The Walser Origin of the Thöne/Teune Family

[Ed Teune]

Herma Teune (herma@teune.com) on her site (http://herma.teune.com) has indicated that her genealogy contact in Switzerland, Erich Thönen found that the Thöne/Thönen family from Reutigen was Walser in origin.

Herma, do you have any more detailed information or documentation regarding this connection? I would be very interested to hear of any more details you have from Erich.

The Walsers were/are high alpine farmers that lead a somewhat autonimous life from the centeral Swiss government. There are several sites on the Internet that introduce the Walser people:
http://www.wir-walser.ch/english
http://www.walserland.org
http://utenti.wide.it/torriste/4414.php

The Walsers trace their heritage back to the Alamanni/Alemanni (German: Alamannen/Alemannen) tribe or group of tribes, a Germanic peoples that dates far back from the 3rd to the 6th Centuries A.D. Most of the more detailed books on the Alemanni are written in German, I will try to find more English books for those interested.

[Herma Teune]

Hi Ed,

I planned to visit Switzerland again in some time and will also visit Bern.
Maybe I can visit Eric then to ask him more about this connection with the Walser.
I am also very curious if there will be a connection with Germany.
It is not easy to find these things, because some churchbooks are gone.
Of course I can try to find out where the older Thöne-generations come from, but I also need the help of the Swiss Thönen living in Switzerland nowadays.
They can help to search in the archives and try to find the oldest facts known in their families. Most important are the people living in Reutigen and Frutigen.
So ... when you get adresses from people living there I would like to meet them by email or in Sitzerland. I already found a few adresses in Reutigen, but till now they couldn't help me any further ....

[Ed Teune]

Hmm, not sure if I could ever get addresses of anyone in Switzerland. Do you have any contact information for Erich and do you think he would mind me mailing him a letter?

Anyway, if you find anything, let me know.
It seems that Walser links are increasing on the NET.
Here is a new one I found. But as usual it is not in English (most are German or Italian).
But it is not too difficult if you know a bit of German
http://www.walserverein-gr.ch/

and here are a set of links from that site:

Internationale Vereinigung für Walsertum www.rhone.ch/walser
Walsergemeinschaft Gressoney/Issime www.walserland.org
Vorarlberger Walservereinigung www.vorarlberger-walservereinigung.at


Lia rumantscha www.liarumantscha.ch
Pro Grigioni Italiano www.pgi.ch


Verein für Bündner Kulturforschung (Chur) www.kulturforschung.ch
Rätisches Museum (Chur) www.rm.gr.ch
Kantonsbibliothek Graubünden (Chur) www.kbchur.gr.ch
Staatsarchiv Graubünden (Chur) www.staatsarchiv.gr.ch

Kanton Graubünden www.gr.ch
Pro Raetia www.pro-raetia.ch
Graubünden Ferien www.graubuenden.ch

[Ed Teune]

Some Walser songs
http://www.walser-cultura.it/mp3/02.mp3

Ninni nanni schlaaf
in der Mattu sên ä schuppä Schaaf
wisi un schwartzi
un di chomenti chu gee.

Un in der Kchêrchä êscht ä Schtan
tiri türi tari
da gän tzwei Lêbi änandrä t Han
Wischpeli Wäschpäli
sêsi Beimäli
weisäli türi tari
röwä Depé
luschtägä Lapitschari...

http://www.walser-cultura.it/mp3/01.mp3

Un in der Kchêrchä êscht än Trêt
tiri türi tari
wa mu tzwei Lêbi tzämä gêt
Wischpeli Wäschpäli
sêsi Beimäli
weisäli türi tari
röwä Depé
luschtägä Lapitschari...

http://www.walser-cultura.it/mp3/03.mp3

Schtan üf dü fülä Jegär,
di Sunna schint uber di Bärga
un êscht scho lang der Tag
un êscht scho lang der Tag.

Di Gemscha fart un schpringt,
das Wasser löift un kschprêtzt,
wê êscht doch hêpschi t Wäld.

Schtan üf...

Wen dü, Jegär, schlafscht,
dêsch Sachä chanscht nit ksee:
schtan üf un gang där t Bärga.

Schtan üf...

http://www.walser-cultura.it/mp3/04.mp3

Puneigner lied
Sischt gegrötz, o scheni Blêma,
üs in dem Puneigner Wald:
zu dêr chomen fêl Fromi
in das gnadereiche Ort.

O dü chlarä Sunnu Schi
dü lascht üs-ga di Schtralä:
fägä dinä bêni Kangä
in das gnadereiche Ort.

Mini Öigä sên rüch färêbni
mis Mül êscht Süfär folts
das êch kcheis Wort me zellä:
dêch, Maria, rêpfä êch-a

In dem Gartä wêl êch gaa
wa minä Lêbä färschtakchtä êscht:
mêt Ankscht und Not söchänä êch
"O schenä Schaz wa fênnäni-êch dêch?"

Wol, es êscht unnär dêschum Blêmiê
wa mu de fênt Isähergut.
Dü sälbär zêscht und rêpfscht,
unnär dem Blêmiê töschti z-pchennä.

Di wisu Lêliä tên blêiä
öw hiä in dêschum Gottes Hüs:
wa chani êch êtz t-Gnad ärlangä
êtz, ufterschtel for mim Tot.

Und dêch wêrdêg ämpfangä
o dêch hochheilägä Sakrament!
Blib-mär noh en der letschtu Schtun
ge mini Seel in dini Hän

http://www.walser-cultura.it/mp3/05.mp3

Wol löif uf di Tanna
schtig ap uf di Escht
dü schtêlläscht de scho
wen kheiratesch hescht!

Un tirirallairallairallairalla...
un tirirallairallairallairalla

So hecher di Bärgä
so schtercher der Wênn
so hêpscher di Böbä
so lêber sch mêr sên!

Un tirirallai...

So hecher di Bärgä
so schtercher der Wênn
so hêpscher di Blêmä
so lêber sch mêr sên!