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Schellenberg

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Schellenberg
Municipality
Flag of Schellenberg
Coat of arms of Schellenberg
Schellenberg, shown within Liechtenstein
Schellenberg, shown within Liechtenstein
Country Liechtenstein
Villagesnone
Area
 • Total
3.5 km2 (1.4 sq mi)
Elevation
626 m (2,054 ft)
Population
 (31.12.2008[1])
 • Total
1,042
 • Density294/km2 (760/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
9488
Area code7011
Websitewww.schellenberg.li
Lordship of Schellenberg
Herrschaft Schellenberg
9th century – 1719
StatusState of the Holy Roman Empire
CapitalSchellenberg, Vaduz
GovernmentPrincipality
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Conquered by Rome
15 BC
• County created by
    Charlemagne
  the 9th century
• Purchased by
    Counts of Vaduz
 
1437
• Acquired, with Vaduz,
    by Austria
 
1499
• Liechtenstein dynasty
    become Fürsten
 
1706
• Acquired by
    Liechtenstein dynasty
  1719
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Raetia
Liechtenstein

Schellenberg is a municipality in the lowland area of Liechtenstein, on the banks of the Rhine. As of 2005, it has a population of 952 and covers an area of 3.5 km2 (1.4 sq mi).

History

Early history

The area was first settled by Celts, then by Rhaetians. Rome conquered the area in 15 BC, and made it part of the province of Rhaetia. The Province later became a county (countship) under Charlemagne. The county was repeatedly divided among heirs.

The Lordship of Schellenberg was purchased by the Counts of Vaduz in 1437 and the two states have been united in fact ever since. After the Swabian War in 1499, both came under Austrian suzerainty. Different dynasties of counts bought and sold them, until their purchase in the early 18th century by the Liechtenstein dynasty, which had been granted princely status in 1706, but which needed to acquire a territory with imperial immediacy in order to vote in the Diet of the Princes of the Empire. The emperor formally united Vaduz and Schellenberg in 1719 as the Principality of Liechtenstein.

World War II

In the municipality, there is a monument at the border town of Hinterschellenberg that commemorates the asylum given to Russian soldiers.[2] At the close of World War II, Liechtenstein granted asylum to approximately five hundred soldiers of the First Russian National Army, a collaborationist Russian force within the German Wehrmacht. This act was no small matter as the country was poor and had difficulty feeding and caring for such a large group of refugees. Eventually, Argentina agreed to resettle the asylum seekers permanently. In contrast, the British repatriated the Russians who fought on the German side to the USSR.

Transport

In Schellenberg, there is a small road crossing to Austria, manned by Austrian, Swiss border guards.

See also

References

Media related to Schellenberg at Wikimedia Commons The dictionary definition of Schellenberg at Wiktionary Template:De icon