REGISTERED BY AUSTRALIA POST - PUBLICATION No. VBH 6369
SEPTEMBER 2011
CERN: unlocking the secrets of the universe
In front of ATLAS: Conor Fitzpatrick, Franz Muheim, Brendan O’Brien and Liz Isler
The word ‘nuclear’ appears in the news a lot lately, and for all the wrong reasons. CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, has nothing to do with creating electricity but is in fact the biggest nuclear research laboratory in the world. It is located on the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva. In the close to six decades since its foundation, it has grown enormously, not just in the physical sense but also in the scope of research. It also has become a prime example of international collaboration and how the world can work together to achieve great things. The organisation is comprised of currently 20 member states and more than 10,000 scientists and engineers from around 500 academic institutes and industrial companies worldwide are contributing. One such scientist is Professor Franz Muheim who grew up in Wittenbach (SG). He is a nuclear physicist and apart from being a research scientist at CERN he lives in Scotland teaching at the university of Edinburgh. One of his frequent trips to Geneva coincided with
my recent visit to Switzerland, giving me the perfect opportunity to follow his invitation to visit CERN. Franz, together with PHD students Conor Fitzpatrick and Brendan O’Brien, spent a very busy day with Liz and me, visiting and explaining the enormous installations and machinery, most of them designed to unlock the mysteries of the universe. CERN’s flagship is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), installed in a tunnel 27km in circumference, 150m below ground. 13.7 billion years ago the universe began Inside the Large Hadron Collider tunnel with a bang, the BIG bang. Condensed within an infinitely small space, energy antihydrogen – which used to disappear coalesced to form equal quantities of after two tenths of a second following matter and antimatter. When matter and the collision, can now be held for antimatter meet they annihilate in the over 16 minutes by cooling them to a blink of an eye leaving behind a flash temperature of less than 0.5 degrees of energy. Today, we live in a universe above absolute zero. Scientists believe apparently made entirely of matter. that studying antimatter will help them Nature seems to have a slight preference understand what happened during the for matter, which first few moments of the universe and allowed our universe that’s what makes this result extremely and everything in it to important. To find out more about CERN exist. and antimatter see: http://press.web.cern. ch/livefromcern/antimatter/ In the LHC, beams of protons are I have published reports about this accelerated close to place of so many superlatives in the speed of light and previous issues of the ‘Edelweiss’, but smashed together, to actually see CERN for myself was an recreating the conditions immediately extraordinary opportunity and a truly following the big bang. Four huge amazing experience. Editor detectors – ALICE, ATLAS, CMS and LHCb – observe the collisions and gather data enabling physicists to explore new territory in matter, energy, space and time. On 5 June, the ALPHA research team succeeded in trapping elusive atoms of antimatter long enough to begin to study their properties in detail. Antimatter One of the largest computer centres in the world. In one year the atoms – in this case LHC experiments generate data to fill a stack of CDs 20km tall
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CBD FUNCTION AND MEETING ROOM WITH A DIFFERENCE The Second Floor at the Swiss Club
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!4 4(% 0%2&%#4 6%.5% n 4(% 37)33 #,5" /& 6)#4/2)! Contact us on E: info@swissclubvic.com T: 1300 893 968 to check for availability, more information or a quote
SWISS CLUB OF VICTORIA Founded in 1899 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Vic 3000 T: 1300 893 968, F: (03) 9650 3104 E: info@swissclubvic.com W: www.swissclubvic.com Club Opening Hours Lunch: Mo - Fri from 12noon Dinner: Wed, Thurs & Fri from 6pm. Bookings T: (03) 9650 1196 Swiss Club Catering For all Functions contact Chef & Catering Manager Roger Moullet T: (03) 9650 1196, F: (03) 9650 3104 M: 0409 040 249 E: swissclub@hotmail.com The Second Floor Function Bookings CBD Function Room with a difference! Info and/or bookings: T: 1300 893 968 E: swissclubvic@swiss.org.au
COMMITTEE Barbara Kündig President T/F (H): (03) 9005 4938 M: 0402 018 363 E: barbara@swiss.org.au Rolf Huber Immediate Past President T/F (H): (03) 9807 0282 M (B): 0425 805 854 E: rhuber@swiss.org.au Urs Derrick Wildi Treasurer & Membership Administration T/F (H): (03) 9824 7930 M: 0403 040 930 E: uwildi@swiss.org.au Sigrid de Castella Membership Relations & Building Management Support M: 0416 088 000 E: sigrid@swiss.org.au Antony Anderson Building Management M: 0416 069 666 E: antony@swiss.org.au Damian Schaller Corporate Communications & Functions Manager M: 0410 461 364 E: damianschaller@swiss.org.au w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m
SWISS CLUB SUB-GROUPS Swiss Folk Dance Group Alpenrose President: Sylvia Hochuli T: (03) 9531 6575 E: hochuli@tpg.com.au Swiss Companion Singers Convenor: Heidy Giger T: (03) 9889 9321 E: adelheid1@bigpond.com Ladies Luncheons Convenor: Heidy Giger For bookings T: (03) 9650 1196 For information: T: (03) 9889 9321 E: adelheid1@bigpond.com Saturday Morning Swiss School Convenor: Andrea Pinch T: (03) 5331 6762 E: pinch@hotkey.net.au W: www.swiss.org.au/scvschool Swiss Playgroup Esther Blaser E: esther.blaser@gmx.ch W: www.swiss.org.au/playgroup The Swiss Diners Club Convenor: Amy Bohren M: 0410 037 095 E: abohren@swiss.org.au Swiss Festival Chairman: Rolf Huber T/F (H): (03) 9807 0282 M (B): 0425 805 854 E: rhuber@swiss.org.au
SWISS COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS Swiss Society of Victoria (Benevolent Society) President: Franz Schnellmann T: (03) 9449 2245, M: 0412 203 893 E: schnellmann@dodo.com.au Trachtengruppe Schwyzergruess Australian/Swiss Cultural Society President: Sylvia Hochuli T: (03) 9531 6575 E: hochuli@tpg.com.au Groupe Romand du Victoria President: Rémy Favre 1 Hughes Street, Malvern East Vic 3145 T: (03) 9571 2835, M: 0412 135 095 E: remy@favrecranage.com W: www.swiss.org.au/chfrvic
Pro Ticino President: Claude Rossi 5 Falls Road, Hoddles Creek Vic 3139 T: (03) 5967 4542 E: marclas@dcsi.net.au Swiss Yodel Choir Matterhorn President: Marco Unternährer 3 Bluegum Court, Upwey Vic 3158 T: (03) 9729 3338, (03) 9752 6996 (H) W: www.swiss.org.au/matterhorn Swiss-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) General Manager: Marcel Svatos T: (02) 9262 1511, F: (02) 9290 1928 E: admin@sacci.com.au Postal address see: www.sacci.com.au Swiss-Australian Academic Network (SAAN) E: info@saan.id.au W: www.saan.id.au Embassy of Switzerland T: (02) 6162 8400, F: (02) 6273 3428 E: can.vertretung@eda.admin.ch Consulate General of Switzerland T: (02) 8383 4000, F: (02) 9369 1334 E: syd.vertretung@eda.admin.ch Honorary Consulate (Victoria) T: (03) 9824 7527, M: 0413 042 728 E: melbourne@honrep.ch Postal address for all above see: W: www.eda.admin.ch/australia Organisation of the Swiss Abroad Council Member: Roland Isler Contact details: see below under Editor W: www.aso.ch / www.swiss.org.au/csa
Impressum ‘Edelweiss’ appears quarterly. Circulation 500. For all enquiries contact: Roland Isler, Editor T: (03) 9524 6335 (B) M: 0412 935 565 E: risler@swiss.org.au 67 St.Georges Crescent Heatherton Vic 3202 Unless otherwise stated, postal address for all is: 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Vic 3000
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President’s Message Dear members and friends of the Swiss Club, in the last newsletter I mentioned the strong attendance at the AGM and now it is already time for the Half-Yearly General Meeting in September. Please make an effort to come along and support your committee. We have now closed the sponsorship call for the Second Floor frosted glass panels. The committee has been very pleased with the result and thanks very much all the members, who so generously contributed, for their support. We are planning of putting some artwork in the conference room and are inviting you to participate in our photographic competition to find just that special Swiss picture. You can find all the details on the next page. 1st of August, our Swiss National Day, was celebrated several times at the club this year. We had the pleasure of having the Ambassador of Switzerland Dr Woker and Mrs Woker coming to all of our functions and meeting many members and guests. Thank you to Roger and his team for all their hard work on the day. Over the past months, Damian Schaller has been spending a lot of time redesigning our webpage to make it more interactive and more user friendly as well as being more interlinked with other social media platforms such as Facebook. We thank Damian for his initiative and time setting it all up. Our new homepage can now be found on www.swissclubvic.com. We encourage you to use it and also tell others about it. Damian’s Websurf on page 10 gives you further information. After another rather cold winter, I am certain you are also looking forward to spring and longer, sunnier days. The committee hopes to welcome you at one of our events. Barbara Kündig - President
The Swiss Club of Victoria is looking for a keen administrator to manage our new venue The Second Floor. If you are interested or want to know more, please call 1300 893 968.
It’s your Club. Get Involved!
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Welcome to our new members We welcome John De Steiger John Petsas Rose Di Flumeri and Joel Daniel Ott. We are looking forward to meeting you at one of our forthcoming functions.
Congratulations Happy birthday to the following members who were celebrating their milestone birthdays recently: Nelly Flynn, Erika Ochsenbein, Martha Fuller and Madeleine Poole could commemorate their 80th, while Oswald Haering celebrated his 85th. We congratulate you and wish you good health in many years to come!
Get well To Hans Bless, Othmar Jaeggi, Margaret Staehli and all members that don’t feel well, we send our best wishes for a speedy recovery. We hope to see you again at the Club soon!
The last farewell We are sad to learn of the passing of our longstanding member Aranka Folino in July. Our deep sympaties go to her family. Dear members, please tell the committee or the editor if your partner, your friends or fellow members have a reason to celebrate, are unwell or have left for a better place.
