Summer 2007 - Arizona Swiss Society

Valley eCHo
Newsletter of the
OKTOBERFEST
October 21, 2007
Arizona Swiss Society
www.arizonaswisssociety.com www.azch.org
Summer 2007
VISIT OUR WEBSITE: ARIZONASWISSSOCIETY.COM
COME JOIN US!
From
Arizona Swiss Society
Ruth Brandy
9009 Palmer Drive
Sun Lakes, AZ 85248
Board for 2007
President
Hans Gut
Vice President
Doris Torres
Treasurer
Fred Kohler
Secretary
Craig Livesay
Activity Chair
Kurt Schittli
Membership Chair
Marianne Sacarisen
Past President
Ueli Zaugg
Message from the President
Dear Members,
I hope you had a wonderful summer and enjoyed a few days off
away from the heat or even visited the home country Switzerland.
This year we started a new program for our youngest members
and parents. Please find details for our kids and family get-together
on the special page of this newsletter and feel free to contact Doris
Torres directly with any questions you may have. Thank you Doris
for organizing these events.
This year’s fall party will once again be our Oktoberfest featuring Raclette, Bratwurst and
Polka Music. An ideal event to introduce your friends and neighbors to a casual Swiss
Sunday afternoon, or to socialize with your family and friends, of course. The Oktoberfest
will be held on Sunday October 21 at the Papago Park in Phoenix (right next to the Phoenix Zoo and Botanical Garden).
By the way, if you are in the mood for a real Bavarian-style Oktoberfest please make a
note of the Oktoberfest organized by the Arizona Center for Germanic Culture held on
Saturday Oktober 13 at the Margaret T. Hance Park in Phoenix from 10 am to 10 pm.
Committee Members:
Newsletter Editor
Ruth Brandy
Suzanne Steadman
Sunshine Committee
Elizabeth Haechler
Cornelia Herzer
Yvonne Zaugg
Historian
Sigrid Kuster
Web site
Craig Livesay
Alisa C. Jost
Hon. Consul of Switzerland
I look forward to seeing you on October 21st for our Oktoberfest-Fall Event or on any other
future events.
Sincerely,
Max Haechler
Consul Emeritus of Switzerland
Hans Gut, President
Email: [email protected]
We will celebrate the end of our year with the traditional Christmas Party on Sunday December 9, 2007. Please make a note of that date for a wonderful party for young and old.
If you haven’t visited the web site of the Arizona Swiss Society lately please check out the
latest update at www.azch.org.
Check out our little boy and future Arizona Swiss Society Member:
CEDRIC ALEXANDER GUT
MEET OUR NEW HONORARY CONSUL, ALISA C. JOST
Thanks to everyone in our community for the warm greetings our family received at the Caleo Resort
on June 17, 2007 on the occasion of our Ambassador, Urs Ziswiler, and the Consulate General of Los Angeles, Brigitta Schoch Dettwiler’s visit to Phoenix. I cannot tell you how much it means to me to be your Honorary Consul. As an ‘adopted’ member of the Swiss family, I am particularly proud to be chosen.
We all know that there is no replacement for the Haechlers and luckily Max and Elsbeth continue to
be more than active and generous members of our community. Max’s retirement as Honorary Consul – for
thirty years! – leaves no void only because of his and Elsbeth’s amazing and ongoing commitment to the Arizona Swiss Foundation and the Swiss Club. They are truly pillars of our community and I am personally
grateful for their counsel and advice.
I fell in love with Switzerland long before I became Swiss! That was just a happy coincidence. I was
born and educated in Toronto, Canada. Peter Ustinov referred to my city of birth as “New York run by the
Swiss”. I agree heartily. Toronto is very Swiss in its priorities of public education, public transportation, public
parks and civic responsibility. And, of course, the seasons! I am a Professional Engineer by training, and I
had the privilege to travel extensively internationally including my opportunities to get to know Switzerland
and fall deeply in love. What a fine and happy coincidence then years later when introduced to my future
husband Charles by phone to recognize his accent as
Swiss! Charles is an Interventional Cardiologist, raised
and educated in Geneva. He practices medicine in the
East Valley, since 2000, and I manage the practice so
that he can focus on his patients.
• Stats
August 30, 2007 @
1:25am
• 7 pounds 14 ounces
The proud parents ANDREA AND HANS GUT
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We are so lucky to have four children: Zach (16), Sam
(11), Aaron (9) and Isabella (5). We wanted to raise the
children with at least one other language, and so, with
the ‘encouragement’ of my dear Belle Mere, my
(formerly) more fluent German was
replaced by French as the language of
our home. The children are at home in
and love Switzerland. Sam and Aaron
attended a camp for Young Swiss
Abroad in Preles, BE this summer and
have regaled us with tales of sleeping
in caves and exploring around Zurich
ever since. Zach was content to spend
time with his friends in Founex. And
Isabella ‘hung out’ at the Bastion in
Geneve with Grandmaman.
There is little more to tell except to
thank you all so much for the warmth
and kind greetings you have extended
to us. It is my sincere privilege to
serve.
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Fax: 520-421-1717
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THE CONDOS ARE TASTEFULLY DECORATED, ENJOY A WEEKEND—OR A
WHOLE WEEK AT THE
BEAUTIFUL SEA OF CORTEZ.
SWISS HISTORY
CLUB NEWS
1.. The Pre-Roman Era
Hunters, gatherers, lake-dwellers, but not yet William Tell!
