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Gules an Owl displayed Argent holding in beak on a strap an escutcheon
Gules a Cross couped Argent (Switzerland)
standing on a Cannon Pipe Or
mouth to dexter inscribed "VORWÄRTS" [forward] of the first.
Željko Heimer, 20 October 2002
[The emblem refers tot the local Chutzenschützen shooting club (Chutz: vernacular
for Kauz = owl). The cannon barrel
with the inscription belongs to a still existing cannon, which is exhibited in the
Museum Altes Zeughaus in Solothurn
(Source,
inscription not visible on the photo [If link is instable, see PDF sheet
and photo]). It was used by radical-liberal
participants (as this club) from
Solothurn canton in the second Freischarenzug of 1845. Those Freischarenzüge (irregular
troops' campaigns)
from 1844 and 1845 were two attempted putsches to topple the conservative government of Luzern canton.
What aroused the ire of the liberal forces was the Luzern government's appointment of the
Jesuits to the
higher schools.
Volunteers from the liberal cantons of Aargau, Solothurn and Baselland (and Bern in the
second campaign) marched
towards Luzern, ca. 1000 men in the first campaign, 3500 in the second. But their
poor preparation made them succumb
to the Luzern troops. As a reaction to those Freischarenzüge
the conservative Catholic cantons of Luzern, Uri, Schwyz,
Unterwalden, Zug, Fribourg and Valais formed the
so-called Sonderbund, a secessionist "separate
alliance" designed to
protect the members' sovereignty and Catholic-conservative interests
(See propaganda leaflet with CoA of Sonderbund cantons, 1845).
This led to the Sonderbund War in 1847, where
the Federal troops under General Dufour defeated the Sonderbund troops.
Afterwards the modern Federal State
(Bundesstaat) was founded in 1848 (Memorial sheet of the Federal Constitution,
source)]