Schellenberg (German pronunciation: [ˈʃɛlənˌbɛʁk] ) is a municipality in the lowland area of Liechtenstein, on the banks of the Rhine. As of 2019, it has a population of 1,107[1] and covers an area of 3.5 km2 (1.4 sq mi)

Schellenberg
Schellenberg in early-June 2007
Schellenberg in early-June 2007
Flag of Schellenberg
Coat of arms of Schellenberg
Location of Schellenberg
Map
Schellenberg within Liechtenstein
Schellenberg within Liechtenstein
Coordinates: 47°14′0.98″N 9°32′53.01″E / 47.2336056°N 9.5480583°E / 47.2336056; 9.5480583
Country Liechtenstein
Electoral districtUnterland
VillagesHinterschellenberg
Area
 • Total3.5 km2 (1.4 sq mi)
Elevation
626 m (2,054 ft)
Population
 (31-12-2019)[1]
 • Total1,107
 • Density294/km2 (760/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
9488
Area code7011
ISO 3166 codeLI-08
Websitewww.schellenberg.li

History

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Early history

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The area was first settled by Celts, then by Rhaetians. Rome conquered the area in 15 BC, and made it part of the province of Rhaetia. The Province later became a county (countship) under Charlemagne. The county was repeatedly divided among heirs.[2]

The Lordship of Schellenberg was purchased by the Counts of Vaduz in 1437 and the two states have been united in fact ever since. After the Swabian War in 1499, both came under Austrian suzerainty. Different dynasties of counts bought and sold them, until their purchase in the early 18th century by the Liechtenstein dynasty, which had been granted princely status in 1706, but which needed to acquire a territory with imperial immediacy in order to vote in the Diet of the Princes of the Empire. The emperor formally united Vaduz and Schellenberg in 1719 as the Principality of Liechtenstein.[2][3]

World War II

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The Russian Monument, located in Hinterschellenberg, in the municipality commemorates the asylum given to Russian soldiers during the Second World War.[4] Near the end of World War II, Liechtenstein granted asylum to approximately five hundred soldiers of the First Russian National Army, a collaborationist Russian force within the German Wehrmacht. This act was no small matter, as the country was poor and had difficulty feeding and caring for such a large group of refugees.[5] Eventually, Argentina agreed to resettle the asylum seekers permanently.[6] In contrast, the British repatriated the Russians who fought on the German side to the USSR.

Administration

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Schellenberg is administered by the mayor and a 9-person municipal council, elected every four years since 1975. The incumbent mayor is Dietmar Lampert, since 2023.[7]

List of mayors (1864–present)

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List of mayors (1864–present)
Name Term Party Ref(s).
Johann Hassler 1864–1867
Josef Kaiser 1867–1870
Meinrad Marxer 1870–1873
Josef Kaiser 1873–1876
Meinrad Marxer 1876–1885
Elias Oehri 1885–1888
Meinrad Marxer 1888–1891
Matthäus Wohlwend 1891–1894
Ludwig Elkuch 1894–1909
Andreas Hassler 1909–1915
Karl Kaiser 1915–1927 FBP
Adolf Goop 1927–1933 VU
Philipp Elkuch 1933–1945 FBP
Urban Rederer 1945–1954 VU
Georg Oehri 1954–1960 FBP
Hugo Oehri 1960–1972
Hermann Hassler 1972–1979 VU
Edgar Elkuch 1979–1987 FBP
Walter Kieber 1987–2003 VU
Norman Wohlwend 2003–2023 FBP
Dietmar Lampert 2003–present VU

Geography

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Schellenberg territory borders with the Liechtensteiner municipalities of Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren and Ruggell. It borders also with the Austrian municipality of Feldkirch, in the federal state of Vorarlberg.[8]

Transport

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In Schellenberg there is a small road crossing to Austria, manned by Austrian and Swiss border guards.

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ a b https://www.llv.li/files/as/bevolkerungsstatistik-30-juni-2017.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  2. ^ a b History of Schellenberg
  3. ^ The Lordship of Schellenberg on states-world.com
  4. ^ Monday (13 April 1953). "Last of the Wehrmacht". Time. Archived from the original on 22 December 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  5. ^ Tolstoy, Nikolai (1977). The Secret Betrayal. Charles Scribner's Sons. ISBN 0-684-15635-0.
  6. ^ Wanger, Harald (31 December 2011). "Liechtenstein, Franz Josef II". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b Biedermann, Klaus; Mayr, Ulrike (2023). "Schellenberg (Gemeinde)". Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (in German). Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  8. ^ 1155946 (xjah) Schellenberg on OpenStreetMap
  9. ^ "Biedermann, Gisela". Historical Encyclopedia of the Principality of Liechtenstein (in German). September 19, 2017. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  10. ^ "The Flagbearers for the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony". Olympic.org. 2016-08-16. Archived from the original on 2019-04-18. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
  11. ^ "Wohlwend hofft auf Startplatz in neuer Rennserie (in German)". Volksblatt.li. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
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