Old New Year

The old New Year's Eve in Urnäsch and forest instead is the last remnant of a self- conscious resistance to the Gregorian calendar reform. In Appenzell calendar reform was introduced in 1584 respectively 1789. The Urnäscher Silvesterkläuse but occur today also on 13 January, as a separate part of the protest Ausserrhoden people that does not let command, when it would have to celebrate its festivals.

In the second half of the 16th century, the Julian calendar, named after Julius Caesar in 46 and limped entered into force BC to ten days after the real time. Because compared to the astronomical specified by the actual course of celestial mechanics solar year lasts 365 days, 5 hours, 48 ​​minutes and 46 seconds his year was a little over 11 minutes long. The problem was recognized already at the Council of Nicaea (325 ), and the Councils of Constance ( 1414-18 ) and Basel ( 1431-48 ) dealt with the matter. Reforms proposed Rabanus Maurus also (around 840), Roger Bacon ( 1263/65 ) and Nicolaus Copernicus ( 1514). It was not until Pope Gregory XIII. ( 1572-85 ) announced on February 24, 1582 Reform of the faulty calendar.

The calendar reform

Main article: Gregorian Calendar

The content of the reforming was the omission of 10 days. 1582 should follow on the 4th of October, the 15th of October. The residue of the calendar to the sun so could finally be caught up, and the spring equinox, which is so important for the calculation of Easter would be, then returning it to the 21 March. To avoid errors in the future, may the year 1700, 1800, 1900, 2100, etc. not be leap years. Those years, but they are by 400 ( without remainder ) divisible, will still be leap years. It was only in 3333 years, an error of one day will be grown in the new calendar.

Adoption of the calendar

Only a few countries such as Spain and Portugal adopted the new calendar actually on 4./15. October 1582. All Catholic countries of Europe followed in the next few years, while the Protestant countries the new calendar because decreed by the Pope, initially rejected. The reform sat down with them, as in orthodox areas by late, most recently in 1924 in Romania. Also in Switzerland, was the reform of the calendar to a bone of contention between denominations. In Catholic areas like Uri, Schwyz, Lucerne (including free office), train, Fribourg, Solothurn, Appenzell and St. Gallen ( stylus and Fürstenlandstrasse ) you wrote 1584 of 11 January, 22 January. In Unterwalden the implementation of the reform ( 2./13. May 1584 ) is saved only for Obwalden. It was only in 1812 joined in Switzerland Sent, Schiers, Grüsch and Avers the last Reformed congregations the new calendar.

Reform in Appenzell

Something complicated were the conditions in the joint land Appenzell. On January 8, 1584 in Appenzell decided the two-time district administrator performing as the Catholic cantons. However, it was not anywhere as quickly cope with the new era. Most likely still in the baptismal register of Appenzell, but where a baptism was registered on January 12. Correct, however, the next entry on January 23 was made ​​there. Magistrate Joachim Meggeli sealed even a deed dated January 14 conceded. While the country Writers dated after the new calendar in March, held the treasurer, as the two mentioned earlier, a Catholic, in its entries in the land bills still on old custom fixed. According to P. Rainald Fischer, the new calendar in the Catholic inner -Rhodes is said to have prevailed in April, but not in the Reformed Ausserrhoden. Was most severe where the dispute in the areas which were kirchgenössig into the Rhine valley where still was the old calendar. The supported from Zurich preachers ran against this innovation storm that had nothing to do with faith, just because they emanated from a pope. They have therefore been repeatedly summoned before the Council, as from some entries can be seen in the sources of finance. The captains of the outer Rhoden and a part of the people found themselves with the new era but easier from, but they expressed great interest, the holidays, Kilbenen and fairs on the same day to start as the Catholics. After comparing calmed tempers, and in the following years, the outer Rhoden talked to the Gregorian calendar.

Final abolition

1589 but decided to Ausserrhoden, again to remain with the old calendar. The decision is due to the emergence of sectarian tensions after 1586, such as the Counter-Reformation activity of the Capuchins and the strict interpretation of the parish Listen principle of 1524 in the parish Listen Appenzell. In addition, the faith contract resulted from 1588 a great upset in the outer Rhoden, who responded in their field with the same measures against the Catholic minority. The increase in the difference of the two calendar by eleven day there was in Switzerland for the new believers the external occasion for reform. However, the fading of confessionalism created the conditions to completion of this step. It was decided to start the entire year 1701 January 12. Almost all Protestant territories accounted with. Widerborstig showed Appenzell Ausserrhoden, the city of St. Gallen, Evangelical Glarus and Graubünden. These areas made ​​reform a first in 1724 or later. In Ausserrhoden the Julian calendar was only abolished on 26 June 1798 but was allowed to continue to apply until Christmas.

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