Remigen - History

History

Already in Roman times the road between Augusta Raurica and Vindonissa led over the Bözberg, although it was further north than the present-day route, from Effingen via Remigen to Stilli. The village is first recorded in 1064 as part of the domain of Rein, which belonged to the Benedictine monastery of Murbach in Alsace. Domain meant lordship of land covering a larger district. Remigen is first mentioned in 1227 as Raemingen.

In the 13th century the Habsburgs consolidated their lordship rights in the district around Brugg in the court of Bözberg. This included about 9 present-day parishes in the area, in all of which the Habsburgs had legal jurisdiction of various kinds. In 1291 the domain of Rein was purchased by King Rudolf I of Habsburg, who was thus the most significant landowner in the area as well as the most senior judge. In 1345 Queen Agnes of Hungary gifted the domain to the convent of the Poor Clares in Wittichen in the Black Forest.

In 1460 the city of Bern conquered the district west of the Aare river, but made no change to the rights of the convent. However in 1528 the Catholic nuns had to submit to the introduction of the Protestant Reformation. In 1544 the convent sold the domain to Count Hartmann of Hallwyl. In 1566 the jurisdiction of the court at Bözberg was subdivided, and from then on the domain's legal cases were heard at the neighbouring village of Stilli. Between 1588 and 1599 the town of Brugg acquired two-thirds of the domain, and the city of Bern the remaining one-third.

In March 1798 the French conquered Switzerland, took away the powers of the merciful Lords of Bern, and proclaimed the Helvetic Republic. The domain of Rein became part of the newly formed canton of Aargau. In 1799 the front line of the Napoleonic Wars ran through the middle of the lower Aar valley, and there were several French Army encampments in the area. The inhabitants of the local villages suffered great penury due to the army's requisitioning and plundering.

In 1803 the domain was dissolved, and each village gained parish status. Remigen had a mainly agricultural character until well into the 20th century. The population remained at around 500 until 1970, but has doubled since then: there was much building, and Remigen developed into a dormitory town.