Mountain linked to racist scientist Agassiz to keep its name
New efforts to rename the Agassizhorn peak in the Swiss Alps have suffered a setback after the authorities of three towns bordering the peak rejected a request by campaigners.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/urs
On Thursday, the towns of Guttannen and Grindelwald in canton Bern and Fieschertal in canton Valais jointly decided against renaming the Agassizhorn peak.
The local council of the Grindelwald mountain resort dismissed a call for renaming the 3,946m peak on Tuesday as “far-fetched”.
“History can’t be wiped out just like that,” said Grindelwald mayor Beat Bucher, as quoted in Wednesday’s edition of the Der Bund newspaper.
He argues it is wiser to deal with both the positive and negative aspects of history, including the Swiss-American 19th scientist Louis Agassiz and his racist views.
The mayor also pointed out that a special exhibition in the local museum of Grindelwald – a major mountain resort in the Bernese Oberland – took a critical look at Agassiz eight years ago.
Campaigners for the renaming of the peak, led by historian Hans Fässler, expressed disappointment at the decision by the local authorities. They called on the Swiss government to intervene.
Previous attempts
A first attempt to change the name of the mountain peak failed ten years ago.
The campaign committee sent a letter to three municipalities bordering the Agassizhorn asking them to reconsider following a worldwide outcry over the killing of an Afro-American citizen at the hands of a United States policeman in May.
Decisions by the other municipalities are still pending, but observers say a policy change is unlikely.
So far, the Swiss government has refused to get involved in the controversy, saying it is an issue for the local authorities.
More
More
Neuchâtel renames ‘Louis Agassiz Street’ over racism concerns
This content was published on
The city has renamed the Espace Louis-Agassiz, a street in the university district, to distance itself from the famous Swiss-American glaciologist.
Two years ago, the town of Neuchâtel decided to rename a square within its university dedicated to the controversial glaciologist and outspoken racist.
Switzerland joins debate about removing controversial memorials
This content was published on
Global anti-racism protests after the death of George Floyd have reignited the debate about contentious monuments in the US and Europe.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
This content was published on
Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
TradeXBank to resume full operations after Sberbank Switzerland taken off sanctions list
This content was published on
TradeXBank, the former Swiss branch of Russia’s Sberbank, will be able to resume its dollar-denominated activities from the second half of this year.
Geneva decides not to remove controversial memorials
This content was published on
The city of Geneva has presented an action plan regarding a series of controversial local statues and monuments of historical figures linked to racism, colonialism or slavery.
University of Lausanne calls for end to pro-Palestine sit-in
This content was published on
The pro-Palestinian occupation continues at the University of Lausanne (UNIL). On Monday evening, a group of students refused to agree to the deadline set by the rectorate.
Ukraine peace conference should include Russia, says Chinese ambassador
This content was published on
China supports a peace conference on the Ukraine war that would see equal participation of all parties, says Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui.
This content was published on
A majority of Swiss citizens have open attitudes towards various infertility treatments, including even egg donation, which is currently prohibited.
Reports of Swiss cyber fraud almost doubled in six months
This content was published on
The head of the new Federal Office for Cybersecurity (FOC), Florian Schütz, has presented a new strategy after just over four months in office.
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.
Read more
More
Name of racist scientist remains on top
This content was published on
The three communities bordering the mountain on Thursday rejected a petition signed by people from around the world calling for the name of Louis Agassiz, a key promoter of the Ice Age theory, to be removed from the mountain. When Agassiz moved to the United States in 1846, he became a leading researcher and one…
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.