Burgdorf, Switzerland
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Burgdorf (french: Berthoud;
High Alemannic High Alemannic is a dialect of Alemannic German spoken in the westernmost Austrian state of Vorarlberg and in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Language area The High Alemannic dialects are spoken in Liechtenstein and in most of German-speaking S ...
: ''Bùùrdlef'') is the largest
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in the
Emmental The Emmental ( en, Emme Valley) is a valley in west-central Switzerland, forming part of the canton of Bern. It is a hilly landscape comprising the basins of the rivers Emme (river), Emme and Ilfis (river), Ilfis. The region is mostly devoted to ...
in the
canton of Bern The canton of Bern or Berne (german: Kanton Bern; rm, Chantun Berna; french: canton de Berne; it, Canton Berna) is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. Its capital city, Bern, is also the ''de facto'' capital of Switzerland. ...
in
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. It was the capital of the district of the same name until 2010, when it became part of the new Emmental district.


History

Scattered archeological finds indicate that the area around Burgdorf was inhabited during the
Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
era, the Late
Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
and the
Hallstatt Hallstatt ( , , ) is a small town in the district of Gmunden, in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. Situated between the southwestern shore of Hallstätter See and the steep slopes of the Dachstein massif, the town lies in the Salzkammergut ...
. During the
High Middle Ages The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history that lasted from AD 1000 to 1300. The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and were followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended ...
the land that would become Burgdorf was owned by the
Kingdom of Burgundy Kingdom of Burgundy was a name given to various states located in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. The historical Burgundy correlates with the border area of France, Italy and Switzerland and includes the major modern cities of Geneva and ...
and then after 1080 by the Dukes of Zähringen. Either the kings or the dukes built a castle on the left bank of the
Emme river The Emme is a river in Switzerland. It rises in the Alps between the peaks of Hohgant and Augstmatthorn in the canton of Bern. The Emme is long and flows through the Emmental and between Zuchwil and Luterbach into the Aare. The drainage area i ...
. Burgdorf is first mentioned in 1236 as ''in oppido Burchtorff'', while
Burgdorf Castle Burgdorf Castle (german: Schloss Burgdorf) is a castle in the municipality of Burgdorf in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. History During the High Middle Ages the land that would beco ...
is mentioned in 1080 as ''castellum Bertoldi ducis''. The Zähringen dukes built a city (upper-west city section) around the castle in the last quarter of the 12th century. After the extinction of Zähringen line, Burgdorf passed to the Counts of Kyburg. They expanded the city in 1278 with the upper-east section and between 1278 and 1300 absorbed the Holzbrunnen settlement which became the lower town. By 1300 the city had expanded to fill the town walls. Starting in 1323 there was a ban on construction within the walls, which marked the border of the city until 1800. Under the Kyburg or Neu-Kyburg Counts, Burgdorf Castle was the capital of the county, and the Counts were the mayors of Burgdorf town. In the 14th century, the Neu-Kyburgs became increasingly indebted. On 11 November 1382, Count Rudolf II of Neu-Kyburg, launched a raid against the city of
Solothurn Solothurn ( , ; french: Soleure ; it, Soletta ; rm, ) is a List of towns in Switzerland, town, a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality, and the Capital (political), capital of the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. It is located in the n ...
to try and force the city to forgive his debts. For the city of Bern, this attack on an allied city represented an excellent opportunity for the city to break its ties with the Neu-Kyburgs. In March 1383 the Bernese-Solothurn army marched on Burgdorf. This army was supported with troops from the
Forest Cantons A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
,
Lucerne Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...
, Zurich, Neuchatel and
Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savo ...
and were armed with
catapults A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants – particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. A catapult uses the sudden release of store ...
and primitive guns. Because Count Rudolf II had died before the war began, Burgdorf was defended by Rudolf's uncle, Berchtold I. Under Berchtold, Burgdorf withstood a 45-day siege. An attempt to negotiate a cease-fire on 21 April 1383, between Bern and the citizens of Burgdorf against the Neu-Kyburgs was also unsuccessful. Beset by enormous burdens of war and civil unrest at home, the Bernese Council sought Confederation mediation to end the war. On 5 April 1384, the Neu-Kyburgs agreed to sell the towns and castles of Burgdorf and Thun to Bern for 37,800 guilders. File:Burghoff Matthaeus Merian 1650.jpg, Coloured version of Burgdorff by Merian 1650 As part of the peace treaty, Bern acknowledged the rights and privileges that the Kyburgs had granted to Burgdorf. Burgdorf enjoyed a unique amount of autonomy compared to the other cities in the Bernese city-state. The town had its own mayor, council and high and low courts. Starting in 1394 the town began to buy courts, land and forests from the impoverished nobility. It began to acquire the surrounding villages and towns as well. In 1394
