Portrait

 

The village lies on the left side of the Grosstal, on the alluvial fan of the Bächi- or Luchsinger creek and under the rocky massif of the Glärnisch with the Bächistock (2914 above sea level). This includes the hamlet of Adlenbach and the cottage area of Schlatt, which is connected by a chairlift with the valley.

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In 1274 the name Luchsingen is mentioned for the first time in written sources: A Werner from Luchsingen occurs as a witness in Glarus. The name for the place is no longer linked to the lynx in relation to the heraldic animal, it is much more likely the name for the homestead, where a man with the first name Lux lived. However, this outdated subject was inducted into the coat of arms of the municipality Luchsingen in 2004. During the reign of the monastery of Säckingen, Luchsingen was one of the richest villages in the valley. It still owns one of the most beautiful commons of the Canton, the Alp Bächi.

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In early modern times, Adlenbach had some special rights within the Tagwen Luchsingen. The earlier name of the Luchsinger creek (so named as from 1518) has thus resulted in a hamlet name. This probably refers to one or more noble owner in the area, which had lived in the middle ages (adlig means noble). In 1868, the Tagwen Luchsingen-Adlenbach was reconstituted. The two stars in the former municipal coat of arms referred to the two united Tagwen. However, the three stars in the coat of arms of the existing municipality of Luchsingen (since 2004) stand for Luchsingen, Hätzingen and Diesbach.

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Luchsingen also forms together with Leuggelbach and Nidfurn the so-called Eschentagwen. Characteristic for this is the common which sprawls from Leuggelbach until Luchsingen. The word Esch means seed field or farmland. Thus, the farmland cultivated according to a rotation system of the adjacent cooperatives were most probably there.

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Luchsingen belonged first to the church in Glarus and since 1349 to the church in Schwanden. Adlenbach belonged from the 14th century until 1868 to the parish of the church in Betschwanden. Since 1528, most of the citizens were Protestants and 1752, an own church was built in Luchsingen.

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In the 16th and 17th centuries, a sulfur source in the Bächibachschlucht was used for a therapeutic bath. Even before a bath house was built, there was a primitive bath facility in Altbad (ancient bath), consisting of a cell and a small wall on the river, which was operated by the cooperative of Luchsingen. Today, the source flows approximately one liter of water per minute.

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In the 18th century, the hand spinning was the main line of business in Luchsingen. The industry introduced in the 19th century could not compete in Luchsingen: so the spinning and weaving plant Jenny (existing 1828/1843–1938) and the cardboard mill Tschudi (existing 1880-1970). Due to its favorable water power, the latter was bought from the town of Glarus, which created a power plant in 1941/43. Also the cable car Luchsingen-Brunnenberg belongs to the public services of Glarus since 1948. Luchsingen ensures the independent water supply for the municipality since 1904.

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In 1837, 608 people were registered in the village. Today, there are significantly less people, namely 531, after it had been 768 in the middle of the 20th century. In 1839, a new road was built, which opened the village traffic wise, since it led no longer via Haslen.

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In the second half of the 18th century, Luchsingen founded a village school. The first village priest, Johann Ulrich Legler from Diesbach, acted also as a teacher. In 1841, the community built a primary schoolhouse which also serves since 1975 for the secondary school students from Braunwald, Linthal, Rüti, Betschwanden, Diesbach and Hätzingen. Conversely, since then the primary school students from Luchsingen use the school in Hätzingen. However, the kindergarten remained in Luchsingen also after the municipal merger of 2004. Moreover, in 1976 the Glarus workshop for people with disabilities was established in Luchsingen.

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in 1936, Luchsingen built a Catholic church for the migrant workers in the immediate vicinity. It forms today together with Schwanden and Linthal a common Catholic parish.

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The environment was repeatedly struck of severe natural disasters for centuries. Through a large avalanche from the time around 1600, still reminded by a sign at the head opposite the Bränd gully, the small bath house was probably destroyed. For example, the Bächi creek raged in the years 1662 and 1664, when people from Adlenbach were forced to flee off the windows. End of June 1953 the creek flooded the commons and in August 2002 the Rusen creek broke out and caused damage to farmland beyond the municipal boundary with Diesbach. A year later, the Runsen corporation Luchsingen was founded, which includes the whole territory of the former municipality.

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Newly created attractive housing space attracted in recent years newcomers. Adlenbach has also the best preserved group of wooden houses in Glarus that was placed under Federal and Cantonal protection in 1972. The oldest buildings date back from the 16th century, the latest from the beginning of the 19th century. In summer, the Bächialp and the Oberlegisee are popular places of excursions, which can be reached from the valley or Braunwald. In snowy winters a ski run leads from the Bächital ski area down to the Schlattberg and continues down to the valley.

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In 2011, the community structure of canton Glarus was reorganized and Luchsingen became part of the new administrative community Glarus Süd.

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Translation of the official website of Luchsingen

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