Rothenthurm Parish, Schwyz, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Rothenthurm Parish, Schwyz, Switzerland, ancestry, family history, and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, parish census, civil census, family history, area history, and military records.



Geography
As of 2006, Rothenthurm has an area of 22.8 km2 (8.8 sq mi). Rothenthurm consists of the settlements in the Altmatt and in the Biberegg area and is located on a plateau with the largest heath moor in Switzerland.

The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 44.1% - agricultural purposes
 * 48.6% - forested
 * 4.2% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 3.1% - non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains)

History
The first mention of Rothenthurm was in 1487 as near the red thurn.

The population history of Rothenthurm is: 1850 - 925 inhabitants 1900 - 964 inhabitants 1950 - 970 inhabitants 1980 - 1321 inhabitants 2000 - 2089 inhabitants

The high plateau of Rothenthurm was one of the disputed regions during the border disagreement (Marchenstreit) between the Schwytzers and the convent of Einsiedeln, which caused the construction of a defensive wall accompanied by a moat running from one side of the mountain to the other. Documented for the first time in 1487, the towers, including the one standing to the east, gave the village its name. The high plateau assigned to Schwyz formed part of the district and parish of Steinen in 1350. Rothenthurm was part of the parish of Sattel, when it divided in 1598 from the mother parish of Steinen, then became a parish in 1776. Around 1600, a chapel dedicated to Saint Anthony seems to have been in Rothenthurm. The first church dates back to 1700, the current building, of late historic style, constructed 1873-1886, was refurbished in 1993-1994. The Notre-Dame de Lorette chapel (1679), in the hamlet of Biberegg, was another significant center; the Reding family still holds the patronage. In 1798, Rothenthurm was the location of a battle in which the Schwytzers initially won over the French.

Surrounding parishes
Alpthal Einsiedeln Oberägeri (ZG) Sattel Schwyz

Church Records
The parish of Rothenthurm was established in 1776. Before 1776, Rothenthurm belonged to the parish of Sattel. Records are available from 1776 for baptisms, 1784 for marriages, and 1777 for burials. Records prior to 1776 are found in the records for Sattel.

Digital copies of the church records can be accessed onsite at the Schwyz State Archives. The archive has an online inventory of the records for Rothenthurm.

Civil Registration
Civil registration began in 1876. Rothenthurm belongs to the Innerschwyz civil registration district. Records are only available in Switzerland. For further information, contact the civil registry office at:

Zivilstandsamt Innerschwyz Herrengasse 17 CH - 6431 Schwyz

Tel: +41 41 819 07 14

email: [mailto:zivilstandsamt@gemeindeschwyz.ch zivilstandsamt@gemeindeschwyz.ch]

Duplicate civil registration registers are located at the Schwyz State Archives. Additionally, the archive has a partial inventory of its holdings. The following records are viewable in person:


 * Births before 1900
 * Marriages before 1930
 * Deaths before 1960

Surnames
The following surnames held citizenship in Rothenthurm prior to 1875:

Related sources
The town's website (in German) can be found here.

Libraries and archives
State Archives of Schwyz

Societies
Zentralschweizerische Gesellschaft für Familienforschung

Historischer Verein des Kantons Schwyz