Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
After my birth my Swiss Father. Mother and I lived in Riffenmatt with my grandmother until my father emigrated to the USA. Riffenmatt will always be home to me. We still have a home there. I have always felt a very strong connection in my heart and this summer my grandchildren were able to meet the neighbors and relatives there also which also warmed my heart. I don’t know how to explain the connection I feel. It is just home! We’ve always been involved in Swiss activities and two of my grandsons now enjoy playing Swiss music on the accordian with me. Everything in my life always brings me back to my original home. I would so love to have my Swiss citizenship reestablished.
Is it possible to have a heimatort if the last Swiss citizens in your family were several generations back? I wish I had one. But it’s been many years since my Swiss family immigrated to US. I feel the strong ties of Switzerland calling me.
Interesting concept. I got one when I became Swiss - the place I applied - as a firsto, not secondo. I've yet to test out if my Heimatort will support me in times of need. But you should not have to give it up if you get married, for example. Does it get given back if you get divorced? I'd love to live in my Heimatort again, as it's a beautiful place (I moved because of work), but it's too expensive, so now I live nearby (new job).
Yes absolutely. Am a proud Vaudoise from Chardonne in the heart of the magnificen Lavaux. Can't help but be proud but also because it's nice to have this grounding as my small place in the world. Full Swiis and love my Commune D'origine / heimatort. 👌
It absolutely means a lot - Gives me not only the real identity and underlines the origin and deep roots of my family and ancestors and what they achieved in Switzerland but, too, is a possibility to stay in touch and continue some of the good old customs from Switzerland, even if you live somewhere else. Not all is stable, fine and 'nice' in other countries and it is worthwhile, while finding and constructing new roots in other countries, to be connected to the values of Switzerland. The values and customs might seem 'old' and 'useless' but thy give me stability and are flexible enough to be integrated in my live abroad.
Well, in the olden days the Heimatort was the contact where we got our personal documents from. I used to have to contact Wohlen bei Bern. With the computerization and modernization and all that we now have to contact a computer center in Bern. I sort of miss having to contact my Heimatort. Apparently our Heimatort as a final refuge if we are totally broke has also been discontinued. What is left then? Except the statement in my passport? I sort of miss having to contact my Heimatort...
Abs not.! It is the place of origin of my wife's first husband😂
Bolligen is where WAHLI names are gathered
I always knew that Frutigen, BE is my Heimatort. Even as a little kid, I knew my father’s family, the Ogi’s were eehiimisch there.
As a naturalised Swiss, I feel an emotional attachment to my Heimatort. I've asked my born Swiss friends, and they don't. For most of them it's just a historical note.
Someone commented below "It's just the place I happened to be born in, I didn't do anything to accomplish this, and don't deserve any privileges or rights unless earned."
I guess my emotional attachment is that I did have to do something to accomplish gaining my Heimatort!
I find it amusing that my place of origin is since 2022. Before then I didn't exist! :-)
Well, the last time I was in Switzerland I visited my Heimatort Wohlen bei Bern and had a swim in the Wohlensee, or is it the Aare river? We never lived there but visited it from time to time. The Restaurant Kreuz is run by someone with my name. When entering my name in the guest book I noticed many famous names, from Sophia Loren to the Aga Khan. Therefore I am / was in good company.
I am proud to be citizen of Zurich
It's just the place I happened to be born in, I didn't do anything to accomplish this, and don't deserve any privileges or rights unless earned. Our ancestors have been way too privileged and it's our responsibility to give back and support marginalised groups and genders globally. We are all in the same boat and we need to empower and support the future generations for example through government sponsored access to private education of minorities, helping them access the positions to represent their communities. We are very diverse, but no taxation without representation, the political sphere is still completely dominated by swiss people, ignoring an integral part of our society.
