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Reliving history on a winter walk in the Morgartenberg (translated
and adapted from a story by Josef Wuest on NZZ Online, January 15, 2004)
It's a gentle hike, with views on both sides,
because the Morgartenberg in the border area between the cantons of Schwyz and Zug (about 60 kilometers south of Zurich) reaches
a height of only 1245 meters. The wide mountain ridge from Nagelfluh lies between the Biber and Steiner Aa valleys on
one side and the Aegerisee on the other. Dark pine forests are punctuated by isolated farms and edged by birch groves.
This
is the scene of major battles in the middle ages. The village of Rothenthurm, for example, still boasts a tower with
a red tile roof, which dates from 1311. In 1314, an army from Schwyz attacked the place, plundering a cloister that
was under the protection of the Habsburgs and triggering a long period of conflict between them and the people of the mountain
cantons.
A good starting place for a three-hour winter walk is the Ratenpass. The marked trail heading in the
direction of St. Jost combines beautiful landscapes with places of historical interest. For example, we soon hear the
sound of bells emanating from a delicate chapel in a forest clearing. Here a there once was a modest hermitage, where
a monk kept time for passing pilgrims and for the shephards and mountain folk. No monks have lived in the building since
1883 -- it's now used as a ski hut and, on summer and winter weekends, serves refreshments.
A little further on is
a stone monumnet, memorializing a battle on May 2, 1798 between the French revolutionary army and defenders from Schwyz and
Aegeri. The dead from both sides are buried in a common grave.
One can't help but think about Swiss history as
one takes in the view from the heights of the Morgartenberg. Far below sparkles Lake Aegeri, and swathes of mist often settle
in the Flusstal near Rothenthurm. It was here in November 1315 that the Habsburg forces of Leopold I fought with the
"Eidgenossen." The place is marked by a stone monument very near the Weiler Morgarten.
The rest of the way is
a leisurely descent toward the village of Sattel. The scent of freshly-cut lumber is frequently in the air, since the
lumber industry is still active in this area. In fact, many of the village shields include images of pine trees.
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