Detailed history of Schallenberg/Schellenberg
from Martin J. Shallenberger's book "Shallenbergers of Echo Mountain, Vol. 1".

(I have not attempted to include all 79 pages from volume one or the 49 pages in volume two that cover history, only just some meaty sections that give you a jist of the content. This excerpt includes pages 13 - 21 , 27 - 30, and 37, without the numerous pictures and maps. I highly recommend getting a look at the book for the whole story.)

Shallenberger - An Ancient Family

The Shallenberger family is an ancient one. Its origin is lost in the obscurity of the Middle Ages. There are several European areas from which our ancestors may have migrated.

For instance, the beautiful little town of Schallaburg, with its imposing Renaissance castle, lies about five kilometers south of the fortified abbey of Melk, Austria. Some 17 kilometers to the west is the Schallberg, a hill of more than 500 meters, located near the Danube, about four kilometers south-east of Grein and northeast of Ardagger, Austria.

A Schellenberg hill, only 120 meters high, is located near the Danube, seven kilometers west of the former imperial city of Donauworth, in Bavaria. This hill was the scene of the battle of Blenheim, August 12, 1704, during the war of Spanish Succession. Two French armies with their ally, the elector of Bavaria, and the troops of the Duke-Bishop of Cologne, were defeated by the Imperialist's Grand Alliance of English, Dutch, and Prussian forces commanded by the English Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill, together with the Imperial general, Prince Eugene of Savoy. This victory freed Germany from French control. The Danube bridge at Donauworth was of strategic importance to the trade route between Italy and northern Germany and the town became one of the most powerful in the Bavarian region.

Another town, Shellenberger, is located in the Precinct of Loewenberg, County of Liegutael/Silesia, Poland. In eastern Germany the village of Schallenburg is located near the Unstrut River southwest of Sommerda and east of Muhlhausen. Sommerda is 29 kilometers northeast of Erfurt. In Hessen-Nassau Province, western Germany, the village of Schallenberg is located on route 255, about one kilometer west of Rennerod (on route 54). It is about 76 kilometers east of Bonn, 43 kilometers northeast of Koblenz and 76 kilometers northwest of Frankfort.

Markt Schellenberg, in Regierungsbezirk Oberbayern, Germany, is located in the Tyrolean or Salzburg Alps of southern Bavaria about eight kilometers north of Berchtesgaden on the road to Salzburg. This area, known as Land Schellenberg, is five kilometers from Hallein, Austria and is mentioned in documents as far back as 1275.

Before 1342, the area of the principality of Liechtenstein consisted of the Barony of Schellenberg and the Lordship of Vaduz, parts of the Germanic Holy Roman Empire. In Liechtenstein the Schellenberg is a hill, almost 1,000 meters high, but dwarfed by its Alpine neighbors. Here a winding road leads the traveler to three tiny villages, Nieder Schellenberg, Mitte Schellenberg, and Hoch Schellenberg. Today, the three villages merge into one with the ruins of its castle near the top. Schellenberg is located near the northeast border, just to the southwest of Feldkirk, Austria.

Whether the Swiss ancestors of the Schallenbergs originally came from one of these areas is unknown. One may surmise that some Schallenberg families moved westward in the Middle Ages, possibly from their original seat in the Danube valley, perhaps first into Bavaria and then into what are now Germany, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. Other historians surmise that the various Schellenberg families originated from the Liechtenstein lines around 800 A.D. and spread from there.

Swiss farms include: Schallenberg near Darstetten, Canton of Bern; Schallberg near Lungern, Canton of Ober Walden; and Schellenberg near Matzigen, Canton of Thurgau.

The Schallenberg family home may have been on the Schallenberg, a large rolling, grass-covered mountain, with pastures reaching to the summit. The Schallenberg Strasse pass, near the summit (1,167 meters), is about 20 kilometers northeast of Thun, and about six kilometers southeast of the village of Rothenbach. Mt. Schallenberg is located in the Emmenthal, District of Signau, Canton of Bern.

The Schallenberg Hochwald (timber forest) lies on the southern slope of the mountain. To the south, towering Mt. Honegg reaches 1,546 meters at its snow capped peak.

