The District of Churwalden

	This district extends from the slopes of Parpan, and 
includes the whole catchment area of the Rabiusa up to the 
point where it flows into the Plessur; it also includes the 
left side of the valley of the Outer Schanfigg, up to the line 
made by the ridges of the Parpan Weisshorn, the Arosa 
Weisshorn, the Schariniser Grind, the Gireneggen, and the mouth 
of the Sagenbach.  The Political communes in this territory are 
Churwalden, Malix, Parpan, Praden and Tschiertschen.

	The name Churwalden appears to be a direct translation 
of the oldest Latin name-form "silva augeria", meaning sycamore 
wood.

	Because of its situation on one of the most important 
pass-routes of the Grisons, the Julier-Septimer, the Churwald 
area has been of great importance since the time of the 
Romans.  

	At the time of the Franks the territory was part of the 
Ministerium Curisinum.  In the Middle Ages a domain grew around 
Strassberg Castle at Malix.  The Lords of Strassberg, however, 
soon became dependent subjects of the Barons of Vaz, who 
appeared in 1275 as the masters.  The subject-territory 
included Churwalden, Malix, Parpan, and later Tschiertschen.  
Praden was not included, however; it had been settled by 
Walsers from Schanfigg, and probably because of this belonged 
to the jurisdiction of Langwies.  There were also settlements 
of Walsers on the right of the valley, at Runcalier and Grida, 
and on the left slope at Pradaschier.

	The bailiwick of the monastery at Churwalden, which was 
founded by Premonstratensian monks from Roggenburg in southern 
Germany about the middle of the 12th century, was also subject 
to the Strassbergs.  The abbey was the traditional burial 
ground of the Barons of Vaz, and they richly bestowed it with 
gifts.  There was a hospital in the abbey, which is not 
surprising when one considers its position.  After the line of 
Vaz became extinct, the domain passed to the Toggenburgers in 
1338, and after the death of the last of this line in 1338, and 
after the death of the last of this line in 1436 it passed to 
the Montfort-Tettnangs who, because of financial difficulties, 
sold the property rights to Duke Sigismund of Austria in 1466.  
The Duke sold the rights to Ulrich of Matsch, but reclaimed 
them in 1479.

	In 1436 the "Dusch of Tschiertschen" gave his pledge 
for the land and court of Churwalden to the League of Ten 
Jurisdictions.  In the old division of the country of the 
Rhaetian Free State, the jurisdiction of Churwalden, together 
with the neighbourhoods Churwalden, Malix, Parpan and the two 
half jurisdictions of Inner and Outer Belfort, formed the High 
Court of Belfort.  During the Swabian wars the castle of 
Strassberg was taken from the Austrians by the people of the 
Grisons.  it was only in 1649, however, that the people of 
Churwalden were able to purchase the Austrian rights.

	During the Reformation Malix and Praden were the first 
villages to accept the new belief, in 1526; followed after 1550 
by Tschiertschen and Parpan.  The prohibition of novices in the 
Articles of Ilanz, 1526, caused great difficulties to the 
monastery at Churwalden.  In 1533 there remained only the abbot 
and a monk, and from 1599 onwards the monastery's affairs were 
managed by an administrator elected by the Roggenburgs.  In 
1616 the Protestants of the court did away with the 
administrator and occupied the church, which, with the 
exception of a short period of restitution forced by the 
Austrians during the Wars of the Grisons, has served both 
confessions ever since.

	The law of 1851 on the division of the canton 
transferred Praden from the jurisdiction of Langwies to the 
district of Churwalden.

	Economically the transit traffic was of importance.  
Churwalden shared the "port" with Lenz; the port was a 
transport co-operative organised by the communes.  The customs 
post at Strassberg, documentary evidence of which is first 
given in 1348, seems to have benn extremely profitable, 
otherwise it would not have been a bone of contention between 
the Bishops of Chur and Austria for over 100 years.

	Under the influence of the Walsers and also mainly, of 
the monastery, the jurisdiction was partly Germanised before 
the time of the Reformation.  In spite of this Romansh was 
spoken at Malix well into the 17th century.  Today the whole 
district of Churwalden is German-speaking.

Famous men from the District of Churwalden:

	Deacon Luzius Pol (1754-1828) from Malix made a name 
for himself as a botanist, entomologist, topographer, and 
agronomist.  He was deported to Graz by the Austrians, where he 
remained from 1799 to 1801.  He saw the need for harnessing the 
torrents of the Grisons, and was successful in putting his 
ideas into practive.

	Friedrich Brügger (1854-1930) from Churwalden studied 
law at Löwen and Munich and later became a lawyer at Chur.  He 
was elected to the Small Council in 1900, and to the Federal 
Council in 1907; he was a member of the latter for 23 years and 
its president from 1918 to 1919.  In 1909 he was promoted to 
the rank of Brigadier in the Army, and was in charge of the 
Gotthard defences.  He became Adjutant-General in 1914, and 
later, in recognition of his services in strengthening the 
striking power of the army, the Government promoted him to the 
rank of General.

	District Coat of Arms:  Azure molet gold.  Blazonry:  
Taken from an old coat of arms of the district of Churwalden 
found on the seal of the neighbourhood.  District colours: 
blue-yellow.