Christophe Vuilleumier11.02.2025Marie Colinet, a Geneva native and pioneer in the field of medicine, made history in the 16th century. She initiated a number of innovative procedures as a midwife and doctor – including Switzerland’s first successful caesarean section.
Noah Businger30.01.2025For a long time, Switzerland's watercourses were severely affected by wastewater, chemicals and hydropower. It was not until the 1950s that a water protection movement developed. How did it achieve its goals?
Barbara Basting03.01.2025After it opened in 1898, the Swiss National Museum in Zurich and its period rooms served as an important model for museums in the United States.
Katrin Brunner31.10.2024Through his sometimes unconventional methods, Michael Schüppach made a name for himself as a barber-surgeon well beyond the Emmental region.
James Blake Wiener22.08.2024In 1812, the Swiss adventurer and explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt (1784-1817) traversed the ancient Nabataean city of Petra. He was the first European to set his eyes upon the ruins since the time of the Crusades. His life is a curious story of research and unexpected high adventure.
Noëmi Crain Merz04.07.2024The life of Catherine Zimmermann-Mulgrave tells a story of human trafficking as part of the slave trade and of Christian missionary work in West Africa in the 19th century. It also shows how an African woman managed to lead an independent and self-determined life despite being kidnapped and marginalised.
Peter Egloff18.04.2024In the last-but-one series of Swiss banknotes, the thousand-franc note depicted Auguste Forel as a wise researcher turning his alert gaze on the world, as an icon of science and Helvetic national symbol. But this stylised heroic image failed to stand up to closer investigation. A story illustrating the pitfalls of the culture of commemoration.
Christophe Vuilleumier16.01.2024Jean-Baptiste Tavernier was famous in the 17th century for travelling as far as India. The adventurer and author wanted to retire in Aubonne. But his settled life did not last long.
