From a great Dane to Adolf Hitler
William Tell was not the only medieval archer to have shot an apple off a boy’s head, or to have got his revenge on an evil ruler.
Yet, thanks largely to Friedrich Schiller, Tell looms larger than much older Nordic or other European legendary figures.
Over the centuries, Tell has been employed as an ambassador for his homeland, and been venerated by revolutionaries and even the Nazis.
Not bad for someone who probably never existed.
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.