Editing Langenthal (section)

== History ==
[[File:ETH-BIB-Langenthal-Inlandflüge-LBS MH01-002212.tif|thumb|Aerial view by [[Walter Mittelholzer]] (1919)]]
[[File:Poster Langenthal-Huttwil-Wollhusen.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Poster from 1936 advertising the Langenthal-Huttwil-Wollhusen railway]]
Archeological evidence suggests that early settlements existed around 4000 B.C. in the Langenthal area. A [[Hallstatt culture|Hallstatt]] [[necropolis]] with twelve [[tumuli|grave mounds]] has been found at Unterhard. Remnants of two Roman villae have also been identified.

Langenthal is first mentioned in 861, as ''marcha in Langatun'', referring to farming estates scattered along the [[Langete (river)|Langete]] (a tributary of the [[Murg (Aare)|Murg]]). The Old High German name ''Langatun'' is presumably composed of a hydronym ''langa-'' and the [[Gaulish language|Gaulish]] element ''[[dun (fortification)|dun]]um'' "fort" (which had become productive as a suffix in toponyms).<ref>Marianne Ramstein, Chantal Hartmann, ''Langenthal, Unterhard: Gräberfeld und Siedlungsreste der Hallstatt- und Latènezeit, der römischen Epoche und des Frühmittelalters'' Authors, Archäologischer Dienst des Kantons Bern, 2008, [https://books.google.com/books?id=baAtAQAAIAAJ&q=Langatun+dunum p. 11]</ref>
The re-interpretation of the name as including the element ''-tal'' "valley" dates to c. the 15th century, during which the name is on record as either '' Langaten'' or '' Langental'' (the same process can be observed in the case of [[Murgenthal]], earlier ''Murgatun'').
<ref name=HDS>{{HDS|192|Langenthal}}</ref>

In the 12th century Langenthal (now known as ''Langaton'') belonged to the territory of the lords of [[House of Langenstein|Langenstein]]. In 1194 the Freiherr founded the [[Abbey of St. Urban]] and endowed the Abbey with lands in Langenthal. 
Formerly part of [[Thunstetten]] parish, Langenthal was granted its own parish church in 1197.
After the extinction of the Langenstein family in 1212, the Abbey inherited additional lands in the area. The establishment of the Abbey brought agricultural improvements, especially the introduction of an irrigation system to the area. However, the Abbey often came into conflict with the [[House of Kyburg|Kyburg]] [[Ministerialis]] (unfree knights in the service of a feudal overlord) family of Luternau. The Luternau family fought the growing power of the Abbey, until 1273-76 when they were obligated to sell their interest in Langenthal to the Abbey. Just a few years later, in 1279, the Abbey, in turn, was forced to give the [[High, middle and low justice|low court]] and a fortified house in Langenthal to the [[House of Grünenberg|Freiherr of Grünenberg]] to hold as a fief. By the end of the 14th century, the Abbey had regained power and was able to bring the village fully under their control.<ref name=HDS/>

Starting in 1313 the Kyburgs held the [[High, middle and low justice|high court]] right for the village. When that family died out in 1406, [[Bern]] inherited the right to hold the high court. Over the next few years Bern's power expanded in Langenthal. In 1415, Langenthal became incorporated into the territory of the Republic of Bern, but it remained under the landlordship and the low court of the monastery. Over the following centuries, the Bernese court slowly eliminated many of the Abbey's powers. The [[Protestant Reformation]] of 1528 weakened the power of the Abbey slightly, but it continued to collect tithes and appoint the village priest until Bern bought those rights in 1808.<ref name=HDS/>

During the 16th century a number of craftsmen and small businesses moved into the growing town. In 1571 Bern granted the right for the town to hold two yearly markets. However, the supply of goods for sale quickly exceeded the capacity of the two yearly markets. In 1613 they built a ''Kaufhaus'' or market building and started holding weekly markets. The ''Kaufhaus'' was rebuilt in 1808 and from 1894 until 1992 served as the town hall. By 1616 Langenthal had a series of laws and regulations governing the booming markets and trade in the town. In 1640 Langenthal and Langnau became centers of linen canvas production and export to France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. In 1704 Langenthal became the seat of the Oberaargau canvas dealer's guild, which brought together weavers, shopkeepers and traders to protect their interests. The decline of eastern Switzerland's linen industry in the 18th century gave Langenthal a further boost, which encouraged to Bern to tighten supervision. Beginning in 1758 the Bernese government started inspecting cloth for quality and controlling who was allowed to sell.<ref name=HDS/>

