Alpthal Parish, Schwyz, Switzerland Genealogy

Description: Guide to Alpthal 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, Alpthal has an area of 22.9 km2 (8.8 sq mi). The village of Alpthal is situated in the upper reaches of the Alptal, the valley of the river Alp upstream from Einsiedeln. Also included in the municipality of Alpthal, are the popular ski resort of Brunni, 3.3 km (2.1 mi) higher up the valley, and the settlement of Eigen, 2.1 km (1.3 mi) down the valley. Further to the north and beyond Eigen, the Alp flows through the village Trachslau and continues through the town of Einsiedeln some 7 km (4.3 mi) beyond. Further to the west, south, and east the municipality is surrounded by the peaks of the Nüsellstock, Näbikenfirst, Grossbrechenstock, Kleiner Mythen, Grosser Mythen, Rotenfluh, Furggelenstock and Gschwändstock. The Haggenegg, between the Kleiner Mythen and the Grossbrechenstock, and the Holzegg, between the Grosser Mythen and Rotenfluh, both cross approaching Schwyz. Both Mythen and Hagenegg are included in the municipality of Schwyz.

The land use is divided up as follows:
 * 32.4% - agricultural purposes
 * 62.8% - forested
 * 1.6% - settled (buildings or roads)
 * 3.2% - non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains)

History
The first mention of Alpthal was in 1018 as Albetal.

The population history of Alpthal is: 1850 - 390 inhabitants 1900 - 406 inhabitants 1950 - 312 inhabitants 2000 - 445 inhabitants

During the Marches dispute between Schwyz and Einsiedeln Abbey, Alpthal, which Emperor Heinrich II donated to the monastery in 1018, was among the disputed territories. Awarded to Schwyz in 1217, Alpthal definitively integrated into the Old Country of Schwyz in 1350. Border markers (Landwehri), mentioned in 1361, separated the Schwyz and Einsiedler areas. Construction in 1690 of a chapel dedicated to Saint Apollonia, separated from Schwyz in 1805 and erected into a parish. The current church was dedicated in 1887. A few chapels in the municipal area (Brunni, Bruustalp) line the old Way of St. James from Einsiedeln via Haggenegg to Schwyz, by the Haggenegg pass.

Surrounding parishes
Einsiedeln Oberiberg Rothenthurm Schwyz

Church Records
The parish of Alpthal was established in 1805. Before 1805, Alpthal belonged to the parish of Schwyz. Records are available from 1798 for baptisms, 1799 for marriages, and 1797 for burials. Earlier records are found in the parish of Schwyz.

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 Alpthal.

Civil Registration
Civil registration began in 1876. Alpthal 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 Alpthal 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