The earliest of human activity discovered in Switzerland dates back to the Paleolithic Age. Cutting tools which must
have belonged to the Neanderthal Man (Around 20'000 BC) have been found in the Cotencher Cave in the Canton of
Neuchâtel. Many sites from the era of farming people at the Neolithic Age (which lasted until 3000 BC) have been discovered in Switzerland too.
During the period of Bronze Age and Early Iron Age tracks were cut through the mountains and trade slowly developed.
Later in the La Tène period the first coins came into circulation (around 800 BC). The site of La Tène (north-east of
Neuchâtel) has given its name to the second stage of the Iron Age. In the 1st century BC we can witness the Celtic tribe
of Helvetians leaving Southern Germany for the Central Plateau of Switzerland. They travelled west until they came up
against the Romans. The Helvetians were pushed back onto the Plateau by Caesar's army in 58 BC.
FROM THE SUNSHINE COMMITTEE
Elsbeth Haechler—Cornelia Herzer—Yvonne Zaugg
480-945-0935
602-788-0496
480-816-1122
Please call any of these ladies should you have any news about a member’s illness etc.
Thank you so much.
Our prayers are needed for Wood Rudolf, a very active member of the Arizona Swiss Society. He has medical
problems and the doctors are having a hard time to really locate the problem. He received a pacemaker on
September 19 and we wish him the very best for a fast and full recovery.
Remember Bill Gunther—he was our activity chair for several years. Because of health reasons he had to move to Florida and would like to hear from us. His e-mail is ([email protected]) or you may call him at 561-638-7751.
2. The Roman Era 58 BC - 400
Caesar et consortes, Wilhelmus Tellus non cumerat!
The Celtic population soon became assimilated into Roman civilisation and during the first two centuries of our era enjoyed peace and prosperity. An excellent network of roads, traces of which still remain, led across the Great St. Bernhard Pass in the west and the Grisons passes (Julier, Splügen, Oberalp) in the east to Rome, the hub of the empire,
with which active contact could be maintained. Towns grew up: Augusta Raurica (Augst, near Basle) and the beautiful
Aventicum (Avenches, between Berne and Lausanne) the chief town in Roman Switzerland, whose fortified walls offered protection to 50'000 inhabitants.
3. Towards Quadrolinguism
All the same name: Wilhelm, Guillaume, Guglielmo, Guglielm (and William too!)
The peaceful era ended with the invasion of the Roman Empire by German tribes. In 260 the Alemannians crossed the
'limes' the fortified northern boundary, for the first time and pushed on southwards. Only for a short while were the Romans able to re-establish a stable frontier along the Rhine and Danube. Helvetia and Rhaetia soon became impoverished border provinces under military occupation. Around 400 Rome finally had to evacuate its Alpine territories. During
the era of Great Migrations the Western part of the Empire succumbed to the Germanic invaders, the vital commercial
links with the Mediterranean world were interrupted. Burgundians, already converted to the Christian faith, settled in the
west, adopting the language - Latin. It was a similar story for the Lombard (Langobard) tribes, installing themselves in
southern Switzerland and scarcely disrupting the established culture. The largest number of immigrants was the heathen Alemannian tribe in the area between the Rhine and the Aare. The Alemannians did not succeed in infiltrating
Rhaetia (the future Grisons), thanks to the resistance of the Rhaetian Romans. This people had established themselves
over much of eastern Switzerland, South Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Friuli. Later, during the Middle Ages, they withdrew into
high Grisons valleys to live autonomously. Without this strong survival instinct, the Rheto-Roman (Romansh) tongues
would quickly have been absorbed by the major language groups around them.
So by now the pattern for today's quadrolinguism was established: in the Roman and Burgundy region, vulgar Latin
evolved into Franco-Provencal dialect; the lands occupied by the Alemannians became completely German speaking
by 900 AD. The people in the southern valleys stuck to their Gallo-Italian Lombard dialects, while Romansh was spoken
in the Grisons region.
The Franks conquered both tribes, the Burgundians and the Alemannians, in the 6th century, but the two areas were
torn asunder when Charlemagne's Empire was partitioned in 870. Between the 9th and the 14th centuries hundreds of
castles, imposing fortresses, monasteries and new towns were built and some fine examples have survived: the frescoes in St. John's Monastery at Müstair (GR) are among the rare reminders of the Carolingian period: the 10th century
Cluniac abbeys of Romainmôtier and Payerne, Zurich's Grossmünster and the cathedrals of Basle and Schaffhausen
remain the most important romanesque buildings in Switzerland.
Membership changes
New members
Change of addresses:
Annemarie & Tim Stack + Jasmine + Dahlia
5701 W Loma Ln
Glendale, AZ 85302
Phone#: 623-931-6661
e-mail:[email protected]
Carin Adams
3844 E Jasper Drive
Gilbert, AZ 85296
Phone#: 480-228-5906
Olga’s Worldwide Travel
904 West Sundance Circle
Payson, AZ 85541
Phone#: 928-478-6022
Fax#: 928-478-6019
e-mail:[email protected]
Shana K. Bell
2034 N Mitchell St
Phoenix, AZ 85006
Phone#: 602-441-4226
e-mail:[email protected]
Jacqueline & James Emmick
301 N Whitetail Dr
Payson, AZ 85541
Phone#: 928-472-9200
Andrea M Haechler + Anthony + Amaelia
10019 E Mountain View #1103
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Phone#: 602-561-7579
e-mail:[email protected]
Olga Keller
904 West Sundance Circle
Payson, AZ 85541
Phone#: 928-478-6022
Fax#: 928-478-6019
Nelly King
310 E. Tyler Parkway #106
Payson, AZ 85541
928-474-5168
Brigitte & Ulrich Michel
11597 N Bellariva Dr
Casa Grande, AZ 85222
Phone# 520-836-8300
Please make corrections in your new
membership directory!
