REGISTERED BY AUSTRALIA POST - PUBLICATION No. VBH 6369
DECEMBER 2011
The Swiss & Italian Festa, Hepburn Springs 22 & 23 October
Last year, most outdoor activities had to be cancelled due to the atrocious weather conditions. Naturally everyone was hoping that this year’s Swiss & Italian Festa would not see a repeat of 2010, but it turned out to be touch and go! Friday night, as we drove up to Daylesford, dark clouds were rolling in, bringing with them heavy downpours. Fog and rain persisted until Saturday morning, but shortly before the procession started at 10.30am the gods showed mercy and the sun started to make an appearance. The Festa recognises the role played by the early Swiss and Italians who migrated to Victoria in search of gold and a better life. The discovery of gold in the 1850s prompted an exodus from the poverty-stricken Valle Maggia, Val Verzasca and other parts of Ticino and southern Grison. Between 1854 and 1856 almost 2000 Ticinesi and Grigioni had left for the famous Jim Crow goldfields, which is today’s Daylesford/Hepburn Springs. Many Italians from regions bordering Switzerland also settled there. Solidarity between Swiss and Italians was strong due to
their common language. They left a very distinct imprint on the culture and landscape of this beautiful part of Victoria. Many descendants sill live in the region and much of it has survived to the present day. The Swiss Club of Victoria was represented once again by the Swiss Companion Singers and the Folkdance Group Alpenrose. Back from its successful participation at the Federal Yodelling Festival in Interlaken, the Swiss Yodel Choir Matterhorn also made an appearance. There was even some rather unexpected excitement as thick smoke was bellowing from the roof of the building next to where we had dinner on Saturday night. Luckily the local fire brigade was at the scene within minutes and the old weatherboard house could be saved before the flames took hold of it. www.swissitalianfesta.com Editor
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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
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 SwissKids Convenor: Esther Blaser-Tokarev T: (03) 8521 3739 M: 0424 220 523 E: esther.blaser@gmx.ch
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
COMMITTEE
The Swiss Diners Club Convenor: Damian Schaller M: 0410 461 364 E: damianschaller@swiss.org.au
Barbara Kündig President T/F (H): (03) 9005 4938 M: 0402 018 363 E: barbara@swiss.org.au
Swiss Festival Chairman: Rolf Huber T/F (H): (03) 9807 0282 M (B): 0425 805 854 E: rolf@swissfestival.com.au
Rolf Huber Immediate Past President T/F (H): (03) 9807 0282 M (B): 0425 805 854 E: rhuber@swiss.org.au
SWISS COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS
Postal address and further information for all above see: W: www.eda.admin.ch/australia
Swiss Society of Victoria (Benevolent Society) President: Franz Schnellmann T: (03) 9449 2245, M: 0412 203 893 E: schnellmann@dodo.com.au
Organisation of the Swiss Abroad Council Member: Roland Isler Contact details: see below under Editor W: www.aso.ch / www.swiss.org.au/csa
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 Marketing Manager M: 0410 461 364 E: damianschaller@swiss.org.au w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m
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 Unless otherwise stated, postal address for all is: 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Vic 3000
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 Consulate of Switzerland T: (03) 9824 7527, M: 0413 042 728 E: melbourne@honrep.ch
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
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President’s Message Dear members and friends of the Swiss Club, I trust you will enjoy reading our last edition of the Edelweiss for the year. Once again our fabulous editor, Roland, has put together a very informative and entertaining 3WISS #LUB .EWSLETTER WHICH is not only interesting for the Swiss among our readership but ALSO GIVES MEMBERS MAYBE NOT QUITE FAMILIAR WITH 3WITZERLAND its customs and people a glimpse in what makes the Swiss and 3WITZERLAND TICK
Thank you! You have been wonderful this year! Many thanks from all of us for all your energy, goodwill and generosity in making the Swiss Club a great club and a Swiss home away from home:
4HE #OMPANION 3INGERS AND THE &OLKDANCE 'ROUP !LPENROSE participated this year again at the Swiss & Italian Festa in October. Thank you to the groups for representing the Swiss Club and showing a wider community Swiss traditions and culture.
Our thanks also go to the partners and families for giving each of you the time and space to be active in the Swiss Club.
The Committee is still looking for committee members. We are counting on the support of our members to help us out. We are certain there are lots of talented members out there. Please consider getting involved and volunteer your time as so many have done before.
s 2OLAND )SLER .EWSLETTER %DITOR
!LLE *AHRE WIEDERxAS THEY SAY IN 'ERMAN THE YEAR IS SLOWLY coming to an end and the Festive Season is upon us. I always ďŹ nd it a bit difďŹ cult to get in the spirit of it. Having grown up in 3WITZERLAND THE -ELBOURNE 3UMMER AND #HRISTMAS JUST DON T SEEM to work for me or at least the things I associate with Christmas. But I guess we can always come up with our own traditions!
s 3YLVIA (OCHULI &OLK $ANCE 'ROUP !LPENROSE Seniors activities
However you decide to celebrate your Festive Season, I join the Committee in wishing you a peaceful and relaxing time, a wonderful Christmas and the very best for 2012. We hope the Swiss Club will feature in it a lot! Barbara KĂźndig - President
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s 2ITA 3CHWĂ‹RZLER 3ENIORS ACTIVITIES s ,OUIS 3CHNEIDER "ILLIARD s 2OLF (UBER 3WISS &ESTIVAL #OMMITTEE s $AMIAN 3CHALLER 3WISS $INERS #LUB s !NTONY !NDERSON 3IGRID DE #ASTELLA 2OLF (UBER "ARBARA +Ă NDIG 'ERDA 0ROBST 0ATRICK 2YCHNER Damian Schaller, Derrick Wildi - present and past members of the Swiss Club Committee
Newsletter Deadlines 2012
Customised English Written and Oral Communication Skills for Professionals. s s s s s
"USINESS 7RITING 3KILLS 3PEAKING 3KILLS !USTRALIAN 7ORKPLACE )NDUCTIONS )N #OMPANY #ONSULTANCY /NLINE 3OLUTIONS
4EL %MAIL INFO SOLUTIONSLINGUA COM www.solutionslingua.com
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March Issue: #OVERING -ARCH !PRIL -AY %DITORIAL $EADLINE -ONDAY *ANUARY Mailing: Wednesday, 15 February June Issue: #OVERING *UNE *ULY !UGUST %DITORIAL $EADLINE -ONDAY !PRIL Mailing: Wednesday, 16 May September Issue: #OVERING 3EPT /CT .OV %DITORIAL $EADLINE -ONDAY !UGUST -AILING 7EDNESDAY !UGUST December Issue: #OVERING $EC *AN &EB %DITORIAL $EADLINE -ONDAY .OVEMBER -AILING 7EDNESDAY .OVEMBER
Swiss Club of Victoria
Planning your private or business Christmas Party? The Second Floor is the perfect venue! Contact 1300 893 968 for information & bookings.
Welcome to our new members We welcome Mark Allaby, Esther Blaser-Tokarev, Jon Stanford, Marc Steimle, Camilla Steimle, Karin Thompson, Samantha Treyvaud, Ben Treyvaud, Philip Treyvaud, Victoria Treyvaud, Karin Thompson and Scott Thompson. We are looking forward to meeting you at one of our forthcoming functions.
Congratulations Congratulations and best wishes to Gerda & Martin Probst AND PROUD BIG SISTER .ADJA ON THE BIRTH OF THEIR BEAUTIFUL BOY brother Oliver Matthew, born on 21 September 2011.
Smile! Swiss-German is turning English. Check out the SWISS )NTERNATIONAL !IRLINES WEBSITE www.swiss.com/web/Documents/dini_swiss.html ,AST -INĂ‹T ,AST -INUTE 2EISEMĂ‹NĂ‹TSCHER 4RAVEL -ANAGER 3AITMĂ‹P 3ITE -AP "ISNĂ‹SS "USINESS 4SCHĂ‹GG IN #HECK IN
Franz & Sue Schnellmann are able to celebrate the birth of their fourth grandchild. Peter and Tammy are the proud parents OF #ELINA -ARIE BORN ON THE .OVEMBER
!ND MY FAVOURITE 7ĂšRLDWAID 3PESCHĂ‹LSx
Happy birthday
www.swiss.com/web/Documents/tia_swiss.html
!NBELIFABL BAT TRU !ND IT EVEN COMES IN 2OMANSH AS WELL
to the following members who were celebrating their milestone birthdays recently: Lore Zipsin and Anastasia de Castella could commemorate their 80th, while Kenneth Lamin celebrated his 85th. We congratulate you and wish you good health in many years to come!
Get well Due to health problems Fritz Hochuli & Pat Doos had to stay in hospital recently. We wish them both the best for a speedy recovery and we hope to see you again soon.
The last farewell We are saddened by the passing of Fred Staehli who died 22 September 2011. Our sincere condolences go to his wife Margaret and family. Please also see page 6. Our Honorary Life member Hans Ochsenbein passed away ON .OVEMBER /UR DEEPEST SYMPATHIES GO TO HIS WIFE Erika, his son Simon and to all other family members. 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.
