1291, the Rütli and William Tell

At the beginning of August 1291, three valley communities on Lake Lucerne formed an alliance: Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden. They are called the founding cantons (Urkantone). Today Unterwalden is divided into two cantons: Obwalden and Nidwalden. The alliance is recorded in a document in Latin, the Federal Charter. In it, the valley communities promised each other mutual help and wanted to settle disputes peacefully.

For a long time, the Federal Charter lay forgotten in an archive. Only in 1891, for the 600th anniversary, was 1291 made the official founding year of the Confederation. Before that, 1307 was often seen as the founding year. In 1891, people celebrated on 1 August for the first time. Since 1899, Switzerland has celebrated its National Day every year on 1 August. Historians today say: the alliance of 1291 was one of many alliances to keep the peace, not the real founding of a state. For the test: 1291, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden.

According to legend, men from the three founding cantons swore an oath of alliance against foreign bailiffs on the Rütli. The Rütli is a meadow above Lake Uri. This Rütli oath is not proven by documents. Even so, the Rütli is today an important place of remembrance for the alliance of the founding cantons. Every year there is a 1 August celebration there.

William Tell is also a legendary figure. The story goes: the bailiff Gessler forced Tell to shoot an apple off his son's head with a crossbow. Later, Tell killed the bailiff. The legend first appears in the «White Book of Sarnen» (around 1470). It became famous through the play «William Tell» by Friedrich Schiller (1804). Tell stands for the fight against foreign rulers.

Memory aid: «U-S-U»: Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden. 1291 in the Federal Charter, celebrated on 1 August.