In 1969, the Federal Council had a little red booklet distributed to every household in Switzerland. It was the Zivilverteidigungsbuch, the Civil Defence book. The book caused red faces for years…
As the decades of the Cold War ticked by, society was defined by the antagonism between East and West and the fear of communism, and this influence even extended to culture.
Since the 15th century, Saint Idda of Toggenburg has been venerated at Fischingen Abbey. Her legend was invented to make the monastery more attractive.
In Switzerland, as elsewhere, climate change is forcing a rapid switch to renewable energies. The trend is called ‘electric’ and its advent harks back to the age of electrification, which in Switzerland occurred very early on, at the end of 19th century. Are there parallels to that era? Are we currently experiencing Electrification 2.0?
More than 100,000 soldiers from foreign armies were interned in Switzerland during World War II. Reminders of their presence can still be found today – in the Töss Valley in the Zurich Oberland, for instance.
It caused a sensation in 1955 – the Spitlight, a light beam device that could project images onto cliff faces and clouds. But the futuristic device brought no joy for its inventor.
Colour pictures for everyone! That was the idea behind the photochrome process, which was devised in Zurich in the late 19th century – and quickly took over the world.