With the singers and the yodlers we enjoyed a wonderful weekend at the Swiss & Italian Festa in Hepburn Springs. We look forward to join those groups again for a concert at the nursing homes. The last performance this year will be at the Seniors Christmas afternoon. To all our friends, thank you for the support. To the Swiss Club and Roger Moullet thank you for letting us use the premises for our practice and thank you for your generosity. Our next ‘Unterhaltungsabend’ is on May 12 2012. Keep the date in mind.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all members! w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m
On behalf of the Dance group, I wish you all a peaceful Festive Season and good health in the New Year. Sylvia Hochuli
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Fred Staehli &RED 3TAEHLI WAS BORN IN "ERN 3WITZERLAND where he spent his childhood. He was the FOURTH OF l VE CHILDREN !FTER COMPLETING primary and secondary school in Bern he BECAME AN APPRENTICE AIRCRAFT MECHANIC !S a young man Fred was always interested in glider planes. In 1942, right in the middle of the Second World War, at the age of 18 year Fred was conscripted into the Swiss !IR &ORCE TO DO COMPULSORY NATIONAL SERVICE 7HILE STATIONED IN $Ă BENDORF DEFENDING 3WITZERLAND S NEUTRAL BORDERS &RED MET Margaret Ballerini. Margaret was born IN #HUR #ANTON 'RISONS HER PARENT S only surviving child but grew up in (UMMELWALD 4OGGENBURG !S A SMALL GIRL her mother took her on many hikes in the surrounding hills and mountains and Margaret still remembers HOLDING ONTO HER MOTHER S HAND BUT BEING SO TIRED THAT SHE would fall asleep while her feet kept walking. Margaret liked the native ora and fauna but what she really loved to do was caring for people and looking after children. She became a nurse and worked in a clinic for people suffering from Tuberculosis, Later on Margaret got a job as a nanny in family WHO OWNED A LARGE CAFĂ? BAKERY IN $Ă BENDORF WHERE THE AIR force men would spend some of their free time and that is where Margaret and Fred met. In 1950 they married and that same year set out on a trip AROUND THE WORLD 4HEY LEFT BY BOAT FROM .APOLI TO !USTRALIA but when they arrived in Melbourne they decided not to go any further. They stayed in a guest house in South Yarra for some time where soon their ďŹ rst child Barbara was born. Fred was passionate about ying and was determined to PURSUE A CAREER AS A PILOT AND APPLIED TO !USTRALIAN !IRLINES as a trainee. Unfortunately the cut off age for the traineeship was 26 and Fred had just celebrated that birthday. This was a huge disappointment to him but in September 1950 Fred was offered a job at Wipi Plastics in Rosslyn Street, West Melbourne as a toolmaker and they moved into a rented property in East Melbourne and later bought their ďŹ rst home in Brunswick. When the owner of Wipi Plastics died the company was bought out and Fred decided to change jobs taking up a position with the Ford Motor Company as a plastics designer in the plant at CampbellďŹ eld. ! FEW YEARS LATER &RED AND -ARGARET NEEDED MORE SPACE for their growing family and moved to the rural outskirts of Melbourne. East Doncaster in 1966 was full of orchards and dirt roads, a wonderful place for Sylvia, Peter and Linda to grow up. &RED S WORK AT &ORD DURING THIS TIME WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND he rose to a management position in the Plastics plant and became a well-respected supervisor who lived by example working long hours and generously sharing his extensive knowledge and skills with his colleagues. He had found a job THAT REALLY SUITED HIM -ARGARET ALSO FOUND LIFE S PASSION AND
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became a well known Yoga Teacher, living and teaching its philosophy. !S -ELBOURNE GREW THE TRAVELLING from East Doncaster to CampbellďŹ eld became more and more difďŹ cult and time consuming. Margaret and Fred both shared a love of nature and animals and had always longed to live in the countryside. In 1973 they found a new home in Tyaak near Broadford where the rolling hills reminded them of 3WITZERLAND 4HEIR PARADISE WAS CREATED through hours of physical labour, hard WORK AND DEDICATION AND WITH &RED S many skills plus the ability to ďŹ x and make things; their beautiful home and surroundings took shape. !T THAT TIME -ARGARET RUN YOGA CLASSES in many places but also drove countless kilometres every week working as a volunteer to enrich the lives of the many people with disabilities living in large institutions. For this dedicated work Margaret received a community award. Throughout their many years together Fred and Margaret travelled widely indulging their passion for experiencing and APPRECIATING THE BEAUTY OF THE !USTRALIAN BUSH AND TOOK THE children on many camping holidays when they were younger. !FTER RETIRING -ARGARET AND &RED TOURED AROUND !USTRALIA WITH a caravan for several months. This trip was a real highlight and THEY WOULD ALWAYS ENJOY TALKING ABOUT THEIR AMAZING TRAVELLING experiences. During 61 years of marriage they made many lifelong friends including co-workers at Wipi and at the Swiss Club. They loved to go to the Club functions and listen to the music and dance. Fred was a proud honorary life member. &RED DIED IN 3EPTEMBER THIS YEAR AND -ARGARET LIVES IN +ILMORE where she continues to be involved in the lives of family AND FRIENDS !T THE AGE OF SHE STILL RUNS YOGA CLASSES AT the retirement village where she lives and cares for her local community. Written by Marianne Bishop with the assistance of Fred and Margaret’s daughter Barbara
Part of German Language program on Melbourne 93.1fm
Tune into news, information and entertainment about EVERYTHING THAT IS 3WISS IN 3WITZERLAND AND DOWNUNDER Ursula Schappi presents an informative half-hour program in Swiss-German. Every Sunday from 8:30 to 9pm on 93.1fm 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
Swiss Club of Victoria
Wine & Cheese Tasting Wednesday, 24 August 7HERE WOULD YOU RATHER BE ON A COLD WINTER S DAY 7ELL AT THE Swiss Club of Victoria, of course, tasting Wine & Cheese. This is exactly what many members and guests had in mind when they took up the offer of the Swiss Club to attend a Wine & Cheese Tasting event on the Second Floor. The evening promised to be a heartwarming and enjoyable affair at the club. In fact the evening was oversubscribed and some people without reservation had to be turned away. Hosted by the Swiss Club and in cooperation with Peter Lehmann Wines of the Barossa, which is owned by the Hess FAMILY IN "ERN AND +ING )SLAND $AIRY NOW PART OF .ATIONAL Foods, a formal wine tasting went under way. Malcolm Stopp, .ATIONAL 0UBLIC 2ELATIONS -ANAGER FOR 0,7 AND 5ELI "ERGER CHEESE MAKER FROM 3WITZERLAND FOR +)$ PULLED OUT ALL STOPS to match up wines with cheese and to educate all present. Malcolm and Ueli are true professionals in their ďŹ eld and know how to entertain a crowd with knowledge and wit. For those who wanted to further indulge in the good things of life Roger Moullet at the Swiss Club Restaurant had prepared A THREE COURSE MEAL WHICH INCLUDED RECIPES USING +ING )SLAND cheese and Peter Lehmann wines. The Swiss Club would like to thank our sponsors Malcolm Stopp and Ueli Berger for their generous support and I also encourage our members to buy wines & cheese from these producers.
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The following wines were presented: On Arrival s "AROSSA "LONDE White Wines s %DEN 6ALLEY $RY 2IESLING s 7IGAN 2IESLING s "AROSSA 3EMILLON s -ARGARET 3EMILLON Red Wines s "AROSSA #ABERNET 3AUVIGNON s -ENTOR #ABERNET 3AUVIGNON s "AROSSA 3HIRAZ s %IGHT 3ONGS 3HIRAZ Dessert/FortiďŹ ed Wines s "OTRYTIS 3EMILLON s 4HE +ING 6INTAGE 0ORT 4HESE WINES ARE AVAILABLE AT ANY GOOD LIQUOR STORE IN !USTRALIA And the cheese: s +ING )SLAND #APE 7ICKHAM "RIE s +ING )SLAND "LACK ,ABEL "RIE s +ING )SLAND 3URPRISE "AY #HEDDAR s +ING )SLAND 3TOKES 0OINT 3MOKED Cheddar s +ING )SLAND 2OARING &ORTIES "LUE s (EIDI 2ACLETTE These cheeses are for sale at the deli section in supermarkets. Rolf Huber
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Switzerland’s ďŹ nest photos
www.swissphotos4u.com
www.switzerland-photos.com
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Damian Schaller, Marketing Manager
www.swiss-image.ch
www.Swiss-History.com
Everyone treasures photographs taken during holidays to 3WITZERLAND n BUT SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT l ND THAT THE WEATHER ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY WASN T QUITE PERFECT OR THAT THE PHOTO JUST DIDN T TURN OUT THE WAY YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD )N THIS EPISODE OF MY WEBSURF COLUMN ) M FOCUSING on internet destinations featuring some of 3WITZERLAND S l NEST PHOTOS WHICH YOU CAN download to your computer and replace your not-so-perfect photo with a brilliant one. www.swiss-image.ch provides high-resolution images mainly for accredited press and for tourism operators. In particular, they feature PICTURES FROM EVENTS IN 3WITZERLAND SUCH AS THE 7%& OR THE !UTOMOBILE 3ALON IN 'ENEVA &OR USE in press articles the images are free of charge, for any other use a small fee applies. Photos depicting scenery, customs, politics and many more subjects can be found on the homepage of www.swissworld. org. These images are ideal if you are looking to create a PRESENTATION OR SEND AN E CARD TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY ! SPECIAL SECTION ABOUT @3WISSNESS FEATURES SOME UNUSUAL SCENES WHICH ARE UNIQUE TO 3WITZERLAND Beautiful alpine scenery for your own homepage can be downloaded from www.swissimages.net. Shots taken at sunrise or sunset with perfect lighting conditions and weather ARE DISPLAYED AGAINST THE STUNNING BACKDROP OF THE 3WISS !LPS !NY PICTURES WITHOUT THE COPYRIGHT WATERMARK ARE FREE FOR YOUR own use. www.switzerland-photos.com displays some magniďŹ cent shots from our home country which you might ďŹ nd used in
