^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Langendorf commune (Solothurn canton, Switzerland)

See also:

Langendorf

image by Pascal Gross

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)]