DECEMBER 2014
Successful Swiss Club President’s Conference
Organised by the Australian members of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), the first ever conference of leaders of Swiss clubs, groups and organisations in Australia took place on Saturday, 27th of September, at the residence of the Swiss Ambassador to Australia, Mr Marcel Stutz in the nations capital Canberra. The meeting provided a forum for the more than thirty attendees from around Australia and overseas to discuss the many issues that are important to Swiss Abroad and get first hand government information from to hear more about the the Ambassador and the Consul President’s Conference General, Mr Ernst Steinmann. and the issues that were discussed, please come to Mrs Sabine Silberstein, the Swiss Club on: representing the executive board of the Organisation of the Swiss Friday, 5 December Abroad (OSA), arrived from See page 7 for more Singapore to provide information information. about the OSA and the many services that it offers. Other speakers included: Anselm Zurfluh, Director, Musée de Penthes, Geneva; Peter Ehrler, CSA New Zealand; Christian Froelicher, Executive Producer, SBS Radio German Language Program; Heidi Gmuer, Oceania Correspondent of the NZZ. The conference also provided an excellent opportunity for networking and so did the social program: dinner hosted by
OSA Information Evening
the Ambassador at the residence and on Sunday, a visit to the ‘Floriade’ flower show and the magnificent Parliament House. Many thanks go to the Ambassador and to the Canberra Swiss Club for their warm hospitality and to everyone that attended! The CSA delegates are confident that this meeting has opened doors for a closer collaboration and friendship among the many Swiss groups that were represented. It was decided that there should be a repeat of this conference in two years time. The host city will be Melbourne. Roland Isler - Council of the Swiss Abroad
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! This lovely hand-painted nativity Christmas set was created by Sylvia Hochuli
89 Flinder s Lane • Melbour ne 3000 • Victor ia • Australia • www.s wissclubvic .com.au
Foundation Day
High Tea a cosy afternoon with a Swiss twist…
Please join us for the 116th Anniversary Celebration of the Swiss Club of Victoria, on
Sunday, 1 February 2015, from 3 to 6pm Enjoy a traditional high tea reminiscent of the time when our club was founded. The buffet includes a delicious array of ribbon sandwiches, delectable cakes and chocolate desserts, fresh scones and Swiss delights.Choose from a selection of teas and coffee. Enjoy a welcome glass of bubbly and be entertained by some lovely piano tunes. That’s the way to spend a memorable Sunday afternoon among friends, commemorating your club’s birthday in style! Tickets: members $40, non-members $50, drinks at bar prices. For bookings, please see the coupon on page 22.
BOOK EARLY AS SEATS ARE LIMITED!
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.au www.swissclubvic.com Club Opening Hours Lunch: Mo - Fri from 12noon Dinner: Tue - Fri from 6pm Club Nights: Wed & Thurs Chef & Manager: Roger Moullet Restaurant and Functions Manager: Renee Moullet Bookings T: (03) 9650 1196 Swiss Club Catering For all functions contact Roger or Renee 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: thesecondfloor@swissclubvic.com.au
COMMITTEE Sigrid de Castella President M: 0416 088 000 E: president@swissclubvic.com.au Barbara Kündig Immediate Past President / Secretary M: 0402 018 363 E: info@swissclubvic.com.au Urs Derrick Wildi Treasurer M: 0403 040 930 E: treasurer@swissclubvic.com.au
‘Edelweiss’ appears quarterly in March, June, September and December. Circulation 500. For all enquiries contact: Editor: Roland Isler 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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Vreni Welsh Membership M: 0423 513 843 E: membership@swissclubvic.com.au Antony Anderson Building Services Manager M: 0416 069 666 E: building@swissclubvic.com.au Arnold Kramer Assistant Building Manager M: 0419 268 503 E: committeemember@swissclubvic.com.au Liz Isler Grants Officer M: 0409 040 099 E: marketing@swissclubvic.com.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 Les Bavards - ‘The Chatterboxes’ Joint Convenors: Sigrid de Castella & Rémy Favre Contact: see SCV committee and Groupe Romand du Victoria Laughter Yoga Helvetia Convenor: Marianne Bishop M: 0448 697 258 E: laughter.club.helvetia@gmail.com Swiss Festival Chairman: Rolf Huber T/F (H): (03) 9807 0282 M (B): 0425 805 854 E: rolf@swissfestival.com.au Unless otherwise stated, postal address for all is: 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Vic 3000
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 www.swiss.org.au/chfrvic Swiss Yodel Choir Matterhorn President: Chris Hostettler 19 Lockwood Road Belgrave Heights Vic 3160 T: (03) 9754 7390, M: 0428 427 434 E: helvet@bigpond.com www.swiss.org.au/matterhorn SwissCham Australia General Manager: Marcel Svatos T: (02) 9262 1511, F: (02) 9290 1928 E: office@swisscam.com.au Further details see: www.swisscham.com.au Swiss-Australian Academic Network (SAAN) E: info@saan.id.au Further details see: www.saan.com.au Organisation of the Swiss Abroad Council Member: Roland Isler Further details see: under Editor www.aso.ch & www.swiss.org.au/csa 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 Further details of official representations see: www.eda.admin.ch/australia
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President’s Message Dear members and friends of the Swiss Club, Despite the weather warming up and summer almost being here it’s been ‘icy cool’ in the Swiss Club. On Thursday 11 September Dr Anna Lucas presented ‘Swiss Alps to Antarctic Glaciers’ and her research into the Journals of Dr Xavier Mertz on Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-1914. It was a fantastic event well attended by members and friends. Sunday Sessions Jazz on 21 September featuring Melbourne Jazz Trio ‘One, Two, Three’ was a very relaxed, soulful day featuring some cool jazz standards in an improvised context, maintaining the sincerity of jazz while incorporating a modern influence. Unfortunately what would have been the standout jazz event on 19 October featuring Paul Van Ross, just back from Cuba and New York where he recorded his new album, had to be cancelled due to low ticket sales. We’re hoping to feature Paul at an upcoming event in 2015. Our Half-Yearly Meeting on 24 September was quite well attended and we were thrilled to formally welcome Liz Isler to the Committee in the role as Grants Officer. Liz’s vast experience and project management skills will be of great benefit in exploring grants that the Club might be eligible for. Liz will oversee the grant application process, giving us a much greater chance at success and vital funds to run our building and future events. We have some great events planned for 2015. You won’t want to miss the 116th Anniversary ‘High Tea’ on Saturday 1 February which marks the ‘birthday’ of the Swiss Club of Victoria. On Wednesday, 18 March, following last year’s success, we will again present our ‘new look’ Annual General Meeting – a more condensed meeting for Members upstairs with dinner celebrations afterwards in the Restaurant which non-Members can also enjoy. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival will ‘bump in’ on Sunday 22 March, and ‘bump out’ on Monday 20 April. During this time our Sub-groups need to find alternative venues to meet and practice. This festival is an important event for the Club, generating much publicity and income. During this time we appreciate your patience if your Club or restaurant access is limited. The restaurant will close after dinner on 23 December for the Christmas/New Year period. Roger, Renee and their team will reopen on Monday, 11 January 2015. I’d like to thank them for their hard work and dedication in making the Club such a welcoming meeting place for our Members and their guests. I’m also looking forward to seeing what fabulous specials and new wines they offer in 2015! Christmas is almost here but there’s still some time in December to get involved in Swiss-themed activities with Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand performing in the Restaurant on
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Thursday 4 December (bookings essential). And don’t forget that if you’re looking for a function space for your business or event that there’s nothing as Swiss as hosting it on our Second Floor. Sadly, at the Half-Yearly General Meeting Derrick Wildi announced his impending resignation from the Committee and relocation to Canada to join his family and create a new life there. Derrick has been a huge presence on the Committee and a diligent Treasurer - we will miss him greatly. I join with the Committee in wishing him a happy family reunion and much success for his future. Derrick’s resignation leaves a huge void on the Committee and the position of Treasurer vacant. Should you have any book keeping or accounting skills, or be willing to learn and interested in filling this position we would warmly welcome you on the Committee. I do hope that you and your families have a safe and joyous Festive Season. On behalf of the Committee and myself, we wish you a healthy, happy and prosperous 2015. We look forward, very much, to seeing you at the Club soon. Sigrid de Castella - President
As easy as 1–2–3! Sunday, 21 September I was privileged to spend an afternoon at the second ‘Sunday Sessions’ Jazz concert with the fabulous trio called ‘One, Two, Three’. The young lady sang ‘Summertime’ and ‘The living is easy’, plus ‘Autumn leaves’, amongst other songs. The guitar and trombone players gave some impressive solos. A young and vibrant trio. We enjoyed good wine and pizza. Come and sway with the Jazz band, you will enjoy your afternoon. The more people attend-the merrier it will be. Inge Kulmanis
Swiss Club of Victoria
Welcome to our new members We welcome the following new members at the Club: Nigel Hadgkiss, Martin von Wyss, Simon Ward, Ian Penboss, Ueli Nachbur Please make them feel welcome. We hope you will enjoy great times at the club and find many new friends.
members and permanent cards for HLM. Please note that yearly invoices go out to all members even if you have a NIL balance to pay. Take the time to check your details and email any changes to: membership@swissclubvic.com.au or write to us on 89 Flinders Lane; Melbourne Vic 3000 Remember to present your Membership Card for your special 10% discount at the Swiss Club Restaurant and reduced entry prizes at Club functions.