ADVERTISING !MONG OTHERS IMAGES DEPICT A RANGE OF PEOPLE IN pursuit of outdoor adventures. This page is available in German, French and English. &OR WALLPAPERS FOR YOUR 7INDOWS OR !PPLE OPERATING SYSTEM visit www.swissphotos4u.com which offers a wide range n FROM FAMOUS HOTELS TO GREAT VISTAS AND BEAUTIFUL SCENERY #ATEGORIES INCLUDE 3WITZERLAND IN WINTER 3WISS NATURE AND THE 3WISS .ATIONAL 0ARK If you are looking for an image from a particular city you might ďŹ nd some photos you like on www.pictures-switzerland.com. Each city has its own page and next to some interesting FACTS YOU LL l ND HUNDREDS OF HIGH RESOLUTION images for use on your computer. The section about the “Wrestling Festivalâ€? could come in handy if you ever ďŹ nd yourself having to explain 3CHWINGE TO !USTRALIANS www.Swiss-History.com offers an array of images in CONNECTION WITH THE HISTORY OF 3WITZERLAND "LACK AND WHITE photos, paintings and old maps are all listed according to timelines and important historical events making it easy to ďŹ nd material for your kids next school assignment about the Helvetic Confederation. !N IMAGE SEARCH ON 'OOGLE WILL REVEAL MANY MORE SOURCES for great Swiss photos, however when using images from the web for commercial purposes always make sure you ask the copyright owner (the person who took the photograph) for permission to use it. If you would like to share some of your own pictures on our new homepage www.swissclubvic.com please send them to me via email to damianschaller@me.com
Swiss Club of Victoria
Kaffeeklatsch Sunday, 11 September It was the perfect place for the group to showcase Swiss culture by wearing the beautiful costumes. The Seniors received a very warm welcome. The delicious cake buffet had something for everyone. Conversations in the Swiss dialects, supported by lots of laughter were heard throughout the club. On behalf of the group, I like to say a big thank you to the Swiss Club and Roger Moullet for letting us use the premises. 4O OUR SUPPORTIVE MEMBERS TO THE @3CHWING #LUB AND THE 3WISS 3OCIETY THANK you all for the generosity. 4O OUR MEMBER 4ONI %RB HAPPY TH "IRTHDAY #ONGRATULATIONS TO ,UZIA AND ,UIS "LOECHLINGER ON THEIR TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY AND YEARS IN !USTRALIA On behalf of the group, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year. Sylvia Hochuli
My friend could not make it. I was on my own but when I arrived lots of friends I saw! I travelled from one table to another, it was fun. The savoury quiches were quite delicious. The cakes a gastronomical delight. My stomach was totally overwhelmed! Thank goodness I got a lift home. The Trachtengruppe and Roger worked very hard TO MAKE THIS ANOTHER MARVELLOUS +AFFEKLATSCH Thank you! Inge Kulmanis
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How it all began BĂŠatrice DelacrĂŠtaz Who would believe that the Swiss Ladies of Melbourne have had the privilege and good fortune to meet four times a year at the Swiss Club of Victoria for catching up with friends, having a great lunch at reasonable prices and enjoy listening to very INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINING TOPICS FOR THE LAST YEARS It did not happen just out of the blue!!... One has to go back to the years 1974-75 and in those days the Swiss Club was run very efďŹ ciently by a committee made up entirely of male members of the club. The Swiss Club has always been and still is a very friendly meeting place, well appreciated by all the members and also BY ALL THE COMPATRIOTS ARRIVING FROM 3WITZERLAND )N THOSE EARLY days the club was open from Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm to midnight and very occasionally for special functions only at lunch time. In the evenings one could always have a lovely MEAL IN THE 3WISS TRADITION 'ESCHNETZELTES OR #ERVELATS AND salad or a Berner Platte and lovely crisp bread!!) and spend THE REST OF THE EVENING PLAYING CARDS @*ASS BEING THE FAVOURITE game. Every Saturday night there would be dancing to the tune OF -ARIUS ACCORDION There were also a few well attended sub-groups like the -Ă‹NNERCHOR THE 9ODEL #HOIR %DELYSS THE 3WISS WRESTLERS (Schwinger), the rie shooting group, the bowling group, the 3WISS "USINESSMEN ,UNCHEON 'ROUP 3!##) TO MENTION A few but there was no such facility for the Ladies who were members of the Swiss Club. ) WAS ASKED BY MY HUSBAND *OHN WHO WAS PRESIDENT OF THE club at the time, to send out the monthly invitations to the members of the Swiss Businessmen Luncheon Group, and
September Ladies Luncheons I had a notion that this luncheon was going to be special, and sure enough it was! Roger told as a bit about himself, how he learned to cook AT THE WELL KNOWN 2ESTAURANT &Ă‹HRIMAA IN "ASEL (E showed us his very ďŹ rst cook book and shared with us some of his experiences as a chef and running his own restaurant. The lunch he served was a delicate curry and a mango mouse for desert. I drank some white wine, something I HADN T HAD FOR A LONG TIME 3OON ) FELT LIKE DANCING I put two pieces of cake into my handbag for my friend. I forgot about them and when I opened the handbag a few DAYS LATER n THE CRUMBS OF THE CAKE APPEARED /HH BOY Thank you all for an exciting day! Inge Kulmanis
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while doing this chore, I wondered why not have a Swiss Ladies Luncheon get-together too. Something in the same format as the Businessmen. My husband thought that it would be great to have a group who would be for the Ladies of the club. Something special for the Swiss ladies only, but when I presented my vision to the members of the Swiss Club committee, my idea was not at all well received as the club had already a few sub-groups and I am sure that they thought that WE WOULD NOT GET A GREAT FOLLOWINGxHOW WRONG THEY WERE I mentioned my meeting with the Swiss Club committee to Mrs +ARLI WHO ) KNEW VERY WELL AND SHE IN TURN SPOKE ABOUT IT TO HER HUSBAND -R +ARLI WAS OUR 3WISS #ONSUL 'ENERAL AND BOTH were very enthusiastic about the idea of having a get together for Swiss Ladies at the Swiss Club. I was very grateful to have THE SUPPORT OF THE #ONSULATE AND SPECIALLY -RS +ARLI WHO WAS a great organiser and had always lots of very good ideas and suggestions especially for our Guest speakers. First move was to ďŹ nd three more Ladies who would be PREPARED TO HELP IN ORGANISING THE MEETINGS -RS +ARLI suggested asking the wives of the past-presidents of the Swiss #LUB AND SOON WE HAD 3TEPHANIE !MMAN -ARIE 3CHIBLI AND Eileen Spieler on board. We decided that we would have four luncheons a year and that we would not send out invitations for it but would try to have OUR GET TOGETHER ADVERTISED IN THE CLUB NEWSLETTER FOR FREEx and we did. The committee also let us have access and the use of the Restaurant one Wednesday every three month in the year from MIDDAY TO O CLOCK FOR OUR LUNCHEON AND ENTERTAINMENT BY OUR own selected guest speakers. The chef in charge of the kitchen would also be at our disposition for planning and serving us a three course lunch generally consisting of a soup as a starter, meat or chicken with vegetables or salad for the main meal and a dessert followed by coffee or tea and sometimes we had some Swiss chocolate as a surprise. The cost of our lunch was 12 dollars which would also include a glass of red or white wine and cover the expense for a meal and owers for the Guest speaker. For many years we were under the wing of the Swiss Consulate AS EVEN AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF -R AND -RS +ARLI -RS :ELLWEGER Rosemary Balmer, Miss PďŹ ster and Mrs Roth were very supportive of the Ladies Luncheon. They helped mostly in ďŹ nding and selecting our guest speakers and sometimes also chaired our get-together. Since the closure of the Consulate in Melbourne the Ladies Luncheon has become a Swiss Club sub-group. Here are a few names of our past guest-speakers and their topic: !UGUST n 5RSULA %RDIN SPOKE ABOUT VEGETARIAN NUTRITION .OVEMBER n (EIDY &RICK DEMONSTRATED @"AUERNMALEREI -ARCH n /LGA %UGSTER SPOKE ABOUT MAKING ALL SORTS OF Swiss biscuits -AY n WE WENT TRAVELLING WITH /THMAR *AGGI !UGUST n ! POLICEWOMAN SPOKE ABOUT SELF DEFENCE .OVEMBER n -ARGARET 3TAEHLI INITIATED US TO DO 9OGA xAND MANY MORE Swiss Club of Victoria
In 1991, I went overseas for 6 months and Doris Diserens kept the meetings going. In 1995 or 1996, Heidy Giger started to organise the get-togethers and has been doing so ever since. With her helpers Heidy has given us so many pleasant hours catching up with friends at the Swiss Club. ! BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THE LADIES WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE success and continuation of the Ladies Luncheon. -RS /LGA %UGSTER S RECIPE FOR @"ASLER ,ECKERLI PRESENTED AT THE Ladies Luncheon on the 9 March,1988: 750g plain our 560g honey at room temperature 250g sugar G ALMOND OR HAZELNUTS CHOPPED 185g mixed peels 25g cinnamon 4g nutmeg 4g ground cloves 10g carb of soda Ÿ to ½ cup of water Rind of one lemon Table spoon of kirsch Combine sugar and carb soda in a large bowl. Mix sugar and honey, then add all the other dry ingredients. Then add the water to make the dough. Divide in 3 quantities and roll every one out , one centimetre high. Prick dough with a fork and bake at 200 Celsius for 15 to 20 minutes. &OR THE 'LAZE ž CUP OF WATER AND G SUGAR "OIL UNTIL IT TREAD 3PREAD THE GLAZE ON COOL BISCUITS LET SET AGAIN AND CUT up in squares Enjoy !!
I wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and the best of good health for the new year. ! BIG THANK YOU TO THE ,ADIES FOR THEIR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT and good company. I want to take this opportunity to thank Roger and his Staff for looking after us so well. Many thanks to Marianne who looked after the Ladies with a great deal of charm and enthusiasm. I always appreciate the support from all my helpers. Dates for the forthcoming luncheons in 2012:
s 7EDNESDAY -ARCH s 7EDNESDAY -AY Price $22 pp for members, $25 pp for nonmembers. Includes 2-course meal, wine, soft drinks and coffee. Everyone welcome! For information and bookings ring Heidy Giger on 9889 9321or Roger at the Club on 9650 1196. Bookings are essential! Heidy Giger
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November Ladies Luncheons Welcome back Heidy and thank you Marianne! We started with a most delectable LUNCH @! 3WISS FAIR 4HEN AN insight to the Trachtengruppe by Sylvia Hochuli. Sylvia gave her best by telling us how it all started and when. That they wanted a home for the old retired Swiss people (I wish). What a wonderful, idealistic dream. But dreams do come true sometimes!!! .EVERTHELESS THE 4RACHTENGRUPPE HAVE FOR MANY YEARS worked hard and donated money for various institutions. !ND WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT THE -YSTERY 4RIP THE +AFFEEKLATSCH AND 3ENIORS #HRISTMAS AFTERNOON The great photo albums were most informative and colourful. Please keep it alive! It brings the Swiss together. Thank you Sylvia, Roger and of course Heidy. The year 2011 was fabulous. Thank you to all the ladies for PARTICIPATING +EEP ON COMING Inge Kulmanis
