Old Year's week and Ubersitz
When the Trychel trains drive away the evil spirits.
This tradition is an ancient custom of Celtic origin. It dates back to pre-Christian times, when the inhabitants of the mountain valleys used trychels to keep the evil spirits away from their villages during the longest nights of the year. This custom is still practised today and passed on to the next generation.
The Old Year's week begins on the night of 25 to 26 December and ends with the second-last working day of the year, the "Ubersitz".
During this week, the various Trychel processions drive away the evil spirits with their impressive parades through the villages of the Haslital. Every day, the Trychel processions become more powerful and the noise louder, culminating in the night of the "Ubersitz". On this evening, all the Trychler from the surrounding villages of Willigen, Hausen, Eisenbolgen, Unterbach, Hasliberg and Meiringen parade into the village centre of Meiringen for a joint Trychel procession.
The Old Year's week and the "Ubersitz" in detail:
Depending on the village, the Trychler are masked and disguised or wear the "Mutz" (traditional costume waistcoat). Each village has its own procession and Trychelmajor. Even today, every Hasli Trychler knows that he has to drive away the evil spirits with his magical sounds, which follow a precise rhythm. However, this rhythm cannot be compared to a military march. It imperiously forces you to take a slow gliding step while the upper body rhythmically swings the bell or trychel. This nocturnal hustle and bustle goes up and down the street for hours. The Trychelmarsch has been in the blood of every true Oberhasler since childhood, so to speak. Although several thousand visitors from near and far fill the streets of Meiringen, the Old Year's Week cannot be compared to a carnival week or similar events with bell processions. Trychlen and the "Ubersitz" are and remain something unique.
Another tradition is the "Ubersitlzer". This special newspaper reports on the deeds and misdeeds of the past year and settles accounts with friends and foes. Stories from the previous year are retold in the form of rhymes. The stories are usually funny anecdotes, cheeky innuendos or nasty gossip. However, the names of the people addressed are usually reversed, so it takes some creativity to work out who they are.
The name "Ubersitz" is another big talking point. Many tourists and foreigners speak of Übersitz because of their dialect, which makes a Hasler's hair stand on end! At the "Ubersitz", most Meiringen Trychler turn into a Wybervolk. In addition to the trycheln (bells), the front rows set the beat with drums. In front, the so-called "Huttewybli" pave the way for the procession. The history of the "Huttewybli" is
about a hundred years old. A woman once picked up her drunk husband with the "Huttewybli" and carried him home.
On 27 December, the trychler's route leads along the chapels to the cemetery, where they trychle two marches in the stand to commemorate the deceased. They also trych at the old people's home so that the elderly, who are no longer able to walk so well, can also experience and see this.
Like the people of Meiringen, Schattenhälbler and Innertkirch, the people of Hausen are on the move as Boozeni. With drums as the beat and the Huttewybli as the front woman, the Trychelzug runs through the village. The Huttenwybli is a female with a hat that is bent over heavily under the weight of her hat.
The Huttenwybli is a female with a hat who walks through the alleyways, bent over under the weight of her husband sitting in the Hutte (back basket), paving the way for the Trychel procession. A beaked goat is also part of the procession. Children and adults who dare to stand in the open street are frightened by the beaked goat or it steals their headgear.
Schattenhalb also turns into old wybli for the most part. However, women are not allowed to play trychlen or drums in Schattenhalb. It is said that sometimes women smuggle themselves into the men's domain and are not recognised because they are dressed up like everyone else. The Williger also attach great importance to the ratio of drums and trycheln. The procession is supported by two Schnabelgeissen, one small and one large, as well as the Huttewybli. In Schattenhalb, the first sounds are not heard until 26 December. On "Ubersitz", the first tryching takes place in Willigen itself and later in the village of Meiringen.
The Isenbolgner make their masks and costumes exclusively from natural materials. The so-called Wurzelmandli and Wurzelfroueli lead the way, also using drums to keep time. The Isenbolgner, like the Schattenhälbler, only start trychlen on 26 December. They can be easily recognised by their large Basel drums and their particularly slow step. The Unterbächler Trychlen in the traditional "Mutz" (Bernese men's costume) with Trycheln and bells, but without drums. At the "Ubersitz", among all the "Boozeni", you can't miss them.
The Haslibergers attach more importance to the sound of their Trycheln, which is why the entire procession consists exclusively of beautiful Trycheln. They wear their civilian clothes during the whole of the Old Year's week, just like at the "Ubersitz". On the Hasliberg, they also travel with drums;
on the "Ubersitz" in Meiringen, however, without.
A small procession in white shirts, the Gadmen are clearly recognisable. In the Old Year's week, the drumming takes place at a different location every evening, from Obermaad to Hopflauenen. The Gadmen arrive in Meiringen one day before the official "Ubersitz". They are the only group to wear a white shirt (Eintragshemd). The term originates from the time when the mown hay, wrapped in netting, was carried into the barn. The Gadmen are not only recognisable by their white shirts, they also have a very special step, the so-called intermediate step. An additional step is taken after each chime of the bell.
The Guttanners start the Trychlen on 25 December at midnight in the ground near Guttannen. They are dressed in civilian clothes, with drums, trycheln and bells. Guttannen is the only municipality to hold the "New Year's Trychlen" on 1 January. The Trychel parade, with bells only, starts at 9 am and moves through the whole village of Guttannen. From 10 a.m. to 12 noon, the municipality offers a New Year's aperitif at the Hotel Bären.
