Newsletter No. 45 Luzern - Januar 2019
Contents
Welcome
Board
Walt Sterneman, USA
Excerpt from the Journal of Jodokus
Association Conference 2018
Miscellaneous
Dear relatives, esteemed members - women and men - of our family association
The board wishes you a happy and happy new year. We especially wishe you all health and well-being.
How many times has this phrase been said to them these days, and many may think that, as it comes, wishes come or go. - But it is not so completely dismissed: The rituals around the New Year have an important function. In these days after Christmas, many may have time to deal with themselves and what they are doing. Our wishes focus on the essentials: Our mental and physical health are the cornerstones of our lives and actions in everyday life. We wish the glad for the soul and spirit, health for the body, the happiness from outside on everything positive effect. I wish you the happiness that you feel, a great luck!
On April 22, 2018, I was elected president of our association at the family reunion in Muri. I did not have an election program, did not have to vote for votes, and I did not buy any. It's the same in Swiss associations: many posts are vacant and the candidates are scarce. There are no laurels won for charitable work. Nevertheless, much must be done, because the life of the association bears and shapes our community. Clubs create identity, clubs give people a place where they feel they belong. And this is where I see our work: we work on the identity, asking who we are, where we come from, illuminating the living conditions of earlier generations. That's what family research does, and if I have a program, I want to do it precisely: show who our ancestors were, show what our relatives do, how they live, what they think. - The Annual General Meeting expressed confidence in me and my six members of the Executive Board. Thank you all. In the meantime, we have started our work and what they now hold in their hands is a product of this work. May reading make you happy.
Moritz Stirnimann, President
Club Life
Changes in the board
At the Family Meeting four members have made their offices available: Beat Stirnimann, Ruswil, Franz Stirnimann, Lucerne, Agnes Bensegger-Stirnimann, Sins and Fritz Stirnemann, Zurich. Thank you all for your many years of cooperation and work in the association.
The new board now consists of seven members. The reduction from nine to seven is a step in the right direction: Seven members are able to cope with the work involved. For example, two members have agreed to join the board at the family meeting. Urs Stirnemann from Zurich and Heidy Schenker-Stirnimann from Ebikon. Thank you for the readiness.
Hans Stirnimann, Josef Stirnimann, Moritz Stirnimann (Präsident), Gregor Stirnimann, Heidy Schenker-Stirnimann, Philomena Bartholdi-Stirnimann. Auf dem Bild fehlt Urs Stirnemann
Excursions / Travel
Our family history reflects in a nutshell what's going on in the big game. Political, economic and social changes have taken place, and not all of the Stirnimann farmers have long since gone. Switzerland was a country of emigration until the beginning of the 20th century. Many Swiss were forced to seek their fortune abroad, and so do relatives in many countries today. I mean, it's up to the federation, domestic like also to cultivate foreign relations. Relatives meet relatives, people meet people, that's the idea. This is how we learn to better understand our own and foreign cultures.
Announcement 1:
One day trip to Frybourg-Land
Date: Saturday, September 7, 2019
The brothers Bruno and Jean Pierre Stirnimann and their families manage a big agricultural business near Posieux. Specifically, this is 80 ha with 300 dairy cows and 500 fattening pigs. We visit him and his family, and organize highlights in the Friborg country.
Interested parties will contact Moritz Stirnimann, marmor@hispeed.ch, Tel. 079 707 57 84 until the end of February 2019
Announcement 2:
Journey to our relatives in the USA
Time: early summer or autumn 2020
The visit of Walt Sterneman from Indiana, USA, at the last family reunion was an inspiration to think about a trip to the USA.
We think about a 10-day trip, z.T. led, z.T. free. The participants should have English language skills (1 person per group) so that they can also move freely and safely in the USA. Participants should be in good physical condition, as longer flights and bus trips are to be expected.
Who wants to participate?
Interested parties can register (not yet binding) until the end of February 2019
Moritz Stirnimann, marmor@hispeed.ch, Tel. 079 707 57 84
Impressions of our member Walt Sterneman from the family meeting on March 22, 2018 in Muri
I have been a member of the Stirnimann / Stirnemann Family Association for over 20 years. I've always wanted to attend one of the family meetings that I read about in the association's newsletter, but until this year it never worked out for me. Coming to Switzer- land all the way from Bloomington, Indiana is a large undertaking for me. Fortunately for this year I have come to attend and I am extremely happy that I have finally made it there for this occasion.
Peter Stirnimann of Möhlin for 17 years and visited him 14 years ago, so I was very pleased when he graciously agreed to accompany me. I was quite fearful that I would have difficulty communicating with me in English.
To my great surprise however, that was not the case at all. I found all of the family mem- bers who attend to it exceedingly friendly. There were many who spoke perfect and were very helpful in all aspects of the meeting.