Rütschelen Rütschelen is a municipality in the Oberaargau administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. History Rütschelen is first mentioned in 1273 as ''Ruschole''. Rütschelen ruled by the Counts of Kyburg, though St. Urban's Abbey a ...
came under Burgdorf's authority. This was followed in 1395 by Grasswil, 1400 by Wil (now part of Rütschelen), 1402 by
Inkwil Inkwil is a municipality in the Oberaargau administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. History Inkwil is first mentioned in 1262 as ''Inchwile''. Geography Inkwil has an area, , of . Of this area, or 49.1% is used for agricu ...
(until 1720), 1423 by
Niederösch Niederösch is a former municipality in the administrative district of Emmental in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. On 1 January 2016, the former municipalities of Oberösch and Niederösch merged into Ersigen. History Niederösch is first me ...
, 1429 by Bettenhausen, 1429 and 1509/10
Thörigen Thörigen is a municipality in the Oberaargau administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. Geography Thörigen has an area of . Of this area, 51.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 36.3% is forested. Of the rest of the ...
, 1431 by Gutenburg and
Lotzwil Lotzwil is a municipality in the district of Oberaargau in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. History Lotzwil is first mentioned in 1194 as ''Locewillare''. During the Middle Ages the major landowners in Lotzwil included St. Urban's Abbey and ...
, 1435 by
Kleindietwil Kleindietwil is a former Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Oberaargau (administrative district), Oberaargau administrative district in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Bern (canton), Bern in Switzerland. On 1 January 2011 Klei ...
and at the start of the 16th century
Oberösch Oberösch is a former municipality in the administrative district of Emmental in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. On 1 January 2016, the former municipalities of Oberösch and Niederösch merged into Ersigen. History Oberösch is first mentio ...
. The city created the
bailiwick A bailiwick () is usually the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff, and once also applied to territories in which a privately appointed bailiff exercised the sheriff's functions under a royal or imperial writ. The bailiwick is probably modelled on th ...
s of Grasswil (Grasswil, Ösch, Heimiswil) and Lotzwil (Thörigen, Lotzwil) under the administration of an alderman. The city government consisted of a small council (12 members) and a large council (32 members) Starting in 1384 the '' Schultheiss'' was chosen by Bern. The small council was proposed by Burgdorf and approved by Bern, while the large council was appointed by the small council. By the 15th century, Burgdorf had about 900 residents which made it larger than most of the surrounding towns. The main industry remained agriculture until about 1798. Trade remained mostly regional and the products of the local industry (tannery, wool and linen weaving) only sold in the nearby region. Until the late 15th century, the town had a few
guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...
s which remained without political or social power. They were mostly responsible for a few city obligations including supervising the fire and security watches. There were five guild houses in the upper city (blacksmiths-carpenters, butchers-shoemakers, bakers, weavers and tailors), one in the lower town (tanners). Each guild consisted of several trades, for example the blacksmiths-carpenters, allowed craftsmen working in 22 different jobs involving iron, stone and wood processing to join. The economic growth in the 15th century enabled the city to build municipal buildings and maintain the fortifications and public areas. The city hall, church and market were all built or expanded during this time. However, starting in the 1460s and 1470s the economy began to stagnate. The guilds gradually became more powerful and began to choke the economy. In the 16th century, the economies of the surrounding villages began to grow unfettered by guild rules. The guild controlled markets of Burgdorf attempted to compete with these small markets by banning the import of goods from the surrounding countryside. These bans (in 1619 and again in 1666–74) only served to undermined Burgdorf's position as a regional market and service center. Burgdorf remained hostile to new businesses and in some cases drove them to settle in neighboring towns. With the construction of the road on Kirchberg (1756–64) Burgdorf was no longer on any regional trade routes. The devastating fires (1706 upper town and in 1715 in the lower town) forced the city council to rebuild much of the city. Overall, the population stagnated and after 1655 it became increasing hard to gain citizenship in Burgdorf. The percentage of non-citizen residents who could become citizens was less than 40% in 1764. As the number of artisans had declined, there were fewer and fewer families for that could serve on the town councils. At times, the large council only had 27 members instead of 32, due to a lack of candidates. During the
Swiss peasant war of 1653 The Swiss peasant war of 1653 () was a popular revolt in the Old Swiss Confederacy at the time of the Ancien Régime. A devaluation of Bernese money caused a tax revolt that spread from the Entlebuch valley in the Canton of Lucerne to the Emmen ...
the city remained loyal to Bern. While they feared an attack by the peasant armies, Burgdorf was bypassed. The invasion of the French in 1798 and the forced reforms of the Helvetic Republic demolished much of the traditional, conservative power structure and privilege in Burgdorf.