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Swiss
independence day
Celebration
2007
payson
We had a grand time, thanks to Kurt Schittli who organized the affair. Looking at all the
Swiss shirts I must say: “You can take the boy out of the country but you cannot take the
country out of the boy!” How beautiful!
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Want to read a short message?
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short and inspiring eMail called Bruno’s One Minute
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six continents enjoy it every week. It is Bruno’s personal
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Enjoy
SUMMER AROUND THE GLOBE
By Marianne Sacarisen
By Sigrid Kuster
A new Swiss radio play for children!
Hi und hallo liebe Schweizer Freundinnen and Freunde,
In diesen Tagen erscheint Teil 1 eines 3-teiligen Hörspiels “Jimmy-Flitz e Reis duer
d’Schwyz”. Ein wunderbares Hörspiel for Kinder und ihre Eltern. Eine Reise durch
Schweizer Mundarten unter Patronat Schweiz Tourismus.
Es solle helfen die Mundart zu bewahren und die Schönheit der Schweiz aufzeigen. Die
Geschichte der kleinen Maus, die ihre Wurzeln sucht, untersstüzt von traditioneller und
volkstümlicher Schweizer Musik ist voller Humor und Poesie. Mehr News findet Ihr unter
www.jimmyflitz.ch. Zwei weitere interessante Links findet Ihr unten.
Mit freundlichen Gruessen, der Projektleiter und Autor
Roland Zoss - Www.rolandzoss.com - Www.haerzland.ch
Marmots
When I was hiking in Switzerland this summer, I saw many marmots, (Murmeli). Marmots
are large rodents with thick grey to yellow-brown fur, short legs, small ears and a furry tail,
who live in burrows on Alpine meadows high up in the mountains. They are social animals
and live in groups called colonies. Marmots communicate with loud whistles and warn each
other when they sense danger. They have good hearing and good eyes which helps them
to elude predators. Marmots are herbivores which means they eat plants. In winter these
rodents hibernate together in their deep burrows.
WORD SEARCH: ALPINE, ANIMAL, COMMUNICATE, EYES, HERBIVORE,HIBERNATE, HIKE,
GROUP, MARMOT, MEADOW, PREDATOR, RODENT, WHISTLE
Color the “Murmeli”
H I
B
E R N A T
E
X M
E G U
Y O H L O L
L
R R R
E D I
A A
B O R
S E K I
I
P M T
R S
U O X N E N A I
V P W X T
X E M H
O A N
I
R P R
E D A T O R
E T A
C I
I
E
We left Arizona in May 2007 and flew to Switzerland to visit my family in Grindelwald. Here we celebrated the
“Confirmation” of my godson in Unterseen.
After Switzerland we were off to Kenya and Tanzania for a safari. The safari took us to Nairobi, Serengeti,
Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, Arusha and the Masai Mara areas. The safari was excellent and we have many
wonderful memories and stories.
After the safari we flew to Dubai, UAE to explore the decadence and opulence of the “City of Gold”. The
temp was 120F and 90% humidity! Tough to be outside, but who wants to when the shopping mall has an enclosed
ski resort!
We then flew to Johannesburg, SA to the Cradle of Humankind at the Sterkfontein Caves and also Lion Park to pet
the lion cubs, feed the giraffes, etc.
Our next goal was to explore the Namib desert and we flew to Windhoek, Namibia. Here we contacted the
“Schweizer Club Namibia” president Peter Hess and his wife Christa. They
picked us up at the hotel and we went for a dinner together. We exchanged
events that we have at our clubs and vice versa. We enjoyed the evening
with Peter and Christa.
The board of the Namiba Swiss club invited us for their August 1st
celebration, but unfortunately we had scheduling conflicts.
The Namiba Swiss club has 97 members and they all speak Swiss
German within the club events. Their newsletter is called “Euses Blettly”
and they meet every month for a fun time together with very typical Swiss
foods and drinks: Waehe, Pfluemli, Bier vom Fass, Fasnachtschuechli,
Schenkeli, Fleischchaes and the list goes on…
L to R: Marianne, Christa Hess, Peter Hess,
If your travels ever takes you to Windhoek, Namibia, please contact Peter
and Christa Hess e-mail:[email protected]
After the Namiba flying safari, sand dune climbing, sand dune quad biking and camel riding we flew back to
Switzerland. We then drove to St. Moritz and Ascona and finally back to Grindelwald over the “St. Gotthard Pass via
Tremola”!
After 40,000 air miles under the belt we got back from an unforgettable trip …almost around the globe.
Gute Reisen
Marianne and Stephen Sacarisen
D
C O
O W
M A L X W S X
X C
N U M M O C
ASO Info
(Auslandschweizer Organisation)
NEUER ELAN
Die Auslandschweizer-Organisation hat einen neuen Praesidenten und eine Frisch renovierte Website. Wenige
Wochen for den Parlamentserneurungen, an welchen sich die Fuenfte Schweiz aktiv beteiligen wird, weht ein frischer
Wind durch die ASO.
