The monastery of Saint Martin of Tours at Muri is in the Canton of Aargau, in the Diocese of Basel (previously Diocese of Constance).  It was founded in 1027 by Radbot, Count of Habsburg. This is its coat of arms.
Ha! You say, clearly Muri does refer to walls in Slavic, i.e., “mury”.  That being the case the word comes from Latin (perhaps via German – Mauer = wall).  Consequently, the name of the town – by itself – proves little.

Yet what is interesting are the Acta Murensia (Acta fundationis monasterii Murensis).  These Acta are the story of the founding of the abbey.  They were written by an unknown Benedictine monk sometime about the year 1160 though they appear to be based, at least in part, on earlier sources.  They are mostly known for the description of the early history of the Hapsburgs who were the sponsors of the Abbey.  The Muri city archives contain a manuscript copy of the original Acta which copy was written about 1400.  This seems to be the only copy of the Acta.  Already Šafárik noticed that the Acta contain a curious passage which begins as  follows:

“Althuesern primitus silva fuit, sed exstirpata est ab hominibus [homines?], qui vocantur Winida“

This translates, roughly to:

“Althuesern was originally a forest but it was cut down by people called the Wends [Winidi]”

So is it the case that we had Slavs deep in Switzerland?  If so, when did they get there?

We note too that among the towns listed below the mention of the Wends are the following:

• Mure (our Muri);
• Butwil
• Wolen
• Hermenswil
• Althuesern
• Birchi

All of these look either unquestionably (Althuesern, Hermenswil) or possibly German except for Mure and Wolen.  Wolen and its variations we see all over Slavic lands.  We also see Zwolen in Slavic countries or Zwolle in the Netherlands (from Suole (that is true) which, in turn, comes supposedly from “swollen” like a “hill” (which seems rather a stretch or, if you will, a swelling of truth)).

Secrets

This is the complete edition from Fridolin Kopp’s 1750 edition of the text (Vindiciae Actorum Murensium).

This was noticed already in the 19th century with such Slavic names as Khunitz, Bumplitz, Czernez, Gradetz, Krimentza, Luc, Visoye or Grona.  Ketrzynski himself argued that Constance’s original name was Kostnitz (this is far less certain).

For other Slavic names in the Swiss area see here.

Mit einer banier rôtgevar,
daß was mit wîße durch gesniten
hûte nâch wendischen siten

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