In the Zurich Oberland, the Lützelsee glitters from afar. The hills and trees are reflected in the dark water. The view takes your breath away and the view close by reveals the most beautiful natural splendor: storks, sparse forests, reeds and marshlands. If the visibility is good and you are standing on a small hill, you can see the village of Hombrechtikon.
The Russian grave near Hombrechtikon
In 1799, the French, Russians and Austrians fought in the Oberland. Three Russians were late and were unable to reach their formation, which had to retreat before the French, who had regained the upper hand. There, on the old path that led from Hohlgass down to Langenried, they lay down in the meadow and fell asleep, still drunk from the previous evening's feast. The bailiff over in Hinterholz heard about it and sent a messenger with the news down to the lake where the French were. An officer and several soldiers arrived on the spot. They nudged the drunks awake with their bayonets. And now a rough, cruel game began. The evening stillness was filled with the mocking laughter of the French and the cries of pain of the Russians. Finally, everything became quiet. The tormentors left. The victims lay tortured to death at the scene of the accident. At midnight the bailiff woke the boy in the house next door. Armed with a storm lantern, they went to the Grüthölzli, where the dead were buried in a pit. "Do you hear anything?" asked the bailiff. "I hear sounds!" answered the boy. "From where?" "There, from the ground." Now the bailiff began to stamp around on the ground until nothing more could be heard from the depths.
From that moment on, the wicked man had no peace. He became restless and fell apart, even embezzled money from his wards and ended up committing suicide in mental derangement.
Source: KW Glaettli, Zurich Legends 1970, Oberland
Access
There are parking spaces in front of Hombrechtikon from which you can walk around the lake.
