The Fourth Minority and Ticinocentrismo

3 May 2019

Switzerland is a quadrilingual country (Italian, German, French, and Romansh) with three minority languages: French, Italian, and Romansh-speaking citizens. The vast majority are German-speaking, and the principle at the federal level remains mastering the German language. However, there is another minority, the fourth minority. These are the Italian-speaking people in the canton of Grisons. The … Read more » “The Fourth Minority and Ticinocentrismo”

The Model of Biel

24 April 2019

The city of Biel/Bienne is bilingual. French and German have the same status. A study on bilingualism in Biel/Bienne and Freiburg/Fribourg praised the coexistence of the two languages as an exemplary model. The report described Biel/Bienne as more than a “miniature Switzerland.” It praised the city as a role model for the country. The language … Read more » “The Model of Biel”

The Alpine Convention

8 March 2019

The formation of political unities in Europe can be described as a process of concentration. At the beginning of the early modern period, around 1500, there were approximately two hundred independent states on the continent; by shortly before 1900, this number had decreased to only thirty. The increasing size of state territories is reflected in … Read more » “The Alpine Convention”

International Regulation of the Rhine

8 March 2019

The Rhine, from its confluence with the Anterior Rhine (Vorderrhein) and Posterior Rhine (Hinterrhein) rivers near Reichenau (Grisons/Graubünden) to its confluence with Lake Constance, is known as the Alpine Rhine or the longest river in Europe. As a result of the ever-increasing settlement of the Rhine Valley, better flood protection was demanded in the 19th … Read more » “International Regulation of the Rhine”

The First American Diplomatic Representative

29 January 2019

John Godfrey Boker (1794-1860) was the first American Consul-General in Switzerland. He assumed his post in Basel in 1830. The Swiss government had already sent honorary consuls to Washington and New York in 1822. The first American Ambassador presented his credentials in 1853 (seat in Bern). John Boker established his residence in the building known … Read more » “The First American Diplomatic Representative”

Rapperswil-Jona or the City of Roses

23 January 2019

Available in German

The Languages of Switzerland

29 November 2018

Celts, Romans, Alemanni: the names are familiar in Switzerland. The exhibition  ’Archaeology in Switzerland’ gives an overview of its history. The Celtic tribes spoke the same language and shared the same (religious) culture. The Romans brought unity in language, law, culture, political system, and economy, a process known as Romanisation nowadays. However, this unity was … Read more » “The Languages of Switzerland”

International Rhine Regulation and Rhesi in Widnau

20 September 2018

The Rhine from the confluence of the Anterior Rhine (Vorderrhein) and Posterior Rhine (Hinterrhein) rivers near Reichenau in Tamins  (Grisons) to its confluence with Lake Constance is known as the Alpine Rhine or the longest torrent in Europe. The most devastating flood occurred in 1817. Other floods are recorded in 1888, 1927, 1954, and 1987, and, … Read more » “International Rhine Regulation and Rhesi in Widnau”

The Tunnels of the Gotthard

23 June 2018

In the context of the opening of the new Gotthard Base Tunnel, the Forum of Swiss History in Schwyz is exhibiting from April 16th until October 2nd, 2016, about this gigantic construction project, the biggest yet in Switzerland. The two earlier Gotthard tunnel projects – the railway tunnel and later the road tunnel – were … Read more » “The Tunnels of the Gotthard”