Happy birthday In December Eleanor Schmidig and Ernst Fries and in January Eugen Joho will be 80 years young. In February Adolf Bohren can celebrate his 85 Birthday. In January Patricia Wernli and in February Johan Vandenberg will count 90 candles on their Birthday cake. Congratulation to all of you and we wish you good health for many years to come.
Get well Dealing with health issues at the moment are Pat Wernli, Aida Jenny, Theo Wirsch and Beryl Black. Best wishes for a speed y recovery, we hope to see you soon at the club again. New Members Evening, September
The last farewell
New members event On 24 September our new members enjoyed not only our traditional get-together and the special welcome present for the new members. They took part in our Half-Yearly Meeting, taking advantage of their right to vote. If you have joined our great Club in the last 1½ years keep an eye out for a special invitation email or sms. Get involved, get to know your fellow members and join our fun and interesting activities.
Membership cards As of 2015 we will be introducing new Membership Cards expiring annually at the end of February each year for ordinary
Planning your private or business function? The Second Floor is the perfect venue! Contact 1300 893 968 for information & bookings.
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We are saddened by the passing of our Honorary Life Member, Patricia Doos, and extend our sincere condolences to her family. Lesile Gleadall passed away after a long illness and our deepest sympathies go to his partner and club member, Syibille Steiner. Sadly, we also learned of the passing of our longstanding member, Hans Bless. Hans has has been an active member and a keen ‘jasser’ for 33 years and we will miss his friendly disposition and sense of humour. Our condolences go to his family. Our thoughts are with their families, and we will remember Patricia, Leslie and Hans fondly.
Newsletter Deadlines 2015 March Issue: Covering March/April/May Editorial Deadline: Monday, 2 February Mailing: Wednesday, 18 February June Issue: Covering June/July/August Editorial Deadline: Monday, 4 May Mailing: Wednesday, 20 May September Issue: Covering Sept/Oct/ Nov Editorial Deadline: Monday, 3 August Mailing: Wednesday, 19 August December Issue: Covering Dec /Jan/Feb 2016 Editorial Deadline: Monday, 2 November Mailing: Wednesday, 18 November
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Vacant Role: Treasurer With the recent resignation of Derrick Wildi, the Swiss Club urgently needs a new Treasurer. This position requires you to join the committee and attend regular twicemonthly meetings. A basic knowledge of accounting and experience with MYOB would be an advantage, but more important is your willingness to get involved, learn and make a commitment to your Club. If you are able to assist please contact the committee on info@swissclubvic.com.au or phone 1300 893 968.
Meet the Committee:
Liz Isler Grants Officer I moved to Australia from Annecy (near Chamonix, France) with my parents when I was six years old. My father was French and my mother is Italian. I met my husband Roland here in Melbourne and through him became interested in all things Swiss. My busy work schedule as a Project Manager prevented me from becoming as involved with the Swiss Community as I would have liked. However, I am taking a long break from work and decided to use this opportunity to change this. When I was approached to help with the Swiss Festival I thought it would be a great introduction to volunteering and to become a more active member of the Club. That gave me the confidence to submit myself as a committee member of the Swiss Club. My role in the committee (although not limited to this) will be to research and source government grants and assistance. I feel at home and enjoy the many wonderful people I meet at the Club and look forward to contributing in helping the Swiss Club to grow and prosper so that many of its members will benefit from its success for a great many years to come.
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Welcome to TICINO CORNER, a short contribution that aims to bring brief news and information from the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland to the readers of the Edelweiss and members of the Swiss Club! A MAGISTRATE IN LUGANO from the Children’s Court has presented figures showing a 20% drop in sentences handed out to minors compared to last year. The sentences have also taken on a more varied flavour, including one teenager sentenced to a 300km hike between Valle di Blenio and the Italian port city of Genoa! Source: Corriere del Ticino THE LARGEST COLLECTION of solar panels in Ticino has recently been opened in Sant’Antonino. The opening was attended by Consigliera di Stato (Councillor of State ) Laura Sadis and the 5,820 solar panels are expected to generate enough year-round electricity for 390 families. Source: Corriere del Ticino
HEAVY WEEKEND RAIN over October 11/12 has triggered flooding in many parts of the canton. Train services between Bellinzona and Milan were briefly interrupted. Some small landslides near Locarno have occured but have not lead to seriously damage to property or personal injury. Source: Corriere del Ticino
DID YOU KNOW? Representatives of Napoleon Bonaparte offered the leaders of Ticino accommodation within the newlyformed (and Italian-speaking) Cisalpine Republic. They and much of the populace refused, instead demanding union with their ‘confederate brothers’ under the slogan ‘Liberi e Svizzeri’ (‘Free and Swiss’). Anthony Longano
I am delighted to welcome Anthony Longano as a new regular contributor to the Edelweiss. Anthony has a keen interest in Switzerland and in particular in the Italian speaking canton of Ticino. He has travelled there many times for leisure and professional reasons and knows the country well. We look forward to hearing many interesting stories from the ‘Swiss Sunshine State’. Editor
An Austrian Airways plane approaches Zürich airport. The air traffic controller asks: “What is your position?” The pilot replies: “I sitz ganz fuarn!” (I am sitting all the way up front).
Swiss Club of Victoria
Kaffeeklatsch Sunday, 8 September The Seniors enjoyed a special afternoon at the Swiss Club. All the tables were decorated with beautiful spring flowers. Ladies in their colourful Swiss National Costumes served cakes and coffee. Conversations in a variety of Swiss dialects, intermingled with lots of laughter, could be heard throughout the Club. I would like to thank the Swiss Club and Roger Moullet for letting us use the premises. To our supportive members and the Swiss Society, thank you for your generosity! On behalf of the Trachtengruppe, I wish you all a happy Festive Season, most of all good health for 2015.
Seeing all my friends and the festive atmosphere with the colourful tables laden with cakes and savouries, set to perfection. Everyone was in a jovial mood,ready to eat, laugh and talk! Beautiful spring flowers decorated the tables. The spring weather was kind to us, beautiful warmth and sunshine. The Swiss costumes as always looked bright and cheerful. Thank you to the Trachtengruppe Schwyzergruess, Australian / Swiss Cultural Society and all the helpers. Roger with his kindly self, Liz and Roland taking all the photos, that’s hard work! We oldies are a lucky bunch, DANKE! Inge Kulmanis
Sylvia Hochuli
OSA Information Evening if you like to hear more about the President’s Conference (see front page and also page 24) and the issues that were discussed, please come to the Swiss Club on:
Friday, 5 December 6pm to 7:30pm. The Second Floor This is also an opportunity to meet the Consul General, Mr Ernst Steinmann, who will be in attendance to answer questions and to talk about important government issues. No booking required for the Information Evening. For dinner afterwards, please book with the restaurant on 9650 1196.
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Swiss Club Senior Members Luncheon Tuesday, 26 August The Senior Members Luncheon is the ‘Party oft he Year’ for our Elders. Dressed in their Sunday best – even though it was Tuesday – with radiant smiles on their faces and full of anticipation of yet another wonderful social gathering, and they were not disappointed. They met old friends, an opportunity to discuss the past and future, and catching up on the happeningss of the past year. The tables looked inviting, the helping team was most welcoming, and the food was to everyone’s delight. But the highlight was the handsome minstrel, Valeri Ozeram, who entertained the guests with wonderful tunes on his accordion. Everybody was happy. Thank you Swiss Club for another wonderful party – one that brought a lot of joy to many. On behalf of ‘The Grey Power’, Rita Schwärzler-Abbt
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The whole bunch of Edelweiss is now online The entire library of newsletters since 2007 is now available online. Just go to the Swiss Club website 4 Our Club 4 Edelweiss Newsletter 4 Archive Edelweiss: http://issuu.com/search?q=edelweiss …and click on the Edelweiss ‘Open Stack’.
