For decades, home stories from the living rooms of the nation’s Federal Councillors have been popular reading material for Mr and Mrs Swiss. A look at the sofas of the past.

In February 1969, an attacker was shot dead at Kloten Airport. In the thick of the action were the press photographers, who documented the event up close and in vivid detail.

In 1947, the artiste Unus balanced on Switzerland’s tallest skyscraper, in Lausanne. His feat was witnessed by scores of press photographers, and even more spectators.

The Swiss hairdressing championships of 1946 were to be a special occasion, as the first national competition since the war.

In the 1980s, there was a pitched battle in Rothenthurm to save an area of moorland. This ultimately resulted in the adoption of a constitutional article on nature preservation.

In 1965, mountain climber Walter Bonatti conquered the north face of the Matterhorn. In winter, and solo. A gift for the press photographers.

A 100th birthday used to be a big deal, and the press wanted to be part of it as well. Heart-warming articles were written about the lives of ordinary people.

There was a time before mobile phones. A time when press photographers were the eyes of an entire nation. Many of the images they captured are now forgotten, such as this photo reportage on the dairy industry in Bulle.