Dr Auslandschweizerrat (ASR) hat an seiner Versammlung vom 17. August Jacques-Simon Eggly zum neuen Praesidenten der ASO ernannt. Er folgt damit auf Georg Stucky, der dieses Amt seit neun Jahren innehatte.
Am kommenden 21. Oktober waehlt die Schweiz ein neues Parlament. Die Auslandschweizer sind aufgerufen, sich
rege an diese Wahlen zu beteiligen. (Please see the August 2007 SWISS REVIEW page 13. It explains how Swiss
citizens abroad can vote.)
([email protected])
Continued from previous page:
SWITZERLAND IN BRIEF
Switzerland is a mountainous republic in the centre of Europe. It is bordered by Italy, France, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein.
The low birth rate and slowed immigration mean the average age of the population is, as in other industrialised countries, on the increase. Life
expectancy of women is approaching 84 years.
Switzerland has four national languages: German spoken by 64 per cent, French by 20 per cent, and Italian by 7 per cent. The fourth language, Romansch, is rooted in the eastern canton of Graubünden, and is spoken by some 50,000 people.
A similar enclave is formed by Campione, near Lugano, which belongs to Italy, but is surrounded by Swiss territory.
A reverse case is the eastern Swiss village of Samnaun, which is outside the Swiss customs zone. To reach it, you have to leave Switzerland. This is a remnant from the times when the only access road to Samnaun came from the Austrian side of the Inn valley.
Swisslinks
Swiss Affairs on swissinfo
TOURISM IN SWITZERLAND
Switzerland is traditionally a Christian country, and the Federal Constitution is still preambled in the name of God.
A traditional source of income is tourism, although nowadays Swiss travelling abroad spend almost as much as foreign tourists coming here.
Switzerland’s surface extends 350 kilometres from East to West, and 220 kms North to South.
Switzerland has three main topographical zones: the mountainous alpine region (60 per cent), the midland plain (30 per cent), and the Jura
hills (10 per cent).
However, the balance remains positive, and tourism is the third biggest export industry, employing 250,000 people, behind metalworking and
engineering, and pharmaceuticals.
Growing old
Early beginnings
Life expectancy has almost doubled for the Swiss since 1900. A man born today can expect to live 77.9 years, while a woman's life expectancy is now 83 years.
Tourism as such began in the 19th century, but as early as the 17th century literary and visual portrayals of Switzerland’s scenic beauty had
attracted intellectual elites from abroad.
Switzerland has the highest percentage (0.01%) of people over the age of 100 in Europe. Only the Japanese do better. There were 798 Swiss
centenarians in 2000, 677 of whom were women, for a population of 7.2 million.
Initially tourism was a summer pursuit. In winter, heavy snow prevented most travel, and it was only the beginning of winter sport activities,
largely pioneered by the British at the end of the 19th century, that brought winter holidays into fashion. Today “low season” means just a few
short weeks in spring and autumn.
Railways
On twin-track lines, Swiss Federal Railway trains drive on the left. This is a hangover from the 19th century when the network was planned.
George Stephenson, a relative of the “Rocket” pioneer, laid out many lines, and being an Englishman, he obviously stuck to the left.
Tobacco
Tobacco is grown in Switzerland. The midland plain has a suitable climate, and cantons Fribourg and Vaud in the west are one of the main
growing areas. Tobacco from the Murten region was once disrespectfully known as “Murten cabbage”.
Short breaks
Thus there are now winter and summer resorts, many bi-seasonal resorts, and every shading in between, complemented by spa and congress tourism.
The latest trend, after active holidays, is “wellness” - a combination break encompassing spa, health farm, beauty treatments and fitness with all activities concentrated on one hotel or group of establishments.
Since 1975 the annual crop has varied between 1,100 and 1,600 tons annually. It is largely used for cheroots and the like.
Even more popular are short city breaks, and among the Swiss population, one-day or weekend excursions. These favour mountain railways,
lake steamers and mountain restaurants - but at the expense of the traditional hotel business.
Cows and kids
All over the country
The Swiss spend as much annually on subsidising three cows as they do on primary schooling for one child.
That, at least, is the conclusion of one of the country's leading economics professors.
There is no region of Switzerland that does not aspire to some form of tourism. The basic subdivisions include mountain resorts, with climbing in summer and skiing in winter, and the many lakeside resorts that offer water sports. Many Swiss cities are in part also resorts, and then
there are countless rural areas, not least in the Jura mountains, which offer a less dramatic form of tourism.
Silvio Borner, head of Basel University’s department of applied economics, calculated that a single Swiss cow costs SFr4,000 in government
subsidies, while the bill for keeping a child in primary school for one year is SFr12,000.
Most tourist areas offer or form a combination of events and activities. The large cities are as much lakeside, congress, and museum venues
as they are meeting places for business people.
Promotion of Switzerland as a destination is the responsibility of Switzerland Tourism (www.myswitzerland.com).
Saffron
Small quantities of saffron are grown in the upper-Rhone region of Canton Valais. The bright yellow and extremely expensive powder that
comes from the saffron plant, or crocus sativus, is used to colour and flavour rice and pasta dishes, and also alcoholic beverages. The village
of Mund has an AOC, or certificate of origin, for saffron grown there.