Swiss Club of Victoria
Swiss that changed the world Albrecht von Haller (1708 – 1777), genius anatomist, physiologist, naturalist and poet He was born of an old Swiss family at Bern. He is considered the father of experimental physiology, who made prolific contributions to physiology, anatomy, botany, embryology, poetry, and scientific bibliography. Haller was the first to recognise the mechanism of respiration and the autonomous function of the heart. Toward the end of his life, he devoted much of his time to the cataloging of scientific literature. Haller was also an accomplished poet, and his glorification of the mountains (Die Alpen 1732) helped bring a sense of the awareness of natural wonders to German-language poetry. Haller was featured on the 500 franc banknote, series 1976 1995.
Horace-Bénédict de Saussure (1740 – 1799), aristocrat, physicist, geologist, and early Alpine explorer An accomplished mountain climber, he is often considered the founder of alpinism. Saussure performed early laboratory experiments on the origin of granite. He published the results of more than 30 years of geologic studies in his Voyages dans les Alpes (177996). Saussure became professor of physics and philosophy at the Academy of Geneva in 1762 and in 1766 developed what was probably the first electrometer, used to measure electric potential. In 1783 Saussure built the first hygrometer utilizing a human hair to measure humidity. Saussure was featured on the 20 franc banknote, series 1976 1995.
A customer asked, “In what aisle could I find the Kranzky sausages?” The assistant asks, “Are you Austrian?” The guy, clearly offended, says, “Yes I am – but let me ask you something... If I had asked for a Mortadella, would you ask me if I was Italian? Or if I had asked for Bratwurst, would you ask me if I was German? Or if I asked for a Cervelat would you ask me if I was Swiss? Or if I had asked for a Chorizo, would you ask if I was Spanish? The assistant says, “No, I probably wouldn’t.” The guy says, “Well then, just because I asked for a Kranzky, why DID you ask me if I’m Austrian?” The assistant replied, “Because you’re in a hardware store.”
SWISS CLUB MOVIE ‘Jimmie’ Wednesday, 18 February 2015, 8pm Swiss Club, 2nd floor 2008, 89min, Drama, Swiss German, English subtitles Director: Tobias Ineichen with Stephanie Japp, Joel Basman, Martin Rapold, Michael Neuenschwander Kathy is the single mother of Jimmie, a 17 year old with autism. After he completes school, she takes him back home, even though everyone dissuades her from doing so. Painful though it is, she is forced to accept that her proximity to Jimmie does not have the desired effect for his progress. On the contrary, his reactions to the unfamiliar situation are fierce, taking her to her limits time and again. The only thing that makes Jimmie feel comfortable is swimming: his greatest passion. When the swim coach discovers his talent, new prospects seem to open for him. 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.
The Swiss Club Restaurant. It’s where you meet your friends.
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Swiss Schmutzlis unmoved by Dutch Zwarte Piet row It is a big job distributing presents to children, but St.Nicholas’s choice of assistants is coming under scrutiny. Concern over the Dutch blackfaced Zwarte Piet has reached the United Nations. He resembles a bogeyman seen in some parts of Switzerland. It’s the night of the first Sunday of Advent and people have turned out to witness the traditional arrival of St.Nicholas of Myra – or Samichlaus as he is known locally – in Chur, eastern Switzerland. A number of Samichlaus and their helpers, known as Schmutzli (‘dirty fellow’), gather in front of the cathedral and then march in a torchlight procession down into the city. The Schmutzlis’ faces have been painted black, as is local tradition. The local group’s chairman, Marcel Leupi, says he was able to muster 20-30 Samichlaus-Schmutzli pairs who will visit children with gifts on 6 December. Children are told to be good, otherwise Schmutzli will leave coal instead of treats or switches to spank them with – or even carry them off in his sack. At the procession, children along the route all look happy. One Schmutzli, Roland Conrad, pooh-poohs the idea that his appearance may frighten children. Christian Foppa, a mitred St.Nicholas, and his own Schmutzli agree. “I remember once we visited a family where the kids were a bit afraid,” Foppa recalls. “Schmutzli here saw a toy tractor on the floor and asked whose it was. One little boy said it was his. Schmutzli told him he drove a big tractor himself – and the ice was broken.” Foppa adds that Schmutzlis are indispensable. “Without Schmutzli, Samichlaus would be nothing,” he says with a hearty laugh. Negative stereotype In recent times, with the gory fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and other traditional features of childhood being watered down, Schmutzli has had to have something of a makeover. He now appears as a benign assistant to St.Nick in doling out presents. His equivalent in The Netherlands, Zwarte Piet (Black Pete), is falling foul of political correctness. Critics say he is racist and demeaning and obviously a black servant or slave from the bad old days of Dutch imperialism. Defenders of the custom claim he is blackfaced from bringing presents down chimneys, but his whole get-up is unmistakably one of a gollywog. A group of human rights experts in The Netherlands called on the government to facilitate the growing national debate on whether the portrayal perpetuates a negative stereotype of Africans and people of African descent. “It is clear that many people, especially people of African descent living in the Netherlands, consider that aspects of Zwarte Piet are rooted in unacceptable, colonial attitudes that they find racist and offensive,” the experts said in a UN press release.
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“Indeed, since the debate over Zwarte Piet has escalated, people of African descent report being subjected to even greater racial abuse and ridicule, actions which we condemn.” They noted suggestions about how the best aspects of the tradition can be preserved and how elements that offend might be modified, and called for the government to facilitate an “open debate in Dutch society, with a view to creating an understanding of how this tradition is perceived by different groups and to identify steps that might respond to the views and concerns of all”. The issue has had echoes in Canada too, where a politician with a Dutch wife faced a backlash for posting and then deleting a photo of himself with a Zwarte Piet on Twitter.
The one you need to keep an eye out for is on the right On the wane? According to Lucerne folklorist Kurt Lussi, the fact that the Swiss bogeyman is blackfaced has nothing to do with racism. “Black symbolises the demonic and unfruitful, as opposed to white, the colour of the holy and immaculate,” he explains. As Lussi points out, though, Schmutz in German originally meant not dirt but grease. In olden days grease was mixed with soot to paint Schmutzli’s face. Today’s Schmutzlis do not have to be blackfaced. For Lussi, the whole tradition is waning, and current images of St.Nick “are as much influenced by CocaCola ads as by the saint of Myra”. Back in Chur, one Schmutzli, Roland Conrad, says that Zwarte Piet is different because he is a Moor from Spain, so people would more likely think he was black. When asked where Schmutzli comes from and why he has a black face, Conrad and Samichlaus Foppa have no shortage of stories. In one, Schmutzli was a lumberjack and charcoal-burner in the woods above Chur. One 6 December night, St.Nick had a hole in his sack and lost all the oranges and nuts. But Schmutzli had found a trail of them in the snow and collected them in his sack, and so the day was saved. Some say Schmutzli was shunned by people because of his blackened face and solitary life in the woods. St.Nick felt sorry for him and invited him to come and be his helper. Swiss Club of Victoria
The taming of Schmutzli In Switzerland the tradition varies by denomination: in Catholic areas St.Nicholas appears as a bishop with mitre and crozier, while in Protestant areas, where the custom was only revived in the 19th century, he is not really a Catholic saint – abolished by the Reformers – but a secular figure. According to Lussi, St.Nick and Schmutzli in Central Europe really go back to pre-Christian myth. The St.Nicholas figure is a Christianisation of Wotan, who is a god of winter storms on a white horse, leading the host of the unredeemed dead to the Other World through the winter landscape, with Schmutzli as his helper, the whipper-in of the ghostly herd (he later became a bogeyman). But that is also why St.Nick judges good and bad behaviour – for Wotan is the judge of the dead. There is a move to tone down Schmutzli, Lussi agrees. “The racism accusation in The Netherlands is only a part of a general trend” to sanitise the old folk customs. The other part is to tone down the scariness of Schmutzli. He is degenerating into a kind of Christmas Fool. When Lussi was a child, he remembered Schmutzli being much scarier. His mother even told stories of being tossed in a sack and so on. “If that happened today, there might be criminal charges and psychological treatment would be called for,” he chuckled. However, “when you see the children’s eyes light up on seeing the arrival of Samichlaus and Schmutzli, they do not seem afraid at all – it is more likely parents who get anxious”, he adds. swissinfo.ch
Become a member of the Swiss Society of Victoria
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Invitation to the Seniors of the Swiss Community, Swiss Nationals born 1944 or earlier and Partners
Senior Christmas Afternoon Tea Saturday, 6 December at 2pm The Swiss Club of Victoria with the support of the Swiss Society of Victoria, the Trachtengruppe Schwyzergruess, the Folk Dance Group Alpenrose, SwissKids and the Swiss Companion Singers invites Swiss Nationals born 1944 or earlier and Partners to a Senior Christmas Afternoon Tea at the Swiss Club of Victoria, 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. This event is free of charge. RSVP by Monday, 1 December, either by phone or email to: Rita Schwärzler-Abbt, 9561 7811, ritaherbert@bigpond.com Sylvia Hochuli, 9531 6575, hochuli@tpg.com.au
We help Swiss citizens living in Victoria who need financial or social support. Because charity begins at home. You can help us in helping them.