The success of the linen trade helped the town to grow. Even though the Aargau cantonal road bypassed the Langenthal, by 1756 it had grown to a total of 189 households, three taverns, various administrative buildings and a warehouse (dated 1748). 
The market street was paved in 1730 and the Langete was partially covered with stone bridges and new houses. In 1785 a brewery opened in town. A small elite of merchants, lawyers, physicians and pharmacists emerged and turned Langenthal into a center of the liberal and nationalist thought during the early modern era. 
Langenthal had been a subject territory of Berne within the [[Old Swiss Confederacy]] since 1415, and tended to support uprisings against the central authorities; during the [[Swiss peasant war of 1653]] Langenthal had supported the peasant uprising, as well as the [[French invasion of Switzerland#Collapse|1798 French invasion]] and the liberal [[Helvetic Republic]].<ref name=HDS/>
The current municipal coat of arms, three wavy bands in blue on yellow (''Or three Bends wavy Azure''), has been in use since c. 1870, replacing an earlier design in red and silver,<ref>[http://www.langenthal.ch/de/portrait/wappen/ Das Langenthaler Wappen]</ref>
but the use of a flag with a similar design, "yellow and blue with a triple rivulet" (''Sie führen einen Fahnen ist gälb und blaw / In dreyfachen Bach darinnen'') is recorded in a song of c. 1700.

Langenthal's location on the road from Bern to Zurich (completed in 1760) and on the Swiss Central Railway line (inaugurated in 1857) spurred industrial development, led by textiles and machines. Municipal water supply was introduced in 1894 and an electric utility began operating in 1896. In 1898, the formerly neighboring municipality of Schoren was incorporated into Langenthal.
Langenthal had a population of 1,327 in 1764; population grew to 2,738 by 1850, and to 4,799 by 1900.
In the 20th century, Langenthal became known for its porcelain manufacture. Langenthal reached a population of 10,000 in 1957, further growing to 13,000 by 1970. The municipality has been officially referring to itself as a town (''Stadt'') since 1997. 
In 2001, Langenthal was [[town twinning|twinned]] with the town of [[Neviano]] in southern [[Italy]] and with [[Brig-Glis]] in the upper [[Valais]].<ref>[http://www.langenthal.ch/de/portrait/partnerstaedte/partnerstbrigglis/ Unsere schweizerische Partnerstadt: Brig-Glis] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319181524/http://www.langenthal.ch/de/portrait/partnerstaedte/partnerstbrigglis/ |date=2022-03-19 }}; [http://www.langenthal.ch/de/portrait/partnerstaedte/partnerstneviano/ Unsere italienische Partnerstadt: Neviano] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224150251/http://www.langenthal.ch/de/portrait/partnerstaedte/partnerstneviano/ |date=2022-02-24 }}</ref>
In 2010, the municipality of [[Untersteckholz]] was incorporated into Langenthal.

===Obersteckholz===
Obersteckholz is first mentioned in 1255 as ''Stechcholz''.<ref name=HDS_Ober>{{HDS|197|Obersteckholz}}</ref>

Obersteckholz was the property of the [[Baron of Langenstein]].  In 1194, he founded [[St. Urban's Abbey]] and granted the village to the Abbey as part of its endowment.  It was part of the Abbey's court of Langenthal until 1406 when it became part of the [[Bern]]ese [[bailiwick]] of [[Wangen an der Aare|Wangen]].  Following the [[French invasion of Switzerland#Collapse|1798 French invasion]] it became part of the district of Langenthal under the [[Helvetic Republic]].  In 1803, after the collapse of the Republic, it became part of the [[Aarwangen District]].  The village became an independent municipality in 1831.  Until 1790 and again after 1975 Obersteckholz and [[Untersteckholz]] shared a single school district.<ref name=HDS_Ober/>