The Swiss Club Singles Championship was held on Friday, 14 October at the Swiss Club. Rainer Diehl triumphed over Tony Thumiger. Congratulations to the winner! 2012 dates: 16 March Swiss Club Doubles Championship *UNE "ERNARD 3ANDOZ #UP TBC Swiss Championship Bookings are essential, please ring Roger at the Swiss Club or myself on 9439 7593 or 0418 645 313. (APPY .EW 9EAR ,OOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT TOURNAMENT in 2012. Louis Schneider
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Fahrt ins Blaue Mystery Trip Wednesday, 9 November Slight rain greeted us, as we alighted the bus. Soon Bolte Bridge was seen from afar and we travelled in a comfortable bus. ! SIGN APPEARED ,ANCEl ELD 4HEN +YNETON ! MYSTERY TRIP FOR SURE )N +YNETON WE STOPPED FOR MORNING TEA )T WAS A DELICIOUS treat. The ladies did a great job. 7HERE ARE WE GOING -ALMSBURY $AYLESFORD #ASTLEMAINE AM 4HE BUSES SLOWED AND YES -OUNT !LEXANDER 'OLF Club was before us! The sun and blue sky! We had it all! Beautifully set tables and everything just looked inviting. The owers! Sylvia spoke and made us all welcome. Lunch was served hot AND QUICK WITH SO MANY PEOPLE THAT S AN ART We purchased our rafe tickets for the many prices displayed in a grand manner. Our Trachtengruppe worked like little fairies. (OW DO YOU MANAGE THAT Mr Brian McCormick was introduced and had a most interesting talk. He spoke about Major Mitchell and the gold rush of 1851. Over 30,000 seekers tried their luck. Castlemaine was the richest gold ďŹ eld in the world. The diggers came from over 30 countries. He showed us what the diggers ag looks like: a pick and shovel, a bunch of sticks, scales, a kangaroo and an emu. It was ďŹ rst own in 1852. 0AST #ONSUL 'ENERAL OF 3WITZERLAND 2OSMARIE AND 7ERNER Ballmer joined us on the mystery trip. We loved to see them! I wish the happiest Christmas and New Year to everyone. Inge Kulmanis
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Swiss Club of Victoria
The man who made MĂśvenpick MĂśvenpick founder Ueli Prager who died at the age of 95 on 15 October was one of the most creative and enterprising Swiss businessmen of the post-war period. With the exception of ďŹ nding a successor, there was little 0RAGER DIDN T SUCCEED AT 4HE SON OF A HOTELIER 0RAGER LAUNCHED HIS l RST -ĂšVENPICK RESTAURANT IN :URICH IN Everything considered de rigueur in the business world today, the Swiss restaurant owner and hotel pioneer had already applied in the middle of the last century: a label which ACHIEVED WIDESPREAD RECOGNITION -ĂšVENPICK THE ABILITY TO CONTINUALLY REINVENT THE BRAND AND FURTHER THE COMPANY S SCOPE (types of food, own-brand foods and hotels), globalisation (import trends, export growth), and using modern ďŹ nancing methods. Prager introduced industrial structures to his business empire at a time when a conventional approach and certain snobbishness reigned in the Swiss hotel and restaurant sector. The formula of selling fast but quality food proved to be A SUCCESSFUL ONE !ND FOR THE 3WISS THE CHANCE TO ORDER something to eat outside the usual mealtimes was novel. h0RAGER S THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE AND HIS CURIOSITY LED HIM TO discover new recipes while on vacation which he would present to his specialists back at home and insist on using them,â€? said 5RS +NEUBĂ HL )N THE S +NEUBĂ HL WAS HEAD OF -ĂšVENPICK S INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMPANY S CUSTOMER MAGAZINE Currying Swiss favour One of his most successful adaptations of exotic cuisine was 2IZ #ASIMIR n A MILD CURRY AND RICE DISH WITH CANNED FRUIT #URRY DISHES WERE NOT WELL KNOWN IN 3WITZERLAND AT THE TIME AND were too spicy for most Swiss palates. !ND THANKS TO THE INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES 0RAGER INTRODUCED -ĂšVENPICK COULD OFFER l SH AND OTHER SEAFOOD AT AFFORDABLE prices. He also did away with tablecloths and three-course meals and customers could order wine and champagne by the GLASS IF THEY DIDN T WANT THE WHOLE BOTTLE h0RAGER GAVE ME A FREE HAND n ) COULD TALK TO HIM DIRECTLY v +NEUBĂ HL SAID h(E WOULD INFORM ME OF IMPORTANT ISSUES including those concerning management. He was on top of everything. It was wonderful to work with him. h(E DIDN T KEEP HIS GREAT KNOWLEDGE TO HIMSELF AND DIDN T have any secrets but passed on what he knew which created a large body of talent within the company. The result was that The world’s longest stairway The 11,674 steps running alongside the funicular tracks of THE .IESEN 2AILWAY AT ,AKE 4HUN "% MAKE THE STAIRWAY the longest anywhere, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m
we employees were very close to what was developed from his ideas.â€? Red Sea success )T S NO COINCIDENCE THAT Egyptian billionaire Samih Sawiris, who is building a mega resort in the Swiss alpine VILLAGE OF !NDERMATT IS trying to repeat what Prager did 40 years ago in Egypt. The Sawiris family were partners with Prager for many years when the Swiss businessman established his hotel chain in Egyptian DESTINATIONS LIKE 'IZEH ,UXOR AND ON THE 2ED 3EA COAST 4HE OWNERS OF THE HOTEL BUILDINGS WERE %GYPTIAN WHILE -ĂšVENPICK took over the management. "EFORE 0RAGER S TIME THERE WERE FEW %GYPTIANS WHO WOULD have thought holidaying on the Red Sea could become POPULAR !ND BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF 3AWIRIS !NDERMATT WAS NOT considered a top ski resort. It was Prager who showed that vacation resorts could be built from scratch in the middle of nowhere. However, the company began to stagnate at the end of the 1980s. Prager, already over 70, had six children from three wives but was unable to ďŹ nd a worthy successor. It was his THIRD WIFE AND FORMER ASSISTANT *UTTA WHO WOULD EVENTUALLY take over management of the company in 1988. !S PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD 0RAGER HAD TO WATCH AS HIS EMPIRE ENTERED TROUBLED TIMES AND TOP EXECUTIVES WORKING UNDER *UTTA began to leave the ďŹ rm. He decided to dismiss his wife and in SOLD HIS MAJORITY STAKE TO 'ERMAN BUSINESSMAN !UGUST von Finck. Shortly after that, the Pragers moved to London.
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The ancient tradition of the‘Klausjagen’ 3WITZERLAND IS A COUNTRY OF SEVERAL LANGUAGES AND CULTURES SO IT IS NOT SURPRISING THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT 3T .IKOLAUS TRADITIONS )N THE 3WISS 'ERMAN PART 3T .IKOLAUS IS KNOWN AS 3AMICHLAUS /N $ECEMBER THE EVE OF 3T .IKOLAUS $AY villages around Lake Lucerne glow with the light of hundreds OF ENORMOUS HEAVY PAPER CUT BISHOPS MITER HATS CALLED LOCALLY @IFFELE PARADED THROUGH THE STREETS BY MEN AND BOYS in white robes. These headpieces, 1 to 2 metres tall, are artistically designed, intricately cut out of cardboard and lit by a candle within. Each is a unique piece of art with a ďŹ gure of 3T .IKOLAUS ON THE FRONT AND A CROSS AND THE INSIGNIA )(3 FOR *ESUS #HRIST ON the back. When the candle is lit they are transformed into ‘stained GLASS BECAUSE there are many colours of transparent paper applied inside. Each town has its own way to celebrate. The well-known parade in +Ă SSNACHT AM 2IGI BEGINS WITH A CANNON SHOT SIGNALLING THE START &IRST COME MEN SKILLFULLY CRACKING LONG WHIPS .EXT ARE the lighted iffelen, over 200 young men dancing and swaying as they pass in their glowing headdresses. Surrounded by TORCHBEARERS THE BISHOP 3T .IKOLAUS HIMSELF COMES WITH HIS TWO 3CHMUTZLIS 4RUMPETERS PLAYING A THREE TONE MELODY
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ARE FOLLOWED BY +LAUSJĂ‹GER MEN IN WHITE FARMER S SHIRTS swinging huge cow bells from heavy straps. The 700 bells ring as one. The procession ends with 200 men blowing cow horns in a repeated rhythm of two short blows and one long one. The streets resound with these ear-splitting, eerie sounds of horns, whips and bells. The parade is repeated and ends in the early HOURS OF THE MORNING OF 3T .IKOLAUS $AY This solemn procession with whips, bells and horns is believed to have its roots in pre-Christian traditions involving the chasing of wild spirits. The EARLY FORMS OF THE +LAUSJAGEN involved much unruliness and were frowned upon by Church and authorities. The tradition was ofďŹ cially outlawed in 1732, but could not be effectively suppressed. In the late 19th century, the custom was instead @#HRISTIANISED "ISHOP S MITRES appeared in the procession, and the church sanctioned the custom as being in honour of 3T .IKOLAUS )N THE S THE still rather rough procession was tamed by a committee of villagers who created the modern, clearly organised parade. 3INCE THE 3T .IKOLAUS 3OCIETY OF +Ă SSNACHT HAS BEEN responsible for the continuation of the tradition. Swiss Club of Victoria
Christmas 2011. The Good Deed – Die gute Tat With the ďŹ nancial support of the Swiss Society of Victoria, we are once more able to provide our Seniors with a Christmas Celebration at the Swiss Club on Saturday, 3 December 2011. Over the years the Senior guests were presented with a bag of homemade Christmas cookies, a most welcome and treasured GIFT 4HE LADIES OF THE 4RACHTENGRUPPE 3CHWYZERGRUESS AND MANY SILENT HELPERS PREPARED THE SWEET BOUNTY "UT MANY OF THOSE %LVES GOT OLDER AND FRAILER SOME PASSING TO A BETTER PLACE #HRISTKINDLI S HEADQUARTER AND THE 'UETSLI BAGS got smaller and smaller. For the past two years we were looking for kind and talented people, who could spare a bit of time and a few nuts and eggs and HELP TO l LL THE @STOCKINGS 4HE RESPONSE WAS OVERWHELMING AND THE 'UETSLI WE RECEIVED WERE NOT JUST PROOF OF GOOD AND WILLING HEARTS AND HANDS THEY SHOWED CULINARY EXCELLENCE TOO WHICH ALSO REm ECTED ON THE BRIGHT SMILES ON OUR GUESTS FACES We need your help again! Please! The goodies could be picked up in time. Please contact Sylvia Hochuli on tel. 9531 6575 or email hochuli@tpg.com.au OR 2ITA 3CHWAERZLER !BBT ON TEL OR EMAIL RITAHERBERT BIGPOND COM Lets keep this wonderful tradition alive!!
Christmas Magic 4HIS SMALL GREEN TREE ) LL TAKE and from it make A THING OF GLISTENING SPLENDOUR n for none to see, until it be the Magic Eve of Christmas. These fruits and nuts and spices I shall take and with them bake A WONDROUS CAKE n for none to eat, until we meet on the Magic Day of Christmas. These loving thoughts and hearty wishes ) LL WRAP WITH TENDER CARE FOR EACH OF YOU and place them there, on the small, green tree, in the Magic Hours of Christmas. Those joyous chimes, these glowing candles, this special fragrance DRIFTING THROUGH THE HOUSE n the sounds, the sights, the smells, THE FEELING ROUND US
all belong to the Season, the Magic Season of Christmas.