Ich wünsche mir in diesem Jahr Mal Weihnacht wie es früher war. Kein Hetzen zur Bescherung hin Kein Schenken ohne Herz und Sinn. Ich wuensch’ mir eine stille Nacht, Frostklirrend und mit weisser Pracht. Ich wünsche mir ein kleines Stück Von warmer Menschlichkeit zurück. Ich wünsche mir in diesem Jahr Weihnacht wie als Kind sie war. Es war einmal, schon lang ist’s her Da war so wenig – so viel mehr.
The Swiss Society of Victoria is a benevolent organisation and has been supporting the Swiss Community of Victoria since 1879
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For more information about us or if you know any Swiss citizen in Victoria who could benefit from our services contact: Franz Schellmann T: 9449 2245 M: 0412 203 893 schnellmann@dodo.com.au
Anonymous supplied by Rita Schwärzler-Abbt
Follow the Swiss Club on Social Media! You can find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ Swissclubvic, on Twitter @SwissClubVic or on YouTube http:// www.youtube.com/SwissClubVictoria
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Test your Swiss Knowledge 2 3
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The Journals of Dr Xavier Mertz Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-1914
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Swiss Alps to Antarctic Glaciers – a SwissAustralian story
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Edited by Anna Lucas
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Across 1. Largest town and capital of Roman Switzerland (Helvetia or Civitas Helvetiorum) 6. What is Liz looking after? 7. Where was Albrecht von Haller born? 9. Who will be at the OSA Information Evening (surname)? 11. First name of the accordion minstrel? 12. What sport makes Jimmie feel comfortable? Down 2. Which General was instrumental in the mapping of Switzerland (surname)? 3. Who recently launched a book at the Club (surname)? 4. Who is the Swiss Club Jass König 2014 (first name)? 5. What is Santa’s sidekick called? 6. Which city will be hosting the 93rd Congress of the Swiss Abroad? 8. Surname of the latest regular newsletter contributor. 10. Since the first national census was held in 1850, which city in Switzerland had the largest population increase (2088%)? For answers go to page 17
Language: English Binding: Softcover, 224 pages ISBN: 978-0-9925623-1-1 Price: $39.50 + postage
Swiss Alps to Antarctic Glaciers The Journals of Dr Xavier Mertz Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-1914
When Fate beckons the allure can be irresistible. When Swiss ski champion and Edited by Anna Lucas mountaineer Xavier Mertz answered the call to experience extreme adventure on Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic Expedition (1911–1914) he overcame many challenges. When his friend Belgrave Ninnis died unexpectedly on a sledging journey, the challenges resulting from that tragic event were insurmountable. Mertz struggled against the odds, but ultimately had no option but to surrender to his fate. Mertz was a keen photographer and this annotated English version of his journals, originally written in German, is enhanced by photographs taken by him and other members of the expedition. A comprehensive introduction and informative concluding chapters tell the story of Mertz and the subsequent story of his journals, giving greater insight into the world of this accomplished and talented adventurer, and greater insight into his vibrant and complex personality. The Mertz journals give us a first-hand account of a classic Antarctic story. To purchase this book please contact Anna Lucas on lucasmail2002@gmail.com “The Mertz journals are the legacy of the first Swiss in Antarctica. A welcome addition to polar literature.” — Marcel Stutz, Ambassador of Switzerland to Australia
Parking in the City? Before you visit the Swiss Club, visit www.secureparking. com.au/secure-a-spot Choose ‘114 Flinders Street’ and book to receive parking for as low as $5!
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Swiss Club of Victoria
Successful book launch at the Swiss Club O Thursday, 11 September the Swiss Club of Victoria proudly hosted the launch of the book On ‘‘Swiss Alps to Antarctic Glaciers ’. TThe book, edited by Anna Lucas (pictured left), is an English translation of a revised German transcript of Xavier Mertz’ expedition journals of Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-1914 (see also previous page). Around fifty members and guests, among them some Antarctic scientists and scholars from around the country, attended the event. It started off with everyone being served a welcoming drink and canapés and after a short introduction the presentation commenced with a 30-minute movie to illustrate the sublime beauty but also the incredible harshness of Antarctica – setting the scene to what was about to follow. Swiss Club member Anna Lucas spoke about the expedition, about Xavier Mertz, the 29-yearold mountaineer and ski champion from Basel and first Swiss to set foot on this fascinating continent, and what motivated him to join the expedition. After a most interesting and informative presentation, Anna signed her new book and also her children’s book ‘Mertz & Me by Basilisk’ for those that wished to purchase a copy. For anyone that was inspired to see this amazing continent themselves, Swiss Club member Rolf Huber of ‘Natural Focus Safaris’ and his colleague Talin, who is an expert on travel to Antarctica, were on stand-by to answer any questions. We are immensely proud that Anna has chosen our Swiss Club to launch her book and we congratulate her warmly on her wonderful achievement. One off the most interesting evenings I have ever encountered! A film about Antarctica was screened and Dr. Anna Lucas spoke about the first Swiss on that continent while showing pictures on the screen and explaining about the expedition. A great event! I vaguely remember my father talking about Xavier Mertz, a long time ago. Inge Kulmanis
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CERN’s collider just got more powerful If CERN was able to uncover the elusive Higgs boson in 2012 with only half the energy its Large Hadron Collider is capable of, why does it need so much more energy for its next set of experiments? The 27km Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva, will be operating at much higher beam energy when it restarts in April 2015. Why is more energy important? “It all comes down to E = mc2,” says physicist Josh Thompson, citing Albert Einstein’s famous equation. So far, the LHC has run at 8 TeV (tera electron Volts). That’s the “E” (Energy). During this next run, the “E” will be 13 TeV. “When we get more ‘E’ we can hopefully get more ‘m’ [mass] stuff coming out,” says Thompson, a Cornell University postdoctoral research associate currently based at CERN. And not just more mass, but probably heavier mass, heavier particles that could finally prove the existence of “dark matter”. Be cool Astrophysicists tell us that the matter we can detect – stars, planets, broccoli, etc. – makes up only 5% of the universe. The other 95% consists of “dark energy” (about 70%) and the rest of “dark matter”. But nothing is known for sure about this Dark Universe, except that it must exist – just as the Higgs boson was thought to exist, but hadn’t been proven until 2012. The proton collisions will restart in April. Already begun is the six-month process of cooling the accelerator’s 1,232 giant electromagnets to near absolute zero (-271.3 C), enabling its niobium-titanium cables to achieve super-conductivity (zero electrical resistance), and thus to propel those speedy hundreds of trillions of protons per second around and around. This cooling process requires lots of electrical power. Does that mean that when the CERN engineers threw the switch, the lights in Geneva flickered? No, says Serge Claudet, the energy coordinator for CERN’s accelerators. Nor did that happen in neighbouring France, even though CERN draws its power from Électricité de France (EDF). The power comes into the research centre’s primary substation
On the lookout for dark matter in a colourful place: physicist Josh Thompson
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before being re-distributed to its various power nodes around the accelerator. Once the accelerator is cooled down, that part of the system actually uses relatively little power. “We take energy to feed the magnets but once they are loaded, they can stay like that for ten hours without additional energy consumption,” says Claudet. After cooling is complete, the physicists and engineers “inject” the beam of protons into the accelerator. Propelling the beam takes more electrical energy. Shortages Altogether, CERN consumes about 1.2 TWh (terawatt-hours) per year. At peak times, it’s equal to about one-third of the power consumption of the city of Geneva. The research centre’s annual electric bill is about 6% of its total budget, paid for by its 21 member states. But what if the power is interrupted? Actually, this happens more than 30 times a year on average, due to anything from a thunderstorm, or a tree falling on a power line to a false instrument reading. In 2011 there were two power outages of more than an hour, one due to a backhoe touching the line and causing a shortcircuit. But usually these power interruptions last for less than 100 milliseconds before the system is automatically reset. This affects only the proton beams circling the accelerator, not less critical functions like cooling and ventilation. But even these power breaks, lasting a mere fraction of a blinkof-an-eye, could damage the accelerator magnets, so if there is a fluctuation, “it’s safer to send the beam to the dump in a controlled manner”, says Claudet. The ‘dump’ is a steel-encased carbon cylinder – seven metres long, 70 centimetres in diameter - that absorbs the deflected beam. After such an event, the engineers need at least four hours to get the accelerator and four colliders (where the particles smash into each other and are detected) up and running again. Going green During the LHC’s 2015-2018 run, Claudet will be watching energy consumption closely, looking for ways to improve energy efficiency while still giving the scientists the energy they need. In 2011, CERN – one of the top five consumers of power from EDF – led efforts to organise the first workshop for energy efficiency among research centres. At that workshop, a few scientists still said that focusing on energy management “shouldn’t be the priority for a research centre, and that energy should not be considered by scientists,” says Claudet. But just two years later, at a follow-up workshop, “everyone was going green,” he says. “We are funded by public budgets, and we have to be respectful of these public budgets in our attitude toward energy.” Among the energy management strategies CERN is considering: Minimising consumption at peak hours.
