No. 741
The farmhouse from Escholzmatt represents a type of construction that appeared exclu-sively in large numbers in Lucerne’s Entlebuch region during a period of 100 years
(approx. 1750–1850). Farmhouse research has identified the Entlebuch house as being one of the most remarkable achievements in the field of rural architecture in Switzerland.

Although the “Wissämmeli”, as the house is called, is one of the more recent buildings in the Museum, dating it has proved difficult. For once, the dendrochronological evidence is not in agreement with the written sources. During a valuation in the year 1860 the building was described as “new and well-built”. An entry in a record of sale in the same year supports the theory of a new building or at least substantial alterations. However, dendrochronology shows there were three building phases: one in the middle, one at the end of the 18th century and another at the beginning of the 19th century. Was wood from an older building used in the middle of the 19th century or was the whole house even moved?

The ground plan and layout of the “Wissämmeli” house correspond with the typical Entlebuch house type. Here too the parlour is located in the corner at the front of the house on the ground floor, with a smaller parlour next to it and the kitchen at the back. A narrow shed runs along the whole width of the house at the rear. There are two bedrooms upstairs and at the back a stable which was occasionally used as a bedroom.
In 1940, a shed was added and mainly used as a workroom. The last inhabitant of the “Wissämmeli” carried out repair work with great imagination and collected old objects of varying origin.

According to written documentation, Josef Felder was the earliest owner. He sold the “Wissämmeli” to Anton Stutzmann in 1744. Afterwards, the house changed hands no less than 35 times. In 1898 Alois Portmann, known as “Schitzer-Wisu”, bought the property. Since then the farm has remained in the possession of the Portmann family. The last owner and occupant, Johann Portmann, died as a result of an accident in February 1986, shortly before his 72nd birthday.

After his youngest sister married in 1957, Johann Portmann or “Wissämmeli-Hans” lived alone on the farm until his death. In addition to running the agricultural smallholding, he supplemented his income by doing various other jobs. He created his own little world in his home and towards the end of his life hardly let anyone enter his house. Most of all, he enjoyed being in his workshop where he repaired various tools and other articles and sometimes created something new from scrap. He collected almost everything which he thought he could possibly use. His love of collecting things was not just limited to objects but also to written documentation and records from every-day rural life. There are school reports and day-
labourer’s accounts included. He even kept the receipts for his bicycle’s number plates. His “legacy” also includes old bills of sale, his grandfather’s notebook, a bill for the damage caused by the massive storm in 1936, records from his time as active member of the cycling club “Frohsinn” and certificates from religious fraternities: all things which had no material value but none-theless bear important witness to the existence of a man who spent his whole life on the “Wissämmeli”.