The Battle at the Trient Bridge and the Sonderbund War

The Sonderbundskrieg of 1847 is a well-known historical fact. However, who remembers the military confrontation between Old Switzerland (die Alte Schweiz) and Young Switzerland (die Junge Schweiz) on May 21 1844, at the Trient bridge (le pont du Trient) near Vernayaz in (Lower) Valais? Yet this battle, with about 60 dead, was a rehearsal of … Read more » “The Battle at the Trient Bridge and the Sonderbund War”

The Village of Salvan, Marconi and the Titanic

As is well known, Switzerland does not border the sea, although 20 million years ago, the country was by and in the sea. Yet the small mountain village of Salvan (canton of Valais) has its maritime history. The Titanic, the largest and most luxurious passenger ship of its time, collided with an iceberg on April … Read more » “The Village of Salvan, Marconi and the Titanic”

Hendrick Jan van Oyen in the Parc de l’Indépendance in Morges

The Independence Park (Parc de l’Indépendance) in Morges (canton of Vaud) owes its name to the independence of Vaud (Le Pays de Vaud) on 24 January 1798, after the long domination of Bern (since 1536). Citizens proclaimed the République lémanique on this date  in Lausanne (Place de la Palud). This republic was shortlived, however. The … Read more » “Hendrick Jan van Oyen in the Parc de l’Indépendance in Morges”