Cluster: Swiss Identity

The architect behind Sochi’s downhill course

This content was published on Jan 16, 2014 A downhill Olympic victory in 1972 in Sapporo and two World Championship gold medals have turned skier Bernhard Russi into somewhat of a Swiss legend. Today the 65-year-old from Andermatt in canton Uri has become a de facto Swiss ambassador for winter sports. For decades Russi has been one of the most competent experts on…

Demographics

Looking back at the legendary Lauberhorn race

This content was published on Jan 16, 2014 “I don’t think about my own footmarks on the Lauberhorn,” says 72-year-old Viktor, who will step down next week as race president after 44 years. Along with the famous downhill Saturday, Gertsch also commands Friday’s super combined and Sunday’s slalom. “I leave behind a good team with a strong future.” Under Viktor’s tutelage the race…

Demographics

More passengers, fewer flights at airports

This content was published on Jan 16, 2014 Zurich was the country’s busiest flights’ hub in terms of passengers – nearly 25 million passed through, a rise of 0.3% on the previous year. Although the total includes 63,000 more passengers than in 2012, the number of take-offs and landings decreased by 2.9%. Swiss was by far the most important airline with a 57%…

Demographics

Mayday! When bombers crashed in Switzerland

This content was published on Jan 15, 2014 More than 250 aircraft crashed or made emergency landings in Switzerland during the Second World War.

Demographics

Novartis wins legal battle over eye drops

This content was published on Jan 15, 2014 Judges in Hamburg found the German company Aposan must not sell pre-filled syringes for €600 (CHF741) partly containing the Lucentis drug, said court officials on Tuesday. The medication for the treatment of macular degeneration is distributed by Novartis in bottles of at a cost of €1,200. In the United States the drug is marketed by…

Demographics

Olympics urged to adopt ‘too big to fail’ concept

This content was published on Jan 14, 2014 “Sochi is an abuse of the Olympic ideal, gigantism in several respects and rather crude propaganda,” says Arturo Hotz, a critical thinker in the Swiss sports world. The budget for Sochi is reportedly around $50 billion (CHF45 billion), making it the most expensive Olympic Games ever. The emeritus professor of sports science at the University…

Demographics

Ayako Nakano

This content was published on Jan 14, 2014

A ‘Russian village’ on Lake Geneva

This content was published on Jan 13, 2014 Not for nothing is Montreux sometimes called a “Russian village”. Of the 25,000 people living there, about 49% are foreigners. According to the mayor, Laurent Wehrli, about 800 of them are Russian. “Russians are attracted by the atmosphere of Montreux. Nabokov [author of Lolita] spent 17 years here; it was here that [19th century author]…

Education

English a fact of life for many Swiss students

This content was published on Jan 12, 2014 During the first year of his master’s studies at the University of Bern, Claudio Kummli would find himself in class with students and a professor who, like him, were native German speakers. But once the lecture on climate physics began, it was English-only for two solid hours. “It would have been easier to do it…

Culture

Little-known Swiss painter with broad horizon

This content was published on Jan 11, 2014 Mivillle painted mainly landscapes. But he did not restrict himself to the peaks, valleys and waterfalls of the Swiss Alps. He also went to Italy, where he learned to draw from nature. Failing to find success as an artist, in 1809 he went to Russia to seek his fortune. He found work as a surveyor…

Cluster: Swiss Identity

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