Flying a new Swiss flag The large Swiss flag that was hanging on the wall at the Swiss Club restaurant really was showing its age. Decades of being exposed to tobacco smoke, steam and grease from the nearby kitchen, all contributed to the rather shabby state it was in. It was time for a replacement. As I knew of a flag manufacturer, I offered the committee to organise one on my visit to Switzerland in April. “M. Stadelmann & Co. Fahnenfabrik & Kunststickerei” www.fahnen-stadelmann.ch produced one especially for the Swiss Club. Made of pure silk, it is the best quality of material and craftsmanship available. A beautiful new flag is now adorning our club; check it out on your next visit. Editor Swiss Club of Victoria
“Swiss Imagesâ€? Competition Artwork for The Second Floor Do you have a great photograph of a Swiss scene or landscape? This is your chance to have your image displayed on the walls of the Board Room on The Second Floor. The Committee is calling for entries in the “Swiss Imagesâ€? photographic competition to ďŹ nd the perfect digital Swiss image which will be professionally printed and displayed. The winner will receive a $100 dining voucher to the Swiss Club Restaurant. Initial Submissions: Photographic images submissions must be low resolution digital (ďŹ le size no bigger than 1MB). Submissions must be emailed for initial selection to competition@swissclubvic.com.au Your submission must reach us no later than Friday, 30 September, 2011. Finalists: Several ďŹ nalists will then be selected to submit their high resolution image (5MB or larger) for ďŹ nal selection. Terms and Conditions of Entry: s !LL ENTRANTS MUST BE A MEMBER OF THE 3WISS #LUB OF 6ICTORIA (the “promoterâ€?) and own the copyright to the image submitted (i.e. you must have taken the photo yourself). s 6ALID IMAGES MUST BE AVAILABLE IN BOTH LOW AND HIGH resolution suitable for printing. s !LL SUBMISSIONS REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF THE PROMOTER s 4HE JUDGES DECISION IS l NAL AND NO CORRESPONDENCE WILL BE entered into. s )F INSUFl CIENT OR NO l NALISTS ARE FOUND THE PROMOTER RESERVES the right to readvertise the competition and/or extend the submission dates. s &ULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAN BE VIEWED AT www.swissclubvic. com
Swiss Chalet for sale A piece of Swiss history made in Melbourne is for sale - an authentic 2m x 2m x 1.8m Swiss Chalet in mint condition, last displayed and fully assembled at the Swiss Festival 2011.
This unique style Chalet was created by Louis and Fred Bloechlinger, Jakob Jucher and Ferdi Wydler to mark the 700 year celebration of the Swiss Confederation in 1991. It won ďŹ rst prize at the Moomba Festival in the same year. Perhaps you have room in your backyard or your home and want it as a collectors item or for use as a cubby house, it is built to last with original building material sourced from Switzerland. Priceless you say? Not quite, it is for sale for a bargain prize of $1,500, or nearest offer! For enquiries please contact Franz Schnellmann on 0412 203 893.
Book the Second Floor at the Swiss Club for your next function
Thank you! The Swiss Club appreciates the generosity of the following members who have ‘rounded up’ the amount with their membership fee payment. Ernest & Dorothy Baenziger, Agnes Eliane Da Pos, Maimu Fiechter, Nelly Flynn, Robert & Madeleine Gasser, Oswald Haering, Peter Meury, Noel & Vreni Welsh, Doris Diserens, Beryl Black, Peter & Ursula Casaulta Your generosity is greatly appreciated and the contribution will assist us in continuously improve our club facilities. Thank you very much!
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Celebrating Switzerland’s 720th birthday!
Club celebration and Lantern Procession Monday, 1 August This year’s Swiss National Day celebration at the Club was an all day lunch and dinner affair. This was appreciated by many members who prefer to go out during the day rather than at night, so it was something to please everyone. Our Ambassador of Switzerland, Dr Daniel Woker and Mrs Myriam Woker were very welcome guests of honour – for lunch, dinner and the Lampionparade! Guest Speaker at the luncheon was Mr Raymond Henderson, author of ‘Jolimont to Yering’, who spoke about the early Swiss wine growing pioneers (see also page 13). After the welcome by Club President Barbara Kündig and singing the National Anthem, the Ambassador took centre stage to address the guests. Confident and visibly at ease in public speaking – even overcoming the fact that the microphone refused to work – Dr Woker’s speech was informative and thought provoking as well as entertaining. In conclusion, he proposed three cheers and a toast to the 720th birthday of our country, which was accepted by everyone with enthusiasm. The Lampionparade, by now a firm fixture on the club’s National Day celebrations, was once again a great success. Even the weather was playing along nicely this year - unusually warm and no rain! I wonder if it was the kids or the grown-ups that had more fun walking along in a sea of lights, with bells, flags and, of course, the drums! Thank-you once again to Gerd Schwärzler and his crew for the noisy contribution! It was great to see everyone having a good time and the delicious lunch and dinner menu created by Roger Moullet and the excellent service by the team certainly did its part. Editor
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Swiss Club of Victoria
National Day Senior Members’ Luncheon Monday, 18 July Once a year the lucky Oldies turn up for the Senior Members’ Luncheon. It’s great! The food is so delicious and the company is grand. Walter on the guitar played our best-loved songs and we sang and we laughed. The people had a ball! We drank a bit and joked a lot and hoped it would never end. Inge Kulmanis
A Swiss Settler in Australia The Diary of Etienne Bordier, 1849-1851 Translated and edited by Kenneth Dutton & Denis Rowe Publisher: 1987, University of Newcastle, Auchmuty Library Publication No.6 ISBN: 0-7259-0583-2 Language: English Binding: Soft Cover, 66 pages Etienne Jean Léonard BordierRoman was born in Geneva in 1821. Together with his French companions Chauffert and de Milhau he travelled to Australia in 1849 to seek his fortune. Shortly after his arrival in Sydney he started a diary, which ended abruptly with the last entry made two years later in 1851. Thus the diary covers his best years in the colony before economic decline and misfortune started to set in. By 1856 he was penniless and he returned to Europe in 1859. Two years later he died in Paris. Bordier’s diary was published in Geneva in 1863, its purpose being not only to entertain subscribers, but also to serve as a stern warning to others, as the preface by the editor Fritz Berthoud suggests: «One of our contributors recently expressed his dismay at that excess of enthusiasm which so frequently carries off our young men to the farthest corners of the world, allured by the hope of a swift fortune only to find themselves disillusioned once the sad and sober realities of life are laid bare before them. His words were telling and heartfelt, for he uttered them standing before a freshly dug grave. “Our fellow-countryman”, he said, “having but recently returned from a long journey across the seas, wearied and disenchanted by distant prospects, was struck down unawares in the full vigour of his youth. His exile had been naught but a series of disappointments… O all you wanderers, dear friends led astray by the lights of glittering skies or the limitless vistas of Far West, speak now: tell how true it is that every quarter the earth is hard and unyielding, and that no rich reward, no badge of honour can heal the wound of departure.”» I think it is remarkable that this was written only 24 years after Sophie La Trobe initiated the first exodus of Swiss to Australia in 1839. It is evidence that not only success stories, like the ones of the de Castella’s, Marcet, Pettavel and Tétaz, but also accounts of hardship and failure had filtered back to their native land. Kenneth Dutton researched Bordier’s ten years in Australia and translated his published diary from French into English. His book ‘A Swiss Settler in Australia’ was published in 1987 and is long out of print. I was lucky enough, however, to find a secondhand copy via an online bookstore. Anyone interested but unsuccessful in obtaining his/her own copy, please contact the Editor.
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Travel is in our blood Editor: Othmar, as you have just come out of hospital, my first question has to be: how are you? Othmar: Well, it’s the first time in a while that I am out of uniform, the pyjama that is. I’ve discharged myself from the hospital but I will have to go back once the current treatment of my remaining kidney is completed. Editor: Tell us a little of your early years in Switzerland. Where were you born? Othmar: I was born in Solothurn in 1932. My family is of farming stock but my father became a policeman with the canton authorities. As such, he was moved around quite a bit, and I became kind of a gypsy as far as my schooling years were concerned. We lived in Solothurn, Olten, Dornach and Obergösgen. Later on, I did a commercial diploma and studied journalism. Editor: When did you come to Australia and why? Othmar: I got a job working for a travel agency in Solothurn. Through that I got involved in organising international tours and I soon realised that my school English just wasn’t quite good enough. In 1955 my boss suggested that I should go abroad to improve my English, and with the Olympic Games in Melbourne only a year away, Australia was an exciting destination. I got an assignment with the ‘Solothurner Anzeiger’ newspaper as a corespondent to report on the Olympic press conferences in Melbourne. So in 1955 I set sail for Australia. Editor: Did you become a full-time journalist when you arrived in Australia? Othmar: Well, not quite. I arranged that the newspaper paid my commission into a Swiss bank account. Once in Australia, I soon realised that I needed the money here (!) and so I had to find another job to keep me going. I went to the Swiss Consulate to make enquiries and Stephanie Ammann, who worked for the consulate, said to me, that Max, her husband, was looking for staff. And so it happened that I got a job as a grinder and turner and even though I had no previous experience I became pretty good in what I was doing. Editor: How long did you stay with Max? Othmar: For about six months, until Stephanie Ammann suggested that I should work for the consulate because they were also looking for staff. Whilst I was doing that, I also enrolled in further university studies – language, history, economics and English expression – the later being the most important subject for me, I actually failed! The consulate
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was very generous in that I was able to attend the Olympic press conferences as well as doing my studies. I was with the consulate for a few months when a travel agent turned up looking for a Swiss person he could employ to sell Europe to Australians. Of course I said: “That’s me”. I was invited for a job interview and that is when I saw Angela for the first time. She was working there as a Receptionist. Editor: Incredible! You just got your third job, started your journalistic work and your uni studies, and you met your future wife, all in less than a year? Othmar: That’s right, things were moving along fast! But we didn’t get married until 1958. Editor: When did you join the Swiss Club and why? Othmar: That also happened in 1956. My German language background was a very important advantage at the travel agency. First I was involved in shipping, the German and Dutch migrants came out mainly by ship, and later on I got involved in air group travel. Joining the German speaking clubs and association provided, of course, a very important networking opportunity. Editor: Leading up to the Olympics, these must have been exciting times? Othmar: Melbourne was gripped by Olympic fever. We all worked very hard for it, polishing up and improving the Swiss Club, organising events like the gala ball. When Switzerland announced that it would boycott the games, it hit us like a bombshell. It was a great disappointment for all of us, especially for the sharp shooters, Hans Steinacher, our fencing champion, Hermann Schneider, who was in charge of catering for the Swiss team, Ernst Goetz, who was liaison officer for the Swiss Olympic Attaché, and me. Our accreditation was cancelled overnight. Editor: You were a member of the fencing club, Circle d’Escrime. How did you get involved with this? Othmar: When I worked for the consulate, I met Hans Steinacher, who was a chancellor. He was Swiss fencing champion and selected to represent Switzerland at the games. Consul Cattin was hardly ever seen at the consulate, and so, whenever we didn’t have too much to do, we practiced fencing. Editor: At the consulate?! Othmar: Sure! But proper training took place at the Swiss Club. We trained with members of the Australian fencing team under their coach Michael O’Brien, who was a qualified French fencing master. Circle d’Escrime won the Victorian championship in 1956. Editor: You became a member of the committee as joint VicePresident with Franz Doos in 1970 and stayed in that position until 1973. What is your recollection about your time on the committee? Othmar: There have been two most important events in the club’s history: the first one was the relocation from Spring Swiss Club of Victoria
Street to George Parade. Franz Doos and his committee must be given a lot of credit for negotiating this brilliant move. It created the scenario for the second move, from George Parade to Flinders Lane. Together with Peter Meury and Urs Biedermann, I am proud to say, that I was very much involved in making this happen. CRA was desperate to get their hands on our property; we knew this and played our cards accordingly. Due to Peter’s work related overseas travels, I was Acting President twice during the negotiations with CRA and the final signatures on the contract were that of Urs and myself. The negotiations went well, we got everything we asked for. Peter, Urs and myself inspected about ten properties. The one in Flinders Lane was the best location, but whilst the façade looked quite nice, the interior presented a different picture. It was a nuts and bolts factory; dirt and metal shavings everywhere and it stank terribly of oil and greese. It was only because of the assurance of Armstrong, the architect, that it could be transformed into a nice space, that we finally decided on this property. The final outcome, of course, speaks for itself. Editor: You then left the committee and re-joint as VicePresident in 1976 for one year. Why? Othmar: I left the committee because of work commitments but I rejoined together with Peter because the club went into a financial downward spiral and we knew something needed to be done. We were able to address the problems and after a year I left the committee again because the job was done and I was too busy with work and other commitments…like building this house.
