The St. Margarethen Church of Binningen and David Joris

12 May 2022

Landowners built the St. Margaretha Church in Binningen in the 9th or 10th century. After their death, they were buried in their church.

The Bishop of Basel possessed the villages of Binningen and Bottmingen (canton of Basel-Landschaft). After the Reformation (1527), the City of Basel, the owner of the church, sold it to private persons.

Johann von Brucke, a Dutchman who had acquired Basel citizenship, bought the church in 1544. However, he was not just an emigrant. He was a leader of the Anabaptists in the Low Countries and fled to Basel after the beginning of the persecution.

He wisely presented himself as a follower of Huldrych Zwingli (1484-1531), the reformer of Zurich who was admired in Basel. Johann von Brucke was a pseudonym of David Joris (1501-1556), his real name. He also owned the castle of Binningen and some other properties.

He owed his wealth to his son-in-law, the nobleman Joachim van Berchem (1520-1574). After his father-in-law’s death, Joachim took over the castle, the church, and the estate. Joachim is buried in the St. Margarethen Church.

The Leonardskirche

Johann von Bruck, alias David Joris, was initially buried in the prestigious St. Leonardskirche. However, after his real identity was discovered, his remains were removed from the church and buried elsewhere.

An epitaph commemorates Niklaus von Diesbach, an army captain in Dutch service. The officer from Bern was on his way home when he fell off his horse near Binningen and died. He is also buried in St. Margarethen.

(Source and further information: https://altbasel.ch)