Geography

Burgdorf has an area, , of . Of this area, or 24.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 40.7% is forested. Of the rest of the land, or 32.3% is settled (buildings or roads), or 2.6% is either rivers or lakes and or 0.3% is unproductive land.Swiss Federal Statistical Office-Land Use Statistics
2018 data accessed 26 July 2020
Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 6.2% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 15.6% and transportation infrastructure made up 7.5%. while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 2.2%. 39.8% of the total land area is heavily forested. Of the agricultural land, 16.6% is used for growing crops and 7.1% is pastures. All the water in the municipality is in rivers and streams.


Coat of arms

The
blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The vis ...
of the municipal
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
is ''Per pale Sable and Argent all within a Border Or.''


Demographics

Burgdorf has a population () of . , 12.9% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the last 10 years (2000–2010) the population has changed at a rate of 5.2%. Migration accounted for 6.6%, while births and deaths accounted for -1.1%.Swiss Federal Statistical Office
accessed 6 February 2012
Most of the population () speaks Swiss-German (13,088 or 88.9%) as their first language,
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...
is the second most common (402 or 2.7%) and Albanian is the third (219 or 1.5%). There are 116 people who speak French and 8 people who speak Romansh. , the population was 48.3% male and 51.7% female. The population was made up of 6,335 Swiss men (41.2% of the population) and 1,083 (7.0%) non-Swiss men. There were 7,051 Swiss women (45.9%) and 905 (5.9%) non-Swiss women.Statistical office of the Canton of Bern
accessed 4 January 2012
Of the population in the municipality, 4,260 or about 29.0% were born in Burgdorf and lived there in 2000. There were 5,462 or 37.1% who were born in the same canton, while 2,176 or 14.8% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 2,352 or 16.0% were born outside of Switzerland. , children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 21.2% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 59.7% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 19.2%. , there were 5,932 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 6,856 married individuals, 1,067 widows or widowers and 859 individuals who are divorced.STAT-TAB Datenwürfel für Thema 40.3 - 2000
accessed 2 February 2011
, there were 6,637 private households in the municipality, and an average of 2.1 persons per household. There were 2,567 households that consist of only one person and 353 households with five or more people. , a total of 6,507 apartments (91.9% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 371 apartments (5.2%) were seasonally occupied and 199 apartments (2.8%) were empty.Swiss Federal Statistical Office STAT-TAB - Datenwürfel für Thema 09.2 - Gebäude und Wohnungen
accessed 28 January 2011
, the construction rate of new housing units was 2.5 new units per 1000 residents. The vacancy rate for the municipality, , was 1.85%.