our blood – with the exception of our daughter, Carolyn, who is a teacher. Editor: I’ve asked Joe Schibli who the members of the Mafia were. Apart from himself, he mentioned Hanspeter Frei, Max Ammann and Darby Dunston. Other members might have been Peter Meuri and…yourself. And he thought it was maybe Ernie Huegli that first came up with that name. What is your recollection of the Mafia? Othmar: Peter and I were definitely part of it, but I wouldn’t say that Darby was. Max was the senior, the godfather; Hanspeter was the ‘grey eminence’, pulling strings behind the scene. We used to meet at the club for the businessmen luncheon; a networking group basically and often we arranged jobs for other Swiss. The one that started calling us the Mafia, was Margrit Schneider, I am quite certain of that. Editor: If you would be on the committee now, what would you change? Othmar: I would change nothing, I think the club is going the right way. It looks great, especially the new floor upstairs. It’s a place we can be proud of. Editor: Thank you Othmar, and best wishes on your way to better health. Login and get the latest info: www.swissclubvic.com
Editor: Travel has been a very important part of your career and family, was it not? Othmar: You can say that. I worked for World Travel Service and eventually became its director and general manager. Then I became CEO of Stewart Moffat Travel and SM Tours, owned by the Keller Group of Switzerland. In 1979, Angela and I decided to start up our own business, Camberwell Travel, on Burke Road. Angela too, had travelled widely all over the world even before she met me. She worked for KLM, the shipping companies John Sanderson and Lloyd Triestino and, of course, World Travel Service were we met. Our son, Mark, worked for us for a while and our second son, David, who now lives in Switzerland, is a pilot with SWISS. Yes, you can say, travel is in
Part of German Language program on Melbourne 93.1fm
Tune into news, information and entertainment about everything that is Swiss in Switzerland and downunder. Ursula Schappi presents an informative half-hour program in Swiss-German. Every Sunday from 8:30 to 9pm on 93.1fm
Earlier this year the Familienplausch needed to be cancelled due to lack of interested families. It appears there are now some families who are interested in restarting either the Familienplausch or the Saturday Morning Swiss School. If you are interested, please come along to the next meeting for a discussion: When: Saturday 10th September, 1:00 – 4:00pm Where: Second floor of the Swiss Club Entertainment for the children will be organised; bring a snack for afternoon tea. Please RSVP to Andrea Pinch pinch@hotkey.net.au, Tel. 5331 6762
To listen online visit: www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/german To contact Ursula: leave a message on (02) 9955 7628 or ring 0407 995 578
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The Swiss Club of Victoria has a new home on the internet! You might recall, my last websurf article spoke about the need for the Swiss Club to become more active on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube. Since the beginning of this year we have ramped up our participation on these channels and we started communicating to a broader audience on the web about our club activities. The results speak for themselves as we now have close to 150 fans on Facebook, our videos and messages get daily views and our Twitter posts get mentioned not only from people in Australia but worldwide. Our statistics show an increase in readership of over 1000% (yes one thousand percent)! The committee is of course very happy with these results, however it became very apparent that we require a new and more interactive homepage to compliment our engagement on the web. The new Swiss Club homepage We are very pleased to announce the launch of our new homepage www.swissclubvic.com with a new clean and fresh user interface. The page offers you the same content as our current site on www.swiss.org.au and you will find sections
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about our restaurant, the sub-groups as well as upcoming and past events. New are areas displaying images of recent club gatherings as well as videos and interactive integration into Facebook and Twitter. You now have the possibility to leave comments on your group page or add images to the picture library. If you would like to RSVP for an event a link will guide you to our existing Swiss Club homepage where you can complete your registration and fill in your details. The new homepage relies on your input and the content is by no means set in stone. We are planning for new sections that will allow you to view the latest edition of the ‘Edelweiss’ newsletter or book our Second Floor function venue online. The live integration with Facebook and Twitter means that your posts on our social media platforms will be displayed immediately on www.swissclubvic.com. If you ‘check-in’ at the Swiss Club using Foursquare, Gowalla or Facebook your friends and family can see when you enjoyed a meal at our restaurant and they might even hit the ‘Like’ button on your post. We are looking forward to your first visit to our new homepage and trust that you will provide us with your feedback about your experience online. Please follow the Swiss Club of Victoria on our Facebook page or link your Twitter account with ours. Feel free to repost our messages and invite your friends to visit our new homepage. Damian Schaller - Marketing, Corporate Communications
Swiss Club of Victoria
Chamber Music at the Swiss Club Monday, 11 July
And finally, Swiss Maestro Mario Venzago will return for the third time to Melbourne to once again conduct the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at the Melbourne Town Hall on September 29 and 30. The repertoire includes the beautiful Cello Concerto by Elgar and Mendelssohn’s ‘Italian’ Symphony No.4. For more information please see www.mariovenzago.com or www.mso. com.au. Editor
Test your Swiss Knowledge 5
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The Basel-based Swiss/German Amaryllis Quartet consists of Gustav Frielinghaus (violin), Lena Wirth (violin), Lena Eckels (viola) and Yves Sandoz (cello). The Amaryllis Quartet is a regular participant in concert series and festivals in Germany, Switzerland, and other countries in Europe. From 9 to 17 July the string quartet was in Melbourne to participate in the 6th Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition. Thanks to the Consulate, the musicians took time out from their demanding competition schedule to delight around fifty invited guests with a special performance at the Swiss Club Restaurant. On the menu was Schumann’s 1st String Quartet in A minor, which was played with amazing perfection and virtuosity. Not satisfied with just one performance, the audience – among them two sydneysiders, Consul General Mr Markus Meli and Mrs Christa Meli – were enthusiastically demanding an encore. The quartet obliged with the last movement of Haydn’s String Quartet in G Minor ‘The Rider’. Another Swiss competition contender was Trio Rafale consisting of Maki Wiederkehr (piano), Daniel Meller (violin) and Flurin Cuonz (cello). The finale of the competition resulted in a Swiss doublewhammy with the Amaryllis Quartet winning 1st prize in the quartet section as well as being awarded the Monash University Grand Prize, and the Trio Rafale winning 1st prize in the trio section, ultimately losing out to the Swiss/German Amaryllis Quartet for overall honours. The competition brought together 16 of the best string quartets and piano trios from around the world. The competition is open to piano trios and string quartets of musicians under 35 from around the world. To determine the 16 finalists, judges conduct international auditions. Congratulations to these fine young musicians on their great success! In other musical news, See Siang Wong, a talented young pianist that has made Switzerland his home, gave a recital at Melba Hall on Wednesday, 27 July. He performed pieces by contemporary Swiss composers as well as some old favourites such as Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. His commentary for each piece gave listeners an interesting artist’s perspective. w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m
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Across 2. Which Swiss explorer (1784-1817) discovered the ancient city of Petra in Jordan? 8. Town in Graubünden hosting the World Economic Forum. 10. Name of Swiss Fruit & Vegetable Juice. 12. Name of the current President of the Swiss Confederation (without hyphen). 13. What animal features on the Coat of Arms of the canton of Geneva? Down 1. French name for cheese fondue pot. 3. Swiss Author (1819-1890), best known for his ‘Green Henry’. 4. Which city in Ticino was hosting the 89th Congress of the Swiss Abroad? 5. Swiss Karate and Kickboxing champion (1964-2000). 6. Famous Swiss Architect (1887-1965). 7. During which Swiss festive season are the traditional sweets known as ‘Knee Cookies’ served? 9. One of the largest holiday resort and ski areas in the Swiss Alps, located in Valais. 11. A blight of what vegetable caused famine throughout Europe in the 1840s? For answers go to page 18 Supplied by Gerda & Martin Probst
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3UNDAY -ARCH !USTRIAN #LUB
On Wednesday, 6 July we had BĂŠatrice DelacrĂŠtaz as our guest speaker. She told us how in 1976 she was quite fed up of being at home and decided to do something for the women of the Swiss Community, thus starting the Ladies Luncheon. 35 years later we still enjoy meeting for friendship, lunch and varied guest speakers. She also told us about her passion: porcelain painting (see also page 16). Ladies, mark the two dates below in your diary. Come and join us at 12 noon at the Swiss Club for good food, good company and interesting guest speakers.
