Travels, Memories and Family Stories from the 19th Century

Sometimes the most exciting historical documents do not come from official chronicles, but from very personal notes. Karla Mulder's multilingual website is a good example of this. It is dedicated to the travel diaries of her great-uncle Jan Schindler and his cousin Sophie Müller - and makes their experiences from the 19th century accessible again today.

The site is much more than a family project. It combines personal travel reports, historical contexts and visual documents to create a vivid picture of a time when travel was still arduous, slow and full of encounters. It is particularly pleasing that the content is not only available in Dutch, but also in German English, French or Italian, making it accessible to a wide audience.

Travel reports that breathe history

At the heart of the website are several detailed travel reports. Among other things, Jan Schindler describes his journey to Schaffhausen in 1825 and another long journey in 1854, during which he visited numerous relatives in Switzerland. His texts tell of journeys on foot, of landscapes, towns and people, but also of fatigue, amazement and curiosity - without the gaze of a tourist, but as a traveler of his time.

Sophie Müller's diary from 1858, entitled "Two months of life", provides a particularly impressive counterpoint. In it, she describes her stay with relatives in Herisau and provides very personal insights into her everyday life, her observations and her experiences as a woman in the 19th century. It is precisely this text that makes the page so valuable, because it shows perspectives that are often missing in classic history books.

Family, places and connections

The website carefully places the diaries in their family and geographical context. Separate sections are dedicated to the families of Jan Schindler and Sophie Müller and their extended environment. This makes names, relationships and life paths comprehensible - even for readers who have no direct connection to the family.

Another focus is on the places mentioned in the travelogues. Cities such as Zurich, Winterthur, Aarau, Geneva, Chur and Herisau appear alongside smaller towns in the Glarus region. What is particularly exciting is that the website makes historical travel routes visible and shows the distances that were covered on foot at the time. This makes it clear how differently distances and mobility were experienced around 170 years ago.

Pictures as silent narrators

The visual design supports the texts in an unobtrusive way. Historical illustrations, portraits, maps and documents give the diaries a face and help us to imagine the times. The pictures are never illustrative for their own sake, but deepen the understanding of the journeys, the people and their living environment.

A quiet gem for those interested in history and culture

What makes this website special is its tranquillity. It does not impose itself, but invites you to discover. Anyone interested in travel history, everyday life in the 19th century, family research or Switzerland at that time will find a carefully curated collection of authentic sources - personal, respectful and easy to read.

The website is publicly accessible at: https://kjjm.nl/bucher-muller-schindler/

It is well worth a visit - not just as a glimpse into a family history, but as a journey into a time when every step, every journey and every encounter was still a small adventure.

This project is not just about historical documents, but also about dialog in the present. Karla Mulder is very happy to receive feedback, comments and personal thoughts on the travelogues, the places depicted or the families involved. Comments, additions or new perspectives that help to deepen the story are particularly valuable. Comments and feedback can be sent directly via the website's contact page - Karla reads them with great interest and is happy to answer them.

Left: Kaspar Schindler (1766-1826), Jans father, from Mollis. He joined the Swiss Troops in Dutch services and stayed in Holland.

Right: Sophie Müller (1827-1913). Her father was Johann Jakob Müller (1797-1884) from Herisau. He served in the same regiment as Kaspar and married Kaspars second daughter.

Both Jan and Sophie had a lot of family in Glarus. Their stories differ considerably, but both had a great time and enjoyed beautiful Switzerland (impression Karla Mulder)