The people of Innertkirchen stay in their village over the "Ubersitz" within the Kirchet and travel from the "Ubersitz" to Meiringen the next morning on the 8.30 a.m. train (Meiringen-Innertkirchen railway). They stand out with their black Basel drums and the big, black beaky goat. They are also dressed up as "Boozeni".
The Old Year's week begins on the night of 25 to 26 December and ends with the second-last working day of the year, the "Ubersitz".
During this week, the various Trychel processions drive away the evil spirits with their impressive parades through the villages of the Haslital. Every day, the Trychel processions become more powerful and the noise louder, culminating in the night of the "Ubersitz". On this evening, all the Trychler from the surrounding villages of Willigen, Hausen, Eisenbolgen, Unterbach, Hasliberg and Meiringen parade into the village centre of Meiringen for a joint Trychel procession.
The Old Year's week and the "Ubersitz" in detail:
Depending on the village, the Trychler are masked and disguised or wear the "Mutz" (traditional costume waistcoat). Each village has its own procession and Trychelmajor. Even today, every Hasli Trychler knows that he has to drive away the evil spirits with his magical sounds, which follow a precise rhythm. However, this rhythm cannot be compared to a military march. It imperiously forces you to take a slow gliding step while the upper body rhythmically swings the bell or trychel. This nocturnal hustle and bustle goes up and down the street for hours. The Trychelmarsch has been in the blood of every true Oberhasler since childhood, so to speak. Although several thousand visitors from near and far fill the streets of Meiringen, the Old Year's Week cannot be compared to a carnival week or similar events with bell processions. Trychlen and the "Ubersitz" are and remain something unique.
Another tradition is the "Ubersitlzer". This special newspaper reports on the deeds and misdeeds of the past year and settles accounts with friends and foes. Stories from the previous year are retold in the form of rhymes. The stories are usually funny anecdotes, cheeky innuendos or nasty gossip. However, the names of the people addressed are usually reversed, so it takes some creativity to work out who they are.
The name "Ubersitz" is another big talking point. Many tourists and foreigners speak of Übersitz because of their dialect, which makes a Hasler's hair stand on end! At the "Ubersitz", most Meiringen Trychler turn into a Wybervolk. In addition to the trycheln (bells), the front rows set the beat with drums. In front, the so-called "Huttewybli" pave the way for the procession. The history of the "Huttewybli" is
about a hundred years old. A woman once picked up her drunk husband with the "Huttewybli" and carried him home.
On 27 December, the trychler's route leads along the chapels to the cemetery, where they trychle two marches in the stand to commemorate the deceased. They also trych at the old people's home so that the elderly, who are no longer able to walk so well, can also experience and see this.
Like the people of Meiringen, Schattenhälbler and Innertkirch, the people of Hausen are on the move as Boozeni. With drums as the beat and the Huttewybli as the front woman, the Trychelzug runs through the village. The Huttenwybli is a female with a hat that is bent over heavily under the weight of her hat.
The Huttenwybli is a female with a hat who walks through the alleyways, bent over under the weight of her husband sitting in the Hutte (back basket), paving the way for the Trychel procession. A beaked goat is also part of the procession. Children and adults who dare to stand in the open street are frightened by the beaked goat or it steals their headgear.
Schattenhalb also turns into old wybli for the most part. However, women are not allowed to play trychlen or drums in Schattenhalb. It is said that sometimes women smuggle themselves into the men's domain and are not recognised because they are dressed up like everyone else. The Williger also attach great importance to the ratio of drums and trycheln. The procession is supported by two Schnabelgeissen, one small and one large, as well as the Huttewybli. In Schattenhalb, the first sounds are not heard until 26 December. On "Ubersitz", the first tryching takes place in Willigen itself and later in the village of Meiringen.
The Isenbolgner make their masks and costumes exclusively from natural materials. The so-called Wurzelmandli and Wurzelfroueli lead the way, also using drums to keep time. The Isenbolgner, like the Schattenhälbler, only start trychlen on 26 December. They can be easily recognised by their large Basel drums and their particularly slow step. The Unterbächler Trychlen in the traditional "Mutz" (Bernese men's costume) with Trycheln and bells, but without drums. At the "Ubersitz", among all the "Boozeni", you can't miss them.
The Haslibergers attach more importance to the sound of their Trycheln, which is why the entire procession consists exclusively of beautiful Trycheln. They wear their civilian clothes during the whole of the Old Year's week, just like at the "Ubersitz". On the Hasliberg, they also travel with drums;
on the "Ubersitz" in Meiringen, however, without.
A small procession in white shirts, the Gadmen are clearly recognisable. In the Old Year's week, the drumming takes place at a different location every evening, from Obermaad to Hopflauenen. The Gadmen arrive in Meiringen one day before the official "Ubersitz". They are the only group to wear a white shirt (Eintragshemd). The term originates from the time when the mown hay, wrapped in netting, was carried into the barn. The Gadmen are not only recognisable by their white shirts, they also have a very special step, the so-called intermediate step. An additional step is taken after each chime of the bell.
The Guttanners start the Trychlen on 25 December at midnight in the ground near Guttannen. They are dressed in civilian clothes, with drums, trycheln and bells. Guttannen is the only municipality to hold the "New Year's Trychlen" on 1 January. The Trychel parade, with bells only, starts at 9 am and moves through the whole village of Guttannen. From 10 a.m. to 12 noon, the municipality offers a New Year's aperitif at the Hotel Bären.
The people of Innertkirchen stay in their village over the "Ubersitz" within the Kirchet and travel from the "Ubersitz" to Meiringen the next morning on the 8.30 a.m. train (Meiringen-Innertkirchen railway). They stand out with their black Basel drums and the big, black beaky goat. They are also dressed up as "Boozeni".