s 7EDNESDAY 3EPTEMBER The theme will be ‘the art of wearing a saree’. Guest speaker Jaya Kanagabesan talks about the saree (Sanskrit word for ‘strip of cloth’) and will invite people to participate in being wrapped in delicately woven fabrics.
s 7EDNESDAY .OVEMBER Sylvia Hochuli will tell us of the wonderful and important contributions the Trachtengruppe Schwyzergruess makes to the Swiss Community. Price $22 pp for members, $25 pp for non-members. Includes 2-course meal, wine, soft drinks and coffee. Non-members are also welcome, bring a friend or two. For information and bookings ring Heidy Giger on 9889 9321or Roger at the Club on 9650 1196. Bookings are essential! Marianne Bishop
Dear readers, Our traditional Swiss Festival will once again be held at the Austrian Club on Sunday, 25 March 2012. Please put this important date in your diary. The Swiss Festival offers a unique opportunity to indulge in Swiss culture & heritage at your doorstep with food & drink and entertainment ‘Swiss made’. There is a certain pleasure to bite into a delicious Swiss sausage that tastes just like that real one from home. Come and try them and many other delights! In addition to helpers on the day, the Swiss Festival committee is looking for more volunteers to join the committee. We meet once a month to discuss food & beverage, sponsorship, entertainment, ďŹ nance, volunteers, marketing etc. Why not consider joining us, it’s great fun working on this project and doing good for the wider community. All proceeds are distributed among the participating Swiss community groups. All you need is a bit of time and commitment to support a community event that grows every year and has a lot of potential. The current committee consists of Bruno Giger, Chantal Imbach, Damian Schaller, Patrick Albert and Rolf Huber. Rolf Huber A little piece of Germany ‌. Right here in Melbourne
CLUB TIVOLI DEUTSCHER VEREIN MELBOURNE INC.
291 Dandenong Road, Windsor Victoria 3181 Australia Phone: (03) 9529 5211 Fax: (03) 9510 5271 Email: admin@germanclubtivoli.com.au Make your day ! come to the best party in town ‌
the
Oktoberfest at the German Club Tivoli
Two Ladies Luncheons One with the most delightful laughter session. The last one with memories from the ďŹ rst and ongoing Ladies Luncheons and a display of the most divine hand-painted porcelain by BĂŠatrice. Lucky for us that we have these Ladies Luncheons! Inge Kulmanis
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Saturday 8th, 11 am – 11 pm Sunday 9th, 11 am – 8 pm
all welcome
Travel by bus or tram and be safe ! Trams 5 & 64 - Tram Stop 36 Traditional Bands — Yodellers — Dancers — Singers German food and drinks — Admission $ 10.00
Swiss Club of Victoria
Early Swiss Vignerons Raymond (Ray) Henderson, author of ‘From Jolimont to Yering’ was the guest speaker at our Swiss National Day luncheon on 1 August. We are pleased to present excerpts from his speech. The book ‘From Jolimont to Yering’ is about Swiss Vignerons who established the great wine industry in the Geelong and Yarra Valley in the 1800’s. Ray set out to research the origins of the first six bachelor wine makers of the Yarra Valley with the names Paul Frédéric de Castella, Charles Hubert de Castella (pictured), Baron Frédéric Guillaume de Pury, Samuel de Pury, Adolf de Meuron and finally Samuel Leuba, to whom Ray is related. The story of the Swiss Vignerons in Victoria starts with the first Governor, London born Charles La Trobe and his wife, Sophie de Montmollin, a native of Neuchâtel and a very influential and persuasive woman. The migration of the Swiss to Victoria was influenced largely by two factors: the political turmoil caused by Napoleon’s military campaigns which destroyed large parts of the country, but also by Sophie who succeeded in attracting about a hundred vignerons mostly to the Geelong area in the 1840’s, beginning with the families Brequet, Dardel, Belperoud, Pettavel, Amiet, Tétaz and Webers, most of whom had known Charles and Sophie La Trobe from the Neuchâtel days. Vines take some years to produce suitable quantities of fruit, and finally Geelong’s Dardel made his first wine in 1845 at Ryrie’s Station in the Yarra Valley where good wine making facilities had already been established. In 1849 Paul de Castella and Adolphe de Meuron, boyhood friends in Neuchâtel, migrated to Australia and in 1850 they bought Ryrie’s Station and renamed it Yering and began to extend the small vineyard plantings and run cattle. In 1852 Guillaume de Pury arrived in Victoria and tended cattle at Paul de Castella’s Yering. Hubert de Castella arrived in 1854 and together in 1855 Guillaume and Hubert bought Dalry, a former out-station of Yering and renamed it St.Hubert’s. Frédéric’s brother Samuel de Pury arrived two years later to work with them but by 1863 Guillaume was ready to set up his own vineyard and bought 900 acres from Paul de Castella and named it Yeringberg. Romance established the vineyards of Yeringberg, St.Hubert’s and Yering with dowries, but these three vineyards were the pioneer developments of the wine industry in the Lillydale district. This soon swelled to about 20 vineyards in the Yarra Valley where French was the prominent language and little hamlets with the names of Coldstream, Yering and Gruyère started to take shape. The dry table wines of the district were famous for lightness and quality. Yering won the Argus Gold Cup and 100 guineas prize as the ‘Best Victorian Vineyard’ in 1861. Wines made by the de Pury’s won gold medals in London, Bordeaux, Paris, w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m
Brussels and San Francisco, as well as many prizes in Australia. In the many international exhibitions at which Victorian wines were shown Hubert de Castella appeared more often as a commissioner than as an exhibitor but he did win several prizes, the most notable a prestigious Grand Prix at Paris in 1889. In fact Australian wines outsold French and Italian wines in the UK and European authorities then decreed that these growers must pull out 10% of their vineyards in an effort to reduce quantity and improve quality – surplus wine in those days was converted to motor spirit at considerable expense. In 1875 an outbreak of Phylloxera destroyed the Geelong vineyards and the vignerons were forced to move to the Yarra Valley and re establish themselves, or give up and pursue other industries or return home. The onset of the 1890’s depression shut down the Yarra Valley Vineyards with beer and spirits outselling table wines until the 1960’s resurrection led by descendants of Guillaume de Pury at Yeringberg which still has some of the oldest vines in the Valley. The St.Hubert’s name and logo was bought in the 1960’s by what is now known as the Fosters Group and the vineyard relocated to its present site. Yering was extensively replanted in 1988 under the Yering Station brand, and the original homestead of Chateau Yering was beautifully renovated and extended and reopened as an exclusive Country House Hotel in 1996. These vineyards and homesteads are our links to the past and are important historical testaments to the pioneers from Neuchâtel. The book ‘From Jolimont to Yering’ is currently sold out. Expressions of interest are sought for reprint funding. Sigrid de Castella
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The inaugural Australian Jass Championship 3UNDAY *UNE
he had to settle for second best. The Jass Champion was Pat Calabresi with 6909 points, but she passed the trophy onto Ernie Huegli with a score of 6858 points. In third place with 6717 points was Hans Keller. The wooden spoon with 5772 points went to Terry Mylvaganam. Roger Moullet concluded an enjoyable and entertaining day with the announcement of the winners and trophy holder and thanked in particular the Interstate visitors for attending the event, as well as Margaret for the administration of the competition. Roger also announced that the event will be held again next year on 10 June, 2012 with hopefully a much larger participation. Hans Keller
The Swiss Club of Victoria in cooperation with its counterpart in Queensland, and in particular Margaret Gilmartin, organised this all-day event for all those dedicated Jassers who recognise and enjoy the best card game there is. The event was advertised nationally, and whilst some participants from most States were expected, it was Queensland that attended with a formidable contingent. The attendance from the Swiss Community in Victoria / Melbourne, however, fell far short of expectations. The fact that the Matterhorn Choir participated at the Federal Yodelling Festival in Switzerland, together with insufficient advertising and promotion of the event, had some effect on the low turn out of Victorians. At around 9am, 36 players started off the competition, playing for the trophy sponsored by Pat Calabresi and dedicated to her late husband, Primo Calabresi, a longstanding Swiss Club member and Past President – and of course a keen Jasser himself. Five rounds at 8 games each were played – some with French and some with German cards, before Roger Moullet served some good old Swiss Food (Härdöpfel mit Speck, Rippli und Wurst). Margaret organised all the required paperwork – score The Swiss Club of Victoria cards, table rotation schedules, scoring sips for each gratefully acknowledges round, etc – and also busily punched the results into the the generosity of PC, providing the progressive results of the tournament Swissmech Equipment on the large overhead TV-screen. After lunch and dessert in sponsoring the 1st the second half of the competition commenced with a prize for this event! further 5 rounds at 8 games. Apart from playing for the inaugural trophy, the 1st prize VICTORIAN SWISS CLUB was a week’s holiday at the INAUGURAL AUSTRALIAN JASS CHAMPIONSHIP 12th JUNE 2011 luxurious Club Noosa Resort, Player Name Total Place Difference Player Name Total Place Difference sponsored by Swissmech # G 7 Pat Calabresi 6909 F 4 Raymond Mischler 6272 19th 1 1st 6858 51 F 6 Philipp E 6270 20th 2 2nd Equipment, Braeside, Victoria. # G20 Ernie Huegli # G23 Hans Keller 6717 141 G13 Nick 6256 21st 14 3rd There were also a couple of # F 8 Martin Hoernlimann 6669 4th 48 G16 Ernst Fries 6254 22nd 2 6633 5th 36 F 7 Matthieu boxes of wine sponsored by the # G24 Ida Mc Donald # F12 Hans B 6536 6th 97 G 9 Sibylle 6234 24th 20 Swiss Club and a number of # G 1 Anita Bickel 6483 7th 53 G14 Jurg B 6190 25th 44 # G19 Edi Braendli 6430 8th 53 F 3 Marcel Theiler 6184 26th 6 other useful prices. # G 6 Rita Von Rotz 6390 9th 40 G15 Matthias Bickel? 6175 27th 9 6388 10th 2 G18 Bruno Jenny 6136 28th 39 The contenders for the top prices # G 8 Adrian # F10 Monika Nick 6376 11th 12 G 4 Benny Huerlimann 6121 29th 15 started to shape up in rounds # F 5 Hans Pecar 6350 12th 26 G 2 Sandra Beer 5971 30th 150 # G12 Hans Peter S 6342 13th 8 F 9 Dolf P 5957 31st 14 7 and 8. In round 9, the top 3 # G 3 Paul Eisenegger 6337 14th 5 G11 Ossi Haering 5922 32nd 35 scorers for the day seemed to # G17 Ruth M 6294 15th 43 F11 Erika 5897 33rd 25 # F1 Roger Moullet 6293 16th 1 G22 Stefan Conrad 5855 34th 42 be determined, but Round 10 # G21 Doris Conrad 6280 17th 13 G10 Ed 5833 35th 22 # brought an unexpected twist F2 Trudi Theiler 6273 18th 7 G 5 Terry Mylvaganam 5772 PMI * 61 F FRENCH CARDS G GERMAN CARDS * PMI - PLAYER MOST LIKELY TO IMPROVE as a new Jass Score Record fell. THE PRIMO CALABRESI MEMORIAL TROPHY WINNER FOR 2011 ERNIE HUEGLI Pat Calabresi and Hans Keller 2011 AUSTRALIAN JASS CHAMPION scored an incredible 913 points. PAT CALABRESI AUSTRALIAN HIGHEST JASS SCORE RECORD HOLDERS - PAT CALABRESI AND HANS KELLER -- 913 points This result deprived Ernie Huegli NEXT AUSTRALIAN JASS CHAMPIONSHIP MELBOURNE : JUNE 10TH, 2012 from winning the first price, and ALL PLAYERS PLAYED ALL 10 ROUNDS.
