Finsterhennen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Finsterhennen
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 Finsterhennen
Location in Switzerland
Finsterhennen
Location in Canton of Bern
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| Country | Switzerland | |
| Canton | Bern | |
| District | Seeland | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 3.57 km2 (1.38 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 445 m (1,460 ft) | |
| Population
(Dec 2020 )
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| • Total | 562 | |
| • Density | 157.4/km2 (407.7/sq mi) | |
| Postal code |
2577
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| Surrounded by | Brüttelen, Kallnach, Lüscherz, Siselen, Treiten | |
Finsterhennen is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the Seeland area of the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It's a quiet place known for its farming and small businesses.
Contents
History of Finsterhennen
Finsterhennen was first mentioned in old writings around the year 1220. Back then, it was called Freineshun. Later, in 1453, it was known as Veisten Hennen. In French, people used to call it Grasse Poule.
Early Human Traces in Finsterhennen
The very first signs of people living in Finsterhennen come from the Neolithic period, which was a long time ago. Scientists found ancient pottery pieces at a place called Steinacker-Büne. Other old discoveries include tools from the Stone Age at Moos and burial mounds (called tumuli) at Ischlag-Outer Canal. They also found wooden poles that might have been part of stilt houses (houses built on stilts over water) at Längäcker. Graves with human bodies were found near the railroad tracks and in a gravel pit at Pfaffenholz.
Finsterhennen in Roman Times
During the Roman era, a collection of tools and other items was discovered at Reben. There were also pieces of what looked like a Roman road at Moos. In the Middle Ages, Finsterhennen was part of a larger territory called the Herrschaft of Erlach. In 1474, the city of Bern bought Erlach and the land around it. This area then became a Bernese bailiwick, which was like a district ruled by an official from Bern.
Growth and Development
The village church in Finsterhennen was part of the larger church area of Siselen. Finsterhennen was located on a road that went through a large marshy area called the Grosses Moos. This road was built on a dry ridge of land. In 1874, a big project called the Jura water correction helped drain this marsh. This made the Grosses Moos very fertile and good for farming.
In 1916, a railroad line was built, and a train station opened between Siselen and Finsterhennen. A smaller train stop was also built right in Finsterhennen. This made it easier for small businesses to start up in the village. Today, the local economy mainly relies on growing grains, vegetables, and raising dairy animals. There are also several small businesses in the area.
Geography of Finsterhennen
Finsterhennen covers an area of about 3.6 square kilometers (1.4 square miles). A large part of this land, about 71.6%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 16% of the area.
Land Use in Finsterhennen
About 11.2% of the land in Finsterhennen is developed with buildings and roads. A small part, about 1.1%, is made up of rivers or lakes. Very little land, only 0.3%, is unproductive, meaning it cannot be used for anything.
Looking closer at the developed areas:
- Industrial buildings (factories, workshops) make up 1.1% of the total area.
- Houses and other buildings make up 4.8%.
- Roads and other transport areas make up 2.5%.
- Power plants, water facilities, and other special developed areas make up 2.8%.
In the forested areas, about 14.9% of the land is heavily covered with trees. Another 1.1% has orchards (fruit tree farms) or small groups of trees. For farming land, 66.9% is used for growing crops, and 4.5% is used for pastures where animals graze. All the water in Finsterhennen is from flowing rivers or streams.
Location and Administrative Changes
Finsterhennen is located in a very productive area called the Grosses Moos. This region in the Bernese Seeland is known for its rich, dark soil.
On December 31, 2009, the old district that Finsterhennen belonged to, called Amtsbezirk Erlach, was closed down. The very next day, Finsterhennen became part of a new administrative district called Verwaltungskreis Seeland.
Finsterhennen's Coat of Arms
The blazon (official description) of Finsterhennen's municipal coat of arms is: "A silver shield with a black hen that has red comb, beak, claws, and legs. In the upper left corner, there is a red star."
This coat of arms is an example of "canting arms". This means the design on the shield hints at the name of the place. In German, "Finster" means dark, and "Henne" means hen. So, the dark hen on the coat of arms represents the name Finsterhennen!
Population and People
Finsterhennen has a population of about 500 people. As of 2010, about 21.7% of the people living there were foreign nationals (people from other countries). Over the past ten years (from 2000 to 2010), the population grew by about 17.2%. Most of this growth came from people moving into the area, while a smaller part was due to more births than deaths.
