Have you ever heard of a place that’s Swiss yet German? Welcome to Tägermoos a unique area wedged between Konstanz Germany and Tägerwilen Switzerland. This 1.54 square kilometer patch of land has a history as intriguing as its location.
For centuries Tägermoos was a marshy commons owned by the Bishop of Constance. In 1293 the city of Constance bought it using it primarily as pastureland. This continued until 1800 when it was privatized. Imagine the change from a communal grazing area to individual plots.
A treaty signed in 1831 solidified Tägermoos’s peculiar status. Although officially Swiss it falls under the jurisdiction of Konstanz for certain administrative tasks. Land surveying for instance is Konstanz’s responsibility making Tägermoos a Gemarkung a German term for a cadastral area of Konstanz. This explains the mix of German and Swiss signage you see here.
Two-thirds of the land belongs to Constance the rest is owned by Swiss authorities and private citizens. The area was once flooded frequently. Today after drainage it’s used mainly for agriculture especially vegetable production.
The oldest building in Tägermoos is the Ziegelhof a former brickyard that operated until the early 19th century. A small 18th-century bakery once provided bread for the residents. Dairy farming ceased in 1971. The Zollhof a Swiss customs house built in the late 19th century stands as a testament to the area’s unique border location. Another building the Trompeterschlössle a former spice store and dance hall is now a hotel.
During World War II the open border of Tägermoos was closed. A fence 2.6 meters high was erected to stop smuggling and refugees. This fence was later reduced to 1.4 meters in height. A section remains as a memorial.
Tägermoos houses six inhabited properties with approximately twenty residents. The area boasts two bathing spots and a small customs facility Gottlieber Zoll. The larger border crossing Tägermoos crossing exists near the junction of the Swiss A7 motorway and the German B33.
Even today Tägermoos’s status is under discussion. In 2006 the municipalities of Konstanz Kreuzlingen and Tägerwilen initiated a review of the 1831 treaty. The future of this fascinating borderland remains to be seen. But one thing is certain Tägermoos is a testament to complex history and enduring cross-border cooperation.