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Swiss Club of Victoria
Smile!
4th Jass Night Results: Swiss Club, 4 June Singles
1. Roger Moullet ..........................................2982 2. Ernie Huegli .............................................2794 3. Hans Keller ...............................................2789
Couples
1. Trudi & Marcel Theiler ..............................5386 2. Marlies & Sepp Krummenacher................5132 3. Sandra & Adrian Beer...............................5096
Another joke about Adolf Ogi (member of the Swiss Federal Council, in office 1987 – 2000). Ogi war als Bundespräsident mit seiner Frau Käthi zu Gast bei seinem französischen Amtskollegen in Paris. Während der Empfangsfeier bemerkte er: “La fête est très beau.” Worauf seine Gemahlin flüsterte: “Belle, Adolf, belle!” “Wau, wau,” reagierte Dölf blitzschnell.
5th Jass Night Results: Swiss Club, 9 July Singles
1. Marcel Theiler ..........................................2978 2. Benny Hurlimann .....................................2825 3. Pat Calabresi ............................................2792
Couples & Mixed Teams 1. Trudi & Marcel Theiler ..............................5442 2. Martha & Alois Schnieder ........................5415 3. Ida McDonald & Benny Hurlimann...........5317
5PCOMING *ASS .IGHTS 7th & Final 10 September
Swiss Club
Information supplied by Paul Eisenegger 9544 4681 The Swiss Club Restaurant. It’s where you meet your friends.
Fahrt ins Blaue Mystery Trip 7EDNESDAY .OVEMBER The Trachtengruppe Schwyzergruess / Australian Swiss Cultural Society would like to invite the retired Swiss/Australian Community (over sixty) to our mysterious and exciting ‘Fahrt ins Blaue - Mystery Trip’. Cost is $28.00 per person, which includes a three course lunch. If you are interested, please complete the coupon below and mail it with your cheque to: Sylvia Hochuli, 92 Addison Street, Elwood Vic 3184, or call 9531 6575. See you there!
Yes, I would like to attend the ‘Fahrt ins Blaue - Mystery Trip Name(s): The Bernard Sandoz Cup was held on Friday night, 17 June at the Swiss Club. Last year’s winner Peter Bishop was able to defend it beating Chris Laube in the Final.
Address:
Thank-you to all for coming – we were 16 participants. The next Swiss Club Singles Championship will be held on Friday, 14 October at 7:30pm Bookings are essential, please ring Roger at the Swiss Club or myself on 9439 7593 or 0418 645 313. Cost: Only $20 per person which includes dinner. New players are always welcome! Louis Schneider
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Telephone: No. of persons @ $28.00: Cheque enclosed for total $: Please make your cheque payable to the Trachtengruppe Schwyzergruess (ASCS)
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The art of porcelain painting by Béatrice Delacrétaz I was born in Switzerland during the depression years and grew up during World War II. Times were tough and the small material possessions we had were very precious. As a child I was given a beautifully decorated doll’s tea-set which I treasured and later on, as a teenager, I came across a small vase hand painted in the Dresden Style. This piece of porcelain fascinated me so much and as I could not have it, I decided that I would learn, one day, to paint on porcelain. This started my interest in china painting. I would have liked to have made porcelain painting my profession, but Mother did not think it was a worthwhile occupation for me and on the other hand there was no opportunity to learn the trade where I was living at the time, so I became a private secretary. However, I never stopped searching for someone to teach me how to paint on porcelain and by a stroke of luck I found Mme M. Maire. She was a school teacher in Avenches who had been taught to paint on porcelain in the Nyon style in Lausanne by one of the last artist who had worked in the Nyon porcelain factory before it closed its doors in 1813. She was conducting
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small evening classes on china painting and was happy to pass on the traditional way of painting in the Nyon style. As I was rather young, she warned me that this kind of painting requires lots of practice, patience and determination to achieve perfection. She was a very good and kind teacher and expected perfection in the application of the colours and designs and it took me long hours of practice to master the brush strokes required to paint to her satisfaction. Even today, when painting in the Nyon style this discipline is still standing. In those early days only about a dozen different patterns and designs were available from the Museum in Geneva where a few pieces of porcelain painted in the Nyon style were displayed, but by 1950 I was very happy and proud to have painted my first Tea-Set in six different patterns of the Nyon style. In March 1950 I married and migrated with my husband to Australia. I arrived in Melbourne with very little English but in my luggage were five dials of pigments – cornflower blue, soft green, black green, ochre and Dresden ruby, a jar of fat oil and a couple of small painting brushes. I was going to paint on porcelain in my country of adoption! But, very quickly, I had to change my priorities. Everything was so new and different from where we had came from. We had to find work, lodging, learn a new language so we could communicate with the people around us and specifically adapt ourselves to our new Country’s way of life... China painting in Melbourne in 1955 was very much a ‘closed shop.‘ Not many people knew about this fine art and in desperation a friend wrote on my behalf to ‘Elisabeth’, a broadcaster on the then radio 3DB for a contact. I was given four addresses, including a Miss Burrows who was a renowned china painter living in Footscray. Miss Burrows fired some of my first china painting here in Melbourne and as I admired her style of painting, she told me to keep on painting my little blue flowers as I had been taught in Switzerland. I loved her soft look way of painting but again I had to get my priorities right. We were new settlers soon to bring up a young family and I was also required to help in the development of our new business. There was no time left for china painting. But it was never far from my mind and I continued to buy pieces of
Swiss Club of Victoria
porcelain‌to be painted one day. Twenty years later, again with the encouragement of friends, I found Moira Treacher who was just starting classes in china painting. I was in her second intake of pupils. A few years later I was able to gain a place in Lorraine Hanson’s classes. Then I learnt from Patsy Meldrum for eight years, where I had been applying myself to master those glorious roses and then eight years with Ursula Liebel, where I enjoyed painting in the traditional Dresden style. I have also attended many workshops and have been very fortunate to have been able to participate in so many talented teachers’ seminars. It has been really a lovely interest and hobby for me. I belong to the Victorian Guild of China painters since 1972 and have been accepted as a member of APAT since 1997. I have given many demonstrations and workshops on how to paint in the Nyon style which dates back to 1781-1813. I have been teaching, from my home, exclusively the Nyon style since 1991. Today, I love also painting and experimenting on porcelain using new and different products on offer. But my comfort zone is still painting in the Nyon style. Maybe this preference is because the delicate brush stroke technique of Nyon was the very ďŹ rst technique I learnt. When painting in the Nyon style there are some basic rules to follow, but it can be very versatile thanks to the choice of all the modern shapes available who lend themselves beautifully to painting and decorating in a traditional way. The history of Nyon Porcelain The Nyon Porcelain factory was founded in 1781 by Jacques Dortu and Ferdinand Muller in the small town of Nyon, located on the shore of lake Geneva or Lac Leman as it is known in Switzerland. Jacques Dortu was born in France in 1749 and, very shortly after his birth, his family migrated to Berlin, Germany, due to religious unrest as Dortu’s family was protestant. In 1764, at the age of 15, he started his 3 year apprenticeship as a china painter at the Royal Porcelain Factory in Berlin. It is quite probable that he also learnt all about the composition and the making of ďŹ ne white porcelain here. At the conclusion of his apprenticeship in 1767 he went to Cassel, Germany, where he was registered as a china painter until 1768, and then spent another 2 years in St.Petersburg, Russia. While he was in Russia, Dortu met another china painter named Muller. Dortu came back to France, and went to Marseilles where he painted and also made some high quality white porcelain. He left Marseilles in 1777 for Mariberg, Sweden, where he w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m
reconnected with Muller and together they decided to found a porcelain factory in Nyon, Switzerland. Nobody exactly knows why they chose the locality of Nyon as they had to import all the raw materials to produce and decorate the porcelain, and in those days it must not have been very easy. The kaolin required to make white porcelain had to come from the Limoges region in France, the mineral colours for decorating the porcelain were obtained ďŹ rst from Germany, and later from Basel, Switzerland, and as for the gold, it was obtained from melting gold coins acquired in Lausanne and Geneva. Producing quality hand painted porcelain was the aim of the people behind the running of the Nyon Porcelain factory, and they supplied ďŹ rst class utility ware which adorned the tables of the well off in Switzerland and Russia, as well as the Queen of Naples, the Queen of Spain and Marie Antoinette of France. Unfortunately, the factory was closed after 30 years (1781 to 1813), but even in that short time of activity, what had been created and produced left a very big impact for the history and posterity of china painting in Italy, France, Spain and Russia, but especially in Switzerland where the traditional designs and techniques are still alive today. When the factory closed its doors in 1813, some of the china painters went back to where they had come from to ďŹ nd work again, but many were Swiss citizens who had been taught and trained in the factory and they stayed and painted privately, teaching new artists the Nyon style. According to the archives of the factory, there were over 70 different kinds of ower designs, 17 different designs of garlands and many different combinations for borders and bouquets, all strictly coordinated and devised. There were also landscapes, human scenery, oriental designs and ďŹ gurines. Even today, the designs from the Nyon Porcelain Factory are very much admired and appreciated as they seem to be so perfect in their composition and so timeless. To view galleries of Beatrice’s work, please visit: www.beatricedelacretaz.com
prings S u b r p n e H
and much, much more! Sat 22 Oct, 8pm till late
Thu 20 - Sun 30 Oct (various times) Family history displays and genealogical information Sat 22 Oct at 10.30am Swiss Matterhorn Yodellers, Swiss Companion Singers, Swiss Alpenrose Dancers. Sun 23 Oct & Sun 30 Oct, noon-4pm Family history, photos and meet other descendants
Sun 23 Oct at 10.30am Performances by above mentioned Swiss groups.
