White Book of Sarnen

The White Book of Sarnen (German: Weisses Buch von Sarnen) is a collection of medieval manuscripts compiled in the late 15th century by Hans Schriber, state secretary (Landschreiber) in the Swiss Confederation canton Obwalden.

The White Book of Sarnen contains the earliest surviving reference to the Swiss national hero William Tell.

[1] This second part, 25 pages in length, makes mention of the Rütli oath (German: Rütlischwur), the Burgenbruch, and William Tell’s heroic deeds.

[1] The only surviving copy of the White Book of Sarnen, which was long believed to be lost, was accidentally discovered in 1856.

[3] However, researchers disagree on whether the White Book of Sarnen, which is preserved in the public record office of the canton of Obwalden, is merely a copy of an older manuscript written around 1426.