Switzerland Today

Happy Swiss National Day!

The sun’s out in Bern on a glorious August 1, as Switzerland turns 731 years old. I plan to jump in the river later and then head to parliament square for a concert (although I’m actually more interested in all the food trucks). What are you up to, and where?

© Keystone / Georgios Kefalas

In the news:  Several fires broke out in Sion, southwest Switzerland, yesterday evening following the launching of fireworks, despite these being banned. The fire services quickly put out the flames, while the police arrested suspects. No one was injured.

• After weeks of heat and drought across Europe this year’s National Day celebrations have been marked by the fear of fire. As a result, many cantons and municipalities have issued bans or restrictions on fireworks, barbecues and outdoor fires near or in forests.
• Teams of workers unfurled the world’s biggest Swiss flag on an Alpine cliff yesterday to mark Swiss National Day. The 6,400-square-metre bannerExternal link featuring the white cross on a red field weighs around 700kg and took 600 hours of work to make.
• Pilots at Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) have rejected by an 80% margin a new collective labour agreement, the pilots’ union said, adding that it aimed to resume negotiations with SWISS management as soon as possible. The airline said today it didn’t expect the rejection to have any impact on flight operations.

swissinfo.ch

“Switzerland needs you […] now more than ever,” says Ignazio Cassis, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, in his August 1 message to Swiss citizens living abroad.

Swiss emigrants and their families “build bridges and forge new paths”, Cassis added in the annual speech to the Swiss Abroad, thanking them for their role as ambassadors of their native country. “The ability to compromise, the power to innovate and our diversity – these are our strengths. Many of you abroad embody these qualities.”

Eva Hirschi

Why is William Tell is so important for Switzerland and why were such legends an uncontroversial part of the teaching of Swiss history – until recently?

Historical myths played a key role in shaping Swiss national identity well into the 20th century. Their effects are still felt today. “Every nation needs its myths and legends,” says Monika Schmidig Römer at the Forum for Swiss History in Schwyz. Switzerland is no exception. Take the story of William Tell – even the famous story of shooting the apple off his son’s head is not a Swiss invention. It occurs in a variety of European folktales, such as the English ballad of Adam Bell (The Three Outlaws), and seems to have originated in connection with the Danish hero Toko. 

The most important thing about legends is not their historical accuracy or the lack of it, but the message they convey,” says Schmidig Römer. “And William Tell became a figure [for Swiss] to identify with – a great freedom fighter.” 

Read this article to learn more about the power of Tell and the political functions of such symbols.