Historic Population

The historical population is given in the following chart: Colors= id:lightgrey value:gray(0.9) id:darkgrey value:gray(0.8) ImageSize = width:800 height:500 PlotArea = top:10 left: 100 bottom:90 right:100 Legend = columns:3 left:220 top:70 columnwidth:160 AlignBars = justify DateFormat = x.y Period = from:0 till:16000 TimeAxis = orientation:vertical AlignBars = justify ScaleMajor = gridcolor:darkgrey increment:3000 start:0 ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightgrey increment:600 start:0 Colors= id:TO value:yellowgreen legend:Total id:GE value:teal legend:German_Speaking id:FR value:green legend:French_Speaking id:PR value:lightpurple legend:Protestant id:CA value:oceanblue legend:Catholic id:SW value:red legend:Swiss PlotData= color:yellowgreen width:40 mark:(line,white) align:center bar:1850 from:start till:3636 text:"3,636" color:TO bar:1880 from:start till:6581 text:"6,581" color:TO bar:1910 from:start till:9367 text:"9,367" color:TO bar:1930 from:start till:9772 text:"9,772" color:TO bar:1950 from:start till:11586 text:"11,586" color:TO bar:1970 from:start till:15888 text:"15,888" color:TO bar:1990 from:start till:15373 text:"15,373" color:TO bar:2000 from:start till:14714 text:"14,714" color:TO LineData = points:(200,251)(280,318) color:GE points:(280,318)(360,328) color:GE points:(360,328)(440,370) color:GE points:(440,370)(520,436) color:GE points:(520,436)(600,427) color:GE points:(600,427)(680,417) color:GE points:(200,92)(280,93) color:FR points:(280,93)(360,94) color:FR points:(360,94)(440,95) color:FR points:(440,95)(520,94) color:FR points:(520,94)(600,93) color:FR points:(600,93)(680,93) color:FR points:(200,246)(280,309) color:PR points:(280,309)(360,317) color:PR points:(360,317)(440,356) color:PR points:(440,356)(520,412) color:PR points:(520,412)(600,373) color:PR points:(600,373)(680,338) color:PR points:(200,97)(280,103) color:CA points:(280,103)(360,106) color:CA points:(360,106)(440,112) color:CA points:(440,112)(520,160) color:CA points:(520,160)(600,146) color:CA points:(600,146)(680,140) color:CA points:(120,177)(200,246) color:SW points:(200,246)(280,312) color:SW points:(280,312)(360,327) color:SW points:(360,327)(440,373) color:SW points:(440,373)(520,435) color:SW points:(520,435)(600,423) color:SW points:(600,423)(680,400) color:SW


