Manuscript Summary:Beginning in 1797, the Wädenswil reading society, which was founded in 1790, kept a handwritten annal that chronicled all local events of any given year. A member of the society would be designated as chronicler, who had the task of describing, by the end of the year, all events in Wädenswil that, from his point of view, were of importance. Detailed obituaries of individual personages are contained in the chronicle. For most years, it also includes descriptions of the weather, statistics regarding the population and an overview of food prices. In addition to local events, it also touches on cantonal and federal issues (among them the Bocken War, the Ustertag, the Sonderbund War). The chronicle was handwritten until 1886; the handwritten part consists of two volumes in folio-format. Later volumes consist of pasted newspaper clippings (1890 until 1945) and of typed pages, bound by year (1948-1974). The two volumes for the period from 1797 to 1886 are considered one of the most important sources for the history of Wädenswil in the 19th century.(scr)
Acquisition of the manuscript: Aus dem Besitz der Lesegesellschaft Wädenswil, 2001 an die
Dokumentationsstelle Oberer Zürichsee, Wädenswil
(www.dokumentationsstelle.ch) übergeben.
Bibliography:
Diethelm Fretz, Die Entstehung der Lesegesellschaft Wädenswil: Streiflichter auf die materielle und geistige Kultur des Zürichseegebietes im ausgehenden 18. Jahrhundert, Wädenswil: Stutz 1940.
Peter Ziegler, Lesegesellschaft Wädenswil: 1790 bis 1990, Wädenswil: Stutz 1990.
Weitere Literatur: siehe www.dokumentationsstelle.ch