In general, Switzerland now faces far more competition from other destinations, while state expenditure on promotion remains relatively modest. Switzerland Tourism is now tapping markets such as India and China, which have increasing numbers of prosperous people.
NEW SWISS KIDS CLUB
Twisted borders
Switzerland’s complicated frontier has led to a few quirks. The village of Büsingen, near the northern town of Schaffhausen, is part of Germany. Road signs, telephone boxes, etc., all bear German markings and colours, but Büsingen is totally surrounded by Swiss territory, and to
get there from the rest of Germany, you have to cross into Switzerland.
Continued next page……...
August 11th Doris Torres launched the new Swiss Kids Club. It was very successful. Further events are in the
planning stage. Should you want more information please call Doris at:
Doris Torres 480-784-7474
[email protected]
Continued from previous page:
SWITZERLAND IN BRIEF
Switzerland is a mountainous republic in the centre of Europe. It is bordered by Italy, France, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein.
The low birth rate and slowed immigration mean the average age of the population is, as in other industrialised countries, on the increase. Life
expectancy of women is approaching 84 years.
Switzerland has four national languages: German spoken by 64 per cent, French by 20 per cent, and Italian by 7 per cent. The fourth language, Romansch, is rooted in the eastern canton of Graubünden, and is spoken by some 50,000 people.
A similar enclave is formed by Campione, near Lugano, which belongs to Italy, but is surrounded by Swiss territory.
A reverse case is the eastern Swiss village of Samnaun, which is outside the Swiss customs zone. To reach it, you have to leave Switzerland. This is a remnant from the times when the only access road to Samnaun came from the Austrian side of the Inn valley.
Swisslinks
Swiss Affairs on swissinfo
TOURISM IN SWITZERLAND
Switzerland is traditionally a Christian country, and the Federal Constitution is still preambled in the name of God.
A traditional source of income is tourism, although nowadays Swiss travelling abroad spend almost as much as foreign tourists coming here.
Switzerland’s surface extends 350 kilometres from East to West, and 220 kms North to South.
Switzerland has three main topographical zones: the mountainous alpine region (60 per cent), the midland plain (30 per cent), and the Jura
hills (10 per cent).
However, the balance remains positive, and tourism is the third biggest export industry, employing 250,000 people, behind metalworking and
engineering, and pharmaceuticals.
Growing old
Early beginnings
Life expectancy has almost doubled for the Swiss since 1900. A man born today can expect to live 77.9 years, while a woman's life expectancy is now 83 years.
Tourism as such began in the 19th century, but as early as the 17th century literary and visual portrayals of Switzerland’s scenic beauty had
attracted intellectual elites from abroad.
Switzerland has the highest percentage (0.01%) of people over the age of 100 in Europe. Only the Japanese do better. There were 798 Swiss
centenarians in 2000, 677 of whom were women, for a population of 7.2 million.
Initially tourism was a summer pursuit. In winter, heavy snow prevented most travel, and it was only the beginning of winter sport activities,
largely pioneered by the British at the end of the 19th century, that brought winter holidays into fashion. Today “low season” means just a few
short weeks in spring and autumn.
Railways
On twin-track lines, Swiss Federal Railway trains drive on the left. This is a hangover from the 19th century when the network was planned.
George Stephenson, a relative of the “Rocket” pioneer, laid out many lines, and being an Englishman, he obviously stuck to the left.
Tobacco
Tobacco is grown in Switzerland. The midland plain has a suitable climate, and cantons Fribourg and Vaud in the west are one of the main
growing areas. Tobacco from the Murten region was once disrespectfully known as “Murten cabbage”.
Short breaks
Thus there are now winter and summer resorts, many bi-seasonal resorts, and every shading in between, complemented by spa and congress tourism.
The latest trend, after active holidays, is “wellness” - a combination break encompassing spa, health farm, beauty treatments and fitness with all activities concentrated on one hotel or group of establishments.
Since 1975 the annual crop has varied between 1,100 and 1,600 tons annually. It is largely used for cheroots and the like.
Even more popular are short city breaks, and among the Swiss population, one-day or weekend excursions. These favour mountain railways,
lake steamers and mountain restaurants - but at the expense of the traditional hotel business.
Cows and kids
All over the country
The Swiss spend as much annually on subsidising three cows as they do on primary schooling for one child.
That, at least, is the conclusion of one of the country's leading economics professors.
There is no region of Switzerland that does not aspire to some form of tourism. The basic subdivisions include mountain resorts, with climbing in summer and skiing in winter, and the many lakeside resorts that offer water sports. Many Swiss cities are in part also resorts, and then
there are countless rural areas, not least in the Jura mountains, which offer a less dramatic form of tourism.
Silvio Borner, head of Basel University’s department of applied economics, calculated that a single Swiss cow costs SFr4,000 in government
subsidies, while the bill for keeping a child in primary school for one year is SFr12,000.
Most tourist areas offer or form a combination of events and activities. The large cities are as much lakeside, congress, and museum venues
as they are meeting places for business people.
Promotion of Switzerland as a destination is the responsibility of Switzerland Tourism (www.myswitzerland.com).
Saffron
Small quantities of saffron are grown in the upper-Rhone region of Canton Valais. The bright yellow and extremely expensive powder that
comes from the saffron plant, or crocus sativus, is used to colour and flavour rice and pasta dishes, and also alcoholic beverages. The village
of Mund has an AOC, or certificate of origin, for saffron grown there.
