A short History of Gelterkinden

17 February 2024

Gelterich, today’s village of Gelterkinden (canton of Basel-Landschaft), was first mentioned in a document in 1103. The Alemannic name means Hof des Geltrich or Sippe der Geltrichingen; ‘ingen’ is a name from the Alemannic period.

The Tiersteiner on Farnsburg administered the village. The monastery of St Alban, St Leonhard, the cathedral chapter and various secular lords from Basel also owned estates in Gelterkinden. In 1461, the city of Basel acquired Gelterkinden and the Farnsburg estate.

Gelterkinden remained loyal to Basel in 1832 and called for troops from Basel. The request was followed by a storming of the municipality by troops of the Landschaft (Gelterkinder Sturm of April 1832). The village has been part of the new canton Basel-Landschaft since 1833.

(Quelle und weitere Informationen: W. Dettwiler, Gelterkinden, Historisches Lexicon der Schweiz;  Gemeinde Gelterkinden)

St. Peter Church, 9th century