Rütlischwur
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The Rütlischwur is a legendary oath of the Old Swiss Confederacy, best known by the Wilhelm Tell drama of 1804 by Friedrich Schiller.
The events told in the saga of William Tell which are purported to have occurred around 1307, are not substantiated by historical evidence, yet treasured in Switzerland.
This story about the oath on the Rütli, a meadow above Lake Lucerne near Seelisberg, could have its origins in the late 15th century White Book of Sarnen from 1470. The three Waldstätten (three "Forest Cantons": Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden) swore an oath to help each other against oppressors (like the house of Habsburg).
[edit] Rütli-Oath in Wilhelm Tell of Friedrich Schiller
| German wording | Approximate English translation |
|---|---|
|
Wir wollen sein ein einzig Volk von Brüdern, |
We will become a single land of brothers, |
