli. An old little woman with a hutte (back basket), who, under the weight of her husband, who is sitting in the hut, walks through the alleys and clears the way for the Trychel trains. According to legend, the elderly woman is said to have carried her drunken, lightweight and no longer able to walk husband home from the inn in the hut. In reality, the man sitting in the hut is walking. The Wybli is a doll attached to the hut. The first and therefore oldest known Huttewybli is owned by the Trychelzug von Willigen. It was introduced in the 1950s.
Schnabelgeiss
The Trychel trains Willigen, Hausen, Innertkirchen and at times Guttannen are led by a Schnabelgeiss. A Schnabelgeiss consists of a wooden frame, which is carried on the shoulders and covered with white or black linen. Horns or large ears are attached to the head. The large wooden beak can be opened and closed by the carrier using a rope mechanism. A Schnabelgeiss measures approx. 2.5 - 3 meters depending on the size of the wearer. In the early evening of Ubersitz, the Trychelzug Willigen also carries a smaller Schnabelgeiss, which is carried by a schoolboy. A Schnabelgeiss loves to scare away the children and tries to steal their hats with her beak. A rumor has it that if a young woman is pecked by the Schnabelgeiss, she will become pregnant next year.
A Schnabelgeiss used to accompany the Trychelzug Meiringen. A contemporary witness reported in 1956 that even before the village fire of 1891, to the horror of the children, the Schnabelgeiss looked through the open windows into the rooms of the then low wooden houses.
Harsthorn
There is evidence that the Trychel train Meiringen carried a Harsthorn until the 1950s. One of the last used Harsthorns comes from the inventory of the Meiringen fire brigade and survived both village fires of 1879 and 1891. It was not until 2016 that two Harsthorns of the same type were reintroduced in the Trychel train in Meiringen and Willigen. The horn is blown sporadically by a certain Trychler, usually a Trychler or Glockner, during the Trychling and is intended to inspire fear and awe but also to remind of times past. Harsthorns were already used by the Celts, Teutons and Vikings to be able to communicate in battle, to incite the troops to battle and to demoralize the enemy with a kind of acoustic warfare. The harsthorn is one of the oldest wind instruments at all.
Hori
The Willigen Trychel train sometimes has a horn sledge (a winter wagon to transport hay or wood from remote alpine huts and forests into the valley), the so-called Hori. This is drawn from 4–5 botzeni who do not try to chill. In a satirical way, a poster with sayings and rhymes about a person who attracted negative attention in the past year is drawn on the hori. One of the botzeni tells amusing about the events. The others protect and, if necessary, defend their speaker with wooden sticks from possible attacks by the person concerned.
Ubersitzler
The satirical newspaper "Der Ubersitzler" appears every year just in time for Ubersitz. In this, among other things, the mishaps and behavior of valley residents from last year are mockingly and ironically brought to light. The first "Ubersitzler" appeared at the end of the 19th century. In addition to or instead of the Ubersitzler, similar satirical newspapers such as the Bazarzeitung, Ds Geismeitli, Schützen-Zeitung and the Ubersitz-Zeitung appeared from 1897 to the mid-1950s.
The following ironic Trychel order comes from the Ubersitzler or the Schützen-Zeitung of 1897:
Trychel order
- Traditionally, every citizen between the ages of 4 and 50 is required to trychel. In emergencies, this period of service can be extended to the age of 60.
- The following are exempt from this service: the hard of hearing, as well as all those who lack the necessary understanding and tenderness.
- Every trychler has to be there in good time with an appropriate instrument. Delays must be made up for.
- Trychles of all sizes, bells and plumps count for one man's work, drums and goat horns for two man's works.
- In the homes of those for whom tryeling is not an absolute necessity, a slower step should be taken, possibly a short stop, and the instruments should be set in motion with more feeling and force.
- Tryeling begins on the first working day after Christmas and lasts until New Year's Eve.
To sing
In the inns or on the street in front of a Trychel return, the Trychlers often sing well-known yodel and home songs together. Singing contributes to the cohesion of a Trychel procession. A song that is particularly valued in the valley is "Lengi Zyti". It was composed by Johann Rudolf Krenger (1854–1925). The text comes from Ediar Jaun (1854–1913) from Meiringen and is about the simple but happy life of a local goat farmer. The song is sung together every year by the Trychelzug von Willigen at the end of the Ubersitzes. The song can often be heard at funerals of villagers.
Lengi Zyti
When the stars go out of wine, the bright air no geit,
I draw my goats to drift and pasture.