Heritage sites of national significance

The entire old city, the former ''Grosse Apotheke'' and ''Diesbacher'' House, the former ''Mädchenschule'' (Girls' School), the former ''Niederspital'' (Hospital), the Gehöft Grafenscheuren, the Grosshaus (Large House) at Hohengasse 4 / Kronenplatz 4, the House ''zum Ochsen'' at Hohengasse 35, the Villa Schnell, the Kantonales Technikum (College), the Leinenweberei (
Linen Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is very strong, absorbent, and dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. It also ...
Spinning Plant) Schmid with Villa, the
Museum Franz Gertsch Museum Franz Gertsch is an art museum in Burgdorf, Switzerland Burgdorf (french: Berthoud; High Alemannic: ''Bùùrdlef'') is the largest city in the Emmental in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It was the capital of the district of the s ...
, the Swiss Reformed City Church, the Sammlung Historisches Armeematerial Collection of Historical Military Equipment, which is shared between
Thun , neighboring_municipalities= Amsoldingen, Heiligenschwendi, Heimberg, Hilterfingen, Homberg, Schwendibach, Spiez, Steffisburg, Thierachern, Uetendorf, Zwieselberg , twintown = , website = www.thun.ch Thun (french: Thoune) ...
, Burgdorf and
Dübendorf Dübendorf is a municipality in the district of Uster in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland. It is a suburb of Zürich in Switzerland with a population of about 30,000 (2021). It is the fourth largest city in the canton, after Zürich, Winter ...
in Zurich),
Castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
, the Quarantine House and Chapel and the Villa Roth are listed as Swiss heritage site of national significance The entire town of Burgdorf is part of the
Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites The Federal Inventory of Heritage Sites (ISOS) is part of a 1981 Ordinance of the Swiss Federal Council implementing the Federal Law on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage. Sites of national importance Types The types are based on t ...
. File:Burgdorf-02.jpg, Altstadt, Medieval and Early Modern City and Castle File:Hohengasse_19_and_21_Burgdorf_Oct_2011.jpg, Former ''Grosse Apotheke'' and ''Diesbacher'' House File:Mädchenschule_Burgdorf_Oct_2011.jpg, Former ''Mädchenschule'' (Girls' School) File:Burgdorf_Niederspital_Frontseite.jpg, Former ''Niederspital'' (Hospital) File:Hohengasse_4_Burgdorf_Oct_2011.jpg, Grosshaus (Large House) File:Burgdorf_Haus_zum_Ochsen.jpg, House ''zum Ochsen'' File:Burgdorf Kant Technikum Haupteingang.jpg, Kantonales Technikum (College) File:Burgdorf museum-franz-gertsch 171008 03.jpg, Museum Franz Gertsch File:StadtkircheBurgdorf 8688.jpg, Swiss Reformed City Church File:Kapellenweg_2_and_5_Burgdorf_Oct_2011.jpg, Quarantine House and Chapel File:Villa_Roth_Burgdorf_Oct_2011.jpg, Villa Roth


Points of interest

*The old town center, with alleyways, squares and many historical buildings *Late
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
church 1471/1490 *
Burgdorf Castle Burgdorf Castle (german: Schloss Burgdorf) is a castle in the municipality of Burgdorf in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. History During the High Middle Ages the land that would beco ...
*The "Badi" (which means public swimming pool) *Museum
Franz Gertsch Franz Gertsch (8 March 1930 – 21 December 2022) was a Swiss painter who was known for his large format hyperrealistic portraits. Biography Gertsch was born 1930 in Mörigen, Switzerland. Between 1947 and 1952 he studied with Max von Mühle ...
*Kornhaus (cornhouse) *Burgdorf Flüeh (4 huge rocks) and the river Emme *Burgdorf Schützematte, a big field, meeting point of peoples


Twin Towns

Burgdorf is twinned with the towns of


Politics

In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the
SPS SPS may refer to: Law and government * Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures of the WTO * NATO Science for Peace and Security * Single Payment Scheme, an EU agricultural subsidy * The Standard Procurement System, fo ...
which received 24.95% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SVP (23.02%), the FDP (16.48%) and the
Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation f ...
(15.53%). In the federal election, a total of 5,046 votes were cast, and the
voter turnout In political science, voter turnout is the participation rate (often defined as those who cast a ballot) of a given election. This can be the percentage of registered voters, eligible voters, or all voting-age people. According to Stanford Unive ...
was 46.8%.


