René Roca30.04.2026Glarus holds its People’s Assembly every first Sunday in May. This tradition goes back to the early days of democracy in the Middle Ages.
James Blake Wiener28.04.2026The life of Rachel Félix was one of contrasting fortunes and artistic passions. Born into a family of impoverished Jewish peddlers in Mumpf, Rachel captivated theater-going audiences from New York to Moscow with her electric acting and stirring voice. She revived the fortunes of the Comédie-Française in Paris and received universal acclaim as the leading actress of her era before dying tragically of tuberculosis at the age of 36.
Géraldine Lysser16.04.2026For a long time, beer was a seasonal product of varying quality. The invention of mechanical refrigeration changed all that, freeing breweries from their reliance on natural ice.
Christophe Vuilleumier09.04.2026Following Geneva’s cantonal government elections in 1864, violent clashes took place in the streets of the city. The Confederation ultimately had to intervene and occupy Geneva militarily for several months.
Felix Frey02.04.2026Between 1888 and 1952, the Federal Office of Topography produced secret, large-scale maps of Switzerland’s fortified areas. Based on work carried out under the most challenging conditions, these provide a fascinating insight into a hidden mountain world.
Michael van Orsouw31.03.2026A strange alliance of capitalism and Catholicism allowed children to be exploited on a massive scale – not that long ago, but in the 19th century, in the heart of Switzerland. Up to 16-hour working days were completely normal.
Patrik Süess26.03.2026A healer from Worb in Bern attracted a mass following during the 1840s. However, there was controversy surrounding the methods employed by ‘Längmatthansli’ as he was known and some of his patients even died after being treated by him.
William Favre24.03.2026After Japan was forced to open its economy, Switzerland was keen to establish a commercial foothold in the East Asian country. Yokohama, one of the ports opened to international trade, became the centre of the Swiss diaspora in Japan.
