The Flawil Offnung of 1471, sealed on 21 January 1472, is a
medieval law book. It governs the relations of associates in the
law courts, at the princely court, and in communal landholdings
within a court district (here the lower court of Flawil) with the
lord of that court, the "Vogt" (reeve). At the time this was Rudolf
IX Giel of Glattburg, a ministry official of the abbot of St. Gall
Abbey. This document provides an insight into the legal and
economic situation towards the end of the 15th century. Originally
the Flawil Offnung was part of a single volume together with those
of Gebhartschwil, Uffhoven and Rudlen (Aufhofen and Rudeln) as well
as Burgau. Later the Flawil Offnung (up to page 17) was removed.
Due to the dissolution of the lower court, after 1798 the Flawil
Offnung was transferred to the citizens’ corporation or today’s
municipality of Flawil.