Economy

, Burgdorf had an unemployment rate of 4%. , there were 40 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 13 businesses involved in this sector. 4,027 people were employed in the
secondary sector In macroeconomics, the secondary sector of the economy is an economic sector in the three-sector theory that describes the role of manufacturing. It encompasses industries that produce a finished, usable product or are involved in constructi ...
and there were 137 businesses in this sector. 7,538 people were employed in the
tertiary sector The tertiary sector of the economy, generally known as the service sector, is the third of the three economic sectors in the three-sector model (also known as the economic cycle). The others are the primary sector (raw materials) and the second ...
, with 691 businesses in this sector. the total number of
full-time equivalent Full-time equivalent (FTE), or whole time equivalent (WTE), is a unit that indicates the workload of an employee, employed person (or student) in a way that makes workloads or class loads comparable across various contexts. FTE is often used to me ...
jobs was 9,754. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 31, of which 24 were in agriculture and 7 were in forestry or lumber production. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 3,784 of which 3,168 or (83.7%) were in manufacturing and 567 (15.0%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 5,939. In the tertiary sector; 1,558 or 26.2% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 431 or 7.3% were in the movement and storage of goods, 255 or 4.3% were in a hotel or restaurant, 127 or 2.1% were in the information industry, 273 or 4.6% were the insurance or financial industry, 392 or 6.6% were technical professionals or scientists, 406 or 6.8% were in education and 1,566 or 26.4% were in health care. , there were 7,353 workers who commuted into the municipality and 3,254 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 2.3 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving.Swiss Federal Statistical Office - Statweb
accessed 24 June 2010
Of the working population, 22.4% used public transportation to get to work, and 37.9% used a private car. Burgdorf has several engine works and some departments of the
Bern University of Applied Sciences The Bern University of Applied Sciences (BUAS, German: ''Berner Fachhochschule BFH'', French: ''Haute école spécialisée bernoise HESB'') is a public vocational university with a strong national and international profile. It comprises six depa ...
(e.g. Architecture and Civil Engineering). Burgdorf has a growing economy, several small companies called KMU (small and middle companies) are located and have their headquarters in Burgdorf, such as Ypsomed (former Disetronic), Aebi, Typon, Iverslee and Seewer. Burgdorf is also known for its local beer. In 1871 Burgdorf had one of the most modern breweries is Switzerland. However, these local, small breweries closed during the 20th Century. In 1999, a brewery was opened, which brewed a local Burgdorf beer. This beer has won a number of awards at Beerdays in Solothurn.


Religion

From the , 1,993 or 13.5% were
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
, while 9,275 or 63.0% belonged to the
Swiss Reformed Church The Protestant Church in Switzerland (PCS), (EKS); french: Église évangélique réformée de Suisse (EERS); it, Chiesa evangelica riformata in Svizzera (CERiS); rm, Baselgia evangelica refurmada da la Svizra (BRRS) formerly named Federation o ...
. Of the rest of the population, there were 211 members of an Orthodox church (or about 1.43% of the population), there were 14 individuals (or about 0.10% of the population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic Church, and there were 1,337 individuals (or about 9.09% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 3 individuals (or about 0.02% of the population) who were
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
, and 865 (or about 5.88% of the population) who were
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
ic. There were 39 individuals who were
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
, 224 individuals who were
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
and 13 individuals who belonged to another church. 986 (or about 6.70% of the population) belonged to no church, are agnostic or
atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...
, and 413 individuals (or about 2.81% of the population) did not answer the question.


Weather

Burgdorf has an average of 127.1 days of rain or snow per year and on average receives of
precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...
. The wettest month is August during which time Burgdorf receives an average of of rain or snow. During this month there is precipitation for an average of 10.9 days. The month with the most days of precipitation is May, with an average of 13, but with only of rain or snow. The driest month of the year is February with an average of of precipitation over 10 days., the Burgdorf weather station elevation is 525 meters above sea level.


Education

In Burgdorf about 5,950 or (40.4%) of the population have completed non-mandatory upper secondary education, and 1,918 or (13.0%) have completed additional higher education (either
university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
or a ''
Fachhochschule A ''Fachhochschule'' (; plural ''Fachhochschulen''), abbreviated FH, is a university of applied sciences (UAS), in other words a German tertiary education institution that provides professional education in many applied sciences and applied arts ...
''). Of the 1,918 who completed tertiary schooling, 65.9% were Swiss men, 25.1% were Swiss women, 5.0% were non-Swiss men and 4.0% were non-Swiss women. The Canton of Bern school system provides one year of non-obligatory
Kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...
, followed by six years of Primary school. This is followed by three years of obligatory lower Secondary school where the students are separated according to ability and aptitude. Following the lower Secondary students may attend additional schooling or they may enter an
apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a Tradesman, trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners ...
. During the 2009–10 school year, there were a total of 1,767 students attending classes in Burgdorf. There were 14 kindergarten classes with a total of 247 students in the municipality. Of the kindergarten students, 13.8% were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 23.5% have a different mother language than the classroom language. The municipality had 49 primary classes and 924 students. Of the primary students, 12.3% were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 23.5% have a different mother language than the classroom language. During the same year, there were 30 lower secondary classes with a total of 548 students. There were 9.9% who were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 21.2% have a different mother language than the classroom language.Schuljahr 2009/10 pdf document
accessed 4 January 2012
, there were 1,152 students in Burgdorf who came from another municipality, while 239 residents attended schools outside the municipality. Burgdorf is home to 2 libraries. These libraries are the Stadtbibliothek Burgdorf and the ''BFH Technik und Informatik TI und Architektur, Holz und Bau AHB Burgdorf''. There was a combined total () of 69,376 books or other media in the libraries, and in the same year a total of 266,590 items were loaned out.


