Cevio, Grotti, Filippini and the Wine Press

3 November 2023

Cevio (Maggiatal/Valmaggia, Canton of Ticino/Tessin) and Enrico Filippini (Cevio, 1932-1988) may not be very well-known names. Yet, the Italian-speaking Filippini introduced famous writers such as Walter Benjamin, Günter Grass, Max Frisch, and Friedrich Dürrenmatt to Italy. He studied in Locarno, Milan, Berlin, Munich and Paris. He worked at the Feltrinelli publishing house in Milan and … Read more » “Cevio, Grotti, Filippini and the Wine Press”

Lausanne, City of Culture, History, Parcs and Pierre de Courbertin

29 October 2023

The urban development of Lausanne has been rapid since the early 20th century. The first skyscraper in Switzerland was built in this town in 1931 (Bel Air). Lausanne has been the seat of the International Olympic Committee since 1915 and was named the Olympic capital in 1993. The city currently has a population of 140,000. … Read more » “Lausanne, City of Culture, History, Parcs and Pierre de Courbertin”

Wil, the Abt, St. Gall and the Confederation

23 September 2023

Available in Dutch and German

Arbon und Rorschach am Bodensee

18 September 2023

Available in German and Dutch

Four Castles for Refugees

14 September 2023

What do Arenenberg Castle (Salenstein, Canton Thurgau), Wartegg Castle (Rorschacherberg, Canton St. Gallen), Coppet Castle and Prangins Castle (Canton Vaud) have in common? These four castles served as places of refuge for monarchs in exile or for exiles from their respective regimes. Coppet Castle, located in the municipality of the same name, was the place … Read more » “Four Castles for Refugees”

Laufen, a portrait through History

6 September 2023

In Roman times (15 B.C.-410 A.D.), a road ran from Val Terbi (canton of Jura) via Laufen and the Platten Pass to the Rhine Bend (Rheinknie) bei Basel and Augusta Raurica. The excavation of a large Roman villa revealed valuable artefacts. The construction of the first St. Martin church is dated to the time of Frankish … Read more » “Laufen, a portrait through History”

Habsburg Castle and the new Worldpower

1 September 2023

One of the most informative sources on the early Habsburgs is the Acta Murensia on the foundation of the monastery of Muri in 1027. The Habsburgs descended from a family from Alsace. (See also the last Habsburger in Basel) The Habsburg castle was built around 1030. The Acta Murensia mention the Habsburg Radbot and the … Read more » “Habsburg Castle and the new Worldpower”

The Swiss Textile Industry

31 August 2023

For a long time, Eastern Switzerland was one of the world’s most significant and largest exporters of textile products. Around 1910, more than half of the world’s embroidery production came from Eastern Switzerland. Embroidery was also the largest export sector of the Swiss economy, accounting for around one-fifth of the total. The First World War … Read more » “The Swiss Textile Industry”

Altenrhein, Alter Rhein and Hundertwasser

28 August 2023

Altenrhein is a border village located in the municipality of Thal, in the canton of St. Gallen, adjacent to Austria. Altenrhein lies at the end of a headland between arms of the (Alter Rhein) old Rhine delta. In 983, the village was mentioned as Rinisgemünde, in 1402 as zum vornchtigen Rhin. Since the 17th century, … Read more » “Altenrhein, Alter Rhein and Hundertwasser”

Teufen and the Textile Industrie

23 August 2023

Teufen was first mentioned in 1272 as “Tiuffen”. The hamlet was a district of the abbey of St Gallen. In 1377, several villages of Appenzell (Urnäsch, Teufen and Gais) joined the Schwäbischen Städtebund (‘Swabian League of Cities’)  or the Bund der Bodenseestädte with the permission of the abbot of the abbey. From 1429, Teufen was … Read more » “Teufen and the Textile Industrie”