Eidgenossenschaft

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The Three Confederates (1914), monumental statue by James Vibert in the Federal Palace of Switzerland.

Eidgenossenschaft (German pronunciation: [ˈaɪdɡəˌnɔsənʃaft] ) is a German word specific to the political history of Switzerland. It means "

Rütlischwur between the three founding cantons Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden
, traditionally dated to 1307. In modern usage, it is the German term used as equivalent with "Confederation" in the official name of Switzerland, Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft, rendered Confédération and Confederazione in French and Italian, respectively. The related adjective, eidgenössisch, officially translated as Swiss federal, is used in the name of organisations, for example the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The term Eidgenosse (literally: comrade by oath) refers to the individual members of the Eidgenossenschaft. It is attested as early as 1315, in the Pact of Brunnen (as Eitgenoze), referring to the cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden. The abstract noun Eidgenossenschaft (mostly contracted to eidgnoszschaft or eidgnoschaft) is attested in the 15th century.[1] In modern usage, Eidgenosse is sometimes used (in archaic or ironic usage) for "
Swiss citizen", especially for those citizens of purely Swiss origin, not immigrated.[2]

In a historical context, Eidgenossenschaft refers to the medieval

Thirteen Cantons
), frequently made time-limited alliances sworn by oath with other partners, but such pacts were not considered an Eidgenossenschaft.

The members of an Eidgenossenschaft are called Eidgenossen (singular Eidgenosse). This term is documented in an alliance from 1351 between the communal, countrified lieus of

Zürich, which referred to themselves as such. In the evolution of the Swiss Confederacy, the members initially were not united by one single pact, but rather by a whole set of overlapping pacts and separate bilateral treaties between various members. The abstraction to the singular use of Eidgenossenschaft, which implies a stronger sense of community and the perception of a strong common cause, did not occur until some forty years later, after the Battle of Sempach, although it began already in the Pfaffenbrief
of 1370, a treaty among some of the then eight members of the Swiss Confederacy.

The

Frederick I "Barbarossa"; an example from Switzerland would be the "Burgundian Confederacy" of Bern
.

In the Holy Roman Empire, emperor

Habsburgs
.

References

  1. ^ Jacob Grimm, Deutsches Wörterbuch: "Eidgenossenschaft, f. Helvetia foedere juncta, confoederation. Johans Stumpf nennt seine Schwitzer chronica aus der groszen in ein handbüchle zůsamen gezogen, in welcher nach der jarzal begriffen ist gemeiner loblicher eidgnoschaft harkummen, alte auch neuwe, besondere und gemeine thaten bis auf das jar Christi 1546. Josias Simler von Zürich schreibt 1576 von dem regiment loblicher eidgnoschaft zwei bücher. auch in urk. des 16 jh. erscheint die kürzung von eidgnoszschaft in das wollautende eidgnoschaft, das man später für eidgenossenschaft wieder aufgab."
  2. ^ NZZ: Schweizer – aber niemals Eidgenosse