Swiss Club of Victoria
“For instance, if energy is more expensive on Monday morning, maybe we cannot run the accelerators on Monday morning,” says Claudet. Also with an eye toward costs, in the coming months CERN is inviting bids for power from various European sources. But Claudet says price increases are inevitable, just as they are for private consumers. The public should reap long-term benefits from CERN’s energy-management innovations, thanks to its mission of freely sharing with the world the technologies it develops. (The World Wide Web was first developed here.) In fact, that’s already beginning to happen with energy efficiency, says Claudet. “Some of our technology for super-conductivity is being pursued as a way to distribute power into dense cities to replace traditional power lines.” Particle hunting Meanwhile, the search for dark matter continues. “There are lots of candidates for what this dark matter might be,” says Thompson. Theoretical physicists calculate that there should be numerous undiscovered sub-atomic particles there in the shadows. One of them might be the gluino, a theorised particle that Thompson and his colleagues are looking for at the LHC’s CMS detector. The gluino is one of the particles theorised to exist in the popular “Supersymmetry” model of the Universe. Thompson has been hunting for the gluino since he arrived at CERN in 2009. No success yet, but that may be because it’s heavier than what the LHC has been able to detect while operating at half the energy it was designed for. “This increased energy we’re going to get next year will make it much easier to make heavier particles,” he says. Which might be just what it takes to shed light on dark matter. swissinfo.ch It’s your Club. Get Involved!
Invitation Artist Ernst Fries is proud to invite fellow Swiss Club members to a survey exhibition of his works past and present, on the occasion of his 80th birthday. The exhibition is open from 6 December to 26 January 2015 at Art at Linden Gate 899 Healesville-Yarra Glen Road, Yarra Glen (Melways 275 H2) www.artatlindengategallery.com.au The gallery is open Friday to Monday (and Wednesday during school holidays) 10am to 5pm or by appointment.
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Das wöchentliche Radioprogram über alles Schweizerische in Australien, der Schweiz und der Welt. Eine Viertelstunde Aktuelles, Musik, Reportagen und Interviews auf Schweizerdeutsch mit Adrian Plitzco auf 93.1fm Jeden Sonntag von 19:45 bis 20Uhr (Neue Sendezeit!) SBS HOTLINE: (03) 9949 2192 http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/yourlanguage/german
Smallest Swiss cross in the world made in Basel Researchers at the University of Basel have made the smallest Swiss cross in the world, out of just 20 atoms. It’s the first time a structure of single atoms has been made at room temperature – it normally has to be much colder for the structure to be stable. The international team in the university’s physics department used the tip of an atomic force microscope, which is extremely tiny and used in nanotechnology, to place the bromine atoms on an insulating surface. The Swiss cross they constructed measures only 5.6 nanometres square. Physicists have been able to move around and reposition single atoms since the 1990s, when done at very low temperatures. Attempts to create these types of structures at room temperature however, had produced disappointing results up until now as they were too difficult to control and properly manipulate. The study, which was published in the journal Nature Communications states that the researchers have shown that the systematic manipulation of atoms at room temperature is now possible, demonstrating a key step towards a number of new developments, including new atomic-scale data storage devices.
It’s not red and white, but the atoms are arranged in the shape of a Swiss cross
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4th Jass Night Results – Swiss Club, 30 Aug Singles
1. Walter Imfeld ............................................2817 2. Hans Pecar ................................................2790 3. Hans Keller ................................................2750
Teams
1. Doris Conrad & Hans Keller .......................5340 2. Simone & Alex Baehler .............................5197 3. Martha & Alois Schnider ...........................5148
Swiss Club Jass König 2014 – ERNIE HUGLI TROPHY König
1. Ernie Huegli ..............................................8208 2. Hans Keller ................................................8180 3. Luzia Blochlinger.......................................8077
Team
1. Doris Conrad & Hans Keller .....................15848 2. Simone & Alex Baehler............................15425 3. Luzia & Lui Blochlinger ...........................15394
Melbourne Jass König 2014 – GÜNTER BRITSCHGI TROPHY
Social Jass For all who enjoy the game but want to play for enjoyment only. No competition, just social! Inexperienced players most welcome (not suitable for total beginners though, must know at least the basic rules and the value of the cards!) Enjoy Dinner before the game. RSVP your table on 9650 1196. If you intend to come along, please send a SMS (0402 018 363) with preference of cards (German or French) until the Tuesday before, so we know how many booths to reserve.
• Wednesday, 25 February 2015 • Wednesday, 25 March 2015 • Wednesday, 22 April 2015 We hope to see you at 7.30pm on the above dates. Barbara Kündig
Combined Swiss Club & Matterhorn König
1. Ernie Huegli ............................................13605 2. Markus Villiger ........................................13457 3. Hans Keller ..............................................13408
Team
1. Doris Conrad & Hans Keller .....................26502 2. Simone & Alex Baehler............................25717 3. Terry Mylvaganam & Barbara Kündig......25447
Information supplied by Paul Eisenegger 9544 4681
Exercise you brain – play Jass!
Upcoming Jass Nights – 2015 Swiss Club
1st 2nd 3rd 4th & Final
21 March 30 May 4 July 12 September
Matterhorn
1st 2nd 3rd
28 February 25 April 8 August Be part of the Swiss Club family
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Swiss Club of Victoria
Mountain people rediscover their roots After 700 years of separation, the alpine people known as the Walsers are still proud of their common heritage.
backward until the post-war period helped preserve Walser culture because there were few outside influences.
“I was very impressed by the Walser reunion last year in Brig, in canton Valais,” explains Hubert Sele, mayor of the alpine village of Triesenberg in Liechtenstein. “There were people there from Walser communities in Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Italy. The Walser anthem was sung and I somehow felt a certain solidarity with the other Walsers. I was touched by the experience.” Triesenberg sits on a shelf above the Rhine, affording a wonderful view of the wide river valley. The Rhine is at its eastern most point here and serves as the border between the tiny principality of Liechtenstein and Switzerland. After dark, the course of the river is marked by the headlights of a steady stream of cars moving north out of Switzerland’s interior.
From farming to skiing The culture was nearly destroyed once the modern world invaded, transforming many of the poor farming villages into ski resorts. Paradoxically, the tourist boom has enabled the Walsers to prosper, preventing a mass exodus to towns in the valleys seen elsewhere in the Alps. This would have been the final nail in the coffin of Walser culture. Instead, people with Walser ancestry are more curious than ever about their roots, and are trying to save what remains. The dialect is still being spoken, and proudly, even if the vocabulary once rich with words important for an agriculture-based society has been decimated. Malin says the dialect is more popular than it was a few years ago, and it has become politically correct to speak it. “Our mayor only speaks in dialect. It’s the only thing I hear him speak.” The tens of thousands of tourists who descend on Lech and Triesenberg each year are guests in hotels and restaurants named “Walser” and tour the Walser museums found in both villages. “Languages, by their very nature, change over time,” says Josef Eberle, who runs the Walser museum in Triesenberg. “But it’s remarkable that our dialect has survived the centuries.