Languages Spoken
Most people in Finsterhennen speak German as their main language. In 2000, about 91.5% of the population spoke German. The second most common language was Portuguese, spoken by about 2.9% of the people. French was the third most common, spoken by about 1.9%. A few people also spoke Italian.
Where People Come From
As of 2008, about 53.8% of the population were men and 46.2% were women. Most people living in Finsterhennen were born either in the town itself or in the same canton (Bern). About 43.8% were born in Finsterhennen, and 34.8% were born elsewhere in the canton of Bern. About 9.5% were born in other parts of Switzerland, and 10.9% were born outside of Switzerland.
Age Groups and Households
In 2010, children and teenagers (up to 19 years old) made up about 24.3% of the population. Adults (20-64 years old) made up 60.7%, and seniors (over 64 years old) made up 15%.
In 2000, there were 159 single people who had never been married. There were 222 married people, 19 widows or widowers, and 11 divorced people. The town had 41 households with only one person and 9 households with five or more people. Most apartments (91.4%) were lived in all year round, while a few were used only at certain times of the year or were empty.
Population Changes Over Time
The population of Finsterhennen has changed over the years. For example, in 1764, there were 258 people. By 1850, it grew to 373. The population has gone up and down since then, reaching 411 people in 2000.
Economy of Finsterhennen
In 2011, the unemployment rate in Finsterhennen was quite low, at 1.24%. This means most people who wanted to work had jobs.
Types of Jobs
As of 2008, there were 138 people working in Finsterhennen. Jobs are often grouped into three main types:
- Primary Sector: This includes jobs that get raw materials from nature, like farming. In Finsterhennen, 57 people worked in this sector, mostly in agriculture. There were about 17 businesses in this area.
- Secondary Sector: This involves making things, like in factories or construction. There were 39 people working in this sector, with most (81.6%) in manufacturing and 18.4% in construction. There were 5 businesses in this sector.
- Tertiary Sector: This includes jobs that provide services, like shops, restaurants, or schools. There were 42 people working in this sector, with 13 businesses. Some examples include:
- 13 people (40.6%) worked in sales, retail, or car repair.
- 4 people (12.5%) worked in hotels or restaurants.
- 7 people (21.9%) worked in the information industry.
- 2 people (6.3%) were technical experts or scientists.
- 4 people (12.5%) worked in education.
In 2008, there were 118 full-time equivalent jobs, meaning the total amount of work done was equal to 118 full-time positions. About 40.8% of the workers were women.
Commuting to Work
In 2000, 24 people traveled into Finsterhennen for work, while 157 people who lived in Finsterhennen traveled outside the municipality for their jobs. This means Finsterhennen sends out more workers than it receives. About 12.6% of working people used public transportation to get to work, and 52.1% used a private car.
Religion in Finsterhennen
Based on the 2000 census, most people in Finsterhennen belonged to a Christian church.
- About 11.2% were Roman Catholic.
- About 79.8% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.
- A small number (1.46%) belonged to other Christian churches.
- About 3.65% of the population were Islamic.
- About 3.16% said they didn't belong to any church, or were agnostic (not sure if God exists) or atheist (don't believe in God).
- A few people (1.22%) did not answer the question about their religion.
Education in Finsterhennen
Education is important in Finsterhennen. About 37.5% of the population has finished upper secondary education, which is like high school. Another 9.7% have gone on to higher education, either at a university or a Fachhochschule (a type of professional university). Most of those who completed higher education were Swiss men.
School System in Bern Canton
The school system in the Canton of Bern works like this:
- One year of optional Kindergarten (not required).
- Six years of Primary school (required).
- Three years of lower Secondary school (required). In this stage, students are grouped based on their abilities.
- After lower Secondary, students can choose to continue their schooling or start an apprenticeship (learning a trade on the job).
Schools in Finsterhennen
During the 2010-2011 school year, 56 students attended classes in Finsterhennen.
- There was one kindergarten class with 12 students. About 25% of these students were not Swiss citizens, and 33.3% spoke a different language at home than the one used in class.
- There were two primary classes with 44 students. About 13.6% of these students were not Swiss citizens, and 18.2% spoke a different language at home than the one used in class.
In 2000, 7 students came to Finsterhennen from other towns to go to school. At the same time, 28 students from Finsterhennen went to schools outside the municipality.
See also
In Spanish: Finsterhennen para niños