correct at time of print. er. *Details ptemb eck website for full deta arly Se ils or S *Ch out e wiss & Italian Festa program
30 Octob 19 to er 201 1
m sta.co lianfe www.swissita
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The famous St.Galler Bratwurst Bratwurst is usually made of pork and in the nature of a stuffed intestine sausage, which is roasted in the pan or on the grill. The designation ‘Bratwurst’ does not come - as many German speakers would think - from today’s German word ‘braten’ meaning ‘to roast’), but from the sausage’s method of manufacture: the word ‘Brät’ (Braten) means small chopped or minced meat. In most areas bratwurst is a fast food of rather inferior quality. In St.Gallen however, the bratwurst was specially developed as a delicacy. As with some wine or cheese, the St.Galler Bratwurst is a legally protected name and to date only 35 butcher/ smallgood enterprises are legitimate and certified producers of this speciality. The city’s tradition of producing this sausage goes back centuries. Indeed, the first St.Galler Bratwurst recipe was issued by the butcher’s guild (Metzgerzunft-Satzung) of 1438:
ages contained only low-grade pork and water, the St.Galler Bratwurst even then contained high quality veal and milk. Apart from pork and veal the product also had to contain meat coming from castrated calves (oxen) that still had their full set of milk teeth. This points to especially tender meat of young animals guaranteeing the high quality of the sausages. It also stipulates that there had to be an estimated three cents worth of oxen meat per sausage and one pound of Speck (bacon) per eight pounds of minced meat. To add inferior cuts such as heart, kidney and neck, was prohibited by law and a fine would be imposed for offenders. The original recipe of the St.Galler Bratwurst, which from early on contained exotic spices such as nutmeg, hasn’t changed much since the middle ages. The only concession to modern times – apart from the improvement of hygiene standards in the manufacturing process – are the casings. They are still made from natural intestines but these days most of them come from Asia and South America where they can be produced much cheaper. So next time you happen to be in St.Gallen, why not try this delicacy from one of the many street vendors, straight from the grill with a thick slice of fresh bread – and remember not to ask for mustard – the citizens of St.Gallen eat their bratwurst strictly without mustard! Editor
Kaffeeklatsch Von den Bratwürsten Item die Bratwürst soellend sy machen von schwininenn Braten, unnd darunter hacken guot kalbelen unnd jung Ochsen mit kalber Zenen unnd das am minsten umm dry Pfening geschetzt sye, und namlich under acht Pfund Braten ain Pfund Speck tuon, und nit minder. Sy soellend och kain Nieren, Hertz noch Halsflaisch dar in hacken, Sy soellend och kain Flaisch dartzuo nemen, es sye denn vor geschetzt wenn sy aber zuo Ziten so sy des bedörffend, Kalbeln oder Ochsen Flaisch mitt kalber Zenen nit finden moegend, so soellend sy kain annder Flaisch dann by der obristen schatzung dartzuo nemen, ze Bousß and 10 ß von yedem mal. The purpose of issuing such a decree was as simple then as it is now: by certifying the quality and origin of the product you create a recognised name and eliminate any potential competition. What differentiated the St.Galler Bratwurst from the rest was the quality of the meat. Whilst most sausages in the middle
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We would like to extend an invitation to all our Senior Citizens (over sixty) to a wonderful afternoon of Coffee, Cakes and a Chat = Kaffeeklatsch, at the Swiss Club.
3UNDAY 3EPTEMBER PM There is no charge for this cosy afternoon, however our Group is thankful for any donations. Please reserve a place by ringing or leaving a message with Marlies Krummenacher 9503 9921 or Rosmarie Oswald 9583 9048. RSVP no later than Monday, 5 September.
Test your Swiss Knowledge - Answers Across: 2. JEAN LOUIS BURCKHARDT; 8. DAVOS; 10. BIOTTA; 12. MICHELINE CALMY REY; 13. EAGLE Down: 1. CAQUELON; 3. GOTTFRIED KELLER; 4. LUGANO; 5. ANDY HUG; 6. LE CORBUSIER; 7. CARNIVAL; 9. VERBIER; 11. POTATO Swiss Club of Victoria
This article appeared in the magazine ‘Schweizer Illustrierte’ under the heading ‘Juchzer aus aller Welt’. It introduces performers from around the world that participated at the ‘Federal Yodelling Festival’ in Interlaken from 16 to 19 June. Ed.
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Manifesto promotes interests of Swiss Abroad The Swiss expatriate community has issued a political manifesto putting its cards on the table for the parliamentary elections on 23 October. The response this initiative gets from the politicians in Switzerland is likely to influence the choices of over half a million expats with the right to take part in the ballot. Clearly determined to occupy a prominent place in federal politics, the Swiss Abroad community is addressing itself directly to parties and candidates running for parliament. They will all receive the 2011 election manifesto of the Organisation of Swiss Abroad (OSA). The Swiss Abroad want to see new legislation on expatriates, simpler rules governing the exercise of political rights outside the national territory, promotion of mobility of Swiss citizens and adequate consular assistance. Also part of the manifesto are demands for improved communication with the expatriate community, increased
weight given to the Council of the Swiss Abroad as representative assembly, and the strengthening and development of Switzerland’s international presence and involvement. These aspirations are now planks in the political platform of the Swiss electorate abroad. It is an electorate scattered across the planet, but “with its heart in Switzerland”. While emotional reasons may prompt expatriates to maintain the link with political life in Switzerland, a realisation of their potential strength has now united them in a common strategy to achieve their objectives.
Legal framework The record of the current parliament is mixed in the view of the Swiss Abroad, says OSA director Rudolf Wyder. There has been progress on electronic voting, but it is still far from being universally implemented. The expatriate community wants things speeded up, he says. For the director of the OSA, one very important step has been the government’s recognition of the need for a coherent policy on the Swiss Abroad. “In the next legislative period, things need to be made concrete,” insists Wyder. For this reason, the first of the seven goals in the manifesto is the creation of a legal framework for such a policy. Throughout the expatriate communities, the feeling has been growing that they are neglected by the Swiss political establishment, which, according to Wyder, is still not really aware of the importance of expatriates for Switzerland. They form a network of international relations, economic, political and cultural, “without which this country would be the poorer. This network needs to be managed with a lot more awareness.”
Face time Some parliamentarians are already conscious of the importance of the Swiss Abroad and are listening to their concerns. They have made contact with the expatriate community, have taken an interest in their concrete problems and have campaigned for election among the community. This year the Swiss in France – which, with 181,462 Swiss citizens, hosts the largest Swiss community abroad – have made politics their focus. At their annual congress held in Bordeaux at the end of April, they invited representatives from the five main parties in the Swiss parliament to expound their positions on various issues. Similar meetings are taking place in other countries. In Germany, Swiss politicians attended an expat conference in Munich earlier this month, and in Britain, the Swiss embassy is sponsoring a September forum on the federal elections.
Swiss Abroad candidates There will be expatriates running for election on 23 October. Most would acknowledge that they have little chance of being elected, but they are serving the cause of the expatriate community, which will gain visibility at home. What’s more, their campaigns are likely to stimulate political debate among the Swiss Abroad and motivate more expats to vote.