In general, Switzerland now faces far more competition from other destinations, while state expenditure on promotion remains relatively modest. Switzerland Tourism is now tapping markets such as India and China, which have increasing numbers of prosperous people.
NEW SWISS KIDS CLUB
Twisted borders
Switzerland’s complicated frontier has led to a few quirks. The village of Büsingen, near the northern town of Schaffhausen, is part of Germany. Road signs, telephone boxes, etc., all bear German markings and colours, but Büsingen is totally surrounded by Swiss territory, and to
get there from the rest of Germany, you have to cross into Switzerland.
Continued next page……...
August 11th Doris Torres launched the new Swiss Kids Club. It was very successful. Further events are in the
planning stage. Should you want more information please call Doris at:
Doris Torres 480-784-7474
[email protected]
SUMMER AROUND THE GLOBE
By Marianne Sacarisen
By Sigrid Kuster
A new Swiss radio play for children!
Hi und hallo liebe Schweizer Freundinnen and Freunde,
In diesen Tagen erscheint Teil 1 eines 3-teiligen Hörspiels “Jimmy-Flitz e Reis duer
d’Schwyz”. Ein wunderbares Hörspiel for Kinder und ihre Eltern. Eine Reise durch
Schweizer Mundarten unter Patronat Schweiz Tourismus.
Es solle helfen die Mundart zu bewahren und die Schönheit der Schweiz aufzeigen. Die
Geschichte der kleinen Maus, die ihre Wurzeln sucht, untersstüzt von traditioneller und
volkstümlicher Schweizer Musik ist voller Humor und Poesie. Mehr News findet Ihr unter
www.jimmyflitz.ch. Zwei weitere interessante Links findet Ihr unten.
Mit freundlichen Gruessen, der Projektleiter und Autor
Roland Zoss - Www.rolandzoss.com - Www.haerzland.ch
Marmots
When I was hiking in Switzerland this summer, I saw many marmots, (Murmeli). Marmots
are large rodents with thick grey to yellow-brown fur, short legs, small ears and a furry tail,
who live in burrows on Alpine meadows high up in the mountains. They are social animals
and live in groups called colonies. Marmots communicate with loud whistles and warn each
other when they sense danger. They have good hearing and good eyes which helps them
to elude predators. Marmots are herbivores which means they eat plants. In winter these
rodents hibernate together in their deep burrows.
WORD SEARCH: ALPINE, ANIMAL, COMMUNICATE, EYES, HERBIVORE,HIBERNATE, HIKE,
GROUP, MARMOT, MEADOW, PREDATOR, RODENT, WHISTLE
Color the “Murmeli”
H I
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Y O H L O L
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S E K I
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U O X N E N A I
V P W X T
X E M H
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We left Arizona in May 2007 and flew to Switzerland to visit my family in Grindelwald. Here we celebrated the
“Confirmation” of my godson in Unterseen.
After Switzerland we were off to Kenya and Tanzania for a safari. The safari took us to Nairobi, Serengeti,
Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, Arusha and the Masai Mara areas. The safari was excellent and we have many
wonderful memories and stories.
After the safari we flew to Dubai, UAE to explore the decadence and opulence of the “City of Gold”. The
temp was 120F and 90% humidity! Tough to be outside, but who wants to when the shopping mall has an enclosed
ski resort!
We then flew to Johannesburg, SA to the Cradle of Humankind at the Sterkfontein Caves and also Lion Park to pet
the lion cubs, feed the giraffes, etc.
Our next goal was to explore the Namib desert and we flew to Windhoek, Namibia. Here we contacted the
“Schweizer Club Namibia” president Peter Hess and his wife Christa. They
picked us up at the hotel and we went for a dinner together. We exchanged
events that we have at our clubs and vice versa. We enjoyed the evening
with Peter and Christa.
The board of the Namiba Swiss club invited us for their August 1st
celebration, but unfortunately we had scheduling conflicts.
The Namiba Swiss club has 97 members and they all speak Swiss
German within the club events. Their newsletter is called “Euses Blettly”
and they meet every month for a fun time together with very typical Swiss
foods and drinks: Waehe, Pfluemli, Bier vom Fass, Fasnachtschuechli,
Schenkeli, Fleischchaes and the list goes on…
L to R: Marianne, Christa Hess, Peter Hess,
If your travels ever takes you to Windhoek, Namibia, please contact Peter
and Christa Hess e-mail:[email protected]
After the Namiba flying safari, sand dune climbing, sand dune quad biking and camel riding we flew back to
Switzerland. We then drove to St. Moritz and Ascona and finally back to Grindelwald over the “St. Gotthard Pass via
Tremola”!
After 40,000 air miles under the belt we got back from an unforgettable trip …almost around the globe.
Gute Reisen
Marianne and Stephen Sacarisen
D
C O
O W
M A L X W S X
X C
N U M M O C
ASO Info
(Auslandschweizer Organisation)
NEUER ELAN
Die Auslandschweizer-Organisation hat einen neuen Praesidenten und eine Frisch renovierte Website. Wenige
Wochen for den Parlamentserneurungen, an welchen sich die Fuenfte Schweiz aktiv beteiligen wird, weht ein frischer
Wind durch die ASO.
Dr Auslandschweizerrat (ASR) hat an seiner Versammlung vom 17. August Jacques-Simon Eggly zum neuen Praesidenten der ASO ernannt. Er folgt damit auf Georg Stucky, der dieses Amt seit neun Jahren innehatte.