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I have 2 citizen locations. Zurich and Richterswil. Richterswil is the family's place of citizenship and I voluntarily naturalised in Zurich because I think Zurich is the best city in the world, even if it has become a bit "money-greedy". I think Zurich and euises "Züüri-tüütsch" are really cool, even in my old days. Richterswil was always a "Kaff" for me, and when we were children it was still very poor. The municipality almost had to be put under guardianship. Today, Richterswil is one of the richer and more expensive municipalities in the canton of Zurich. Where there used to be forests, meadows and cows grazing, where the "Milchma" used to drive past with his pony and his cart, there are now expensive houses and villas. People knew each other on the way to school and the front doors and gardens - "Töörlis" - were usually open. The centre of the village of Richterweil looks "beautifully spruced up" today and the old families of the village are still there. My bourgeois village, Richterswil, has become a boring, expensive nest. Is that something to be proud of? The city of Zurich isn't perfect either, but the city has always given me a certain feeling of freedom and openness, even today. There are no private mansions by the lake. You can walk along the lake from Tiefenbrunnen to Wollishofen and enjoy the water, the sun and the mountains. Zurich has a very inviting old town that I am proud of, even if it has become a bit "chic and trendy". I miss the old shops on Rennweg, but the most beautiful thing is the forests that surround the city, Zürichberg, Waidberg, Uetliberg etc. I think I'm still a citizen of Zurich. I think I'm still a citizen of Richterswil, but if I had to limit myself to one place, my choice would be "crystal-clear" Züi.
My roof is the sky of Zurich and the Bellevue is my bed where I sleep and the Schipfe is my bench and the Central is my cupboard and the whole of Zurich is my home. My roof is the sky of Zurich and the Bellevue is the bed I sleep in and at night the lantern is the moon with the stars and the whole of Zurich is my house.
Ich habe 2 Bürger-Orte. Zürich und Richterswil. Richterswil ist der Familien-Bürgerort und in Zürich habe ich mit freiwillig eingebürgert, weil Zürich für mich die beste Stadt auf dieser Welt ist, auch wenn sie etwas "geldgierig" geworden ist. Zürich und euises "Züüri-tüütsch" finde ich echt cool, auch in meinen alten Tagen. Richterswil war für mich immer ein "Kaff", als wir Kinder waren, war diese Kaff auch noch sehr arm. Die Gemeinde musste fast unter Vormundschaft gestellt werden. Heute gehört Richterswil zu den reicheren und teureren Gemeinden im Kanton Zürich. Da wo früher Wälder, Wiesen waren und Kühe weideten, da wo früher der "Milchma" mit dem Pony und seinem Gefährt vorbeifuhr stehen heute teure Häuser und Villen. Auf dem Schulweg kannte man sich und die Haustüren und Garten - "Töörlis" war meistens offen. Der Dorf-Kern von Richterweil sieht heute "schön herausgeputzt" aus und auch die alten Familien des Dorfes sind immer noch da. Mein Bürgerort, Richterswil ist ein langweilige, teures Nest geworden. Soll man darauf stolz sein? Die Stadt Zürich ist auch nicht perfekt, aber die Stadt hat mir immer ein gewisses Gefühl der Freiheit und der Offenheit gegeben, bis heute. Am See stehen keine privaten Prunkvillen. Man kann vom Tiefenbrunnen bis nach Wollishofen am See entlang gehen, das Wasser, sie Sonne und die Berge geniessen. Zürich hat eine sehr einladende Altstadt auf die ich stolz bin, auch wenn sie etwas "schicky-micky" geworden ist. Mir fehlen die alten Geschäfte am Rennweg. aber am schönste sind die Wälder die die Stadt umgeben, Zürichberg, Waidberg, Uetliberg etc. Ich denke ich bin immer noch Bürger von Richterswil, aber wenn ich mich auf einen Ort beschränken müsste, wäre meine Wahl "kristall-klar" Züi.
Miis Dach isch de Himmel vo Züri und s Bellevue mis Bett won i pfuus und d Schipfe mis Bänkli und s Central mis Schränkli und Züri ganz Züri mis Huus. Miis Dach isch de Himmel vo Züri und s Bellevue mis Bett won i pfuus und d Nacht isch d’Laterne de Mond mit de Stärne und Züri ganz Züri mis Huus.