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Swiss Club of Victoria
There are no Swiss-Australian candidates running for election. We believe to exercise a parliamentary mandate, you need to live in the country. It is important for the Swiss in Australia to be represented by parliamentarians in Switzerland who know the domestic political stage well. Therefore, we encourage all Swiss in Australia to register to vote and thus be able to influence politics in Switzerland as well as elect parliamentarians that have the interests of the Swiss Abroad at heart. Please contact the Consulate General on (02) 8383 4000 to apply for registration on the electoral roll in your home municipality / canton. Information about the parliamentary elections on 23 October can be found in the ‘Swiss Review’, or on websites such as: • www.aso.ch/de/politik/wahlen-2011/kandidaten • www.swissinfo.ch • www.parlamentswahlen-2011.ch • www.smartvote.ch There is also an election forum on www.swisscommunity.org which provides interesting information. Roland Isler - Council of the Swiss Abroad
Switzerland does not exist but for one reason: Swiss people want it. They want it not because of a common language, traditions or race, but for the will to be free. Eugène Rambert, 1830 –1886
Swiss Abroad increase in number The number of Swiss nationals living abroad is on the rise, as is the number of Swiss people with dual citizenship. At the end of December 2010, there were 695,101 Swiss citizens living abroad. That is 10,127 people – or 1.5% more – than the year before. Swiss expatriates in English-speaking countries in 2010 Figures include dual nationals United States
SWISS CLUB MOVIE ‘Hugo Koblet – Pedaleur de Charme’ Wednesday, 21 September, 8pm Swiss Club, 2nd floor Director: Daniel von Aaburg 2009, Docudrama, 96 min, PG Swiss German, English Subtitles www.hugokoblet.ch Hugo Koblet was the first international cycling star of the post-war period. The son of a baker from Zürich, he was a stylist on the bicycle and in life, a heartthrob for many women. Koblet experienced a meteoric rise and won the Giro d’Italia in 1950. With that he had reached the zenith of his career. Koblet was put under pressure by overly ambitious officials and ruined his health with doping. In 1954 he married a well-known model and they appeared to be a dream couple. After ending his athletic career he began to lose his footing. Threatened by bankruptcy, Koblet crashed his sports car into a tree. It remains unsettled whether it was an accident or suicide. Director Daniel von Aarburg depicts the larger-than-life story of Hugo Koblet with post-war archival footage, re-enacted key scenes and interviews with contemporary witnesses like his perennial adversary Ferdy Kübler.
75,252
Canada
39,186
Britain
29,505
Australia
23,076
South Africa New Zealand Ireland
9,071 6,700 1,449 Swiss nationality only
The Swiss foreign ministry attributes this increase to dual nationals who acquired Swiss citizenship either by birth or naturalisation. In a statement, the ministry noted that there had been a strong rise in the number of dual nationals between December 2009 and December 2010. That figure went up by 8,852 to 502,320. More than 10% of Swiss citizens live abroad. Nearly 60% of them have settled in the European Union – in particular France (181,462), Germany (77,827), Italy (49,187) and Britain (29,505). Outside Europe, the largest groups of Swiss live in the United States (75,252), Canada (39,186) and Australia (23,076). According to continents the ranking is: Europe (429,558), America (174,158), Asia (41,494), Oceania (29,883) and Africa (20,008). In 2010, there was also an increase in the number of Swiss abroad who registered to vote in Switzerland. That figure rose 4.5% to 135,877, which represents just over a quarter of those eligible to vote.
Free for members, non-members gold coin donation. Enjoy dinner at the club, before or after the movie. Please book with the restaurant on 9650 1196.
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Ian Thorpe prepares for Olympics in Switzerland Australian swimming star Ian Thorpe has announced he will train for the 2012 London Olympics in Switzerland. The five-time Olympic gold medallist plans to train with Russian-born swim coach Gennadi Touretski in Tenero, Ticino, for most of the year, while also doing blocks of training in Abu Dhabi and Australia. The 28-year-old described Touretski as one of the best coaches in the world, saying he is “always thinking and is innovative with his training techniques, looking for improvements”. Touretski is currently the head coach at the National Training Centre in Switzerland. Thorpe was the world’s most high profile swimmer until American Michael Phelps arrived on the scene. Last month Thorpe said he would be returning to competitive swimming after more than four years of retirement. He broke 13 long-course world records between 1999 and 2002, winning three gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and two more in the 200 and 400 metre freestyle in the 2004 Athens Olympics.
NOT ICE
2011 Half-Yearly General Meeting of the SCV Notice is hereby given that the Half-Yearly General Meeting of the Swiss Club of Victoria will be held at 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, on:
7EDNESDAY 3EPTEMBER PM Agenda: 1. Opening and Welcome 2. One Minute of Silence 3. Attendance, Apologies, Proxies 4. Adoption of Minutes of Annual General Meeting 2011 5. President’s Report 6. Treasurer’s Report 7. Buildings Report 8. Membership Report 9. General Business 10. Conclusion Please note: Accounts & Financial Statements will be made available to members at the meeting.
Half-Yearly GM Special Start the Half-Yearly General Meeting with a typical Swiss dish. Roger and his team will have a special treat for you. Bookings essential on 9650 1196. A la carte menu also available at regular prices.
Minutes of the 2011 Annual General Meeting of the SCV 9762 3212
.EWSLETTER $EADLINES December Issue: Covering Dec/Jan/Feb 2012 Editorial Deadline: Monday, 7 November Mailing: Wednesday, 23 November
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(ELD 7EDNESDAY -ARCH at 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 1. Opening and Welcome The President of the Swiss Club of Victoria, Mrs Barbara Kündig, opened the Annual General Meeting at 8.15pm and welcomed the Honorary Life Members and Members of the Swiss Club. She thanked everyone for attending; a total of 65 voting members were present, which formed a quorum. Bruce Legg, our auditor, was an apology. Swiss Club of Victoria
2. One Minute of Silence Barbara invited all members to stand up and observe one minute of silence to remember our friends and members who have left us. Our sympathies go to their families. We will remember them. 3. Apologies Klaus Angst, Allen Aylett, Felix Blatt, Tony Boll, Richard Bowen, Rita Brockman, Sarah Cather, Gwenda Clarke-Seiler, Gertrud Corcoran, Ernst & Joyce Dornbierer, Corinne Duggan, Gwen Eckhardt, Susan & Remy Favre, Melanie Fontolliet, Nelly Flynn, Fritz Hochuli, Ernie Hugli, Hans Hurlimann, Othmar & Angela Jaeggi, Christa Keller, Erika Kimpton, Joan Kirsten, Edith Koller, Paul Kramer, Bruce Legg, Doris Marr, Hanni Martin, Heidi & Bruno Monti, Jill Muller, Terry Mylvaganam, Rosmarie & Bruno Oswald, Wolfram Pacher, Angela & Roberto Petruzzi, Ruth Plagge, Martin Probst, Marc Rawnsley, Kurt Rietmann, Hilda Scheiber, Fritz Schwab, Rita & Herbert Schwärzler, Ilona & Vincent Smits, Eileen Spieler, Sybille Steiner, Renate Triffett, Marianne Waites, Catrin & Herbert Weber, Colin Wilkinson, John Wipfli, Momo & Michael Wyrsch, Felix Wyss, Rosemarie Zihlmann, Karl Zingre. Proxy Form received from: Sybille Steiner 4. Adoption of Minutes of Half-Yearly General Meeting 2010 The Minutes of the Half-Yearly General Meeting, held Wednesday, 15 September 2010, were published in the March 2011 newsletter. The minutes had been read and are a true record. They were moved by Roland Isler and seconded by Franz Schnellmann. All in favour. 5. President’s Report “Dear honorary life members, honorary members and members of the Swiss Club. Thank you for attending this year’s AGM. It is great to see so many members present. Another year has gone, a new decade started. Time just seems to fly. Overall, I would say 2010 was a good and calm year for the Swiss Club of Victoria. We had lots to celebrate with the renewal of the Second Floor. After a rather big year of having to farewell many longstanding members in 2009, last year was thankfully much calmer. Our thoughts go to all our members who did not do so well last year. May 2011 be better and happier for you. The events of the first half of 2010 were reported on in the Half-Yearly meeting. The minutes were published in the March ‘Edelweiss’. In October, we officially opened the Second Floor to the public with a ceremony attended by the Ambassador of Switzerland, Dr Daniel Woker and Mrs Woker. The feedback for the room was very positive. Our most precious asset is our members. Without them, no Swiss Club and thus no building would exist. The committee wants to acknowledge and thank you, the members, for your contribution. New members are invited to a welcome get together, members who reach 40 year of membership and are over 70 become Honorary Live Members. What about all the years in between? The committee decided to do something for the majority of us members. We started a member recognition program to honour 10, w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m
20 and 30 years of membership. In September we invited all the 10+ members and then in November the 20+ and 30+ members to a get together on The Second Floor. It was also a great opportunity to show the room in a function situation to our members. The members who joined us seemed to have had a great time. We have invited to today’s AGM members who weren’t able to attend these two functions and once we cleared up the ‘backlog’ so to speak, we will regularly invite new eligible members to our AGM. The Christmas period was busy with the Samichlaus Breakfast organised by Gerda Probst and the Swiss Senior Christmas function which was once again kindly sponsored by the Swiss Society. It was hosted at the Swiss Club and organised by Rita Schwärzler with the support and hard work of the Trachtengruppe Schwyzergruess. The Companion Singers and the Dance Group provided the entertainment. These two functions are very important events for our community as they address the needs of Swiss families as well as the needs of the senior Swiss. The club closed down for the Christmas period,
Proxy Form for the Half-Yearly General Meeting 2011 of the Swiss Club of Victoria To: the Secretary of the Swiss Club of Victoria (please use block letters) I being a member of the Swiss Club of Victoria, my address being:
hereby appoint:
his/her address being:
being another member of the Swiss Club of Victoria, to vote for me and on my behalf at the Half-Yearly General Meeting of the Swiss Club of Victoria to be held on Wednesday, 14 September 2011 and at every adjournment thereof. Signed by hand this
day of
2011
Signature: Note: Only members who are entitled to vote, having paid their subscription, or being Honorary Life Members, may represent other members as proxy. Proxy forms must be handed to the Secretary at least 48 hours before the meeting is to take place.
