Swiss Identity

Schwingen: from a sawdust ring to a mega-event

This content was published on Aug 31, 2013 From August 30 to September 1, Burgdorf, the capital of the Emmental region, is hosting more than 250,000 spectators at the Federal Wrestling and Alpine Games Festival, held once every three years to find the nation’s champion “schwinger”. “Once upon a time, there was a Swiss national sport for insiders and wrestling fans,” Ernst Schläpfer,…

Culture

Félix Vallotton: Precious Moments

This content was published on Aug 31, 2013 The works from the private collection, whose owners wish to remain anonymous, and from the museum were mostly painted between 1895 and 1912. This was the most productive and successful period in Vallotton’s life. The Lausanne artist had moved to Paris at the age of 17, but battled health and financial problems for years. The…

Demographics

Federal railways boosts safety measures

This content was published on Aug 30, 2013 A requirement that the dispatcher give the train permission to leave the station – known as the “four-eyes principle” – will be reintroduced in seven regional stations. The accident in Granges-près-Marnand, in western Switzerland, occurred because one of the drivers passed a red light. In addition, personnel – such as engineers, conductors and dispatchers – will…

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‘Pink Panther’ escapee captured in Swiss chalet

This content was published on Aug 30, 2013 Police confirmed to swissinfo.ch that they detained the 34-year-old Bosnian – an alleged ‘Pink Panther’ – along with two other individuals, at a chalet at the mountain village of Les Paccots in southwest Switzerland on Thursday night. The identity of the other two others who are being questioned by police is not known at present.…

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France refuses to extradite ‘Pink Panther’

This content was published on Aug 28, 2013 The 47-year-old, with dual French and Macedonian citizenship, cannot be sent back to Switzerland because France does not extradite its own nationals, the court in Nimes ruled on Wednesday. France has yet to consider an extradition request from Macedonia where the escapee was convicted of murder in 1998. The man had been serving a sentence…

Culture

Jung, neglected in his native Switzerland

This content was published on Aug 28, 2013 With no Swiss university chair in Jungian psychology, the Jung Institute in Zurich is one of the few places where he is still taught. It also has regular semesters for foreign students and professionals. Not all students are psychotherapists: many are from the field of business or are in search of a deeper meaning in…

Culture

A truly unique building

This content was published on Aug 27, 2013 “Wood was the only material that could be used for the special shape of the beams, because it’s so flexible. The beams are produced using Swiss technology, the most advanced in the world in this area,” said Ban. (Pictures: Didier Boy de la Tour and Shigeru Ban Architects)

Wood buildings come back in favour

This content was published on Aug 27, 2013 One of the highest profile examples of the trend in Switzerland is the new Zurich headquarters of media company Tamedia. The seven-storey structure, including its joints, is entirely made out of wood and has no steel reinforcements. This makes it quite unique, says Christoph Zimmer, head of corporate communications at Tamedia. It also made the…

Culture

‘The lute is a marvellous little construction’

This content was published on Aug 25, 2013 The studio is hidden away in the basement of a residential building in a quiet neighbourhood not far from the centre of Basel. No noise escapes from behind the door, which suddenly swings open, revealing the small workspace where Sentieiro spends most of his day. The initial impression is of a chaotic alchemist’s laboratory. A number…

Culture

Zurich opens first drive-in sex facility

This content was published on Aug 24, 2013 Zurich’s Sihlquai along the Limmat River lies just a few steps away from some of the city’s trendiest streets, not far from the main railway station. Over the past few years, though, it has become notorious for the sex workers plying their trade there at night. For local inhabitants, the presence of the often scantily-clad…

Swiss Identity

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Swiss Identity

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Schwingen: from a sawdust ring to a mega-event

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Félix Vallotton: Precious Moments

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Federal railways boosts safety measures

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‘Pink Panther’ escapee captured in Swiss chalet

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France refuses to extradite ‘Pink Panther’

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Jung, neglected in his native Switzerland

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A truly unique building

More

Wood buildings come back in favour

More

‘The lute is a marvellous little construction’

More

Zurich opens first drive-in sex facility

Popular Stories

Most Discussed