Balgau

The name Balgau originates from a document dated 896, the *Declaration of Zwentibold*, where the village is mentioned under the name *Palgouua*. At that time, it belonged to the Abbey of Munster. The current spelling only became established from the 18th century onwards. In 1288, Balgau was an *imperial village*, directly managed by the lords under the authority of Rudolf of Habsburg, King of the Romans. However, on September 1 of the same year, the village was ceded in exchange for a war horse. The Ribeaupierre family, influential lords in the region, began to intervene in Balgau's affairs in 1488, as evidenced by an inventory setting rules for the use of forests, pastures, and waterways, as well as fines for violations. During the Thirty Years' War, Balgau, like the entire region, was devastated. The lord of Ribeaupierre reported having to beg for two sacks of wheat in Colmar after the plundering of the bailiwick of Heiteren, of which Balgau was part. Once peace returned, immigrants from Tyrol and the Breisgau settled in the village, including the Engasser, Brendle, Schelcher, Mininger, Scherrer, and Seiler families. Balgau is home to several notable monuments, including the Saint Nicholas Church built in 1860, calvaries, a chapel dating from 1834, a burial mound, a 16th-century barn, and a chapel dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers, also built in 1834.