It was delightful to see that almost every person that came into the room to greet me, as well as other family members during the first part of the meeting.
It was very pleasing to see how happy everyone was to be there and to see each other. I could sense a real camaraderie among the people there. What a great environment for a family gathering.
The business part of the meeting was much like any other but I could also sense a great deal of gratitude toward the officers who were retiring from their duties. The presentation of gifts and flowers was a very nice touch.
The tour of the Monastery Muri was equally enchanting, even though I could not under- stand the guide as he spoke quite fast. Hav- ing done my best to translate and read the Monk Jodukus' diary notes that have been printed in the annual newsletter these past many years it was wonderful for me to see the places he lived, worked, and helped to build. And it was very amazing to see his ac- tual book.
All things considered I had a wonderful day that will be remembered and cherished for the rest of my life. I would like to express many thanks and much gratitude to all the people that made the effort to make me feel so very welcome and a true member of the family. Your efforts are highly appreciated.
I would also like to thank all those individuals that make the Family Association viable. Your work is greatly appreciated by all the US members of this family.
Beat Stirnimann, Hans Stirnimann, Walt Sterneman, USA, Rainer und Ilona Stirnemann, Storbeck, Moritz Stirnimann
The monk Jodokus looked in the diary
(Continuation)
Since in the canton of Lucerne the right of inheritance of the elders, who as a rule inherited the farm, Jodok, the third son of the family, was not entitled to an inheritance. So he had to do his luck in life in other ways. However, it was often the case that a child was meant to pray for the family. Jodok was fortunate that a wealthy single uncle assured him of a dowry of around 5,000 guilders (now estimated at CHF 200,000.00) for the purchase in the Muri monastery. So he comes to the monastery as a novice at the age of 16, where he is trained as a monk. In his professional career he rises to become a steward in the monastery, who oversees and manages the monastic estates outside the walls of the monastery. Often sickly, his health does not seem to be robust. Bathing is supposed to help him. He dies at the age of 52 years.
Jodok seems to have been a loyal, obedient monk. His diary describes everyday life. But this is precisely what makes his recordings so valuable today, because they give a little insight into the everyday life of life in the monastery of the 18th century.
Father Jost Stirnimann (monastic name Jodokus, Jodok) lived from 1654 - 1706, of which 36 years in the monastery Muri, AG. In the years 1695 - 1697 he carefully followed the progress of the construction work on the present-day Klos- tererkirche.
The original of his diary is in Muri Monastery. In the newsletter we publish a part of this diary. Here already the 15th episode.
1699
On April 5, on Passion Sunday, Br. Fintanus Güntlin from Baden did a good job.
On May 9, the abbot appointed Fr. Nicolaus as a scholar's teacher, replacing Fr. Georgius. He also subordinated the lay brothers to Fr. Basilius, instead of the Fr. Subprior.
On May 10, the abbot of Fr Franciscus left for Pfäfers in the Congregation to visit the spa with Fr. Franciscus. After a few days they still have P. Followed by Laurentius and P. Gabriel. Father Franciscus only trunks.
On the 13th of June, at about 12 o'clock, our abbot returned again from the spa of Pfäfers to our walls. He was received with the bang of the great Bombarden and later in his conclave of P. Heinricus, then professor of Rhethoric, was greeted with a brilliant speech, in the presence of the entire Convention, the Fathers, brothers and lay brothers.
On the 17th of June, the day after the founding of the founders, I and P. Laurentius arcimargirus: Corherrn Zur Mülli of Lucern and with our teacher Cantzler rode in the eye: on biri feld, because of a controversy: So I had with the gentleman Sacellano Dno. Joseph Zinti: Our dear Frauwen pfruond to Merischwand.
On the 27th of September, on the day of the consecration of the upper church, the abbot after the table called all the priests into the hypocaust of the priests and described his plan for a pilgrimage to the places of the Holy Apostles in Rome. He showed and read a bull he had received from the Pope, the content of which, if he died on the way, his death would not be a reservation for us, and we could choose from our midst the abbot whom we wanted. He discussed with us whether it was advisable to carry out his project or not. But what can counseling against the Lord do?
At around 7 o'clock in the morning of October 2, our Father Conradus rode to the monastery in St. Gallen, ***, to lead a better life, if possible. But I believe that the same spirit that led him there will bring him back even faster.
Pictures from the library of the monastery Muri to Jodok Stirnimann;
below: leaflet 21.3.1673
Above: Excerpt from the journal of the Jodok
Diary 1654-1706
Impressions of the association conference in Muri 2018
Outgoing Board Members 2018:
Beat Stirnimann, Franz Stirnimann, Agnes Bensegger-Stirnimann, Fritz Stirnemann