Invitation to the Seniors of the Swiss Community Swiss Nationals born 1942 or earlier and Partner
Senior Christmas Afternoon Tea Saturday, 3 December 2011 at 2pm The Swiss Club of Victoria with the support of the Swiss Society OF 6ICTORIA THE 4RACHTENGRUPPE 3CHWYZERGRUESS THE &OLK $ANCE 'ROUP !LPENROSE AND THE 3WISS #OMPANION 3INGERS INVITES 3WISS .ATIONALS BORN OR EARLIER AND 0ARTNERS TO A Senior Christmas Afternoon Tea at the Swiss Club of Victoria, 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. This event is free of charge. RSVP by Wednesday 30 November 2011, either by phone or email to: 2ITA 3CHWAERZLER !BBT RITAHERBERT BIGPOND COM Sylvia Hochuli, 9531 6575, hochuli@tpg.com.au
In the quiet times of inward thinking, my mind turns to family and friends, WITH A PRAYER OR TWO FOR ALL OF YOU n especially for one, my distant son. May we know the true Magic Eve of Christmas! ‘What I think and how I feel’ by Stephanie Ammann 1920-1997
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Grittibänz (St.Nikolaus Bread) 4HE 'RITTIBĂ‹NZ OR 'RĂ‹TTIMAA IN "ASEL IS a sweet white bread roughly formed into the shape of a man with currants for eyes and coat buttons and sometimes decorated with course sugar. Some children prefer TO MAKE 3T .IKOLAUS breads in all sorts of different forms and funny ďŹ gures. It is traditionally eaten in the Swiss-German PART OF 3WITZERLAND on 6 December, 3T .IKOLAUS $AY 4HE name comes from the old Swiss-German WORDS @'RITTE OR @'RITTLE MEANING BOW LEGGED !ND @"Ă‹NZ A SHORTENED form of the name Benedikt, was once so common in 3WITZERLAND IT ALSO came to simply mean a man. Therefore, a 'RITTIBĂ‹NZ IS A BOW legged old man. The tradition of handing out bread in strange shapes on 6 December can be traced back to the middle ages when Swiss children were given either a horn-shaped bread roll or one made to look like a woman. Over the years the woman became A MAN AND THE NAME 'RITTIBĂ‹NZ WAS COINED FOR HIM IN THE TH CENTURY !T THE TIME THEY WERE UP TO CM LONG AND SOMETIMES made from a Lebkuchen (gingerbread) dough. Ingredients (makes 4 medium-sized Grittibänzen) 500g / 3ž cups of our 1½ tsp of salt 3 tbsp of sugar 6g / 1 tsp of dried yeast (or 20g fresh yeast) 60g / š/Âł cup butter, cut into pieces and softened 300ml / 1Âź cups of milk, lukewarm Book the Second Floor at the Swiss Club for your next function
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Directions Mix all ingredients in a bowl, add the butter last and knead until a dough forms. Let dough rise for about 35 minutes. Cut dough into 4 pieces and make 4 longish rolls. Then cut in each roll for arms, legs and neck (see photo). Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper, then brush with beaten egg and decorate. Bake for about 25 minutes on the lower shelf of a pre-heated oven at 180°. Remove and let cool on a cake rack. /NCE IT HAS COOLED YOU CAN DECORATE YOUR 'RITTIBËNZ FURTHER EG with course sugar, aked almonds, or pieces of cloth, ribbons etc. &ROM @3WISS #OOKIES n SEE BELOW
Swiss Cookies Biscuits for Christmas and all year round by Andrew Rushton and Katalin Fekete with photographs and recipes from Betty Bossi Publisher: 2008, Bergli Books ISBN: 978-3-905252-17-0 Language: English Binding: Soft cover, 112 pages Price: CHF 29.80 + postage )N 3WITZERLAND THE &ESTIVE 3EASON WOULDN T BE complete without a wide range of delicious home baked indulgences. Every YEAR WHEN !DVENT BEGINS AND #HRISTMAS DRAWS NEAR THE 3WISS KNOW THAT IT S TIME to get baking and soon the wonderful aroma of freshly baked cookies wafts from kitchens everywhere. Discover the delicious secrets of Swiss cookies and surprise your family and friends with your homemade treats. This colourful book contains 29 of the most famous and traditional cookies and baked goods with easy-tofollow instructions and illustrations to make your baking A SUCCESS EVERY TIME .OW YOU CAN CONJURE UP THE MOST wonderful mouth-watering cookies and gifts in no time. Swiss Cookies includes background information, photographs, a guide to ingredients and their translations, measurement conversions, tips for storing and giftwrapping ideas. This book makes a perfect Christmas gift FOR YOUR 3WISS AND !USTRALIAN FRIENDS !VAILABLE ONLINE FROM Bergli Books, Falknerstrasse 13, 4001 Basel T: +41 61 373 27 77 W: www.bergli.ch E: info@bergli.ch
Swiss Club of Victoria
Updates and contacts To learn about the latest developments around the Swiss &ESTIVAL PLEASE @,IKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE WHICH YOU CAN l ND BY SEARCHING FOR @3WISS &ESTIVAL !USTRALIA OR FOLLOW OUR Twitter account @SwissFestivalAU. Our homepage www. swissfestival.com.au provides you with an overview of the program, Swiss community groups taking part in the festival as well as a list of our sponsors.
Sunday, 25 March 2012. Austrian Club The Swiss Festival 2012 will take place on Sunday, 25 March 2012 AT THE !USTRIAN #LUB ON 3HEEHAN 2OAD IN (EIDELBERG West. You can look forward to a day ďŹ lled with great fun and 3WISSNESS TASTY TREATS FROM 3WITZERLAND AND A UNIQUE BLEND OF entertainment for young and old. While the program will follow the tried and tested schedule we have developed over the years you can expect many new things and attractions on the DAY OF THE 3WISS &ESTIVAL !MONG THE NEW ADDITIONS IS A STALL selling Swiss small goods and Swiss sweet treats, a cooking DEMONSTRATION AREA WITH OUR SPONSORS 6 :UG IN WHICH YOU can learn how to cook Swiss recipes and a book stall with a selection of Swiss, German, French and Italian books on offer. 7E CAN T WAIT TO HAVE YOU AT THE 3WISS &ESTIVAL AND WE would like to request your help as a volunteer or sponsor for THIS UNIQUE CELEBRATION OF 3WITZERLAND !S A SPONSOR YOU HAVE the chance to showcase your product and services to a captive audience of over 1,200 guests and your logo and message will be displayed on banners, yers and the Swiss Festival homepage www.swissfestival.com.au. !T THIS STAGE WE WOULD like to extend a big thank you to the following companies and organisations for their continued support of the Swiss Festival: Swiss Embassy Canberra, Victorian Multicultural Commission, /CĂ? !USTRALIA ,TD AND 3CHALLER #ONSULTING *OINING US AS A volunteer pays off as well as, you will receive a voucher for a meal and drink in exchange for one hour of your time.
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s )F YOU RUN OR WORK IN A 3WISS COMPANY AND WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR ANY OF OUR ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE *UMPING #ASTLE OR would like to have a stall at the Swiss Festival 2012 please CONTACT 0ATRICK !LBERT patrick@swissfestival.com.au from the committee who looks after sponsorship enquiries. s #AN YOU HELP ON THE DAY OF THE FESTIVAL AS A VOLUNTEER )F yes please get in contact with Chantal Imbach chantal@ swissfestival.com.au our Swiss community group liaison and let her know how you can support us. s $O YOU HAVE IDEAS ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE SHOWN AT THE 3WISS Festival 2012 or would like to perform yourself or with a GROUP /UR CHAIRMAN 2OLF (UBER CAN BE CONTACTED VIA rolf@ swissfestival.com.au. s 9OU CAN HELP US ADVERTISE THE 3WISS &ESTIVAL BY HANGING up a poster at your workplace or handing out yers to your family and friends. Suggesting the facebook page to your community and sharing the website address www. swissfestival.com.au also assists in spreading the word about the festival. Write to our marketing manager Damian Schaller at damian@swissfestival.com.au if you would like to receive festival collateral. s 7OULD YOU LIKE TO DONATE A MONETARY VALUE OR RAFm E PRIZE FOR THE LUCKY DRAW AT THE 3WISS &ESTIVAL 4REASURER "RUNO Giger can be reached by writing to bruno@swissfestival.com. au via email. The Swiss Club Restaurant. It’s where you meet your friends.
