1890 Solothurn

Actual 45 mm size by Hugues Bovy, Genf / H. Jenni / Walther Vigier, Solothurn

Obverse.

Noble in bearing, dressed in a fine elaborate coat complete of articulated plate armor, the charismatic Niklaus von Wengi valiantly stood on the rampart, with nary a hesitation, to put himself at the mouth of the bulwark siege canon, his plumed hat cast aside.

His eyes alight with firm determination and defiance, his right mailed hand placed resolutely upon the cold smooth iron barrel, at the very last moment, almost ready to fire its volley of wrath.  His left fist on lion-hearted chest within grasp of the Mayor’s emblem, his intense yearning for restraint apparent to all.

In the distance within the trajectory of the iron cannon lies the unwilling targets - the city houses of Solothurn.

Inscription.

"Herz Und Hand Dem Vaterland" - "Heart and hand to the Fatherland"

Reverse.

Blazon crest of Solothurn in the center, upon the stylized shield of the Confederacy, cradled by six past and present generations of sharpshooter armaments of the shot compete (i.e. crossbow, arquebus, matchlock & flintlock muskets, carbine rifles).

The proud standard banner of the Cross, within the circular embrace of the winner's garland of flora branches of the laurels and oaken branches.

Background.

The Solothurn supporters of the Reformed denomination, worship was prohibited in the city of Solothurn in 1532, after a conflict over the election of Niklaus von Wengi had broken the bishop. This eventually led to a rebellion of the Reformed movement in November 1533. They entrenched themselves in the suburb of Solothurn, where they hoped for help from Bern.

The Catholic Solothurners had the intention to end this uprising by forcibly, by the suburbs would be destroyed by cannon fire from the other bank of the Aare. After the first cannon shot, Niklaus von Wengi stood in front of the mouth of the ready-to-fire second cannon and called out in the following words not to shoot fellow-citizens.

Niklaus von Wengi the Younger became known as the "hero of the Solothurn Reformation," who, as a Catholic mayor, prevented a religious war in the Canton of Solothurn through valiant intervention. 

If Wengi successfully defied an armed conflict, he always represented the Catholic position and in the ensuing negotiations negotiated without concessions to the Reformed movement for the restoration of the ecclesiastical unity of the canton and city of Solothurn.

In memory of, Niklaus von Wengi, through his valiant intervention adverted a civil armed conflict in the city of Solothurn.