Davos/Clavadel - Sertig Dörfli

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How the Little Church Was Built “Behind the Eggen”: In the mid-thirteenth century, the population known as the Free Walsers migrated from Wallis to the Davos region, including the Sertig Valley. The hard struggle for survival there forced them to cooperate and help each other. The inhabitants of “Behind the Eggen” formed a small but active community. Towards the end of the 17th century, this community counted 86 souls. The areas of Dörfli, Sand, Chleinalpen, Grossalpen, Suzi and Wasserfall belonged to the the tract of land “Behind the Eggen”. The people here all belonged to the parish of Frauenkirch. During the winter, and when the weather was bad, the long trek to Frauenkirch was a hazardous undertaking. Floods, landslides and avalanches were apt to make the passage difficult if not impossible.

Accordingly, at the beginning of the year 1899, the inhabitants of “Behind the Eggen” decided to build their own church. On application, they received a grant from the local government in Davos. The secretary and later head of the local government, Jakob von Valär, who himself lived “Behind the Eggen”, gifted the land to build the church on. He encouraged the building project and eventually managed it himself.

All work was done on a local voluntary basis. The building materials were near at hand: sand, gravel, stone and wood. Everyone who had any strength laid their hand to the work. As a result of all this, the building was completed without the community being saddled with a debt.

The models for the building were the churches in Frauenkirch and Glaris. A simple, clear sort of architecture and interior design reflected the faith and the way of life of the people “Behind the Eggen”.

In this little church, several times renovated but standing in its original form, the community still holds Sunday worship, weddings and harvest thanksgiving festivals.

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