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Nicholas Chevalier (1828–1902) .ICHOLAS #HEVALIER ARTIST WAS BORN ON -AY 1828 in St Petersburg, Russia, son of Louis Chevalier and his Russian wife. His father left his home in canton of Vaud to become overseer of the estates of Prince Wittgenstein, aideDE CAMP TO .ICHOLAS ) AND IN RETURNED TO 3WITZERLAND WITH HIS ARTISTICALLY INCLINED SON &OR THE NEXT SIX YEARS .ICHOLAS studied painting in Lausanne and architecture in Munich, where he helped with plans for the palace of Ludwig I. at Berchtesgaden. He moved to London in 1851 and achieved some success in lithography and water-colour work. In 1852 HE EXHIBITED TWO PAINTINGS AT THE 2OYAL !CADEMY ILLUSTRATED SEVERAL BOOKS INCLUDING ! ( ,AYARD $ISCOVERIES IN THE 2UINS OF .INEVEH ,ONDON DESIGNED THE SETTING FOR THE +OH I noor diamond and planned a fountain at Osborne for Queen Victoria. Chevalier then spent some months studying water-colour painting and drawing in Rome. Meanwhile his father had speculated in Victoria, and a son, Louis, who later became manager of the vineyard at Bontharambo near Wangaratta, was on the goldďŹ elds. When the family fortunes declined, .ICHOLAS WAS SENT TO JOIN HIS BROTHER (E ARRIVED IN -ELBOURNE
Master of steel !FTER ,UGINBĂ HL SEE *UNE EDITION OF the Edelweiss 3WITZERLAND HAS LOST another of its artistic greats: Silvio -ATTIOLI HAS PAST AWAY IN !PRIL AT the age of 82. Swiss Club member Margrit Gasinski-Ă„pli went to school with the master sculptor and has had a life-long interest in his work. -ATTIOLI TRAINED AS A STONEMASON IN THE S BEFORE STUDYING ART AT THE +UNSTGEWERBESCHULE IN :Ă RICH (E THEN embarked on an artistic career, ďŹ rst as a painter and then as a sculptor. Stone and wood was his preferred materials at the beginning but later it was iron and steel. Some of his most famous works are monumental sculptures such as @'ROSSER !UFSCHWUNG in front of ConďŹ serie 3PRĂ NGLI 0ARADEPLATZ AND @6ERSO ,A ,UCE Badener Street in :Ă RICH PICTURED
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in February 1855, visited the goldďŹ elds, attended to his FATHER S BUSINESS AND PLANNED HIS RETURN TO %UROPE "UT THE newly-established Melbourne Punch and later the Illustrated !USTRALIAN .EWS FOUND HIS TALENTS INVALUABLE AND HE DECIDED TO STAY .O DOUBT THIS DECISION WAS ALSO INm UENCED BY HIS marriage in Melbourne to Caroline Wilkie, daughter of an old friend, herself an artist and relation of Sir David Wilkie (1785-1841). #HEVALIER S WOOD ENGRAVED CARTOONS BECAME ONE OF THE most popular features in Punch. He also introduced chromolithography to Victoria where it became an important and ourishing art. He exhibited some of his delicately painted water-colours in December 1856 at the exhibition in Melbourne FROM WHICH SPRANG THE 3OCIETY OF &INE !RTS !S AN OIL PAINTER he was less successful, although his oil, ‘The Buffalo Ranges’, was selected as the best painting by a resident Victorian in an exhibition sponsored by the government in 1864. It was bought FOR a THE l RST !USTRALIAN PAINTING OBTAINED FOR THE NEW .ATIONAL 'ALLERY OF 6ICTORIA (E CONTINUED TO PAINT IN OIL AND water-colour, often travelling about the countryside. The Chevaliers had no children and their home in Royal Terrace, .ICHOLSON 3TREET &ITZROY BECAME A CENTRE OF A WITTY AND cultivated circle of writers, artists, musicians, journalists and academics, many of them fellow members of the Society of Fine !RTS AND THE 2OYAL 3OCIETY !FTER EXPLORING AND PAINTING IN MANY PARTS OF 6ICTORIA #HEVALIER VISITED .EW :EALAND WHERE HE TRAVELLED WIDELY painted landscapes that reminded him of his Swiss home and was paid ÂŁ200 by the Canterbury legislature to make a pictorial SURVEY OF THE INTERIOR /N HIS RETURN TO !USTRALIA HE SHOWED several paintings at the International Exhibition in Melbourne in 1866-67, and at the Paris Salon in 1868. 7HEN THE $UKE OF %DINBURGH WAS TOURING !USTRALIA #HEVALIER was invited to join the royal suite on its visit to Tasmania IN *ANUARY 4HE DUKE HAD FAVOURABLY NOTED THE transparencies he had painted for the illuminations for the royal visit. When the duke briey returned to Melbourne in Swiss Club of Victoria
the following year Chevalier was invited to rejoin the party in H.M.S. Galatea and sailed to London via the East and the PaciďŹ c islands. He produced 120 drawings and many waterCOLOURS FOR 1UEEN 6ICTORIA !N ACCOMPLISHED MUSICIAN HE BECAME SECOND VIOLINIST IN THE 2OYAL !MATEUR /RCHESTRAL Society which had been started by ofďŹ cers in the Galatea and in which the duke was ďŹ rst violin. From 1871 Chevalier was extremely busy. He received numerous royal commissions and painted many scenes of his past travels. For some years he suffered badly from rheumatic gout and had to winter in Madeira. His health revived and his last years were spent happily in England, reading and writing in preference to painting, and composing poetry as well as music. He was a brilliant linguist, uent in French, English, Russian, German, Italian and Portuguese. Singularly handsome, he made friends readily because of his easy manner, wide interests and good conversation. From 1882 he was London adviser to the .ATIONAL 'ALLERY OF .EW 3OUTH 7ALES (E DIED IN ,ONDON ON March 1902, survived by his widow who left notes for a short MONOGRAPH ON HIS LIFE AND PRESENTED MANY OF HIS .EW :EALAND PAINTINGS TO THE .ATIONAL !RT 'ALLERY AT 7ELLINGTON )N !USTRALIA HIS WORKS ARE REPRESENTED IN THE 3YDNEY -ELBOURNE and Ballarat galleries, the Mitchell and La Trobe Libraries and PRIVATE COLLECTIONS 4HE !RT 'ALLERY OF .EW 3OUTH 7ALES HAS A self-portrait (pictured).
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Exhibition:
NICHOLAS CHEVALIER – Australian Odyssey 25 November 2011 to 12 February 2012 Geelong Gallery Little Malop Street, Geelong T: 03 5229 3645 Free entry. Open daily 10am - 5pm #LOSED #HRISTMAS $AY "OXING $AY AND .EW 9EAR S $AY www.geelonggallery.org.au @!USTRALIAN /DYSSEY IS THE l RST COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF WORK BY 2USSIAN BORN 3WISS ARTIST .ICHOLAS #HEVALIER PRODUCED DURING HIS FOURTEEN YEARS IN !USTRALIA 4HE EXHIBITION EXPLORES #HEVALIER S LANDSCAPE work in depth, spanning Victoria from the Grampians to the Gippsland and Great Dividing Ranges. Throughout his long and illustrious career as an artist and illustrator, Chevalier developed a fresh and lively style that was ENTIRELY HIS OWN 4HE EXHIBITION WILL ASSEMBLE #HEVALIER S most signiďŹ cant works, accompanied by lesser known works, studies, sketches, and a complete set of lithographs.
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Across .AME OF THE OLDEST !BBEY NORTH OF THE !LPS FOUNDED IN 515, situated in the canton of Valais). 5. Longest glacier in Europe. 7HICH EVENT WILL BE HELD AT THE !USTRIAN #LUB IN -ARCH )N WHICH 6ICTORIAN TOWN IS THE 3WISS )TALIAN &ESTA HELD %UROPE S HIGHEST RAILWAY STATION 13. Important Celtic archaeological site on the north side of ,AKE .EUCHĂŠTEL Down 1. In which Swiss city is the oldest book in German language HOUSED 7HICH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY OF 3WITZERLAND IS CELEBRATING AN IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR .AME OF 3AMICHLAUS HELPER 3URNAME OF 3WISS SCULPTOR THAT DIED IN !PRIL THIS YEAR 7HICH HOTEL CHAIN WAS FOUNDED BY 5ELI 0RAGER 8. In which Swiss-French city will the 90th Congress of the 3WISS !BROAD BE HELD 10. Well-known Swiss author that visited the Swiss Club in 1992. For answers go to page 23
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NEW GROUP!
SwissKids The three groups – Saturday Morning Swiss School, Playgroup and Familienplausch – over time did not generate enough interest and unfortunately almost vanished. Thanks to the efforts and engagement of a few volunteering individuals/families the Swiss Club is now able to offer a new and combined platform to bring together interested families and their children to enjoy once a month a couple of fun, play and education ďŹ lled hours. We are therefore very excited to announce that a new group – SwissKids – has been established. The program started in September this year and we currently have about 14 children aged between 3-12 attending with their parents. While the younger kids enjoy some handicraft & drawing, Esther, with the help of other parents, offers the older kids German lessons that focus on learning to speak, read & write German. They also incorporate fun games and small science experiments into the lesson. All interested members/non-members are invited to join us: When:
1st Saturday of each month
Time:
2pm to 4pm
Where:
Swiss Club, 89 Flinders Lane, Second Floor
Program: handicraft, experiments, German lessons, singing, cooking/baking and playing games Please contact: the Convenor for more details: Esther Blaser-Tokarev E: esther.blaser@gmx.ch T: 8521 3739 M: 0424 220 523
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The Swiss that helped build modern Italy Italy is commemorating the 150th anniversary of uniďŹ cation this year. At a time of political upheaval in the mid-19th century, many Swiss played an important role in Italy’s economic development. .UMEROUS BANKS GRAND HOTELS AND COTTON MILLS WERE IN THE hands of Swiss who, at the end of the century, represented the second largest foreign community in Italy. ! TH CENTURY 2OMAN NOBLE -ARCANTONIO !LTIERI WROTE THAT the Swiss were barbarians, men not to be trusted, lacking in humanity and were the main enemies of Rome and Italians. !LTIERI WAS ANYTHING BUT KIND TO THE 3WISS SOLDIERS WHO he thought were responsible for the exclusion of “worthy 2OMANSv FROM THE POPE S ARMED GUARD )T S NOT KNOWN TO WHAT EXTENT THE 2OMAN POPULATION SHARED !LTIERI S OPINION OR WHETHER THESE BATTLE HARDENED MERCENARIES were as inhumane as the nobleman made them out to be. But one thing is certain: three centuries later the Swiss were making an important contribution to the building of Italy, in particular in the hotel and banking sectors and the textile industry. Contrary to what would seem obvious, the Swiss presence was strongest in southern Italy during the ďŹ rst decades of the 19th century. The Bourbons (rulers of what is now southern Italy) put Swiss at the head of their regiments and this explains in part the ties CREATED WITH SOUTHERN )TALY AND IT S ALSO INTERESTING TO NOTE that the Swiss community was comprised mostly of SwissGerman Protestants. !MONG THE EARLY PIONEERS WERE *EAN *ACQUES %GG WHO ARRIVED IN .APLES IN WITH FAMILIES FROM :URICH TO SET UP THE ďŹ rst cotton mill looms in the then commune of Piedimone D !LIFE Egged on -ANY 3WISS INDUSTRIALISTS FOLLOWED IN %GG S FOOTSTEPS 4HEY went in particular to Salerno where such families as the 7ENNERS :Ă BLINS 6ONWILLERS AND -EYERS WERE ACTIVE 4HEIR FACTORIES WERE IMPORTANT NOT ONLY FOR THE SOUTH S ECONOMY FOR EXAMPLE THE COTTON MILLS OF :Ă BLIN AND 6ONWILLER EMPLOYED about 1,500 workers) but were major players worldwide. Salerno was sometimes called the “Manchester of the Two Siciliesâ€?. To the north, especially in the industrial triangle formed by Turin, Genoa and Milan, most Swiss entrepreneurs involved in THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY ARRIVED MUCH LATER n IN THE POST UNIl CATION period. The presence of the Swiss textile merchants was very important, mainly around Bergamo and Turin, referring to people like !UGUST !BEGG FOUNDER OF THE TEXTILE PLANT 6ALLESUSA WHICH WAS a leading company in Italy for many years. By the end of the 19th century, there were 65 textile factories operated by Swiss merchants, including 16 in the province Swiss Club of Victoria
of Bergamo and 14 in the province of Turin. Many of these companies employed between 1,000 and 2,500 workers, according to historian Georges Bonnant, who at the beginning of the 1970s studied Swiss emigration to Italy. Electric monopoly !LSO WORTH MENTIONING IS THE CENTRAL ROLE PLAYED BY THE ďŹ nancial institution, SociĂŠtĂŠ Financière Italo-Suisse, founded in Geneva in 1902, which for a number of years had a near monopoly on the production and distribution of electricity in southern Italy, not including Sicily. The Swiss also had an excellent reputation as hoteliers. “The best hotels are those of the Swiss,â€? wrote French author Gustave Flaubert. )T MAY BE A CLICHĂ? BUT &LAUBERT S VIEW SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT the prestige and the know-how acquired by Swiss hoteliers, who were at the forefront of tourism in Europe, and brought their experience to Italy where they practically created the hotel industry in the second half of the 19th century. "EFORE THE INVENTION OF WINTER SPORTS HOTELS IN THE 3WISS !LPS in the Engadine Valley for example, closed their doors in winter BECAUSE THE INVESTMENT DIDN T PAY OFF 4HEREFORE THE IDEA WAS born to continue the season in the south, also moving their staff who otherwise would have been unemployed. Italian palaces 4HE )TALIAN @PALACES OF THE AGE WERE CREATED THANKS TO 3WISS HOTELIERS LIKE #Ă?SAR 2ITZ !LPHONSE 0FYFFER *OSEPH "UCHER $URRER AND !DOLF !NGST "Y THE END OF THE TH CENTURY NEARLY grand hotels were in Swiss hands. This development was also made possible thanks to capital from private Swiss banks with branches in Italy. The presence of Swiss banks goes back to the 18th century. )N .APLES FOR EXAMPLE AN IMMIGRANT FROM CANTON 4HURGAU IN 1762 founded the Banca Meuricoffre, taken over in 1905 by the Italian bank, Credito Italiano. !LTHOUGH THE IDEA OF BANKS WAS IN PART BORN IN )TALY n THINKING OF THE -ONTE DEI 0ASCHI DI 3IENA n THE EXPERTISE OF THE 3WISS was already well recognised at the time. 4HE 'ENEVANS $E ,A 2Ă E WERE THE PREFERRED BANKERS OF #AMILLO #AVOUR ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF UNIl ED )TALY 4HE $E ,A 2Ă E S ďŹ nanced a number of important works such as the construction OF THE 4URIN !LESSANDRIA RAILWAY LINE Industrialisation Large Swiss ďŹ nancial institutions also entered the game as the industrial revolution ďŹ nally took hold in Italy around 1890. "ASEL S "ANKVEREIN 'ENEVA S 5NION &INANCIĂ’RE AND #REDIT Suisse all participated in the founding of the Banca Commerciale Italiana which, together with Credito Italiano, CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO )TALY S INDUSTRIALISATION Capital invested in Credito Italiano came in part from institutes WITH 3WISS ORIGINS LIKE "ANCA 6ONWILLER OF -ILAN +USTER OF 4URIN and the Basler Handelsbank. Credit Suisse, not satisďŹ ed with playing a role from afar, designated its own president of the board of governors of the Banca Commerciale Italiana as head of a textile empire with numerous branches across Italy. w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m
Swiss activities in the country came to an abrupt end with the outbreak of the First World War. By 1918, all Swiss textile mills had passed into the hands of Italians. Despite everything, ties remained strong.
