Morgarten commemoration & marksmanship competition

The Battle of Morgarten on 15 November 1315 was the first battle between the Confederates and the Habsburgs. After the battle, however, the Confederates did not receive the peace they had hoped for with the Habsburgs. However, this battle set the course for freedom. The joint victory also strengthened the cohesion between the peasants of Uri, Schwyz and Underwalden, so that they renewed the alliance of 1291 with the Letter of Alliance on 9 December 1315 with the Letter of Morgarten.

To commemorate the first battle for freedom at Morgarten and to foster Swiss comradeship, the Morgarten Commemoration takes place every year on 15 November in the Schornen. The focus of the Morgarten commemoration is the memory of the fallen of that time. Not only does a church service take place, but representatives of the cantons also give a ceremonial address. They appeal to the values and attitudes of the Swiss Confederation at that time and today and remember the deceased heroes and their ideals.

The very first Morgarten marksmanship competition took place on 14 July 1895 on the Müsli and since 1912 the historic and traditional Morgarten marksmanship competition has been one of the best known and largest in Switzerland. Every year on 15 November, more than 1,200 shooters and visitors from near and far come to the 300-metre shoot in Morgarten at the Morgarten Monument to witness the historic shoot, which is steeped in tradition and is also very Swiss.