The main content of this site
is the genealogy of the old Obergommer families. Obergommer
= people of Obergoms. The Obergoms is the
uppermost valley of the Rhone
river, in the eastern extremity of the Swiss canton Valais.
History
The people of Obergoms belonged to a German speaking
community, which colonized between the 8th and 10th century the Obergoms
and other areas of the eastern Valais. From there they began to spread
south and east between the 13th and 15th century, which is known as
the Walser
migration. They preferred to settle in the highest valleys too inhospitable
for the Roman Celtic inhabitants. Only in Valais the German speaking
community conquered also lower areas. There they ousted between the
14th and the 15th century all feudal landlords and build an independent
state. First with a bishop as their head, after 1613 a so said "Landeshauptmann"
(President of the "Republik Wallis", in French Valais). In
the 17th and 18th century the most important export market for to create
income was mercenary.
At the end of the 18th century the waves of the French revolution ended
the Wallis independence. For a short time Valais became a French department
and since 1815 Valais belongs to Switzerland.
Genealogy
As families names in our sense didn’t exist
before the 14th century and documents are incomplete - the Obergommer
family trees starts within the 14th and 18th century. But we can assume
that all of them are linked via mothers or fathers with the mentioned
alpine settlers.
On this website you will find the genealogical data of all old, not
extinct Obergommer families. That are the Andereggen,
Anthenien,
Aufdereggen,
Bacher,
Bellwalder,
Biderbost,
Blatter
de Ulrichen, Blatter
de Reckingen, Chastonay,
de
Courten, Eggs,
Frankiny,
Garbely,
Guntern,
Hagen,
Hallenbarter,
Hauser,
Hischier,
Holzer,
Hutter,
Imahorn,
Imfeld,
Imhof,
Imoberdorf,
Imwinkelried,
Jergen
/ Jerjen, Jost
/ Yost, Kaempfen,
Kiechler,
Kraft,
Kreuzer,
Lagger,
Michlig,
Minnig,
Müller,
Nessier,
Pfefferle,
Ritz,
Rovina,
Schmidt,
Seiler,
Senggen,
Steffen,
Thenen,
von
Riedmatten, Walpen,
Walther,
Weger,
Werlen,
Wirthner,
Zehner,
Zeiter
y Zumoberhaus.
Click one of the family names will open a family information with a
short family history, coats of arms and more.
Where they lived
View of Obergoms.
With exception of the Imwinkelried, Walpen and major elements of the
von Riedmatten, the mentioned genealogies are accessible to public for
the very first time. Researches and build up required a huge amount
of time and also some money. So please RESPECT
THE COPYRIGHT: As long as you only use or
publish genealogical data of your
own family tree, it's all FREE and without restrictions.
The definition of "own family tree" and other terms of use,
see Impressum.
__________________________________________
Publisher and responsible for content:
Franco Werlen
Rosenweg 4
Ch 4153 Reinach BL / Switzerland
Email: franco.werlen*werlen.ch
Replace * by @
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The Obergoms, in late September. A valley modelled
by the Rhone Glacier.
Ober = Upper. Goms = derive from a Roman-Celtic word for "shell".
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Obergoms. Nighfall. Down valley. In the Background the Weisshorn, a
neighbour of the Matterhorn.
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