Unterwalden

UNTERWALDEN, a canton of Switzerland, consisting of the basins of two streams, both called Aa, flowing into the Lake of Lucerne and divided into Obwalden and Nidwalden. The area of the canton (1923-24) 15 296.4 sq.m. Forests cover 84.2 sq.m. and glaciers occupy over 5 sq.m. The highest point is the Titlis 10,627 ft.—south of Engelberg. As Obwalden includes this region, it is generally more mountainous than Nidwalden. The latter in dudes much more lake surface than Obwalden. The inhabitants are devoted to pastoral and, in a much less degree, to agricultural pursuits. In 1930 the total population was 19,401 in Obwalden and 15,055 in Nidwalden. The majority of the inhabitants were Ger man-speaking Catholics. The capital of Obwalden is Sarnen (pop. and of Nidwalden, Stans (pop. 2,931).

There are no main line railways; a light railway runs from Lu cerne to BrUnig pass via the Sarner-Aa valley ; an electric railway from Stansstad ascends the other main valley as far as Engelberg, and mountain railways give access to the summits of Pilatus, Stanserhorn, Biirgenstock and Seelisberg. Each area forms a single administrative district, with its own independent local in stitutions; in Obwalden there are seven communes and in Nid walden I1. In each "half" canton the supreme legislative author ity is the Landsgemeinde, composed of all male citizens of 20 (Ob walden) or 18 (Nidwalden) years of age. These assemblies have had an uninterrupted existence since 1309.

The people have always been deeply religious. In the church of Sachseln, on the Sarnersee, still lie the bones of the holy hermit, Nicholas LowenbrUgger (1417-87), known as Nicholas von der Flue, or "Bruder Klaus," while at Sarnen, near by, are several convents; the most famous of all the monasteries in the canton is the great and still wealthy Benedictine house of Engelberg (founded about 1I20). Another site of historical interest is Stans,

the birthplace of Arnold von Winkelried, the real or legendary hero of Sempach (1386).

History.

Historically, both Obwalden (save a small area in the Aargau) and Nidwalden were included in the ZUrichgau. On Aug. r, 1291, Nidwalden (Obwalden is notasamed in the text of the document, though it named on the seal appended to it) formed the "Everlasting League" with Uri and Schwyz (this being the first known case in which its common seal is used). In 1304 the two valleys were joined together, and in 1309 Henry VII. confirmed to them all the liberties granted by his predecessor. This placed Unterwalden on an equal political footing with Uri and Schwyz, and as such it took part (1315) in Morgarten fight, in the renewal of the Everlasting League at Brunnen (1315), at Sempach (1386), and in driving back the Gugler or English freebooters (1375). In 1798 Unterwalden resisted the Helvetic republic, but, having formed part of the short-lived Tellgau, became a district of the canton of the Waldstatten. Obwalden submitted at an early date, but Nidwalden, refusing to accept the oath of fidelity to the consti tution, rose in revolt (Sept. 1798), and was only put down by the arrival of 16,00o armed men. In 1803 its independence as a canton was restored, but in 1815 the refusal of Nidwalden to accept the new constitution resulted in the transfer (1816) to Obwalden of the abbey lands of Engelberg.