4th Jass Night Results – Swiss Club, 10 Sept Singles
1. Martin Hornlimann ...................................2811 2ENE :ELLER ................................................2780 3. Brigitte Bohren..........................................2767
Teams
1. Brigitte & Dolf Bohren...............................5086 2. Ida McDonald & Benny Hurlimann............4989 -ARLISE 3EPP +RUMENACHER....................4920
Swiss Club Jass KÜnig & Champion Team 2011 – ERNIE HUGLI TROPHY KÜnig
1. Roger Moullet ...........................................8186 2. Hans Pecar ................................................8122 3. Marcel Theiler ...........................................8014
Team
1. Trudi & Marcel Theiler .............................15893 $ORIS #ONRAD (ANS +ELLER .....................15333 3. Ida McDonald & Benny Hurlimann..........15186
Melbourne Jass KĂśnig & Champion Team 2011 – GĂœNTER BRITSCHGI TROPHY Combined Swiss Club & Matterhorn KĂśnig
(ANS +ELLER ..............................................13295 2. Benny Hurlimann ....................................13025 3. Sylvia Hochuli .........................................12907
Team
$ORIS #ONRAD (ANS +ELLER .....................26085 2. Ida McDonald & Benny Hurliman............25498 3. Brigitte & Dolf Bohren.............................24367
Upcoming Jass Nights - 2012 Swiss Club
1st ND RD 4th & Final
17 March *UNE *ULY 15 September
Matterhorn
1st 2nd RD
25 February 5 May !UGUST
Information supplied by Paul Eisenegger 9544 4681
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Scratching the surface Switzerland’s Engadine valley may be globally renowned thanks to its most famous town, St. Moritz. For locals and most Swiss however, the valley’s beautiful houses with their distinct etchings known as sgrafďŹ ti, are attractions and cultural gems in themselves. Rhythmic patterns climb the edge of a wall; oral decorations frame the eaves of a house; geometric patterns transform a small, sunken window into a spectacular feast for the eyes, while two mountain deer appear to be locked in permanent battle above a main doorway; the decorations adorning some houses in the Engadine come across more as a form of art than simple decoration. Their impact is further increased by the contrast they strike against the dull heaviness of the massive, thick walls, common to the local architecture. ! WALK ALONG THE SMALL WINDING ROADS THAT WEAVE BETWEEN THE OLD VILLAGES OF THE ,OWER %NGADINE VALLEY n SUCH AS 'UARDA OR !RDEZ n GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT TIME STOOD STILL 4HIS ANCIENT decorative custom was imported from neighbouring Italy in the 16th century. Even though many buildings in the area were destroyed during the Thirty Years War, which ended in 1648 (see box), sgrafďŹ ti experienced a revival in the 17th and 18th centuries, when Italian master craftsmen traveled through the Engadine in search of work. Historical etchings Deriving from the Italian word grafďŹ are n WHICH MEANS TO SCRATCH n THE TECHNIQUE CONSISTS OF ETCHING A DESIGN INTO WET plaster, to reveal a different colour underneath. Perhaps one of the most spectacular sgrafďŹ ti IN 3WITZERLAND IS IN 2OVEREDO n STILL IN 'RAUBĂ NDEN BUT NEAR THE 4ICINO BORDER )T IS SOME to 12 metres long and portrays a scene from ancient Greek MYTHOLOGY %NGADINE S sgrafďŹ ti, however, has a more naive quality; a simpler feel in both subject matter and technique, rather than being overly elaborate. SgrafďŹ ti was also very much used for architectural purposes. The mountain houses were designed to keep out the cold n WITH HEAVY WALLS and small, inset WINDOWS n AND THE sgrafďŹ ti technique provided the local population with a chance to create an optical illusion on a BUILDING S FA ADE AND give the impression On a house in Samedan: Scha la of a less inset furtĂźna voust chatter schi vo l’incunter window or a more na spetter – If you want to ďŹ nd good elegant wall. The fortune, don’t wait for it to come to edges of buildings you but take the ďŹ rst step toward it are often decorated yourself
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VnĂ near Ramosch WITH ETCHINGS THAT GIVE THE IMPRESSION OF STONE CORNERS n A sign of a wealthier abode. Lines racing towards inset windows appear to open up deeply recessed openings. 3YMBOLISM IS ALSO PREVALENT ! WAVE LIKE MOTIF KNOWN AS THE @RUNNING DOG AND ALSO VISIBLE IN ANCIENT CLASSICAL DECORATIONS SYMBOLISES LIFE n PAST AND FUTURE HIGHS AND LOWS ! DRAGON IS meant to ward off evil spirits and acts as a guardian for the house and its inhabitants. The rosette is based on the sun: the giver of life and symbol of fertility, creativity and healing power. More traditional mountain scenes, such as the depiction of local animals like the ibex, can be found too, but interestingly they are not as common as one might expect. Houses were sometimes adorned over a lifetime, with motives slowly added as thanksgiving for a rich harvest or a year of good luck. Each is unique One of the charms of this ancient technique is that it not only personalises individual buildings, but also gives each village a character all of it own. Traditionally, each village had a slightly different colour of etchings because it depended on the sand
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Swiss Club of Victoria
From Madulain: Dßr cun dßr nu fo bun mßr – A good wall must be made of hard stone and soft mortar
that had been mixed in the stucco (covering of walls). Each village used local sand, which varied slightly in colour and texture depending on where it was in the valley. The sgrafďŹ ti method involves two or three coats of whitewash being overlaid onto naturally coloured plaster. In order to scratch the ornaments into the wall, the surface has to be moist all the way through: what is known as al fresco (fresh). 4HE MOTIVES MUST BE SCRATCHED IN FAIRLY QUICKLY n AND OUT OF DIRECT SUNSHINE n OTHERWISE THE MORTAR WILL TRY TOO QUICKLY !ND the temperature has to be just right too, or the result will not last for centuries as intended. There is almost no way to correct mistakes made during the procedure. Door archways, window recesses, gables and corners are the main areas decorated in THIS WAY ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES WHOLE SECTIONS OF A BUILDING S FA ADE CAN BE COVERED IN sgrafďŹ ti. The decoration then survives FOR SOME TO YEARS n LEAVING A LASTING MARK A dying art? Today, newly built holiday ats in the Engadine are sometimes decorated with sgrafďŹ ti, but experts turn up their noses at most of recent creations. Most are done by builders, who may have mastered the technique but are lacking the artistic air. Efforts are being made to ensure the survival of this unique art. Courses are now on offer, conducted by experts who teach the history, technique and artistry of sgrafďŹ ti.
The Thirty Years War in GraubĂźnden The Thirty Years War (1618-1648) wreaked havoc across Europe, as the Holy Roman Empire and its Catholic allies battled against opposing protestant powers over religious AND TERRITORIAL ISSUES 3WITZERLAND ALREADY PARTIALLY FORMED as a confederation (although not yet as we know it today), succeeded in avoiding the war, thanks to a complex set of alliances arranged over the previous century. 'RAUBĂ NDEN HOWEVER WAS NOT AS LUCKY .OT YET A FULL member of the Swiss Confederation, but merely an associate, it did not beneďŹ t from the alliance. Instead its geographic location across the strategically important !LPINE PASSES n MEANT IT WASN T SPARED WAR AND DEVASTATION 4HESE PASSES ACROSS THE !LPS WERE THE ONLY LINK BETWEEN !USTRIA AND .ORTHERN )TALY WHICH WERE BOTH ruled by the Hapsburg and control of the passes were vital to ensure the movement of troops from one battleďŹ eld to another.
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Matterhorn Yodel Choir looking for new members If you enjoy Swiss yodelling songs and would like to be part of a choir which takes this tradition seriously, this is your chance to join the Swiss Yodel Choir Matterhorn. For personal reasons, our ďŹ rst yodeler will not be able to continue his role in the choir next year, and we have also lost another choir member. The choir is therefore in a process of renewal, and we are looking for new choir members, and especially someone who can develop into a LEADING YODELER *ODLER ODER *ODLERIN While we take our singing seriously, we also value good companionship among choir members and we enjoy having a good time. If you would like to give this a try, PLEASE CONTACT OUR 0RESIDENT -ARCO 5NTERNĂ‹HRER ON 9752 6996 (H) or 9729 3338 (W).
