Buesingen
A German community
A German community
inside Switzerland
From Günter Eiglsperger
Politicly, Buesingen belongs to Germany, but economicly Swiss law applies.
The village is a so-called exclave that can only be reached from Germany by crossing the Swiss border.
The inhabitants of Buesingen patiently but also insistantly try to resolve problems which result daily from the different legislations of Germany and Switzerland. Within the big German mothercountry there is probably no other community of this size and of this (little) importance like Buesingen, which has been mentioned in the press as much as our village. Buesingen offered subject matters not only to write serious publications about but also for well-founded dissertations. Furthermore Buesingen has always been (and still is) interesting for the media. Radio, TV and the press report true and sometimes factoidal stories about us. That Buesingen is often treated as unicum or curiosity may hit the prevailing taste but remains nothing but a partial truth, because for the inhabitants of Buesingen their village simply is their home. And the feeling of being at home in Buesingen doesn’t only mean clean air, clear (Rhein-)water and maybe owning a little house in the countryside. It also means that the inhabitants have special hardships and worries which they are trying to solve cross-countrily.
The joint efforts for this purpose boost the feeling of togetherness. They sharpen the mind of the inhabitants of the „village between the borders“ and make them think and act “beyond borders”. Maybe that’s why Buesingen became my beloved home… a very special home.
