Der Gemeindebegriff in der Schweiz und die Bedeutung der verschiedenen Gemeinden, dargestellt am Beispiel der Gemeinde Altstätten

Abstract. This article deals with the concept and the mode of existence of the Community (Gemeinde) in Switzerland. Following a brief discussion of the origin of the different communities and their present legal groundwork, the significance of individual communities is illustrated by an example – Altstätten in the Rhine Valley (the canton of St. Gall).
In addition to the Politische Gemeinde, there exist the Ortsgemeinde which consists of nineteen subdivisions called Rhoden, ten denominational Schulgemeinden and two Roman Catholic and one Protestant Kirchgemeinde.
The Politische Gemeinde (political Community) performs all the public tasks of the Community such as the police, the fire brigade, public Utilities, land registry, etc.
The Ortsgemeinde (Organisation of the Citizens of Altstätten) has Charge of its own extensive lande property, and reserves the right to decide upon the matters concerned with naturalization and citizenship.

The Schulgemeinde (school Community) is responsible for organizing the eight- to nine-year education for children with no Charge.

The Kirchgemeinden (parishes) takes care of churchaffairs.

Every resident of Altstätten is a member of the Politische Gemeinde and a Schulgemeinde, and, if h belongs to one of the two confessions, also of Kirchgemeinde. Only if he is the Citizen of Altstätten ten, he has a membership in the Ortsgemeinde as