13th century journey Sele’s ancestors made the same journey – albeit more gruelling – in the 13th century from the upper Rhone Valley in what is now the Swiss canton of Valais. These people were taking part in a large migration from the Rhone Valley, which saw families head east and south, following the promise of a better life. Some settled in Eastern Switzerland – Davos is a Walser community. Others travelled to Liechtenstein, across the border in today’s Austria and in Northern Italy. To this day, they identify with being Walsers as much as they are Austrians, Swiss, Liechtenstein citizens or Italians. “You have to be proud to be a Walser. It may be a little crass but in some ways we are a little different from people from other communities in Liechtenstein,” says Sele. “The fact that we are a mountain folk certainly makes us different, but the biggest difference is our [German] dialect,” he adds. The accent is impossible to convey in words but there are certain pronunciation and grammar nuances unique to Walser German, and they change from Walser community to community. “When someone from Triesenberg speaks, everyone knows where he comes from,” Sele says. “But you can’t tell the hometown of any other person from Liechtenstein just by the way they talk.” The story is similar a couple hundred kilometres east in the Austrian alpine resort of Lech. “You are confronted with the [Walser] culture if you come to Lech,” says Petra Malin, an archivist who is the first person attempting to write down the particular Walser dialect spoken in Lech. “If you go into a local’s house, there are special chairs, and dishes and photographs. The house owners like to talk about their culture,” Malin says. The fact that most alpine regions remained economically w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m.au
Alien language “I can still remember from my school days when most people in the village spoke the dialect. There was someone from a different part of the country in my class and he spoke differently. It sounded almost alien.” Eberle’s museum displays farm and household implements marked with the names in two languages - German and Walser German. He is hopeful Walser culture can be saved, despite the new threat of globalisation. “The dialect has the potential to be considered an important cultural value, so that young people can feel they are special, and can identify with their community, with their language,” he says. “There is a trend across Europe to recognise the importance of the individual regions. Not everything has to be seen from a global perspective. We are starting to recognise the cultural values of small communities.” swissinfo.ch
Test your Swiss Knowledge - Answers Across: 1. Aventicum; 6. Grants; 7. Bern; 9. Steinmann; 11. Valeri; 12. Swimming Down: 2. Dufour; 3. Lucas; 4. Ernie; 5. Schmutzli; 6. Geneva; 8. Longano; 10. Zurich
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Damian’s Websurf on Swiss Topography Interestingly, the design for this grid system relied on the fact Since my return to Switzerland earlier this year, my wife Melinda and I have been traveling extensively throughout my home country visiting major landmarks, many Unesco World Heritage sites (http:// whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/ch) as well as riding on some amazing funiculars and gondolas (http://www.titlis.ch/en/ glacier/rotair) to the highest peaks of the Swiss alps. It becomes apparent very quickly how much Switzerland is dominated by mountains, broad valleys, steep ravines and waterways of all shapes and sizes. The terrain alters in altitude hugely across the landscape wherever you go. The Swiss realised very early on the importance of creating maps that not only showed the towns, cities and travel routes but depicted the change in elevation as well as the incline of hills and mountain passes. To this day, maps for hiking and traveling published by the Swiss Topographical Institute (www.swisstopo.ch) are regarded as some of the best in the world. In our world today of satellite navigation, Google Earth (https://www.google.com/earth/) and GPS make it is easy to forget how cumbersome and time intense it must have been to create accurate maps of Switzerland from ground level.
The first standardized volume of Swiss maps was created under the guidance of General Guillaume-Henri Dufour (http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillaume-Henri_Dufour) in 1838 using a system of Triangulation. The highest mountain in Switzerland, the Dufourspitze, is named after him. From set points in the landscape surveyors would measure the length of two sides of a triangle and the angle between and could therefore with simple arithmetic calculate the resulting volume and distances of the land (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Triangulation). Importantly, Dufour not only used this system for the plane but also to establish the vertical elevation. This allowed for the creation of a square grid across Switzerland in which each point could be accurately displayed both in longitude and latitude as well as the height above sea level, which was measured from a rock in Lake Geneva called Pierre du Niton (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_du_Niton).
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that it would use only positive numbers on all axis which means that the point 0/0 for all Swiss maps is located in a vineyard in Bordeaux (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schweizer_ Landeskoordinaten). With the advent of airplanes, Switzerland was one of the first country to conduct aerial landscape photography (called Photogrammetry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Photogrammetry) which increased the precision and quality of maps hugely, particularly in urban environments where sight on ground level can be obscured by buildings. Since 1926 the Helvetic Confederation has been mapped from above which brought with it a whole new set of challenges, a flight report from 7th August 1928 states: “Taking precise photos is proving difficult as due to the strong wind gusts, I frequently have to hold on to the airplane very tightly, sometimes almost forgetting to take pictures”. To celebrate the centenary of the Swiss Air Force (http://www.air14.ch/internet/air14/en/home. html) SwissTopo has launched a new application.
LUBIS In April 2014 the Federal Office of Topography (http://www. swisstopo.admin.ch/internet/swisstopo/en/home.html) enhanced their LUBIS Viewer - Luftbild Informations System (http://map.lubis.admin.ch/?lang=en) which now contains over 320’000 aerial photos of Switzerland spanning 100 years. Try it out for yourself and see how your hometown has developed over the last century. You can also discover how the Swiss landscape has changed with the introduction of motorways in 1964 (http://www.srf.ch/player/tv/srf-wissen/video/einweihungder-ersten-schweizer-autobahn-a1?id=a5b77257-a647-4facbc9b-524ac1764507) and urban expansion. The images are arranged in strips across the map and can be viewed either by location or along the timeline. The application works online from any computer or tablet and offers an intuitive interface for you to explore Switzerland for hours. You can also take part in an online game with historic aerial photos called SwissGuesser (http://storymaps.geo.admin.ch/ storymaps/storymap10/?lang=en) to see how well you can recognise our home country. Seasons Greetings to all friends downunder from Allschwil! Damian Schaller - damianschaller@me.com Swiss Club of Victoria
On behalf of the Swiss Companion Singers, I want to wish you all a very joyful Christmas and the best of health for the coming year. We still practice at the club on the 3rd and 4th Thursday of the month. All welcome! Heidy Giger
We are looking forward to join the singers and the yodlers for a concert at the nursing homes before Christmas. The group will also entertain the Seniors on the Christmas afternoon at the Club. On behalf of the Dance Group, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. Sylvia Hochuli
Once again the Choir members and their families gathered on the Cup Weekend for a ‘Matterhorn end-of-year camp’, this time at Lake Nillahcootie, with excursions by bus to the Wangaratta Jazz Festival and the King River Valley providing special highlights. A great time was had by all, lots of singing and general merriment. Even as a smaller choir we have been able to give a number of performances during the year, for our own enjoyment and hopefully also for the enjoyment of many others. If you would like to find out more about becoming part of the Choir; please give our President and Conductor Chrigel Hostettler a call on 9754 7390. We wish all members of the Swiss Club and friends of the Matterhorn Choir an enjoyable Festive Season and a prosperous 2015! Erwin Weinmann – Secretary, Swiss Yodel Choir Matterhorn w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m.au
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Changing Culinary Christmas In most European countries, Christmas dinner - turkey in Britain or goose in Germany - is almost sacrosanct. But Switzerland does not have a single traditional dish. Regional specialities compete alongside more modern meals and conventions. It is traditional in Switzerland for families and friends to come together to celebrate Christmas. But what they eat varies. People do eat well and in copious amounts. Most Swiss work until mid-afternoon on 24 December, even though their biggest Christmas celebration takes place the same evening. In most households, the tree - secretly decorated by adults - is unveiled to the children, gifts are opened and many families attend a late-night church service. With so much scheduled for Christmas Eve, there is little time to prepare an elaborate meal. Regional variations Meat and poultry are a Christmas staple and have been since medieval times. In many parts of French-speaking Switzerland, turkey stuffed with chestnuts appears for Christmas dinner. In Neuchâtel, it may be served with endives baked in cream (chicorée Neuchâteloise), while in Geneva it usually comes with ‘gratin de cardons’, made from cardoons, which are a type of artichoke. Another popular dinner, at least in German-speaking Lucerne, is an enormous ‘Pastete’ (a ‘vol-au-vent’ pastry shell) bought at a bakery and then filled at the table with a rich mixture of veal and mushrooms in a cream sauce.
Changing traditions But one non-Swiss dish has been giving the traditional dishes a run for their money at Christmas. ‘Fondue Chinoise’ – paper-thin slices of meat cooked at the table in boiling broth and dipped into exotic sauces – is now also proving to be a favourite meal. Its rising popularity can be attributed to the fact that busy families often welcome a dish that does not need much effort and time to prepare. It is also a very convivial meal. And it is not just what the Swiss eat that is changing but also social behaviour at family parties. People are no longer simply invited to the big family meal. The guests now bring the dessert or starter with them, or younger people prepare the meal together. Sweet tooth Despite the regional differences, there is one culinary tradition that unites Switzerland during Yuletide - home-made cookies. Many Swiss agree that Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without them. The list is long and varied: rock-hard ‘Anischräbbeli’; ‘Basler Brunsli’, dark with cocoa; jam-filled ‘Spitzbuebe’; bas-relief dough sculptures called ‘Züri Tirrgel’, spicy ‘Biberli’; and the strangely named ‘Totenbeinli’ (‘little sceleton legs’), decorated with whole hazelnuts. Two more beloved Swiss Christmas foods are chocolate and oranges. Colourful, foil-wrapped chocolates are hung on the Christmas tree so that they can be removed and eaten with abandon from 24 December onwards. Mandarins are popular too. So despite having no single dish at Christmas, Switzerland still keeps alive some of its old traditions while incorporating the new. And there is no doubt that the feast is very much enjoyed by everyone - both young and old. swissinfo.ch
supports Opera in Victoria. For upcoming opera events visit our website
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Swiss Club of Victoria
WE A LL L OVE M EAT A ND S MALLGOODS
2014 was again full of friendship and great guestspeakers. Thanks to your generous sponsorship we are now proud adoptive mothers of twin orangutans in Sumatra and we helped safeguard 100 hectares of the orangutan rainforest. Best wishes for the Festive Season. I’m looking forward to see you all next year again.