I am British, moving to Switzerland in 1980 and residing here ever since. I married a Swiss girl from Canton Vaud which meant that when I became Swiss I inherited the Heimatort of my wife and in turn her father. Our two sons born in Basel also inherited the same Heimatort which is Chateau-d'Oex in VD. As a foreign born person I particularly treasure having a Heimatort and have visited it several times. It really gives me a powerful emotional attachment to my Canton of adoption and thereby to Switzerland. When I visit and walk around there I feel secretly proud to think that this is my official Heimatort and I belong to it as much as people who live there.
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It is something like home for me - as other comments have said. The place where I lived at the time and my home town are one next to the other. We used to walk a lot with the whole family to my grandmother's for tea. When I write this here, I can visualise it all with
Er ist für mich - wie in anderen Kommentaren auch angegeben - so etwas wie Heimat. Der damalige Wohnort und der Heimatort liegen einer neben dem anderen. Wir gingen viel zu Fuss mit der ganzen Familie zur Grossmutter Tee trinken. Wenn ich das hier schreibe, dann sehe ich das alles bildlich vor mit
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Interestingly, I have a deep connection to my home town, even though I have never lived there. My father told me that we were from Vals. The history of the people of Vals is fascinating to me. My relatives in my home village of Tschappina - isn't that a wonderful name - give me fond childhood memories. Yes, I am somehow proud to be from Graubünden, Vals, Switzerland. It has nothing to do with logic. It's perhaps an outdated sense of belonging.
Interessanterweise habe ich eine tiefe Beziehung zu meinem Heimatort, obwohl ich dort nie gelebt habe. Mein Vater hat mir erzählt, dass wir Valser seien. Die Geschichte der Valser ist für mich faszinierend. Durch meine Verwandtschaft in meinem Heimatort Tschappina, - ist das nicht ein wunderschöner Name?-, verbinde ich mit guten Kindheitserinnerungen. Ja, ich bin irgendwie stolz Bündnerin, Valserin, Schweizerin zu sein. Mit Logik hat das nichts zu tun. Das ist ein vielleicht veraltetes Zugehörigkeitsgefühl.
I was surprised and disappointed when my Heimatort was changed as my original place had been merged into another. I belonged to Arvigo GR and then it was merged into Calanca GR . Doesn't sound as nice.
I adopted my original Heimatort as the name of my company. I am a US tax accountant but my logo and brand has a definite Swiss flavor to it.
As a Swiss citizen who left Switzerland at the age of 4, and have since lived in Kenya and now the US, my Heimatort is not only were I belong, but it is also an integral part of my identity and heritage. I don't have dual citizenship, but I have always felt safe in the knowledge that there is a place that I and my family belong to. Especially here in the US were no one seems to really know were their families originated from, and who knows, we might have to return before long.
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@mbally83
And how right you are, we always have the right to return to Switzerland, our "citizens' place". I think that's a privilege we have to take care of. pje
Und wie recht Sie haben, wir haben immer das Recht wieder in die Schweiz unserem "Bürger-Ort" zurück zu kehren. Ich denke das ist ein Privileg dem wir Sorge tragen müssen. pje
MY Heimatort is Schaffhausen, my Grandfather had a Bakery in the Unterstadt. I lived
also in Germany, Canada, and the United States. My picture is on a wall on a building that once was a School, its facing the river Rhein, we are pictured in a Weidling, me, my brother and sister and two others, painted by Clary Osswald from Stein am Rhein in the early 50's.
My younger Brother Rene is steering the boat, he died two years ago, I am in the front of the boat. The blond girl is Ursula, my brother's twin, living in London . Last time I was in Schaffhausen was about 10 years ago. For a while we lived in Neuhausen, just behind our grandmother's house, the Restaurant Rosenburg. Every time I get to Schaffhausen I also visit the castle Munot, and looking down and seeing my uncles house across the river Rhein, first house to the left of the bridge!
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