Fall series - Part 4 How the people of Schaffhausen set their own limits with greed and intrigue
blue News takes you on a journey from Rüdlingen to Büsingen: Local historian Martin Harzenmoser tells the eventful story of the fragmented canton of Schaffhausen - and its exclaves and enclaves.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- blue News goes to the border, part 4/4: The tour starts in picturesque Rüdlingen, a Schaffhausen enclave surrounded by the canton of Zurich and Germany.
- The adventure trip continues in Schaffhauserland towards the monastery island of Rheinau, Nohl ZH and Büsingen (D).
- Schaffhausen local historian Martin Harzenmoser knows the reasons for the many enclaves and the confusing border with Germany: "power, luck and greed" are responsible.
- The road trip ends at the Waldheim restaurant in the German exclave of Büsingen. The excursion destination towers high above the Rhine and is located right on the border.
blue News starts the fourth and final episode of its autumn series in the picturesque village of Rüdligen, a Schaffhausen enclave next to Zurich's Rafzerfeld. A village center straight out of a Switzerland Tourism brochure.
In search of the center, the house of the Rebstock cooperative catches the eye. An eye-catcher. Artist Gloria Anet moved into the historic, newly renovated house in October 2023; it is a multi-generational project. The artist is practically a native of the area and can't imagine a more beautiful place to live.
Gloria Anet shows blue News her studio and raves about Rüdlingen: "I feel very much at home here. I've lived here for 45 years and never want to live anywhere else." The surroundings with the Rhine inspire her creativity and offer her inspiration, which is reflected in her works.
Local historian Martin Harzenmoser on the border: "Three factors played a role: power, luck and greed"
After a short stopover on the monastery island of Rheinau - another worthwhile destination - local historian Martin Harzenmoser awaits blue News in the small Zurich village of Nohl directly below the Rhine Falls.
Nohl also offers visitors an unusual sight: The Nohlbuck tavern is on Swiss territory, but the road in front of it belongs to Germany. The village sign is also on German land, which in turn explains why the sign is a German product.
Martin Harzenmoser is a well-known face in the region, he is the night watchman of Schaffhausen. Together with his brother Thomas, the former teacher has been offering various guided tours and walks in Schaffhausen and Stein am Rhein - the second Schaffhausen exclave after Rüdlingen - for over 25 years. On their tours, the Schaffhausen night watchmen recount interesting facts from the past - including horrific, gloomy but also amusing stories.
The confusing Swiss border with Germany offers many historical anecdotes, which Harzenmoser, a skilled storyteller, packs into entertaining stories.
He also knows why the Swiss border in the Schaffhausen area meanders through the landscape to such an extent: "It has to do with history. Three factors played a role: power, luck and greed."
Büsingen, the German island in Switzerland
The last stop on the border tour is Büsingen. Another geographical and historical peculiarity in the region. Surrounded by Swiss territory, Büsingen is German territory.
Büsingen belongs to the federal state of Baden-Württemberg and is located in the district of Constance. The municipality has two zip codes, one Swiss and one German. The enclave's slogan on its own website sums it up perfectly: "Büsingen - the German island in Switzerland."
The Waldheim restaurant in Büsingen offers a majestic view over the Rhine - anyone stopping here will have to decide whether to pay in Swiss francs or euros.
The excursion restaurant is located right on the border. Martin Harzenmoser sums up: "Of course, this area is hopelessly fragmented. But you can say it has advantages and disadvantages for both sides - on both sides."
Editor's note: In the video, reporter Carlotta Henggeler says that Rüdlingen/Buchberg SH is "surrounded by the canton of Zurich". It is correct that this Schaffhausen exclave is surrounded by the canton of Zurich and the German Jestetter Zipfel. The editors apologize for this error.