Homesick? We can cure that! • Homemade Smallgoods • Swiss Cheese • Chocolate …and much, much more!
Dates for the forthcoming Luncheons in 2015:
• Wednesday, 4 March Guest speaker will be Bev Moss who redefined the idea of entering her ‘senior’ years by taking on the challenge of a new job in a new country…it would eventually lead her to Buckingham Palace!
• Wednesday, 6 May Price $25 pp for members, $29 pp for non-members. Includes 2-course meal, wine, soft drinks and coffee. New-comers most welcome. For information and bookings ring me on 9889 9321 or Roger at the Club on 9650 1196. Bookings are essential! Heidy Giger
Come and visit us @ 4-6 High Street Bayswater Ph: 9729 0635 www.walmas.com.au w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m.au
Hello Heidy and Liz, Just a quick email to thank you again for the invitation to speak at your Ladies Luncheon. It was very nice to meet you. So glad your members found the talk interesting and informative. You will be delighted to hear that your wonderful ladies donated an amazing $257.20!! That is incredibly generous – so please thank them all on behalf of TOP and all the wonderful orangutans you will be helping! I have allocated $130.00 as an adoption of the Twins (for one year), as well as $90.00 for the Safeguard ranger patrols (to monitor 100 hectares), and a general donation of $37.20 for TOP to use where best needed ($10.00 of which I have flagged for purchase of a tree which one lady requested). Thank you also for the very nice lunch as well as the beautiful flowers. I love the native flowers and am trying to grow some in my garden. Sue Schofield
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Meet Bruno Giger Bruno, most would recognise you as a member of the Swiss Festival committee. I must confess, that is pretty much all I know about you and I am looking forward to find out a little more. Can we go back to your childhood please? Where did you grow up? I grew up in a Swiss village called Pfäffikon in the canton of Schwyz, approx. 30 km east of Zurich. The village is situated on the lake of Zurich where I spent most of my early childhood and adult life until I moved to Australia. I have two older brothers, Urs and Hermann as well as a younger sister Karin. Karin moved to Melbourne a few years before me and my family. After spending 8 years of school in Pfäffikon and the neighbouring village of Freienbach, I went to a Catholic
Yes, I/we would like to attend the
Foundation Day
High Tea
On Sunday, 1 February 2015. 3-6pm Name(s):
Address:
Telephone: Membership No.: No. of members @ $40: No. of non-members @ $50: Cheque enclosed for total $: Send this coupon together with your cheque, payable to the Swiss Club of Victoria, to Rita Schwärzler-Abbt, 18 Hertford Crescent, Wheelers Hill Vic 3150 EFT payment: Swiss Club Vic ANZ BSB 013 375 A/C 353682406 Please put your last name and 1 Feb under EFT Reference. RSVP by Monday, 26 January 2015 Enquiries: 9561 7811, ritaherbert@bigpond.com
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boarding school in St.Gingolph – a border village to France on the lake of Geneva – and later moved to Fribourg to improve my French. From there I continued my schooling, boarding at the ‘Mittelschule’ [Middle School] in Schwyz, where I spent the next 5 years preparing for ‘Matura’ After you finished school, what did you do? After finishing the ‘Mittelschule’ in Schwyz I immediately started working as a Junior Programmer at Siemens in Zurich. A few years later I started my own business with a business partner developing and selling standard software for doctors, laboratories and recruitment companies. I moved on in 1991 to work as an IT Project Manager in the Travel / Tour Operator environment. In 1999 I again changed paths and took on the role of Senior Project/Program Manager at UBS. I was responsible for Trading systems as well as instrumental in getting the first software application up and running when 2 of the 3 largest Swiss Banks (SBG and Bankverein) merged to become UBS in late 1999. I stayed with UBS until moving to Australia in 2001. In the 1990’s I also completed a degree in ‘Eidg. Dipl. Wirtschaftsinformatiker’ [Federal Diploma of VET in Business IT]. In 1991 I married Regina and our honeymoon brought us to Australia. In 1994 Regina gave birth to our daughter Sara. When and why did you come to Australia? In 2000 Regina and I decided that we wanted a change and experience something new. Initially we looked at possibilities within UBS and although opportunities came up, none of them did fit what we were looking for. In January 2001 we decided that we would like to move to Australia. We placed all our belongings into storage, had a farewell party and left on a tourist visa 2 months later. In Australia we immediately applied for a permanent skilled Visa and travelled up and down the east coast for 4 month before settling in Melbourne. It then took another 5 months until our Visas were granted, which allowed me to set-up my own business of reselling software products from a Swiss/German company, Ascaion. How did your career progress in Australia? A few years later I joined Telstra as an advisor and Senior Project Manager for Telstra Business and Government as well as their SAP Solution Centre. I also held various Senior executive roles with Medibank Private, Esanda and UCMS/ Aegis, before co-founding a telecommunications wholesale business, of which I’m now the Chief Information Officer as well as a Shareholder and Director of the iVNX Group. Apart from work, what is important in your life? Obviously the most important aspect of my life is my family Swiss Club of Victoria
and friends, as they are my biggest support. I would say, the next most important part of my life, outside of work, would have to be my Swiss heritage. I endeavour to be as involved in the Swiss-Australian community as possible as it is a large part of who I am. I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people who not only share the same interests but can relate to my Swiss culture. I attend many corporate social events through SwissAustralian contacts, which have broadened my social and business networks greatly. I am also fortunate enough to be able to return ‘home’ fairly often, to see my parents as well as many other relatives and friends. When did you join the Swiss Club and why? As mentioned earlier socialising with people who share my heritage is a great way to broaden my networks as well as keep up my ‘Swissness’, this is one of the reasons I joined the Swiss Club of Victoria approx. 10 years ago. In addition to this, I am also on the Committee of the Swiss Festival as well as being a founding member and Treasurer/Webmaster for the Swiss Australian Academic Network (SAAN) since launching in 2004. Why did you become a member of the Swiss Festival committee? Back in Switzerland I was very active in several local clubs/ committees. I was a member of the cultural commission of the local community, an active member in various sport clubs and business related clubs such as the Ambassador Club and the Junior Chamber. I also spent many years as a volunteer of the local fire brigade, as well as organising the international community group ‘Up with People’ to perform in Pfäffikon every 3-4 years. Being so heavily involved in community events and clubs in Switzerland gave me an appreciation for event organisation and it became somewhat of a hobby. Being involved in the organisation of the Swiss Festival is a great way to support the Swiss community and help celebrate the vibrant culture that we all love. Apart from that, how do you spend your time? Any hobbies? I was always very active as a child, and have carried that through my life. I regularly play squash, volleyball and when time allows it also tennis and golf. Over the past 20 years I have found great value in Yoga and aim to start each day with 15-20 minutes of Yoga. Since moving to Australia, my appreciation for a good bottle of red wine has become greater, which was inevitable, being surrounded by so many great wineries. What is the one thing most people would be surprised to know about you? I would have to admit I have become quite fond of baking Swiss Christmas biscuits, although I did initially have some help to learn the ropes from a Swiss pastry chef, who we met on our travels up the coast. It has become a tradition to bake for a large circle of family and friends (to the extent that some even place specific requests for them). This is something which surprised not only my family in Australia and Switzerland but most definitely myself too! You better get to work then Bruno, Christmas is coming soon! Thank you very much! w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m.au
The Swiss Club Singles Championship was held on Friday night, 24 October at the Swiss Club. Peter Bishop triumphed over Peter McGrath in an exciting final. Congratulations to the winner and thank you to all for partaking. Please take note of the following tournaments in 2015: • Doubles Championship: Friday, 20 March • Bernard Sandoz Cup: Friday, 26 June • Singles Championship: Friday, 23 October We look forward to another year of exciting games! 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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92nd Congress of the Swiss Abroad Baden, 15-17 August 2014 The Congress of the Swiss Abroad attracted around 320 Swiss Abroad this year as well as several visitors from Switzerland.
Summary of the Council Meeting – 15 August The second ordinary annual meeting of 2014 of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA) in Aarau, attended by about 90 delegates from around the world, came ahead of the Congress of the Swiss Abroad in the nearby town of Baden. The Council adopted two resolutions by a large majority. The first concerned mandatory registration for Swiss Abroad within the framework of the new law on the Swiss Abroad. Through this law, federal government wishes to dispense with the present obligation for Swiss Abroad to register with an embassy or consulate. The CSA clearly expressed its wish for this obligation to be retained. The second resolution contained the call on the government to oblige the Swiss Post Office’s financial institution, PostFinance, which is run similar to a bank, to give all Swiss citizens abroad the opportunity to hold an account with them. The Council discussion once again highlighted the fact that the Swiss banks are closing the accounts in Switzerland of many Swiss Abroad. Adrian Beer from Madrid, who holds dual Swiss-Spanish citizenship, was elected by the Council as a new member of the Executive Board of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad.