Transportation

The municipality has four railway stations: , , , and . The first of these is a major railway junction, served by three different lines; the other three are located north and south of it on the Solothurn–Langnau line. Between them there is regular service to
Zürich Hauptbahnhof Zürich Hauptbahnhof (often shortened to Zürich HB, or just HB; ''Zürich Main Station'' or ''Zürich Central Station'') is the largest railway station in Switzerland. Zürich is a major railway hub, with services to and from across Switzerland a ...
, , , , , , and .


Notable people

; early times *
Jean Maritz Jean Maritz (1680–1743), also Johan Maritz, was a Swiss inventor, born in Burgdorf, Canton of Bern, who moved to France, becoming "Commissaire des Fontes" at Strasbourg (Commissioner of the King's Foundry),''A Dictionary of Military History a ...
(1680 in Burgdorf – 1743) a Swiss inventor, invented the vertical drilling machine *
Samuel Hieronymus Grimm Samuel Hieronymus Grimm (18 January 1733 – 14 April 1794)''The Gentleman's Magazine, 1794, p399 was an 18th-century Swiss landscape artist who worked in oils (until 1764), watercolours, and pen and ink media. Grimm specialised in documenting h ...
(1733 in Burgdorf – 1794) a landscape artist, worked in oils and watercolours *
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (, ; 12 January 1746 – 17 February 1827) was a Swiss pedagogue and educational reformer who exemplified Romanticism in his approach. He founded several educational institutions both in German- and French-speaking r ...
(1746–1827) used to live and teach in
Burgdorf Castle Burgdorf Castle (german: Schloss Burgdorf) is a castle in the municipality of Burgdorf in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. History During the High Middle Ages the land that would beco ...
. ; 19th C * Johann August Sutter (1803–1880) Californian pioneer, left Burgdorf for America in 1834 * Karl Eduard Aeschlimann (1808 in Burgdorf - 1893) an architect, court architect of the Russian royal family *
Max Schneckenburger Max Schneckenburger (17 February 1819 – 3 May 1849) was a German poet. The patriotic hymn "Die Wacht am Rhein" uses the text of a poem Schneckenburger wrote in 1840. Schneckenburger was born in Talheim near Tuttlingen, Württemberg. The younge ...
(1819 – 1849 in Burgdorf) a poet, lived and died in Burgdorf * John Augustus Sutter Jr. (1826 in Burgdorf – 1897) founder and planner of
Sacramento, California ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento C ...
*
Emil Theodor Kocher Emil Theodor Kocher (25 August 1841 – 27 July 1917) was a Swiss physician and medical researcher who received the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work in the physiology, pathology and surgery of the thyroid. Among his many a ...
(1841–1917) a Swiss physician and medical researcher, received the 1909
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, accord ...
, grew up im Burgdorf *
Ferdinand Schiess Christian Ferdinand Schiess VC (7 April 1856 – 14 December 1884) was a Swiss recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth for ...
VC, (1856 in Burgdorf – 1884) Swiss
Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
recipient at
Rorke's Drift The Battle of Rorke's Drift (1879), also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was an engagement in the Anglo-Zulu War. The successful British defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenants John Chard of the ...
; 20th C *
Franz Schnyder Franz Schnyder (5 March 1910 – 8 February 1993) was a Swiss film director and screenwriter. He directed 15 films between 1941 and 1968. His film ''Der 10. Mai'' was entered into the 8th Berlin International Film Festival. Filmography * '' ...