Schallenberg families have been recorded as living in the Emmenthal Valley in the Darstetten area and Schallenbergers near Signau, Trubschachen and Langnau, Bern Canton, as far back as the 16th century.

Another, much lower Mt. Schallenberg, 760 meters high, is covered with hilly farms reached by a winding road. It lies in the northern part of the Emmenthal, District of Trachselwald, Canton of Bern, about 1.5 kilometers northwest of the village of Ruegsau and about five kilometers southeast of the castle city of Burgdorf. It is about 25 kilometers northeast of Bern, the Swiss capital.

Traditional Family Legend

The Swiss Schallenberg is said to take its name from the very clear and peculiar echo which is heard on a certain part of the mountain, about which there are many quaint and curious traditions.

The name Schallenberg is said to have originated as follows. Long ago in Switzerland a young man lost his way in the mountains and wandered for days. He became half demented, and kept up a continual shouting by day and by night. Finally his cries, echoing among the hills, led a searching party of friends to him. Ever after the mountain was known as Schallenberg.

It is said that 'schallen' means 'echoes in' and 'berg' means 'mountain.' It may also mean 'echo mountain' or 'echoing mountain.' 'Schelle' in German is translated 'small tinkling bell' and 'schellen,' 'to ring a bell.' The chief dweller on this mountain was called Schallenberg, which in German may have been von Schallenberg, meaning of the Schallenberg.

Annual Assemblage

The Schallenberg may have been a mustering place for some of the ancient Swiss in time of danger and the meeting place for the annual assemblage that took place the first Sunday in May. The outgoing officials, followed by the assembled people, marched to the meeting place on the Schallenberg. After rendering an account of their administration for the past year, the magistrates laid down their insignias of office, the ancient sword and mace, to await the selection of the new leaders. The Landsgemeinde - a decision making, democratic assembly - in which all of the men entitled to vote were present, took place in the open air of the mountain and in the presence of all the people in the district. Laws were passed to govern their actions and an administrative council was selected for the ensuing year.

An Ammann was the local head of each valley and a Landamann was responsible for each territory. These leaders, chosen locally and given jurisdictional powers, were the intermediaries between the feudal lords and the common people.

It was customary at the annual assemblage to allow one hour to pass before the new leaders were elected. During this time there were no ruling magistrates for the district. For the hour any person was free to make any statement or charge against the outgoing officials or anyone else present. No offense, defense, or resentment was permitted by anyone there.

According to Martin Shallenberger's letter of 1871, Heinrich Schellenberg at the completion of his term of office laid down his sword in accordance with the custom. Someone, taking advantage of the license allowed, made a gross verbal attack on Heinrich for misconduct. Hot tempered Heinrich was stung by the accusation, and on the impulse of the moment knocked his accuser to the ground, with a blow of his fist. This was a grave offense against the time honored custom of free speech permitting public criticism of others, and Heinrich was banished from the canton for 10 years.

Frederick of Habsburg

In 1314, the German crown of the Holy Roman Empire was claimed by both Ludwig IV (Louis) of Bavaria and by Albert's son, Duke Friedrich der Schone (Frederick, the Handsome), of the Austrian house of Habsburg.

Frederick of Habsburg issued a decree restoring to his family all of the rights and possessions the family previously held in the three valleys. The economic sanctions which the Habsburgs forced on the Waldstatte were a mere prelude to the war that speedily followed.

The Swiss of the three valleys supported the Emperor, Louis IV, and resented the continual interference of the Habsburg bureaucrats. They said, "If the Kaiser will give to the unjust monks (of Einsiedeln) the inheritance from our forefathers, it is useless to remain under his protection. From henceforth our right arm is our protector."

To enforce his edict and crush this opposition Frederick commissioned his brother, Archduke Leopold I of Austria (d.1326), to collect an army of 2,000 Austrian troops consisting of well armed infantry and a body of heavily equipped cavalry. Leopold secured the services of the strongest, most battle seasoned and fearless knights in his empire. This was to be a punitive expedition against Schwyz where the subjects were in revolt. The Duke was a man of passionate temper, of unscrupulous ambition, and of brutal cruelty. He declared, "I will see to the extinction of the whole race of the people of Waldstatten."

