WITZERLAND
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"Swiss world globe". Guido Nussbaum. PE/RC Papier. 1998 – 2008 Schweizerische Landesmuseen -
A cartoon by Magi Wechsler, Zürich -
Speakers play children's rhymes - the first exposure to humour. -
"The homeland in posters". Friedrich Dürrenmatt, 1963 © Centre Dürrenmatt Neuchâtel und Diogenes Verlag -
"It's easier to kiss in Zermatt" Friedrich Dürrenmatt © Centre Dürrenmatt Neuchâtel und Diogenes Verlag -
Humorous posters through the generations. -
The Swiss, a symbolic exhibition. Nebelspalter Nr. 45, 1917. © Nebelspalter Nebelspalter -
Leaflet of the Zurich Movement, ca. 1980 © Alain Marendaz -
Sit back and watch some classic Swiss TV comedy. -
"Conférence". A caricature by Martial Leiter © Martial Leiter -
An exhibition charts the development of Swiss humour through the generations and examines how jokes and satire reflect the mentality of a nation that is hardly renowned for its wit.
This content was published on April 20, 2009 - 10:13
The Swiss National Museum in Zurich has put together a collection of posters, writing and clips from radio, film and television to tell the story of what makes the Swiss laugh and why. Several butts of Swiss jokes - greedy bankers, isolationism, fickleness and mistrust of immigrants - were as relevant to past generations as they are today.
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