Schloss Hallwil – one of Switzerland’s oldest castles

This edited article about Scholss Hallwil originally appeared in Look and Learn issue number 918 published on 25 August 1979.

Situated some thirty kilometres west of Zurich is one of Switzerland’s oldest castles, Schloss Hallwil.

Schloss Hallwil is remarkable because it is not built on top of a hill like most castles so that they can be easily defended. Instead it is built upon two small islands in the middle of a lake formed by the River Aa.

This lake provides an effective moat for the defence of the castle, which has been attacked many times since it was first built in the eleventh century.

A strange thread that runs through Switzerland’s past is its association with Austria. Today, both countries have strong bonds with each other, but not so long ago they were often enemies.

The castle itself, however, has a romantic and dramatic story attached to it – but one which has a tragic ending.

The story concerns the fortunes of Franziska, a beautiful Austrian girl who was born in Vienna in 1758. Her father was a Field Marshal in the Austrian Army, and since the family was very wealthy, Franziska was educated at home by private governesses. She was frequently to be seen at the dances and other social events held at the Austrian court.

Being such a beautiful girl, she had many admirers and received many proposals of marriage. Her parents congratulated themselves that their daughter would have a secure future.

In 1773, however, a nobleman arrived to stay with her parents. Their guest, Abraham Johann von Hallwil, the owner of Schloss Hallwil in Switzerland, was a most untrustworthy person who had only come to visit the family because he had heard of the beauty of Franziska. He hoped to marry her in order to obtain a rich dowry in marriage which would be useful to repair his castle which, at the time was in a poor condition.

Franziska fell in love with him. But the family did not favour such a marriage since Franziska had many richer suitors. In addition, they did not share the same religion, she being a Catholic while he was a Protestant.

But Franziska was determined to marry the man of her choice. The lovers secretly arranged to hire a coach so that she could flee from her home under the cover of darkness, and so join von Hallwil at his castle.

When everyone at her home was sleeping, Franziska boarded a coach accompanied by some of her friends, and they sped off to Switzerland.

After many days and nights of travel along muddy and bumpy roads, the coach reached the castle where Abraham Johann awaited her.

Now they had to find a priest who would marry them. This was difficult because of the difference in their religions. Eventually, however, they managed to find a church in which they could be married, and then they settled down to live happily together at their castle home.

Franziska was happy indeed at Schloss Hallwil. She soon learnt the local dialect, wore Swiss traditional dress and busied herself every day looking after her husband and children.

Her happiness did not last long. Her family never forgave her for eloping and in spite of the many letters she wrote them asking for their forgiveness, she never received a reply.

When her father died, Franziska must have cried bitter tears. She now realized how concerned her father had been about her welfare.

But worse was to follow. In the autumn of the year that her father died, her husband fell ill of a mysterious disease and he also died.

Franziska, at the age of only 21, was now faced with the bleak prospect of bringing up a small family herself as well as being burdened with looking after a large estate.

However, she managed to carry out her duties with the help of trusty servants, but she always appeared so sad that she was known locally as the Sad Widow of Schloss Hallwil.

She did make one more visit to her home in Vienna hoping that her mother, brothers and sisters would forgive her, but she was shunned by them and never returned there again.

Two of her children died before her, and she died, at the age of 78.

Today, this beautiful castle is open to the public in the summer months. In it can be seen many of the possessions of Franziska and her husband Abraham Johann. Their graves can be seen in the grounds of the castle.

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