Canton of Oberland

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Kanton Oberland Canton of Oberland Canton of the Helvetic Republic ← 1798 – 1803 → The Helvetic Republic, as at the constitution of 12 April 1798, showing the canton of Lugano in orange-brown, lower-centre. Bellinzona is shown immediately to Lugano's north, in green. Capital Thun History  - Helv. Rep. proclaimed April 12, 1798  - Helv. Rep. disestablished February 19, 1803

Oberland (German for Highlands) was the name of a canton of the Helvetic Republic (1798–1803), corresponding to the area of the Bernese Oberland, with its capital at Thun.

After the Napoleonic invasion of Switzerland in 1798, the old Bernese order was broken up and the Oberland separated from the rest of the canton. As there had been no previous separatist feeling amongst the conservative population, there was little enthusiasm for the new order.

The 1801 Malmaison Constitution proposed reuniting the Oberland with Berne, but it was not until the Act of Mediation, two years later, with the abolition of the Helvetic Republic and the partial restoration of the ancien régime, that the two cantons were reunited.

During its short-lived existence, the canton was administered in ten districts, each named for the district seat, except where shown:

• Aeschi
• Brienz
• Frutigen
• Interlaken (district seat: Wilderswil)
• Oberhasli (Meiringen)
• Saanen
• Upper Simmental (Zweisimmen)
• Lower Simmental (Erlenbach)
• Thun
• Unterseen

[edit] References and external links

• This article is based on a translation of an article from the German Wikipedia.
• (German) Bernese Oberland in the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.