Delegates vote on a resolution at the meeting of the Council of the Swiss Abroad in Aarau To learn more about the two resolutions, which were also discussed during the Swiss Club President’s Conference in Canberra, please come to the Information Evening at the Club on Friday, 5 December – See page 7 for more information.
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Federal Councillor Alain Berset at the Congress of the Swiss Abroad in Baden
The Congress – 16 & 17 August Swiss living abroad met up for this year’s congress in Baden, in the canton of Aargau. The theme of ‘information technology and social media: opportunities for the Swiss Abroad’ was discussed by Otfried Jarren, professor of journalism at the University of Zurich, as well as Federal Councillor Alain Berset, head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs. The former pointed out that the systems of nation-state democracies were reaching their limits owing to digitisation in the media society, which can also be referred to as the information society, knowledge society, network society or multi-option society. He also observed that ‘positive, emotional and personalised content predominates’ in the use of social media, whereas content in politics is determined by a relatively small number of players. Jarren said that he did not wish to and could not predict whether this would lead to greater democracy and possibly more revolutions. Federal Councillor Alain Berset began his address by stating that “the world would be a poorer place without the Swiss Abroad”. He named many institutions worldwide that would probably not exist without Swiss people living abroad. These included the Ritz Hotel, Chevrolet, the Golden Gate Bridge and Madame Tussaud’s. He also emphasised that the 730,000 Swiss Abroad play a significant role as ‘ambassadors’ of Switzerland. He expressly referred to the many Swiss schools abroad which do not just provide education but also create a ‘cultural, social and emotional relationship with our country’. “The Swiss Abroad understand foreign countries. But they also understand Switzerland and perhaps sometimes better than we Swiss at home. This is because distance allows you to appreciate what really matters,” remarked Berset. “In this globalised world, you have to be able to see things from another person’s perspective because we all know that misunderstandings, misinterpretations and breakdowns of communication occur all the time.” Geneva will be hosting the 93rd Congress from 14-16 August 2015. The theme will be ‘Educated Citizens: Guarantee for a living Democracy’ Roland Isler - Council of the Swiss Abroad Swiss Club of Victoria
Traditions in Switzeland: Meitlisunntig (Girls’ Sunday) ‘Meitlisunntig’, or Girls’ Sunday, is an event held on Thursday, Sunday and Monday around the second Sunday in January in Fahrwangen and Meisterschwanden (on Lake Hallwil, canton Aargau) during which the women rule over the men. The custom dates back to the Battle of Villmergen* in 1712, in which women made a successful contribution to the fighting effort. In return they were granted three days in command. Female drummers announce the start of the rule on the Thursday, drumming and walking through the streets. The Meitlisunntig associations hold a general assembly in each of the two villages, where about 80 women gather in elegant period dress. In groups they then set out to hunt down men, each group carrying a net made of hemp ropes. As a sign of the shift in power, the men are offered a glass of wine and the women ask the men to dance. Captured men are carried to the next restaurant, where they are given the chance to buy back their freedom. On the Sunday groups of masked women provide for entertainment in local restaurants, again asking the men to dance. Every three years there is a large procession which starts in Fahrwangen and makes its way to Meisterschwanden. The custom is brought to a close when a large ring of plaited bread is shared out, symbolising the return of power to the men.
Catholic forces separated Zurich from Bern, beating the Bernese at Villmergen on 24 January 1656. Hostilities ceased on 20 February and the treaty of Villmergen of 7 March reinstalled the status quo preceding the outbreak of hostilities, wherein each canton could specify the religion of all its residents. The second battle Protestant resentment of the Catholic cantons grew as their own wealth, numbers and power grew, but their representation in the diet (Tagsatzung) did not. Two votes for each canton assured the seven Catholic cantons political control over the four Protestant members (Two others were bi-confessional). Wars nearly broke out again in 1664, 1694 and 1697. The abbot of St. Gallen proposed to build a ‘Catholic’ road from Schwyz to Austria that would cut off the Protestant part of Glarus from its support in Zurich. In 1712 the abbot ordered the free inhabitants of Wattwil in the Toggenburg district to work on this road in spite of them having been relieved of such duties long ago. The rest of the district rose against the abbot, who refused to arbitrate, and blockaded his monasteries. Bern and Zurich declared war on the abbot who fled to Germany. The Protestants took Baden and started blockading the Catholic cantons. At peace negotiations in July, Lucerne and Uri were ready to reach an agreement, and the soldiers started to go home, but the pope renounced the terms and the Catholics renewed their attacks. This time, after the decisive battle again fought near Villmergen, on 24 July, the Protestant side was successful. Aftermath The peace of Aarau (11 August 1712) brought more equality in religion, and thus an end to Catholic hegemony in the Swiss Confederation. The conflict was finally resolved after a renewed outbreak of hostilities in 1847, the ‘Sonderbundskrieg’ that led to the formation of Switzerland as a federal state.
*The War of Villmergen The first battle In 1655 the canton of Schwyz, which had elected to remain Catholic in 1531, began prosecuting those Protestant families who had remained in Schwyz. Some were turned in to the inquisition in Milan, some were beheaded, and the property of those who fled to Protestant Zurich was confiscated. Zurich demanded compensation for this property. Schwyz demanded the return of the refugees. Zurich urged Bern to declare war on the Catholic cantons (Schwyz and its allies Uri, Unterwalden, Zug and Lucerne). Zurich’s forces lay in a fruitless siege of Rapperswil while w w w.s w i s sc lu bv i c .co m.au
Jungfrau Travel is an independent travel agency, specialising in destinations in Switzerland. :H DUH SOHDVHG WR RɹHU VNLOOHG UHOLDEOH DQG WKRURXJK WUDYHO VHUYLFHV WR WKH PHPEHUV RI WKH 6ZLVV &OXE RI 9LFWRULD DQG WKHLU IDPLOLHV DQG IULHQGV IRU WKHLU GLYHUVH WUDYHO QHHGV :LWK PRUH WKDQ WZR GHFDGHV RI DFFXPXODWHG LQGXVWU\ NQRZOHGJH ZH SURXGO\ SURYLGH ‡ 7KH EHVW H[SHUWLVH DQG DUUDQJHPHQWV IRU \RXU WULS ‡ $WWUDFWLYH SULFHV IRU à LJKWV DQG KRWHOV ZRUOGZLGH ‡ 6SHFLDOLVHG VHUYLFHV IRU KRQH\PRRQ DQG VNL WULSV :H ZHOFRPH DOO \RXU HQTXLULHV T: 03 9898 2102 E: info@jungfrau.com.au Or visit our website: www.jungfrau.com.au Licence No: 33092
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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 Friday Saturday Tuesday
04 05 06 23
Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand entertains at the Club OSA Information Evening, attended by Consul General, Ernst Steinmann Senior Christmas Afternoon Tea (by invitation) Club Restaurant closes after dinner
JANUARY
Monday
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Club reopens for 2015
FEBRUARY
Sunday Monday Thursday Wednesday Wednesday Saturday
01 02 05 18 25 28
Foundation Day Celebration – High Tea Editorial Deadline - Newsletter March issue Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand entertains at the Club Swiss Movie Night: Jimmie Social Jass Jass Night - Matterhorn
MARCH
Wednesday Thursday Wednesday Friday Saturday Sunday Wednesday
04 05 18 20 21 22 25
Ladies’ Luncheon Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand entertains at the Club Annual General Meeting & Dinner Billiard – Doubles Championship Jass Night - Swiss Club Comedy Festival bump-in (bump-out Monday, 20 April) Social Jass
5th Australian Jass Tournament will take place on 7 June 2015 in Sydney at Forestville Memorial Hall, Corner Starkey Street and Warringah Road, Forestville NSW 2087.
OTHER REGULAR SWISS CLUB MEETINGS: Committee Meetings: every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month (excluding January & December) 6.30 to 8pm. 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 Laughter Yoga Helvetia: meets every 3rd and 4th Thursday of each month at 6pm
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all members! from the Committee & Editor
SwissKids: meets every 1st Saturday of each month, from 2pm to 4pm Les Bavards - ‘The Chatterboxes’: French Conversation Group meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 6.30pm
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Swiss Club of Victoria
Antarctic Presentation Half-Yearly General Meeting
THE
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President’s Conference
Seniors Luncheon
Kaffeeklatsch