Schlacht bei Näfels − «Näfelser Fahrt»

On the first Thursday in April, the "Näfelser Fahrt" commemoration ceremony commemorates the victory in the Battle of Näfels, thanks to which the people of Glarus were able to break away from the Habsburgs in 1388.

At the Landsgemeinde in 1387, the people of Glarus had given themselves a constitution that included the separation from foreign rule. The Habsburgs did not put up with this and attacked the Glarus in April 1388. Supported by some Uri and Schwyz residents, the Glarus countered the attack on the Rautiberg in Näfels with a hail of stones. They took advantage of the confusion and drove the army, which was several times superior, to flight. The Näfelser Fahrt is considered the most important holiday in the Glarus region. The course of the cantonal holiday "Näfelser Fahrt" goes back to a Landsgemeinde resolution of 1835. On the first Thursday in April (unless it falls during Holy Week), at 7.15 a.m., the Glarus armoury will parade towards Näfels with a military honour formation, harmony music, drums, the Glarus Cantonal Choral Society and some Glarus women. At the same time, the Catholic procession, led by cross and flag bearers, sets off from St. Fridolin's Church in Glarus to Näfels, where the two processions unite with the lowlands in Schneisingen. There, at the first memorial stone, the celebration after the arrival of the government takes its highly official beginning with the speech of the Landammann or State Governor, framed by music and singing. Afterwards, the procession goes past memorial stones, where the procession performs prayers, to the fairground. The song "Great God, we praise you", accompanied by the choral society and harmony music, is followed by the reading of the medieval travel letter. This describes the history and course of the battle and names those who died in 1388 in connection with the Battle of Näfels. Then a Reformed or Catholic clergyman alternately gives the sermon, followed by a musical lecture. Then the processions move to the battle monument, where the two clubs can be listened to and the national anthem can be sung along. After the walk to the eleventh memorial stone, the petition and official celebration end together with the solemn high mass in the parish church of Näfels, while the streets of Näfels have long been bustling with lively market activity.