On 9 April 1388, a group of about 600 men from Glarus and reinforcements from Uri and Schwyz defeated a far superior Austrian army. The Austrians were aiming to conquer Glarus and return it to the realm of Habsburg power, at the same time punishing the people of Glarus for unlawful action in the Linth Plain. The army made great progress into the Glarus area, but while trying to steal cattle near Näfels they were overcome and forced to retreat. The Näfels procession marks the anniversary of this victory with a commemorative service, a procession and political speeches. The celebration is part of public life in the Canton of Glarus, combining religious remembrance of the dead as performed in the late Middle Ages with a secular and patriotic celebration in line with the battle celebrations of the 19th century. The event attracts up to a thousand participants.
Catholic procession with Netstal and Vorderglärnisch in the background © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The guard of honour receiving orders in front of Glarus Armoury © Heinrich Speich, 2011
Näfels Harmoniemusik band in front of Glarus Armoury as they get ready to march © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The procession making its way down the road connecting Glarus and Netstal © Heinrich Speich, 2011
Parading through Netstal: Drummers, marching band, military guard of honour © Heinrich Speich, 2011
Unit Geb Füs Bat 85 laying a wreath in memory of the mortar accident of 1941 © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The Catholic procession moving along the (Catholic) route into Schneisigen © Heinrich Speich, 2011
Local government members making their way from Glarus to Schneisigen along a road closed to traffic © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The local government dressed in morning coats and hats listening to the Harmoniemusik Näfels band © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The Glarus cantonal choir providing the vocals for the event © Heinrich Speich, 2011
Participants and spectators in Schneisigen listening to the political speech of Governing Chairman Andrea Bettiga © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The procession and spectators moving past the second memorial stone and heading towards the procession square in Näfels © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The Bishop of Chur leading prayers at the fourth memorial stone © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The procession passing along worn away paths past the memorial stones towards the procession square © Heinrich Speich, 2011
Town council official Josef Schwitter reading out the processional text at the procession square © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The processional text is taken back to Glarus by the police © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The Bishop giving the (Catholic) sermon © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The event moving to the battle memorial © Heinrich Speich, 2011
Participants and spectators listening to Franz Rigli’s song "Mir Glarner fiired d’Fahrt" © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The Church of St Hilarius and the "battle chapel" © Heinrich Speich, 2011
The names of those who died in the battle appear on bronze plaques erected in 1839 in Mollis Reformed Parish Church © Heinrich Speich, 2011
Project watercolour by Alfred Romang in 1887: The lion on the picture was never part of the sculpture © Kanton Glarus, Landesarchiv
Children’s procession in Elm, 1938 © Kaspar Rhyner
Detailed description
Näfelser Fahrt (PDF, 412 kB, 19.06.2018)Ausführliche Beschreibung
Category
Canton
Connected traditions
Publications
Jürg Knobel, Steve Ellington: Eindrücke von der Näfelser Fahrt 8.April 2010 (DVD). Glarus, 2010
Kantonales Komitee «600-Jahr-Feier Schlacht bei Näfels» (Ed.): 1388-1988: Das Jubiläum. Glarus, 1989
Josef Schwitter: Zur Fahrtsfeier. In: Glarner Nachrichten, 9. April 1980
Fritz Stucki: Aus der Geschichte der Näfelser Fahrt. In: Varia zur Glarner Geschichte. Von Fritz Stucki. Glarus, 1983, p. 11-21
Heinrich Stüssi et al.: Fry! Fry! Das Land Glarus und die werdende Eidgenossenschaft zwischen 1351 und 1388 (Neujahrsbote für das Glarner Hinterland). Schwanden, 1987
Ernst Tremp: Schlacht bei Näfels. In: Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz. Bern, 2009 (www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D8873.php)
Keywords
Spring
Contact
Kanton Glarus
Fachstelle Kulturförderung
Glarus
Staatskanzlei des Kantons Glarus