(1910 in Burgdorf – 1993) a Swiss film director and screenwriter * Hermann Haller (1914 in Burgdorf – 2002) a Swiss composer * Lisa della Casa (1919 in Burgdorf – 2012) a Swiss soprano * Fritz Hofmann (1924 – 2005 in Burgdorf) a Swiss politician *
John Mbiti John Samuel Mbiti (1931–2019) was a Kenyan-born Christian philosopher and writer. He was an ordained Anglican priest, and is considered "the father of modern African theology". Early life John Mbiti was born on 30 November 1931 in Mulango, ...
(born 1931 in Kenya) an African theologian and philosopher, is parish minister in Burgdorf * Willy Michel, (born 1947 in Burgdorf) co-founder of
Museum Franz Gertsch Museum Franz Gertsch is an art museum in Burgdorf, Switzerland Burgdorf (french: Berthoud; High Alemannic: ''Bùùrdlef'') is the largest city in the Emmental in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It was the capital of the district of the s ...
German Wiki, Willy Michel * Annemarie Buchmann-Gerber (1947 in Burgdorf – 2015) a Canadian artist, worked with textiles and fiber materials *
Res Ingold Res Ingold (born 1954 in Burgdorf, Switzerland) is a Swiss contemporary artist. He is known for his superfiction airline company Ingold Airlines he started in 1982. Res Ingold is a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich. Exhibitions and a ...
(born 1954 in Burgdorf) a contemporary Swiss artist *
Christine Brand Christine Brand (born 11 April 1973, Burgdorf, Switzerland) is a Swiss writer and journalist. Life Christine Brand grew up in Oberburg in Emmental. She completed her training as a teacher at the teachers' seminar in Langenthal. After an int ...
(born 1973 in Burgdorf) a Swiss writer and journalist * Christa Markwalder (born 1975 in Burgdorf) a Swiss politician, former President of the National Council ; Sport *
Martin Gerber Martin Gerber (born 3 September 1974) is a Swiss former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft (232nd overall) by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He played in the National Hockey League (N ...
(born 1974 in Burgdorf) a Swiss former professional ice hockey goaltender *
Nuri Seferi Nuri Seferi (born 23 December 1976) is an Albanian professional boxer who competes out of Burgdorf, Switzerland. Biography Seferi was born in Gostivar, SFR Yugoslavia (present-day North Macedonia) and is of Albanian heritage. Whilst in Yugos ...
(born 1976) a professional boxer, brought up and lives in Burgdorf *
Simone Niggli-Luder Simone Niggli-Luder (born 9 January 1978) is a Swiss orienteering athlete who has twice won (in 2003 and 2005) all four women's competitions at the world championships. She is widely seen as one of the greatest orienteers of all time. Personal ...
(born 1978) a Swiss Orienteering World Champion, brought up in Burgdorf * Martina Moser (born 1986 in Burgdorf) a Swiss footballer, played 126 games for Swiss national team *
Alain Berger Alain Berger (born 13 January 1970) is a Swiss orienteering competitor Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a ze ...
(born 1990 in Burgdorf) a Swiss professional ice hockey forward


Special events

*Solätte - #1 event in Burgdorf, old tradition child event (last Monday of June) *Gymfest - big party organized by a group of students of Gymnasium Burgdorf (January) *Pogoschütz - an openair concert on the Schützenmatte (September) *Cinete - an openair movie theater, every year during summer *Kalter Märt - the largest fair in Burgdorf; every year 10,000 people come to shop in the old city of Burgdorf (cold winter time) *Burgdorfer Stadtlauf - Burgdorf running race through the city of Burgdorf


References


External links

* *https://web.archive.org/web/20170210040554/http://www.burgdorf.ch/ *http://www.schloss-burgdorf.ch * {{Authority control Cities in Switzerland Municipalities of the canton of Bern Cultural property of national significance in the canton of Bern