Oldest Swiss woman reveals her secrets

Even at 109, Anna Ringier has no problem climbing stairs. Yoshiko Kusano

The oldest living Swiss woman, 109-year-old Anna Ringier, can still get up the stairs, and makes her own bed. And she says she is in excellent health.

In an interview with the NZZ am Sonntag, the sprightly Ringier talks about her life, which has spanned three centuries.

Born in 1896, Ringier grew up on a farm as the youngest of four children. When she started school in 1903, the streets were unpaved and there were no cars.

At that point, she says, people thought the world would stay as it was. But at lot had changed by her 50th birthday and, as the decades passed,” the world kept changing”.

Ringier married in 1920 and her children, now aged 83 and 80, were born shortly afterwards.

After her husband died in 1930 she never remarried. Ringier now lives with her 80-year-old son and his family in the town of Zofingen in northern Switzerland.

You were widowed early.

Anna Ringier: Yes, my husband died ten years, one month and one day after our wedding. We had just moved to Aarau and his heart gave out.

Didn’t you ever want to remarry?

A.R.: Once my husband asked me, “What would you do if I died?” And I replied, “Oh, after a year I’ll marry again.” And you know what he said? “You? I don’t think so”.

Was that why you never married again?

A.R.: Partly. But I was concerned about another man accepting my children. My daughter said, “If you marry again, I’d go to a home for children. I don’t want a new father, I’ve already had one.”

And my son said, “I’m the only one at school who doesn’t have a father. Everyone else has one. I’d like to have a father again.” But in the end I decided it would be best to be alone.

Being a single mother must have been difficult.

A.R.: Not really, we had a large garden that supplied a lot of our food, so there was enough to eat, even during the war. I didn’t have any real problems with the kids. Well, my son was a bit mischievous now and then but nothing really bad.

At the weekends we went to my parents’ farm. They were a big help, because you know in those days there was no social security or anything like that.

Do you ever think about the end of life?

A.R.: Yes, of course! But it doesn’t bother me in the least. I know that I probably won’t wake up one morning. I’m not afraid of death, I mean, it’s about time!

Are you ever ill?

A.R.: Not really. Except for an infected appendix, I’ve basically always been healthy.

How have you managed that?

A.R.: I’m not sure. But I do take a Nestrovit every day.

A Nestrovit?

A.R.: Yes, write that down. I’ll spell it for you Ne-stro-vit. It contains all the necessary vitamins. I take one every morning with a cup of camomile tea. Another thing that helps is to go to bed early and not dance through the night!

You used to go hiking a lot in the Jura with friends.

A.R.: There were three of us, all widows. We’d go hiking for five or six hours at a stretch, there was never a shortage of things to talk about.

When we first got social security in 1947 that was a big topic of conversation. Each of us got SFr70 ($50). Towards the evening we would stop off somewhere for a snack before heading home. Unfortunately none of them are still alive.

Do you follow what’s happening in the world?

A.R.: Yes, I still keep up with what’s going on. I spend hours each day reading the newspapers.

And what do you think?

A.R.: It seems to me there is a colossal amount of criticism that is often unfair. I’m amazed at how much of it is directed at the cabinet. Sometimes I can’t believe people are still willing to be cabinet ministers, for that pay. They could earn much more sitting on a board of directors.

Do you think the cabinet does a good job?

A.R.: Yes, I do. You can’t please everybody, that’s just not possible. Those who constantly criticise would be better off directing their attention elsewhere – where money has been stolen or too much has ended up in someone else’s pocket.

Do you mean directors in private industry?

A.R.: Yes. I ask myself, aren’t these men ashamed to be shovelling so much money into their own pockets? In earlier times it was not so extreme. And anyone who stole so much as a penny went straight to jail.

Key facts

Anna Ringier was born on April 12, 1896.
She lives with her 80-year-old son and his family.
She still goes up and down the stairs and makes her own bed.
She reads numerous newspapers daily.
She married Hans Ringier in 1920. He died in 1930.
Her daughter was born in 1922 and her son was born in 1924. Both are still living.

In brief

According to the 2000 census, there are 787 people in Switzerland who are over 100 years of age.

Of these, 676 are women.

The previous oldest lady in Switzerland died last year aged 110.

Switzerland has the highest number of centenarians in Europe.

(Adapted from German by Kathleen Peters)