Am kommenden 21. Oktober waehlt die Schweiz ein neues Parlament. Die Auslandschweizer sind aufgerufen, sich
rege an diese Wahlen zu beteiligen. (Please see the August 2007 SWISS REVIEW page 13. It explains how Swiss
citizens abroad can vote.)
([email protected])
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Thanks to Metagraphix for helping print the Valley eCHo!
17855 N. Black Canyon Hwy.
Phoenix, AZ 85023
Tel 602-353-8625
Fax 602-353-0680
Swiss
independence day
Celebration
2007
payson
We had a grand time, thanks to Kurt Schittli who organized the affair. Looking at all the
Swiss shirts I must say: “You can take the boy out of the country but you cannot take the
country out of the boy!” How beautiful!
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SWISS HISTORY
CLUB NEWS
1.. The Pre-Roman Era
Hunters, gatherers, lake-dwellers, but not yet William Tell!
The earliest of human activity discovered in Switzerland dates back to the Paleolithic Age. Cutting tools which must
have belonged to the Neanderthal Man (Around 20'000 BC) have been found in the Cotencher Cave in the Canton of
Neuchâtel. Many sites from the era of farming people at the Neolithic Age (which lasted until 3000 BC) have been discovered in Switzerland too.
During the period of Bronze Age and Early Iron Age tracks were cut through the mountains and trade slowly developed.
Later in the La Tène period the first coins came into circulation (around 800 BC). The site of La Tène (north-east of
Neuchâtel) has given its name to the second stage of the Iron Age. In the 1st century BC we can witness the Celtic tribe
of Helvetians leaving Southern Germany for the Central Plateau of Switzerland. They travelled west until they came up
against the Romans. The Helvetians were pushed back onto the Plateau by Caesar's army in 58 BC.
FROM THE SUNSHINE COMMITTEE
Elsbeth Haechler—Cornelia Herzer—Yvonne Zaugg
480-945-0935
602-788-0496
480-816-1122
Please call any of these ladies should you have any news about a member’s illness etc.
Thank you so much.
Our prayers are needed for Wood Rudolf, a very active member of the Arizona Swiss Society. He has medical
problems and the doctors are having a hard time to really locate the problem. He received a pacemaker on
September 19 and we wish him the very best for a fast and full recovery.
Remember Bill Gunther—he was our activity chair for several years. Because of health reasons he had to move to Florida and would like to hear from us. His e-mail is ([email protected]) or you may call him at 561-638-7751.
2. The Roman Era 58 BC - 400
Caesar et consortes, Wilhelmus Tellus non cumerat!
The Celtic population soon became assimilated into Roman civilisation and during the first two centuries of our era enjoyed peace and prosperity. An excellent network of roads, traces of which still remain, led across the Great St. Bernhard Pass in the west and the Grisons passes (Julier, Splügen, Oberalp) in the east to Rome, the hub of the empire,
with which active contact could be maintained. Towns grew up: Augusta Raurica (Augst, near Basle) and the beautiful
Aventicum (Avenches, between Berne and Lausanne) the chief town in Roman Switzerland, whose fortified walls offered protection to 50'000 inhabitants.
3. Towards Quadrolinguism
All the same name: Wilhelm, Guillaume, Guglielmo, Guglielm (and William too!)
The peaceful era ended with the invasion of the Roman Empire by German tribes. In 260 the Alemannians crossed the
'limes' the fortified northern boundary, for the first time and pushed on southwards. Only for a short while were the Romans able to re-establish a stable frontier along the Rhine and Danube. Helvetia and Rhaetia soon became impoverished border provinces under military occupation. Around 400 Rome finally had to evacuate its Alpine territories. During
the era of Great Migrations the Western part of the Empire succumbed to the Germanic invaders, the vital commercial
links with the Mediterranean world were interrupted. Burgundians, already converted to the Christian faith, settled in the
west, adopting the language - Latin. It was a similar story for the Lombard (Langobard) tribes, installing themselves in
southern Switzerland and scarcely disrupting the established culture. The largest number of immigrants was the heathen Alemannian tribe in the area between the Rhine and the Aare. The Alemannians did not succeed in infiltrating
Rhaetia (the future Grisons), thanks to the resistance of the Rhaetian Romans. This people had established themselves
over much of eastern Switzerland, South Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Friuli. Later, during the Middle Ages, they withdrew into
high Grisons valleys to live autonomously. Without this strong survival instinct, the Rheto-Roman (Romansh) tongues
would quickly have been absorbed by the major language groups around them.
So by now the pattern for today's quadrolinguism was established: in the Roman and Burgundy region, vulgar Latin
evolved into Franco-Provencal dialect; the lands occupied by the Alemannians became completely German speaking
by 900 AD. The people in the southern valleys stuck to their Gallo-Italian Lombard dialects, while Romansh was spoken
in the Grisons region.
The Franks conquered both tribes, the Burgundians and the Alemannians, in the 6th century, but the two areas were
torn asunder when Charlemagne's Empire was partitioned in 870. Between the 9th and the 14th centuries hundreds of
castles, imposing fortresses, monasteries and new towns were built and some fine examples have survived: the frescoes in St. John's Monastery at Müstair (GR) are among the rare reminders of the Carolingian period: the 10th century
Cluniac abbeys of Romainmôtier and Payerne, Zurich's Grossmünster and the cathedrals of Basle and Schaffhausen
remain the most important romanesque buildings in Switzerland.
