Hannes Mangold

Hannes Mangold is responsible for research partnerships at Schweizerische Mobiliar Genossenschaft. He creates exhibitions, books and projects at the intersection of science, art and history.

Mushroom mania

Hannes Mangold 07.10.2025 Foraging for mushrooms has become a popular pastime throughout Switzerland. And fungi hold immense promise in science and industry. Yet these fascinating organisms were once seen as harmful. How has this fundamental change in their image come about?

The fly agaric, depicted by Swiss artist and researcher Hans Walty, 1917.

How the chalet became a symbol of Switzerland

Hannes Mangold 30.03.2023 The chalet symbolises Switzerland more than any other building. But it was visitors from abroad who turned the simple log house into a tourist hit.

Chalet under the Chillon Viaduct in Villeneuve (Canton Vaud), 1985.

In search of snow

Hannes Mangold 18.04.2022 Switzerland and snow have a very special history. It ranges from skiing to avalanche research. As the planet heats up the snow is melting, and it’s happening here in Switzerland as well. What has happened? And how will it snow in the future? A search for clues.

Skiers enjoying the deep snow. Photograph by Jacques Naegeli (1885-1971), Gstaad.

Deprived of a voice

Hannes Mangold 26.11.2021 Too young, too foreign, too different? Fifty years on from the introduction of voting and electoral rights for women, the issue of political participation is still a hot topic. A historical overview of disenfranchisement in Switzerland.

Caption: Who’s allowed to have a say here? The Landsgemeinde (people’s assembly) in Trogen (Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden). As depicted by Johann Jakob Mock, 1814.

The nation’s sausage

Hannes Mangold 16.04.2021 The history of Switzerland comes with a big slice of ‘Wurst’. National dish or globalised cervelat: Swiss identity is all tied up with a very special sausage.

A brief history of vegetarianism in Switzerland

Hannes Mangold 14.04.2021 Vegan and vegetarian diets are considered healthy and sustainable. A look at the history of vegetarianism in Switzerland shows how giving up meat created a market of the future.

In the 19th century, farmers mainly ate Gschwellti – potatoes cooked in their skins – and Emmental cheese, and drank milky coffee. Meat was rarely on the menu.

A brief history of the sharing economy

Hannes Mangold 26.08.2020 Letting agents, vehicle suppliers, financial services providers: over the past few decades, a colourful profusion of products and services has assembled under the banner of the ‘shareconomy’. Its history runs deep, and has some murky secrets.

Switzerland from above

Hannes Mangold 01.05.2019 Eduard Spelterini was an adventurer, balloonist and photographic artist. He showed many for the first time what Switzerland looks like from above.