History Schangnau

schangnau village , hohgant. mountains around schangnau provided timber, meadows cattle , brought tourists municipality

schangnau first mentioned in 1306 schoengowe.

by 14th century ministerialis (unfree knights in service of feudal overlord) family of sumiswald, in service kyburgs, owned of village. between 1363 , 1389 sold land , rights local nobleman jost von wald. descendents sold village city of bern in 1420. second half of 15th century both bern , lucerne claimed village attempted expand borders detriment of other. in 1470 border treaty established bernese ownership on schangnau.

originally schangnau , nearby village of marbach, today part of escholzmatt-marbach in canton of lucerne, formed part of parish of trub. in 1524 2 villages broke away trub form parish of marbach-schangnau. few years later, in 1528, bern adopted new faith of protestant reformation , village converted. reformed church built in schangnau in 1536 , in 1594 separated marbach form parish. village church replaced new building in 1618. in 17th century, religious tension increased in switzerland, schangnau s location on border catholic lucerne became important. after first first war of villmergen in 1656, bern made protestant schangnau market town offset nearby catholic market town of escholzmatt.

historically local economy based on raising crops on valley floor, seasonal alpine herding , transporting timber down emme river. bubenalp alpine meadow appears in record in 1281, earlier village itself. 15th century, of mountain forest had been cleared provide pastures cattle. small glass factory opened in village in 1720, overshadowed larger factory in entlebuch. following 1798 french invasion, schangnau became part of helvetic republic district of oberemmental. collapse of republic , 1803 act of mediation became part of signau district, remained until district dissolved in 2009.

in 19th century wiggen, eggiswil , schallenberg pass roads connected village rest of country. completion of station on bern-luzern railroad in 1875 made easier travel. however, little industry settled in municipality , agriculture , dairy industry provided majority of jobs. in 2005, on half of jobs in schangnau in agriculture, while 14% in industry. kemmeribodenbad inn @ foot of hohgant opened in 1835 , provided start of small tourism industry.