Family legend goes on to report that Heinrich Schellenberg's patriotism had never faltered during his banishment. It was said he was on a scouting mission for the Swiss forces, endeavoring to find out by what pass the Austrians intended to approach. On November 14th, the day before the battle of Morgarten, he was captured, managed to escape, but was pursued, again overtaken and slain. (Note: There is no record in Swiss history of Heinrich Schellenberg's participation at the battle of Morgarten.)

A confident Duke Leopold rode out of Zug, his base of operations, on the morning of November 15, 1315. The Duke, at the head of his knights, went south along the eastern shores of Ageri See. He planned to go through the Sattel pass, south of Morgarten, on his way to attack Schwyz.

Battle of Morgarten - November 15, 1315

At Morgarten some 600 men from Schwyz collected in little bands and laid an ambush above the long, narrow passage between the marshy lake shore and the rocky sides of the mountain rising above. When the half-mile-long Austrian column reached this area they found it blocked. A Swiss party, on the heights above, opened the battle by rolling an avalanche of boulders and tree trunks down the precipitous slopes.

Then the Swiss soldiers, wielding sharp halberts and morning stars (reinforced clubs studded with iron spikes), fell upon the disorganized Austrian knights at the head of the column. The attack drove the heavy cavalry back against its own infantry in a relentless phalanx. In less than two hours the Swiss methodically cut down the Austrians or hurled them into the lake to drown. The butchery ended only when the last Austrians had fled back up the road in terror.

A second column of Austrian cavalry, under Count Otto of Strassburg, attacked from the Brunig pass and overran Obwalden. Upon learning of Leopold's defeat they hastened to retreat.

At Morgarten the men of Schwyz decisively defeated the Duke's army of mounted, armored knights supported by numerous foot troops. It was their first victory over their Habsburg oppressors. The great victory not only delivered the Waldstatte from Austrian domination, it also strengthened the old alliance of the confederates. The three districts renewed their oath of perpetual alliance and reinforced the existing bond with the Bundesbrief of Brunnen on December 9, 1315. This charter of confederation included a provision for a united foreign policy.

The century to follow was taken up with a life and death struggle for independence against the House of Habsburg. By 1320, the name Schweiz (Switzerland) was applied to the confederates in commemoration of the victors of Morgarten, the men of Schwyz.

Battle of Sempach - July 9, 1386

Leopold gathered more reinforcements from Burgundy and Swabia, and recruited infantry from the Helvetian areas already under Austrian control. In all the Duke had more than 22,000 men under arms. He advanced on July 1, 1386, at the head of 4,000 horsemen and a well armed infantry of some 18,000 men. His army, although marching in the direction of Lucerne, went by a roundabout way, burning several smaller towns in their line of march. Upon leaving the eastern shore of Sursee, the Austrians made their way slowly along the path which led from Sursee south to the heights and then turned suddenly down upon Sempach, a Habsburg possession, recently claimed by Lucerne.

Unknown to the Duke, some troops from Lucerne had hurriedly marched toward Sempach where they climbed the nearby heights on July 9th. They lay in wait at the junction of the Sursee and Hiltisrieden roads, near the Meyershoz woods. As they neared this crossroad the Duke's army suddenly came upon the Swiss force drawn up in their wedge shaped battle order. Their long swords and halberds were poised ready for battle.

The Duke ordered his first column of 1,500 men-of-arms to dismount and attack on foot because the land did not lend itself to cavalry movement. The Austrians formed a deep square bristling with lances and rushed the vanguard of Lucerners, killing 60, and slowly driving them back. The Duke had ordered his infantry to remain behind because the knights and other nobles wanted the honor of punishing the rude, low-born Swiss peasants facing them.

Just as victory seemed certain, 3,600 men, chiefly from the Everlasting League, Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden, marched over the hill and rushed to the aid of their confederates. As the main body of Swiss infantry joined the battle Leopold dismounted his second column, but before these knights could fully deploy, the Swiss swarmed into their ranks wielding their deadly halberts and long swords.

