The District of Schams

	Geographically the district comprises, that part of the 
valley of the Hinterrhein between the Rofla and Viamala gorges 
and Val Ferrera.  In it are the political communes of Andeer, 
Ausserferrera, Casti-Wergenstein, Glugin, Donath, 
Innerferrera, Lohn, Mathon, Patzen-Fardün, Pignia, Rongellen, 
and Zillis-Reischen.

	The name is derived from the Latin " saxum " meaning 
rock, which is not surprising for this region. 

	A continuous settlement is proved by finds dating from 
the Bronze Age,  among which those from the graves at Donath, 
dating from the early Bronze Age, are the most important.

	Situated at the northern entrance to two important 
passes, commerce was of special significance in the history of 
Schams.  That this was so in Roman times is proved by the fact 
that the so-called Peutinger Chart, a route-map dating from the 
4th century AD, gives the name " Lapidaria " to one of the 
posts-identified by some as Zillis and by others as Andeer.  
There is also evidence that there was a Roman settlement at 
Zillis.

	Some of the communes are mentioned in a document dated 
830, others in a peace treaty with Chiavenna dated 1219, from 
which it is also clear that according to the old political 
division Schams reached as far as the " brook of Splügen ". At 
Zillis, called Ciranes in the Imperial register of landed 
property dating from the first half of the 9th century, there 
must have been an earlier church dating from the 5th century 
which stood on the place of the present building-now famous for 
its romanesque painted ceiling.  With its baptistery it was the 
centre of the large parish of Schams, to which the lower 
Rheinwald also belonged.

	In the Middle Ages Schams was held by the Barons of Vaz 
as fief from the Bishop of Chur.  When the Vaz line died out in 
1338 the Werdenberg-Sargans became the new Lords.

	The commune of the Free Men at Schamserberg, mentioned 
in a document dated 1204, was of special importance.  Early in 
the 13th century they already had their own seal as a sign of 
their autonomy; later they became the driving power in the 
fight for the freedom of the valley.

	In 1360 the people of Schams and Rheinwald rose against 
the Werdenbergs, who were forced to respect treaties the 
subjects had made amongst themselves.  In the treaty between 
the League of God's House and the Grey League in 1406 Schams 
joined on the side of the latter.  Under the leadership of the 
Free Men, the magistrate and the commune of Schams, joined the 
League at Truns as an independent commune in 1424, but gainst 
the will of the Duke of Werdenberg-Sargans.  This demonstration 
of independence caused the Rhaetian Lords, Jörg of Räzüns, 
Heinrich of Hewen-the Bishop's vicar,  and the 
Werdenberg-Sargans, to form the so-called " Black League" in 
1450, which was intended to prevent poor people from making 
treaties against the will of their Lords.  An attack by the 
Lords only led to a revolt amongst the people of the valley in 
the so-called " War of Schams ", in the course of which the 
Bärenburg was destroycd. 

	Some years after the peace of 1452 the Werdenbergs sold 
Schams to the Bishop, the Rofla gorge being mentioned as the 
southern boundary.  In 1458 Schams bought the sovereign rights 
from the Bishop and thus gained its freedom.

	In the Grey League the whole of Schams, with the 
exception of Rongellen, was one jurisdiction.  Between 1530 and 
1540 it became Protestant.

	The transit-trade played an important part in the life 
of the people of the valley.  Christoph Simonett has found 
evidence that the Roman path must have crossed the Viamala.  In 
1593 Andeer became the unloading and storage place of the port 
of Schams (port-transport organisation of the jurisdiction).  
The drawbacks of this favourable position became evident 
during the Revolution, when the French troops made use of the 
carriage service in an unscrupulous way.   When peace returned 
in 1803 trade flourished again, and the mines, which had been 
worked for centuries, were reopened.

	The emigration of soldiers, tradesmen, and merchants 
from Schams to many parts of the world cannot be disregarded 
when writing of the history of Schams.

	In 1851 the old Jurisdiction became the District of 
Schams, to which was added Rongellen which had earlier belonged 
to Thusis.  The language of the valley is Sutselva, a Romansh 
dialect, but today the communes of the valley have become 
Germanised to a high degree.

Famous people from Schams:

Mattli Conradi (1745-1832) from Andeer.  He was a parson who 
wielded great influence, and a pedagogue of broad outlook.  He 
lived and worked in Andeer for many years.  Because of his 
progressive ideas he was considered to be a friend of the 
French and was deported by the Austrians.  He wrote " A 
Practical GermanRomansh Grammar", being the first in this 
Old-Rhaetian Language, and also a dictionary.  These were the 
first books on the Romansh language to be used for research 
purposes.  They also became well known abroad.

District Coat of Arms: Gules, St. Martin standing with silver 
halo sharing coat in gold with beggar.  Blazonry: The coat of 
arms represents the former importance of the church at Zillis 
and its cultural influence.  For this reason St. Martin, the 
patron saint of the church appears in the district coat of 
arms.  District colours: red-yellow.