Swiss Identity

Swisscoy commander wants to stay in Kosovo

This content was published on Dec 24, 2004 Hubert Bittel said Switzerland had a responsibility towards its international partners. Bittel, commander of Swisscoy – the Swiss contingent in Kosovo – said a withdrawal would damage Switzerland’s reputation. “We benefit from the deployment too. We must not shirk any responsibility,” said Bittel in an interview published in Friday’s edition of the Bern-based “Der Bund”…

History

Holocaust survivor owes life to forger

This content was published on Dec 24, 2004 Among those who owe their life to Schönhaus are Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich, a former professor of Jewish history and literature at Bern University. swissinfo spoke to Ehrlich about his escape from Germany. Ehrlich is now retired, and lives with his wife in a modest apartment in the border town of Riehen near Basel. The story…

Culture

St Bernard dogs can bark again

This content was published on Dec 23, 2004 A new foundation is to look after them and a former Geneva private banker is donating SFr4 million ($3.49 million) to build a museum for them in the town of Martigny. Two months ago, Swiss monks announced that they would be selling their dogs because they did not have the resources to look after them.…

Demographics

Poor miss out on Christmas cheer

This content was published on Dec 23, 2004 According to charities, one person in eight lives in poverty in Switzerland and will find little cheer during the festive season. “Poverty is a scandal in a country as rich as ours,” Jürg Krummenacher, chairman of the Swiss branch of Caritas, told swissinfo. According to the charity, 300,000 people sought welfare assistance from regional authorities…

Demographics

Passport forger publishes his memoirs

This content was published on Dec 23, 2004 In 1943, he found refuge in Switzerland. Now, more than 60 years later, he has published his story in a gripping autobiography “The Passport Forger”. Cioma was raised in Germany, the son of Russian Jewish emigrants. After leaving art college, he was forced into work as a tailor, sewing machine mechanic, gardener, and metalworker. In…

Demographics

Ten-year fight against racism goes on

This content was published on Dec 23, 2004 But Georg Kreis told swissinfo that a law against racism, which is ten years old this year, had succeeded in putting the issue high on the domestic political agenda. In a nationwide vote in September 1994, the Swiss approved new legislation aimed at cracking down on racist behaviour. The country’s anti-racism law was formally adopted…

Demographics

Pilots convicted over fatal helicopter crash

This content was published on Dec 22, 2004 The two men were found guilty on Wednesday of negligent homicide, but the owner of the helicopter company was acquitted. A district court in Sion in southwestern Switzerland gave the pilots, Christian Rosat and Jean-Jerome Pouget, suspended prison sentences. Rosat received five months and Pouget, four months. But the court acquitted Bruno Bagnoud, head of…

Demographics

Austria wins race for tourists

This content was published on Dec 22, 2004 But in this second report in a special series comparing the two alpine countries, swissinfo discovers that Austria’s resorts, like the nation’s skiers, dominate the competition. When asked why Austria’s tourism sector has grown over the past few years while Switzerland’s has stagnated, Austrian skiing legend Karl Schranz can only shrug. “We Austrians and Swiss…

Demographics

Swiss to step up fight against violence

This content was published on Dec 22, 2004 The government said it would examine proposals set out by the justice ministry – including the creation of a database of troublemakers, and increased access to information – next year. Hooliganism has been on the rise in Swiss football grounds over the past few years. The cabinet said it favoured a proposal to set up…

Demographics

Schwyzerörgeli Trio Oberland

This content was published on Dec 22, 2004

Read more: Schwyzerörgeli Trio Oberland

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Swisscoy commander wants to stay in Kosovo

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Holocaust survivor owes life to forger

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St Bernard dogs can bark again

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Poor miss out on Christmas cheer

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Passport forger publishes his memoirs

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Ten-year fight against racism goes on

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Pilots convicted over fatal helicopter crash

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Austria wins race for tourists

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Swiss to step up fight against violence

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Schwyzerörgeli Trio Oberland

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