Verenahof facts for kids
Verenahof was once a tiny piece of West Germany that was completely surrounded by Switzerland. It was like a small island of one country's land inside another country. This special type of land is called an enclave. Verenahof had only three houses and twenty-four people living there. It was separated from the rest of West Germany by a narrow strip of Swiss land, about 200 to 300 meters wide.
Contents
Verenahof: A Small Piece of History
How Verenahof Became an Enclave
In 1522, two important leaders, Emperor Charles V and his brother Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, bought Verenahof. They bought it at the same time they purchased other small areas in the same region. These areas included Tengen, Kommingen, and Wiechs am Randen. They bought these lands from a person named Christoph von Nellenburg.
Old Border Arguments
During the 1600s and 1700s, there were disagreements about Verenahof. People from Tengen and Schaffhausen argued about how to access the roads. They also argued about where the exact border of the Verenahof enclave was located.
Verenahof Becomes Part of Switzerland
In 1964, West Germany and Switzerland made an agreement. They decided that Verenahof would become part of Switzerland. This change officially happened on October 4, 1967. Today, Verenahof is no longer a separate enclave. It is now part of a Swiss village called Büttenhardt.
Remembering the Old Borders
Where to Find Old Border Markers
Even though Verenahof changed countries, some signs of its past remain. At the town hall in Wiechs am Randen, you can still see some old border markers. These markers were no longer needed after the land swap in 1967.
In Büttenhardt, at the old school house, more old border markers from the 1930s are used. They have been placed around bushes that were planted near where the enclave used to be. These markers help us remember the unique history of Verenahof.
