1844 Revolution in Lucerne, start of Sonderbund War, Switzerland

Constantin Siegwart-Müller, Kanton Luzern

Bericht des Regierungsrathes des Kantons Luzern an den Großen Rath über den Aufruhr vom 8. Christmonat 1844.

Luzern, Gebr. Raeber. 1846.

8vo. pp. 72. Original soft printed wrappers. Small private library label (19th century) to front wrapper. Fine.

Barth 7370. OCLC list only one copy in libraries outside Switzerland, 5 in total. 

Important and very scarce report on the first Freischarenzug of December 8th, 1844. 

The Freischarenzüge were two failed anti-clerical coup attempts in Switzerland in 1844 and 1845. The aim of the radical liberal insurgents was to overthrow the conservative government of the canton of Lucerne and to expel the Jesuits. Other cantons were indirectly involved by sending volunteers, while the Diet held back. The uprisings resulted in the founding of the Sonderbund and triggered the Sonderbund War.

In this poorly coordinated coup attempt on December 8, 1844, around 100 liberal-minded Lucerne residents gathered, but were dispersed by government troops. At the same time, about 1,000 volunteers from the cantons of Aargau, Solothurn and Basel-Landschaft moved in the direction of Lucerne. The volunteers were able to repulse the Lucerne government troops at Emmenbrücke, but disagreed about how to proceed and had to retreat because strong Lucerne militia groups had been advancing in the meantime. The Lucerne government took action against the insurgents with numerous arrests and political and economic repression, but many bystanders were also affected.