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with Roger taking a well deserved trip to Switzerland. MidJanuary our social year started again. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the interest group leaders for all their hard work and dedication in organising their groups. Thank you to Sylvia Hochuli – Dance Group Alpenrose; Heidy Giger – Companion Singers and Ladies Luncheon; Andrea Pinch – Swiss School and Familienplausch; Ingrid Preston – Swiss Playgroup; Louis Schneider – Billiard and Rolf Huber – Swiss Festival Committee. Your efforts are very much appreciated. Over the next couple of months we will have a Jass evening on 26 March, the Swiss Festival on 3 April, the Unterhaltungsabend of the Dance Group Alpenrose on 14 May and the next Movie Night at the Club on 18 May. Hope you can join us. I would like to thank Roland Isler for all his hard work and great efforts on our quarterly Newsletter, the ‘Edelweiss’. It is always a pleasure to read it. Sadly, the Saturday Morning Swiss School and the Familienplausch are still not doing so well. There just does not seem to be interest among Swiss families. We have interested parties to teach, but somehow the families don’t seem to want to get engaged. It is a shame and maybe if you know of families interested, please let them know. The Second Floor is almost completely done. We are still waiting for the installation of panels on the kitchen pass so that the kitchen can be closed off, as well as some minor kitchen modification in order to get the kitchen approved by council. The committee is still working out how to best market the room. During the past six months we had several members renting the room as well as some outside functions. It is a slower process than we initially planned. There are time restrictions on the committee and after all this energy we put into the renovation process plus all general items we have to attend to manage our club, there was just not more to be done. We are still trying to work out various scenarios. We put an ad in the last newsletter, inquiring if among the members there would be someone interested to help us market the room. However, so far there has not been a response. If you know of someone, please let us know. Overall, we finished the year with a loss, but that includes depreciation. Our tenants pay regularly and on time. While the Second Floor is at the moment not yet income positive, there is some regular income with the Comedy Festival from 27 March – 27 April at a rental of $4,510, up from last year’s rental. Our interest groups won’t be able to use The Second Floor during that time. We thank them for their understanding. The Australian Society of Magicians is renting The Second Floor at an increased rental of $2,770 per year for 11 meetings. During the year, we had some unplanned, unexpected expenses. The water and electricity was metered incorrectly, thus we suddenly ended up with large outstanding utility bills. In addition, the glass doors in Terra Rossa had to be replaced at a cost of $3,500 and then the cost of the elevator back in March 2010. On a positive note, our cash flow remains positive and there is money in the bank. Derrick will give you further details during the Treasurer’s Report. Now let’s talk about the committee. Sadly, it is time to say good-bye to two committee members. After four years of great effort and contributions, Gerda Probst, our Secretary, and
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Patrick Rychner, Communications have decided to retire. I very much regret seeing them go. Gerda and Patrick have greatly contributed to the committee and the advancement of the Swiss Club. They are both wonderful individuals and we thank them so very much for all their time, energy, enthusiasm and sheer hard work volunteering for the Swiss Club. We will miss you and wish you and your families all the best. With Gerda retiring, the position of secretary becomes open and thus far there is no taker. Damian will be taking over the portfolio of communications from Patrick. I close by saying thank you to my Committee for all their hard work and input. The group is at the moment smaller, the work though not less. All the work Derrick, Rolf, Damian, Tony and Sigrid do is very much appreciated. Thank you. Thank you also to you the members for supporting our club throughout the year by coming to the restaurant, attending functions and giving us your feedback. A big thank you also to Roger Moullet and his team for taking good care of us at the restaurant.” 6. Treasurer’s Report Financial details as of 31 December 2010: ASSETS Cash / Bank Account ..............................................$ 77,654 Land & Building .....................................................$ 1,145,046 TOTAL ASSETS ..................................................$ 1,222,700 LIABILITIES Accounts Payable ...................................................$ Bank Loan. .............................................................$
(4) 315,878
TOTAL LIABILITIES ...........................................$ 315,874 EQUITY Members Fund .......................................................$ Loss 2010 ...............................................................$
941,480 (34,654)
TOTAL EQUITY ..................................................$ 906,826 TOTAL INCOME ................................................$ 147,398 TOTAL EXPENSES. ............................................$ 182,052 OPERATING RESULT .........................................$ (34,654) The leased kitchen equipment of our restaurant was fully paid off by mid 2010. Extraordinary expenses that lead to the loss in 2010 were as follows: Shortfall Rent 2nd floor .......................................... $ Electricity Bill (back charges................................... $ Water Bill (back charges ........................................ $ Elevator .................................................................. $ Purchases 2nd floor ............................................... $ Total ....................................................................... $
8,000 4,500 5,000 11,000 6,000 34,500
The Outlook for 2011 is an expected balanced income / cost ratio. Building maintenance is a big variable and difficult to predict and operations costs will be increasing; adequate cost controls are in place. The current depreciation amounts are adequate and will increase over the coming years. Rental income for ground (price review in 2011) and 1st floor Swiss Club of Victoria
(extension of lease with Roger) will remain a main income stream, but the focus for 2011 will be on generating income for The Second Floor. Albert Forster inquired about the frequency of the elevator inspection. Derrick advised that the hydraulic elevator and dumbwaiter are inspected monthly; this is to ensure we do all we can to keep it working, safe and maintained appropriately. The financial report for 2010 was moved by Albert Forster, seconded by Pat Calabresi. 61 favour – 4 against. 7. Election of Auditor Bruce Legg has offered to stand as auditor for the coming year. The appointment was moved by Franz Schnellmann and seconded by Marcel Muntwyler. 60 in favour – 1 against. 8. Election of Office Bearers Gerda Probst and Patrick Rychner retired from the committee. Antony Anderson and Sigrid de Castella agreed to serve another term on the committee, and their signed nomination forms have been displayed at the club’s notice board for the preceding two weeks; no other nominations were received. Antony Anderson - Proposed by Marcel Muntwyler, seconded by Greg Bowles. 63 in favour, 2 against. Sigrid de Castella - Proposed by Patrick Albert, seconded by Marcel Muntwyler. All in favour 9. General Business Swiss Festival: Rolf Huber addressed the members and asked for support via donations, sponsoring and volunteering. All profit will go back into the community groups. Flyers and posters were handed out to attending Swiss Club members for distribution. Social Media: Damian Schaller stressed the importance of Social Media in today’s world. With the help of these sites, we can reach immense numbers of people within a very short time and at no financial expense. During one single month of posting daily specials and information on the SCV Facebook page we obtained a 1400% increase in visitation. Over 35% of new joining members on Facebook are over the age of 50. Another site where we are promoting the Swiss Club is ‘LinkedIn’ which is targeting business professionals and businesses. If you are already on the internet and within the Social Media, please pass on our posts and messages in order to reach more people and thus promote the club.
30 Years: Urs Biedermann, Pat Calabresi, Francis Clausen, Béatrice Delacrétaz, Franz & Patricia Doos, Fred Dumar, Anton & Yvonne Erb, Rene Gehrig, Tony & Ann Hyams, Bruno & Ida Jenny, Roger & Joan Kirsten, Margrit Meier, Christian & Mary Salathe, Louis & Margrit Schneider, Fritz Schwab, Christian & Irma Thalmann, Marcel & Trudi Theiler, Paul Thompson 20 Years: Roland Maeder, Elisabeth McAlister 10 Years: Jakob & Margarete Fatzer, Inge Kulmanis, Ruth Lambrides, Roger Moullet, Beat Stuber, Martin Weber, Ross Weber, Noel & Vreni Walsh Questions and Comments: Roland Isler mentioned that there is a keen German teacher at his school who was disappointed to learn that there were no Swiss children to be taught. He suggested implementing a German course for adults. Interested people should please contact Roland. Roland Isler expressed his gratitude of Gerda’s contribution to the newsletter in terms of efficiency. He thanked her for all her work and support during the past years. Roland Isler voiced his concern about the succession within the committee. He feels that we have lost time recruiting within the committee and urges current committee members to stand to the challenge and consider becoming president in 2012. The committee should be actively looking for new committee members. 10. Conclusion Barbara closed the Annual General Meeting by thanking all present for their continuous interest in and support of the Swiss Club of Victoria. The meeting closed at 9.40pm and all members were invited for a drink at the bar. Minutes taken as a correct record by Gerda Probst, Secretary.
From a 1952 Tourist Map of Switzerland
Membership Update: The club currently has 449 members. Derrick explained how we will be handling the updating of the database going forward, and showed various statistics on age, language etc. of the members. 75% members have paid their membership for 2011 so far. Email addresses are used to advertise upcoming events and will serve for commercial purposes. Member Recognition Program: The following members attended the AGM and were awarded Swiss Club Pins in recognition of 10, 20 and 30 years of membership respectively:
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Swiss Events & Functions Please note that this calendar also list events other than those organised by the Swiss Club of Victoria and its subgroups. Please book all Swiss Club functions (bold entries) with Roger, phone 9650 1196 or fax 9650 3104 and check website for latest information and details of upcoming events. For all other events please contact the relevant organisation (see page 3 for contact details).
SEPTEMBER
Thursday Wednesday Saturday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Wednesday Friday
OCTOBER
Thursday 06 Friday 14 Saturday 15 Sat/Sun 22/23
Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand entertains at the Club Billiard Competition - Swiss Club Single Championship Familienplausch Companion Singers & Dancers perform at Swiss & Italian Festa
NOVEMBER
Wednesday Thursday Monday Wednesday Saturday
02 03 07 09 12
Ladies’ Luncheon Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand entertains at the Club ‘Edelweiss’ - Editorial Deadline December issue Fahrt ins Blaue (Mystery Trip) - Trachtengruppe Schwyzergruess Familienplausch
DECEMBER
Thursday Saturday Sunday Friday
01 03 11 23
Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand entertains at the Club Senior Christmas Afternoon Tea (by invitation) Samichlaus Event Club Restaurant closes after dinner (reopens on Monday, 9 January 2012 for lunch)
01 07 10 10 11 14 21 30
Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand entertains at the Club Ladies’ Luncheon Familienplausch Jass Night - Swiss Club (Finals) Kaffeeklatsch - Trachtengruppe Schwyzergruess Half-Yearly General Meeting Swiss Movie Night: “Hugo Koblet - Pedaleur de Charme” “Swiss Images” Competition closes (see p 5 for details)
OTHER REGULAR SWISS CLUB MEETINGS: Committee Meetings: every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month Swiss Folk Dance Group Alpenrose: practice every Tuesday evening at 8.15pm Swiss Companion Singers: practice and social gathering every 2nd and 3rd Thursday of each month at 8pm Familienplausch: monthly on Saturday (check for calendar above for dates), from 1pm to 4pm Swiss German Playgroup: every 1st Thursday of each month from 11am to 2pm The Swiss Diners Club: dates for get-together can be found on www.swiss.org.au or on our Yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/ group/YoungSwissMelbourne
SWISS NEWS, WORLD WIDE
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Swiss Club of Victoria
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o on National Day Celebration
THE
RO U CLU
T
ABOU D N B
IS SW S
LLampionumzug i Lantern Procession
Amaryllis Quartet
Jass Championship
Senior Members’ Luncheon