Vellerat

Vellerat is a municipality in the district of Delémont the canton of Jura in Switzerland. The community has about 70 inhabitants and was still a bone of contention for many years, the far beyond Switzerland made ​​headlines.

Geography

Vellerat is located on 666 m above sea level. M., 5 km south-southeast from the cantonal capital Delémont ( straight line ). The farming village is situated on a ridge on the western side of the valley above the Birsschlucht of Choindez, south of Dels Berger basin, a broad valley in the Jura.

The area of ​​only 2.1 square kilometers large municipal territory includes the terrace of Vellerat and the left side of the gorge of Choindez. The western and north-western border runs along the ridge of the Forêt de la Cendre (up to 1,030 m above sea level. M. ), while the southern boundary is located on the crest of the Côte des Porcs. Here is located at 1,129 meters above sea level. M. also the highest point of the municipality. In 1997, of the municipality is 3% on settlements, 68 % of forest and shrubs, 28% to agriculture and less than 1 % was unproductive land.

Neighboring communities of Vellerat are Châtillon and Courrendlin in the Canton of Jura and Roches in Canton Bern.

Population

With 71 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) Vellerat is one of the smallest municipalities in the canton of Jura. Of the 89.4 % inhabitants are French-speaking, German-speaking 7.6 % and 3.0 % in English (as of 2000). The population of Vellerat amounted in 1850 to 88 inhabitants in 1900 to 115 inhabitants. After peaking in 1930 with 128 residents since a significant population decline has been registered.

Economy

The community is still predominantly agricultural. There are few jobs outside the agricultural sector in the village. Many workers ( over 60 %) are therefore commuters and work mainly in the region Delémont.

History

Vellerat is historically a young community. It was only during the Reformation period also flourished in the three German -speaking families and took over the land from the provost Moutier- Grandval as rent. From 1797 to 1815 Vellerat belonged to France and was initially part of the Département du Mont- Terrible, associated from 1800 with the Department of Haut -Rhin. By the decision of the Congress of Vienna, the place came in 1815 to the canton of Bern to the district of Moutier. The residents of Vellerat advocated in the 1970s always the creation of the canton of Jura. Since the community but had no common border with the then District Delémont, she did not come to enjoy the self-determination over their Canton affiliation and inevitably therefore remained with the canton of Bern.

«Free City of Switzerland »

With the establishment of the Canton of Jura on January 1, 1979 ( split from the canton of Bern ) Vellerat separated by the new cantonal border of his now Jurassic neighboring communities. A road connection to the Canton of Bern is only possible about these places. The Velleratiens then decided to secede from the canton of Bern and proclaimed the " Free City of Switzerland » Vellerat. They fought tirelessly for the connection to the Canton of Jura. It took years of negotiations until the Bernese were willing to agree to a further cession of territory.

Swiss referendum

Following consultations of National Council and Vellerat was on March 10, 1996 the subject of a federal referendum, which should govern the Canton of belonging. The territory of cantons is guaranteed by the Swiss Federal Constitution. Therefore, even applies the canton, a small community as a constitutional amendment and is therefore subject during the compulsory referendum the consent of the people and the cantons. In the future, falls off the vote of the People and the Cantons in the process of the mere change canton.

91.7 % of voters and all cantons in favor of the change of the Bernese community Vellerat the Canton of Jura, which allowed the passage on July 1, 1996. According to opinion polls, it was the yes- voters, consisting principally of the right to self-determination.

Partnership

Since June 2001, a partnership between Vellerat and Voeren in Belgium.