Many Swiss patriots, including Arnold von Winkelried of Unterwalden, were killed at the decisive battle of Sempach, Monday, July 9, 1386. Brave von Winkelried changed the course of that battle. He stepped forward shouting to his comrades in arms, "I will open a path for you. Take care of my wife and children!" He ran toward the enemy who stood side by side with their lances thrust forward, seized all of the Austrian lances he could reach, and bore them to the ground with the weight of his body. This heroic effort provided an opening in the ranks of the enemy. His comrades rushed through the breach made by his body and began a fierce hand to hand encounter. A fearful carnage followed in which no mercy was shown.

At this point the third Austrian column turned and fled the field leaving the first two columns to their fate. During the relentless Swiss attack Leopold III, together with 670 of his dismounted knights and 2,000 of his foot soldiers, perished. The Swiss lost but 116 men at Sempach and the Habsburg power within the borders of the Confederation was finally broken.

In the memorial chapel, built at the site of the Battle of Sempach, the names and coats-of-arms of the knights who fell in the battle are painted on the chapel walls. One of the shields of knights from Swabia is for the Ritter (knight) Heinrich von Schellenberg. A book in the chapel listing the names of the men who fought and died at the Battle of Sempach contains this statement:

Schellenberg
Heinrich v Schellenberg, Herr zu Wagegg und Lautrach fiel 1386 mit Herzog Leopold bei Sempach und wurde in Konigsfeld bestattet

Translated it reads:
Heinrich von Schellenberg, Lord of Wagegg and Lautrach fell 1386 with Duke Leopold at Sempach and was interred at Konigsfeld.

In 1311, Elizabeth, the widow of Albrecht I, founded a Franciscan monastery, the Abbey of Konigsfelden, at Windisch, Canton of Aargau, Switzerland. It lies south of Brugg. The bodies of the Habsburg knights who fell at Sempach were brought to Konigsfelden for burial. The knight, Heinrich von Schellenberg's home was part of Swabia at that time. He was not Swiss. No other Schallenberg/Schellenberg is listed at Sempach.

Mennonites

Menno Simons (1492-1559), a reformer, severed his connection with the Catholic Church in 1536. This outstanding leader founded his church two years later. Members were originally called Mennist. By 1544 they were know as Mennonites. The Amish and Dunkards and probably the Quakers in England were influenced by Simon's teachings.

Some descendants of the brave and fighting Swiss became peaceful Swiss Brethren and later Mennonites. Living in strict accord with the Bible, the Mennonites did not believe in infant baptism, thus the name Anabaptist. Because they refused to bear arms they suffered further persecutions in time of war. Many of these troublesome sectarian dissenters were harassed and forced to leave Switzerland.

Palatinate

Many immigrated into the Rhine valley. Some settled in the Palatinate (Pfalz) area. Heidelberg was its capital in the 1700's. The Palatinate enclosed the bishopries of Worms and Speyer. In the realm of the Kurpfalz lay the duchies of Pfalz-Zweibrucken, several principalities: Simmern, Veldenz and Lautern, and several graviates: Leiningen, Falkenstein, Wartenberg and parts of Sponheim. For a long time the Upper Palatinate, now in Bavaria, was politically connected with the Rhineland-Pfalz.

Since early times the Palatinate had been splintered politically as well as religiously. Most of the population changed its faith five times in the 16th century. It was Catholic until 1544, then Lutheran until 1559, Reformed until 1576, then Lutheran again until 1583, when it was changed back to Reformed until 1592.

These ecclesiastical changes were one of the factors which made it possible for Anabaptists to enter the Palatinate early and to develop considerable strength despite much resistance.

Mennonite centers in the Palatinate in the early 1600's included: Kriegsheim near Monsheim, Obersulzen near Gruwstadt, Dirmstadt near Frankenthal, Mehlingen near Kaiserslautern, Rohrbach and the Zwerbrucken area.

But, there was much unrest and desolation there from 1618 onward, as a result of the devastating Thirty-Years War (1618-1648) with its plunder and further religious persecutions. The Thirty Years War, which ended with the Peace of Westphalia in October 1648, was one of the most destructive wars in history.

Poor economic conditions and the arbitrary rule of many of the Palatine counts, were the main cause of the mass migrations to America in the 1700's