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History of Andelsbuch

skip After the ice age and the retreat of the Rheintal glacier a lake emerged in the Bregenzerwald region. Different rivers formed then the plain on which Andelsbuch is situated today.

Around the year 1077 emperor Heinrich IV and pope Gregor VII fought a terrible war mainly in southern Germany. Due to the desperate situation (fires, murders, hunger and plagues) many people to find a refuge on the mountains behind Bregenz.

In 1080 the name Andoltisbuoc was mentioned for the first time. There are numerous hints that Andelsbuch dates back to the Frankish era.

In this time the hermit Diedo, who was beatified later, settled down in Andelsbuch. According to historical tradition he lived where today's church is situated, next to the Brühlbach. The Diedo fountain next to the parish church commemorates of this. A few years ago the water of the fountain was still used for healing purposes. However the fountain ran dry afterwards.

Parish, Landammann and the first town hall ...

skip After Diedo's death, a church was built instead of his home. In 1170 the first parish in the middle and lower Bregenzerwald region was founded.

After 1380 the farmers of the region founded the so-called farmers' republic. Long before democracies came into existance in Middle Europe the farmers had their representation of the people. They municipality had its own constitution and their own jurisdiction. The director was the so-called LANDAMMANN who came from respected families of the Bregenzerwald region. He was elected for 2 years. The first prove of a Landammann in the Bregenzerwald region dates back to 1353. The town hall of the Landammann was situated in Bezegg, the pass between Andelsbuch and Bezau. A wooden house on pillars was erected here and the laws of the lower Bregenzerwald region were passed in this house.

Continuation

skip The special thing about the town hall was that it could only be accessed via a ladder which was taken away during the meetings and replaced afterwards. So the outer world was cut off during a meeting, which probably had a positive effect on the aldermen and their efficiency.

The first meeting in Bezegg was probably held in 1522. The old territorial sovereignity was abolished at the beginning of the 19th century under the Bavarian ruler Joseph II.

The Habsburger dinasty reigned the Vorarlberg villages from Tirol or from other parts of Austria. Between 1805 and 1814 Andelsbuch was part of Bavaria and then came back to Austria. Andelsbuch belongs to Vorarlberg since its foundation in 1861.

In 1871 was the Bezeggsul - a monument resembling the old town hall on the Bezegg - was built. Today it's Andelsbuch's landmark.

In 2001 the town hall was rebuilt and now characterizes the center of Andelsbuch due to its location and architecture. Next to the town hall, the tourist office and the post office several exhibitions take place at the assembly hall. The assembly hall is the modern counterpart to the old town hall on the Bezegg.