By the old water fir, the thin ridge
I like to count my Hein, because I friei and late.
Mys Wybelti and d'Büzen, my hot scho their dry,
si los like n'i jüzen and syn ech zwäg derby.
Syn red Lüder swings as a sign that mi gherd,
and ride the ice over d'Öigen, wanting to defend a tears.
Im Herbscht wes afad chalten, d'Geiss take z'Frässen,
and don't bother to hold back, de ziehmer gagen.
Bin Wyb and Chind deheime, isch d'Lengi Zyti fir,
I am happy and happy, as armä Geissebüür.
And chumen i am Aaben, de healthy and grächt em hein,
de chemes mer eg sawing, straight over hill and dale.
And d'Möter puts the food on the table,
because soon I forgot what eppen ungrads ischd.
Women
In the past, the old year week and the Ubersitz in all Trychel trains were run by men. Women are represented in almost all Trychel trains these days. The Trychel procession from Willigen consists exclusively of male Trychlers at Ubersitz.
Traditional food
Traditional food was part of the Tryelte and Ubersitz in ancient times. The focus was on Schnätz and blahti Nidlen. By Schnätz the Hasler understand minced or gnippet, i.e. H. dry pears and nuts cut up with a chopping knife. Blahti Nidlen is curved cream. This dish was considered the main meal at Ubersitz, but was also eaten on Christmas Eve and was sporadically on the table in the old year until New Year. Coffee was mostly drunk at the feast. This Ubersitz meal was prepared and eaten at home without exception and was not served in any inn. Acherchiechleni were also baked for the New Year. Acherchiechleni are thinly rolled cakes that are baked in fat. They are also called Carnival cakes. Tea was drunk with it.
Old Year Sunday
In a short Trychel week, after the Ubersitz, you can trike again without disguise until the New Year. Since the 1930s, however, only the Trychel train from Willigen has been tryingchel on the Old Year's Sunday. Since 1953 the Trychel train has traditionally been tryingchel to Meiringen.
New Year's Trylons
On the morning of January 1st, the Trychlers von Guttannen meet again for New Year's Tryps. The custom was long forgotten. This has been in operation again for several years. Only bells are used in New Year's Tryps.
Church and School Commission
The pagan custom had always been a thorn in the side of the church and the school commission. Efforts by the school commission, in particular its president, Pastor Ziegler, to ban tryeling always failed. The education directorate, which was informed of the incidents, replied that they shared the judgment of the school commission on the tryeling, but could not avoid the impression. At the beginning of the struggle one had not given sufficient account of the tenacity of such deeply penetrated folk customs and consequently the campaign against it was not opened cautiously enough.
In order to put an end to Trychling, the pastor Ziegler is said to have ridden his horse-drawn sleigh to a group of young Trychlers in 1877. Several Trychler were injured. Two evenings later, almost 200 Trychlers from all over Hasli are said to have gathered and pounded around the rectory for several hours. Pastor Ziegler is said to have lost his sleep and was then transferred to another parish. In Bern it was finally said: "There are barbarians in Hasli ! Much worse than the Tatars in Russia !"
In 1920, a police corporal at that time is said to have also unsuccessfully spoken of night noise and threatened the judge. The Hasler, however, never let their seat be taken away.
literature
- The old Meiringen, in : Aare Gorge 1888–1938, Kunstanstalt Brügger AG, Meiringen 1938
- Chronicle of memorable events from the local history of Haslethal, especially the Meyringen parish 1818 - 1898, Kunstanstalt Brügger AG, Meiringen
- Triichlen and Ubersitz im Hasli, work by Willy Fankhauser, Burgdorf, 1979
- Swiss folklore, correspondence sheet of Switzerland. Society for Folklore, Volume 26 - Issue 10/12 - 1936
- Swiss folklore, correspondence sheet of Switzerland. Society for Folklore, Volume 46 - Issue 6 - 1957
- Meinrad Lienert: Sagen und Legenden der Schweiz, extended new edition, Munich 2011, ISBN 978-3-312-00992-3
- Max Jufer, Rudolf Baumann: With a drum and with a pipe , Verlag Merkur Druck AG, Langenthal, ISBN 3-9070-1217-8
Web links
- Rhythmic sounds against evil spirits , in: Berner Zeitung, December 25, 2016
- Paul Schenk: Old-year customs in the Bern region , in: Berner Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Heimatkunde, Volume 13, 1951 ( online )