THE BORSINGER CHRONIK About 1 About 2 About 3 About 4 About 5 About 6 About 7 About 8 About 9 About 10 About 11 About 12 About 13 About 14 About 15 About 16 About 17 About 18 About 19 About 20 About 21 About 22 About 23 About 24 About 25 About 26 About 27 About 28 About 29 About 30 About 31 About 32 About 33 About 34 About 35 About 36 About 37 About 38 About 39 About 40 About 41 About 42   More about the European and local history: 1618-1648 the 30 year war, the Emperor and the Princes and Barons of the Empire and Spain against the protestant States, Sweden and Germany. The Swiss stayed neutral,1648 Peace of Westfalen, Swiss independence. This was the time of the Aristocracy and Patriciate in Switzerland: “Nobility by birth” was the only way of having access to the little Council, the true governing body, and the common citizens which had to content them selves with a seat in the Great Council. On Aug.5,1655 the Big and the Little Council to Baden resolved, to rebuild the old Castle Stein(former seat of the Habsburg) which for 250 years laid in ruins. One of the main initiate to ”rebuild the Fort Stein” was the Mayor Melchior Borsinger. As soon as the new building of the Capuzin Monastery was finished in 1654 the rebuilding of the Castle Stein was started under the builder Kaspar Dorer from the Hinterhof. The question of the rebuilding of the castle became a common problem because it was against the will of Zuerich and Bern, who saw it as a provocation of the catholic Cantons against them and for six years they forbid the "Badenfahrt” which was a severe blow to Baden’s economy.(people from Zuerich came by boat to spend a day in Baden) 1665 spreading out from the Hospital in the spring, the plague broke out, this happened before, in 1541,1609 and 1611 but never ravaging in such a fury. This time 1300 adults and children succumbed and a new pest broke out in 1666 and 1667. 1670 the rebuilding of the castle Stein was completed. Melchior Borsinger did not see its completion, he died in the year of the plague, on May 19, 1665. His son Johann Melchior, M.D. in 1651 entered the Counci of the 40 ies, in 1665 in the big Council and in 1578 became “Stadthalter” Governor. The “Herrengartengesellschaft” (Society of the gentlemen’s garden) is old, first mentioned in the 15 th century (Fricker P.158) It was an exclusive club. One who was elected into the Small Council and was not a member of it, had to join it by paying a due of 30 Gl. Beside that he had to donate a silver goblet and then was allowed to hang his Coat of Arms with the ones of the other members. On May 1st the “Maienboat” was celebrated to which other Nobles from the outside were invited.