It’s your Club. Get involved
!S WE APPROACH THE END OF ANOTHER YEAR AGAIN AND WE ARE ALL back again from our travel; we are looking forward to perform with the Dance Group and the Yodlers at Tabulam and Martin ,UTHER .URSING (OMES )TS ALWAYS SUCH A JOY TO BRING A LITTLE BIT of Christmas cheer to the residents there. We also had a great day at the Swiss Festival this year. Despite being a very small group we enjoyed the weekend at the Swiss )TALIAN &ESTA 4OGETHER WITH THE $ANCE 'ROUP !LPENROSE AND the Yodlers we had a lot of fun. We also sang at the church in Daylesford on Sunday which is a Highlight for us. ! BIG THANK YOU GOES TO 4ONI OUR #ONDUCTOR FOR HIS perseverance and good humor. Thank you Marianne for all your help in my absence. On behalf of the Swiss Companion Singers I wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy new Year. Heidy Giger
Test your Swiss Knowledge - Answers Across: 3!).4-!52)#% !,%43#( 37)33&%346!, (%0"52.302).'3 *5.'&2!5*/#( ,!4%.% Down: 34'!,,%. )4!,9 3#(-54:,) -!44)/,) -/%6%.0)#+ ,!53!..% &2!.:(/(,%2
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Expatriates given lessons in direct democracy
89th Congress of the Swiss Abroad Lugano, 26-28 August /RGANISED BY THE /RGANISATION OF THE 3WISS ABROAD /3! THE #ONGRESS OF THE 3WISS !BROAD IS THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE 3WISS CITIZEN ABROAD $URING THIS MEETING THEY HAVE THE opportunity to receive and exchange current information ABOUT 3WITZERLAND TO DISCUSS SPECIAL TOPICS CONCERNING 3WISS !BROAD AND TO EXCHANGE IN A FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE THEIR OWN experiences. This Congress takes place each year in a different city of 3WITZERLAND AND SOME COMPATRIOTS FROM AROUND WORLD come each year to this event. Visits, entertainments, meeting with the authorities and local population are also part of the program. This year the congress was held in Lugano on the WEEKEND OF AND !UGUST 4HE SUMMER SESSION OF THE #OUNCIL OF THE 3WISS !BROAD TOOK place on Friday ahead of the Congress with 78 delegates PARTICIPATING AMONG THEM !USTRALIAN DELEGATE "EAT +NOBLAUCH
Leading up to the parliamentary elections on 23 October, @$IRECT $EMOCRACY WAS CHOSEN AS THE KEY TOPIC OF THIS YEAR S congress, In her address to delegates, federal councillor Doris Leuthard stressed that in times of crisis it was crucial FOR CITIZENS TO BE ABLE to participate directly in politics. She assured the audience of several hundred delegates in Lugano that the government was well aware of the important role of the expatriate community as ambassadors for the country and their role in promoting Swiss values. !PPEALING FOR COURAGE AND A CLEAR HEAD IN TACKLING THE POLITICAL challenges, Leuthard said: “We can only weather the storm together.â€? She said expatriates could beneďŹ t from the use of new technology and government services, including online offers AND HELPLINES TO TAKE PART IN THE POLITICAL LIFE IN 3WITZERLAND and keep in touch with their homeland. She said she was pleased to hear that the Council of the 3WISS !BROAD ON &RIDAY APPROVED A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE extension of the key labour accord with the European Union. Perhaps surprisingly, Leuthard did not broach the congress theme of direct democracy explicitly but focused on the global economic woes, the impact of the strong Swiss franc on the COUNTRY S EXPORT AND TOURISM INDUSTRY AND THE GOVERNMENT S proposed SFr2 billion ($2.5 billion) economic stimulus package.
Stability &ORMER GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN !CHILLE #ASANOVA MADE A PASSIONATE PLEA FOR VOTERS PARTICIPATION IN BALLOTS CONSENSUS AND FEDERALISM AS PILLARS OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM FOR 3WITZERLAND He dismissed claims by critics that direct democratic institutions such as initiatives and referendums were obstacles for an efďŹ cient government. “Direct democracy is a key factor for political stability,â€? he said. ! PANEL DISCUSSION WITH FOUR EXPERTS ON DEMOCRACY HIGHLIGHTED merits and shortcomings of the system in a historical context and the controversy over the possible reforms. 3OCIAL $EMOCRATIC PARLIAMENTARIAN !NDREAS 'ROSS ARGUED THAT direct democracy was not an exclusive Swiss privilege and that the inspiration came from elsewhere. “The Swiss did not invent direct democracy, but they have probably made the best use of it,â€? he said.
Constitutional court Werner Gartenmann of the group Campaign for an )NDEPENDENT AND .EUTRAL 3WITZERLAND ARGUED THAT DIRECT democracy was incompatible with the European Union. Historian RenĂŠ Roca explained that forms of direct democracy ALSO EXIST IN !SIA !FRICA AND ,ATIN BUT 7ESTERN COUNTRIES LARGELY ignored them.
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Swiss Club of Victoria
&OR LAW PROFESSOR !NDREAS !UER OF :URICH 5NIVERSITY DIRECT PEOPLE S INITIATIVES MUST NOT VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS BUT THEY can possibly limit them. He called for the introduction of a constitutional court. /3! 0RESIDENT *ACQUES 3IMON %GGLY WRAPPED UP THE discussions and speeches, concluding that direct democracy must respect universal values and must be adapted to face future challenges. !HEAD OF THE ELECTIONS ON /CTOBER HE CALLED FOR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF CITIZENS IN POLITICS !BOUT A QUARTER OF ALL 3WISS abroad have registered to take part in ballots, representing 2.4% of the total potential electorate of about ďŹ ve million CITIZENS ABOVE THE AGE OF
SwissCommunity.com !LREADY CLOSE TO 3WISS !BROAD HAVE REGISTERED AS members of the internet platform www.swisscommunity.org since its creation in late 2010. This signiďŹ es a resounding SUCCESS 4HOSE WHO REGISTERED FROM !USTRALIA MAKE UP ABOUT 4% of the total, which is a high proportion. In order to give YOUNGER 3WISS !BROAD A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE THE #OUNCIL decided to lower the minimum age to 15 years. 4HE SPRING SESSION OF THE #OUNCIL OF THE 3WISS !BROAD WILL BE held in Bern on 24 March, 2012 and Lausanne will be host the TH #ONGRESS FROM !UGUST WITH THE THEME OF @+NOWLEDGE 4RANSFER Roland Isler - Council of the Swiss Abroad
Federer gets votes in Swiss election 4ENNIS FANS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE CHEERED 2OGER &EDERER S TALENTS BUT HE S MOST CELEBRATED IN HIS NATIVE 3WITZERLAND where some backed him in the federal election, even though he WASN T ON THE BALLOT In his home town of Wollerau the former world tennis number ONE GOT VOTES TO REPRESENT THE CANTON OF 3CHWYZ IN THE Swiss senate. ! &ACEBOOK APPEAL URGED VOTERS TO SCRATCH OUT THE LISTED CANDIDATES AND WRITE IN &EDERER S NAME !N ELECTION OFl CIAL SAID THAT WRITE IN VOTES ARE PERMITTED UNDER Swiss law and that had the appeal been more successful, Federer could have won a senate seat. “One could be elected here, even if one is not a candidate,� he said.
Even if the theatre is small, the effect is great. Alexis de Tocqueville Study of Democracy in Switzerland, 1884
SWISS CLUB MOVIE ‘Wätter SchmĂścker’ The Swiss parliamentary elections On 23 October the Swiss voters decided on the composition of the Swiss parliament. Voter participation was 49%. The federal elections were the platform for the ďŹ rst successful e-election TESTS IN THE CANTONS "ASEL #ITY 3T 'ALLEN 'RAUBĂ NDEN AND !ARGAU !ROUND HALF OF ALL 3WISS !BROAD REGISTERED IN THESE cantons voted via e-voting, that is over 3500. The number OF 3WISS !BROAD CANDIDATES REACHED A NEW RECORD BUT NOT surprisingly none were elected to ofďŹ ce. !LL POLITICAL PARTIES SHOWED AN EXTRAORDINARY INTEREST IN THE 3WISS !BROAD IN THE LEAD UP TO THE ELECTIONS !S A RESULT A record number of candidates from the expatriate community CONTESTED SEATS n THIS YEAR COMPARED WITH ONLY IN and 55 in 2007. The largest number of votes went to Helen &REIERMUTH A :Ă RICH &$0 CANDIDATE LIVING IN #HINA 3HE RECEIVED 38,000 votes, clearly below the minimum requirement of VOTES !S DISAPPOINTING THESE RESULTS MAY LOOK AT l RST glance, they nevertheless are a success in as much as the 5th 3WITZERLAND IS NOW l RMLY A FORCE TO RECKON WITH ON THE POLITICAL scene. w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m
Wednesday, 15 February 2012, 8pm Swiss Club, Second Floor Director: Thomas Horat 2010, 98 min, PG Documentary Swiss German, English Subtitles www.mythenďŹ lm.ch This ďŹ lm portrays the lives of seven weather prophets FROM #ENTRAL 3WITZERLAND WHO PREDICT THE WEATHER SIX months in advance. On the basis of mice, bees, ants, plants, mushrooms, pine cones and winds, they provide insight into their methods for predicting the weather and their knowledge in a sensuous and humorous manner. The ďŹ lm addresses issues concerning global warming and portrays the Mythen region and Muota Valley with the changing of the seasons, highlighting its inhabitants, dialects and beauty. Discussions about weather forecasts between three weather prophets and a meteorologist IN :Ă RICH DEMONSTRATE THAT THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE WITH PROFOUND KNOWLEDGE n BEYOND THE REALM OF SCIENCE 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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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).
DECEMBER
Thursday Saturday Friday
01 03 23
Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand entertains at the Club Senior Christmas Afternoon Tea (by invitation) Club Restaurant closes after dinner
JANUARY
Monday Monday
9 30
Club reopens for 2012 Editorial Deadline - Newsletter March issue
FEBRUARY
Thursday 02 Saturday 04 Sunday 12 Wednesday 15 3ATURDAY
Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand entertains at the Club SwissKids .ICHOLAS #HEVALIER Exibition in Geelong ends Swiss Movie Night: Wätter Schmöcker *ASS .IGHT -ATTERHORN
Thursday Saturday Wednesday Wednesday Friday Saturday Sunday 7EDNESDAY
Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand entertains at the Club SwissKids Ladies’ Luncheon Annual General Meeting Billiard: Swiss Club Doubles Championship Jass Night - Swiss Club SWISS FESTIVAL #OMEDY &ESTIVAL STARTS 4HE 3ECOND &LOOR UNAVAILABLE UNTIL !PRIL
MARCH
01 03 07 14 16 17 25
From a 1952 Tourist Map of Switzerland 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 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
Wine & Cheese Tasting H Half-Yearly General Meeting
THE
RO U CLU
T
ABOU D N B
IS SW S
Swiss & Italian Festival
Mystery Trip Kaffeeklatsch