Zellweger (Appenzell)

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The Zellwegers were a patrician family of the Appenzellerland that emerged in the 15th century from the ministerial family Geppensteiner, who were in the service of St. Gallen and Habsburg .

history

Originally, the Zellwegers were based in Gais and the town of Appenzell . So Cunrat Geppenstainer called Zellweger, Ammann zu Gais, concluded in 1377 with the ammen Ulrich Häch von Appenzell and Hainrich uff der Haltun von Hundwil an association of the Appenzell with the Swabian imperial cities.

In 1588, as Protestants , the Zellwegers were forced to relocate to the semi-canton of Ausserrhoden . Here they shaped state politics and economy in two branches of the family (Zellweger von Trogen and Zellweger von Teufen ) for a good 200 years. By 1848 they provided eight governors and numerous other state officials; between 1597 (separation of Appenzell in Ausser- and Innerrhoden) and 1797 they were represented in the state government for 193 years, 74 of them as Landammann.

Originally a military entrepreneur and innkeeper, their economic rise began in the 17th century with the involvement of the brothers Bartholome and Conrad Zellweger in the canvas trade and with the opening of a canvas show in Trogen in 1667. Within five generations, the Zellwegers achieved prosperity, which is also the main cause of the Trogen's boom. The basis of the Zellweger companies was the trade in linen, later also the triangular trade in raw cotton and cotton fabrics. There were branches in Lyon, Genoa and Barcelona. Indirect relations were also maintained with the Spanish colonies in America and the French possessions in the West Indies. They owe their success to the combination of profound expertise, relentless profit orientation, high quality goods and a puritanical, ascetic lifestyle. To expand their position of power, the Zellwegers pursued a targeted marriage policy. In the first third of the 18th century, their hegemony was felt to be so overwhelming that it led to the political overthrow of the Zellwegers in the turmoil of Appenzell's land trade and the family was considered unsuitable for the government for a long time. A marriage in 1754 sealed the reconciliation with the main competitor Wetter.

The business climax was reached in the second half of the 18th century with the two companies of the regional ensign Johannes Zellweger-Hirzel and his brother, the governor Jakob Zellweger-Wetter. The former was able to increase his assets between 1774 and 1800 from 59,200 guilders to 1.218 million guilders. During this time the people of Zellweger built palaces in their hometown Trogen. However, the next generation had to liquidate the business. The great commitment of the family in education and transport had a lasting effect.

  • House Zellweger at Landsgemeindeplatz 4 in Trogen

  • Double palace at Landsgemeindeplatz 5 in Trogen

  • Pentagon Palace at Landsgemeindeplatz 7 in Trogen

people

  • Johann Caspar Zellweger (1768–1855), businessman, scholar and philanthropist
  • Ulrich Zellweger (1804–1871), banker, publicist and founder of the Basler Missions-Handlungs-Gesellschaft
  • Ursula Wolf-Zellweger (1735–1820), daughter of Johannes Zellweger-Sulser and donor of the paintings in the Reformed Church in Trogen
  • Laurenz Zellweger (1692–1764), important enlightener, doctor and co-founder of the Helvetic Society

Other well-known namesake can be found under Zellweger .

coat of arms

The coat of arms was a golden scale in front of a white tent over a green three-mountain on a blue background. The crest was a white or blue Justitia.

literature

  • Walter Schläpfer: Appenzell history. Vol. 2, Herisau 1976, pp. 206ff.
  • O.Zellweger: The village square of Trogen. History of the Zellweger family. In: Appenzeller Sunday newspaper. Trogen.

Web links

Commons : Zellweger family  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ According to ML Bulst-Thiele : Sacrae domus militiae Templi Hierosolymitani magistri. Göttingen 1974, the temple lord Berthold von Geppenstein, mentioned in the Königssaaler Chronik , came to the court of the Bohemian King Wenzel II in 1289 with the Habsburg king's son Rudolf , whose adviser he became. In 1306, the Teutonic Order Commander Bernhard von Geppenstein, Commander in Speyer and Weißenburg next to Helwich von Goldbach, Commander in Rothenburg in Thuringia became Vogt Albrecht I on the Wartburg (Konrad Stolle et al .: Memoriale Thuringian-Erfurt Chronicle. 1900).
  2. ^ Ernst H. Koller, Jakob Singer: Appenzellisches Wappen- und Geschlechtbuch. 1984.