History
From the Order of St. John to the Foundation of St. John
Since the Order of St. John settled in the village in 1235 and built a hostel for pilgrims and travelers, a lot of water has flowed down the Rhone. The war in the Pfynwald in 1798/99 left its mark on our region, as did industrialization at the beginning of the 20th century, recessions and economic upswings. One thing, however, has remained the same since 1235: the hospitality that Salgesch has shown its guests, encouraging many a traveler passing through to linger and even stay.
As Salgesch developed more and more from a winegrowing village to a tourism-oriented winegrowing community, the population became increasingly aware of the existence and protection of cultural assets worthy of preservation. The old village center of Salgesch with its alleyways, houses and cellars is unique and has a valuable building fabric. On the occasion of the two village festivals in 1982 and 1985, festival participants from near and far were able to experience the unique atmosphere of the old village at first hand. The idea was born to preserve and protect this historic and rooted atmosphere together.
On September 5, 1987, Amédée Mounir (president of the municipality), Gregor Brunner (mayor), Hubert Constantin, Edwin Plaschy, André Gsponer, Ottilia Cina-Mathier, Herbert Glenz, Herbert Mathier and Johann Montani founded the association and the Johanniterbund Foundation. The Board of Trustees is made up of three members of the Association's Board of Directors and the respective presidents of the municipality and the Burgschaft. In memory of the Order of St. John, which did much good in our village from the 13th to the 17th century, the newly founded association and foundation were given the name Johanniterbund.
