Magden, Maisprach, Olsberg and Giebenach write History
15 January 2024
Small villages often write history in Switzerland. Not far from Rheinfelden (Canton of Aargau) are the villages of Magden (Canton of Basel-Landschaft), Olsberg (Canton of Basel-Landschaft and Canton of Aargau) and Maisprach and Giebenach (Canton of Basel-Landschaft).
Magden
Magden
The first mention of Magden dates from 804 in a charter of St Gallen Abbey. The abbey leased the settlement with the (Celtic) name Magos Dunon. The first mention of the church is in 1036.
The Count of Lenzburg later donated the church and its estate (for viticulture) to the Chorherrenstift Beromünster (canton of Lucerne). Rheinfelden was the village’s powerful neighbour from the Middle Ages onwards. Until 1801, Habsburg ruled the Fricktal, including Magden and Rheinfelden.
Since 1803, the village has been part of canton Aargau. With around 800 employed people and 400 Hectares of vineyard land, Magden is still an important wine producer.
Hortus Dei monastery in Olsberg
Within walking distance of Magden, the Cistercian monastery Hortus Dei (Garden of God) in the village of Olsberg was founded in 1234. The monastery was dissolved in 1805 at the time of the new Confederation (1803-1813) and the creation of Canton Aargau. The new destination was a protestant-catholic institute (which was modern for the time) for (re)education of girls and young women in 1806.
From 1846, the Pestalozzi Foundation ran the complex as a (re-)education centre for boys and young men. Today, the canton owns the complex. The activities include cultural events and a centre for children.
Olsberg’s history is as special as the number of village inhabitants, which is small (350 today). Olsberg has a long (pre) history of habitation. In Roman times, the place housed villas and farm complexes. The location was near the Roman Colonia Augusta Raurica in a fertile valley.
A part of the village north of the Violenbach traditionally belonged to Rheinfelden and the Fricktal. Habsburg ruled this part of the village until 1801.
The city of Basel governed the village on the southern bank of the Violenbach until the separation. Since 1833, ‘southern’ Olsberg has been part of canton Basel-Landschaft.
The Violenbach
Monastery Court Iglingen
The small monastery court of Iglingen (canton of Aargau) was established in 1255. It lies between Wintersingen (canton of Basel-Landschaft) and Magden. Its church, consecrated in 1509, was lost to fire in 1860. Only the choir was preserved and has since been used as the St Niklauskapelle.
The current complex consists of two courts. Since 1918, the Christoph Merian Stiftung has managed and leased the complex and the farmland.
Maisprach, Romans, Basel and wine
The village of Maisprach lies about 4 kilometres from Magden. The first mention dates from 1180 with the name Meisprache and in 1247 as Mesbrache. These names indicate a Celtic origin and a Roman past.
There was an ancient defence tower on the Sunnenberg and a Roman Villa in the village on the site of today’s church, on the so-called ‘Hübel‘. The cemetery wall still houses old stones (spolia) from these villas.
The Sunnenberg tower
Maisprach
Magden (l) and Maisprach (r)
The Counts Von Thierstein ruled the village until 1461. The city of Basel acquired the village in that year. Viticulture is mentioned in documents as early as the 14th century.
The ‘rote Maisperger’ was and still is a (local) term. St Mary’s Church was consecrated in 1291. The tower and choir were rebuilt in 1711.
During Basel’s secession in 1831-1833, Maisprach favoured staying with Canton Basel and was against secession.
Giebenach and the Violenbach
Giebenach is in district Liestal (canton Basel-Landschaft), and the Violenbach also crosses this village. Its old medieval name was ‘in villa Gibennacho‘ or ‘bi dem hofe ze Gybenach‘.
Again, Roman villas and agricultural complexes underpinned the village’s origins. The land first belonged to the counts of Alt-Homburg and Homburg. The city of Basel acquired the village in the 16th century. Since 1833, it has been part of the Canton Basel-Landschaft.
Conclusion
This area experienced much unrest and warfare in Schwabenkrieg (1499), the Reformation (around 1530) and the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648, looting by Swedish troops in 1633-1636)). The borders of the cantons, even across a small village, also indicate ‘the fate of history’. In any case, they made history from (pre)history to the nineteenth century.
Magdenerbach and Nature area Ängi in the Magden Valley (Magdental)
Impressions from Maisprach
Former Olsberg monastery (Stift Olsberg)