Membership changes
New members
Change of addresses:
Annemarie & Tim Stack + Jasmine + Dahlia
5701 W Loma Ln
Glendale, AZ 85302
Phone#: 623-931-6661
e-mail:[email protected]
Carin Adams
3844 E Jasper Drive
Gilbert, AZ 85296
Phone#: 480-228-5906
Olga’s Worldwide Travel
904 West Sundance Circle
Payson, AZ 85541
Phone#: 928-478-6022
Fax#: 928-478-6019
e-mail:[email protected]
Shana K. Bell
2034 N Mitchell St
Phoenix, AZ 85006
Phone#: 602-441-4226
e-mail:[email protected]
Jacqueline & James Emmick
301 N Whitetail Dr
Payson, AZ 85541
Phone#: 928-472-9200
Andrea M Haechler + Anthony + Amaelia
10019 E Mountain View #1103
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Phone#: 602-561-7579
e-mail:[email protected]
Olga Keller
904 West Sundance Circle
Payson, AZ 85541
Phone#: 928-478-6022
Fax#: 928-478-6019
Nelly King
310 E. Tyler Parkway #106
Payson, AZ 85541
928-474-5168
Brigitte & Ulrich Michel
11597 N Bellariva Dr
Casa Grande, AZ 85222
Phone# 520-836-8300
Please make corrections in your new
membership directory!
Check out our little boy and future Arizona Swiss Society Member:
CEDRIC ALEXANDER GUT
MEET OUR NEW HONORARY CONSUL, ALISA C. JOST
Thanks to everyone in our community for the warm greetings our family received at the Caleo Resort
on June 17, 2007 on the occasion of our Ambassador, Urs Ziswiler, and the Consulate General of Los Angeles, Brigitta Schoch Dettwiler’s visit to Phoenix. I cannot tell you how much it means to me to be your Honorary Consul. As an ‘adopted’ member of the Swiss family, I am particularly proud to be chosen.
We all know that there is no replacement for the Haechlers and luckily Max and Elsbeth continue to
be more than active and generous members of our community. Max’s retirement as Honorary Consul – for
thirty years! – leaves no void only because of his and Elsbeth’s amazing and ongoing commitment to the Arizona Swiss Foundation and the Swiss Club. They are truly pillars of our community and I am personally
grateful for their counsel and advice.
I fell in love with Switzerland long before I became Swiss! That was just a happy coincidence. I was
born and educated in Toronto, Canada. Peter Ustinov referred to my city of birth as “New York run by the
Swiss”. I agree heartily. Toronto is very Swiss in its priorities of public education, public transportation, public
parks and civic responsibility. And, of course, the seasons! I am a Professional Engineer by training, and I
had the privilege to travel extensively internationally including my opportunities to get to know Switzerland
and fall deeply in love. What a fine and happy coincidence then years later when introduced to my future
husband Charles by phone to recognize his accent as
Swiss! Charles is an Interventional Cardiologist, raised
and educated in Geneva. He practices medicine in the
East Valley, since 2000, and I manage the practice so
that he can focus on his patients.
• Stats
August 30, 2007 @
1:25am
• 7 pounds 14 ounces
The proud parents ANDREA AND HANS GUT
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General Contractor
We are so lucky to have four children: Zach (16), Sam
(11), Aaron (9) and Isabella (5). We wanted to raise the
children with at least one other language, and so, with
the ‘encouragement’ of my dear Belle Mere, my
(formerly) more fluent German was
replaced by French as the language of
our home. The children are at home in
and love Switzerland. Sam and Aaron
attended a camp for Young Swiss
Abroad in Preles, BE this summer and
have regaled us with tales of sleeping
in caves and exploring around Zurich
ever since. Zach was content to spend
time with his friends in Founex. And
Isabella ‘hung out’ at the Bastion in
Geneve with Grandmaman.
There is little more to tell except to
thank you all so much for the warmth
and kind greetings you have extended
to us. It is my sincere privilege to
serve.
Alisa C. Jost
– Licenced – Bonded – Insured – ROC185551
480-518-7474
Ulrich (Mike) MICHEL
11597 N. Bellariva Dr.
Casa Grande, AZ 85222
Fax: 520-421-1717
www.ddhconstruction.com
Professional Builder with Swiss Education. Our goal is to
combine quality and beauty in every home we build. Serving
the Valley
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(Conventional, Integra, Rastra, ICF)
- Home Remodel
Check my references:
www.ddhconstruction.com
We speak Swiss, English & Italien
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If interested please call Brigitte at
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[email protected]
THE CONDOS ARE TASTEFULLY DECORATED, ENJOY A WEEKEND—OR A
WHOLE WEEK AT THE
BEAUTIFUL SEA OF CORTEZ.
Valley eCHo
Newsletter of the
OKTOBERFEST
October 21, 2007
Arizona Swiss Society
www.arizonaswisssociety.com www.azch.org
Summer 2007
VISIT OUR WEBSITE: ARIZONASWISSSOCIETY.COM
COME JOIN US!
From
Arizona Swiss Society
Ruth Brandy
9009 Palmer Drive
Sun Lakes, AZ 85248
Board for 2007
President
Hans Gut
Vice President
Doris Torres
Treasurer
Fred Kohler
Secretary
Craig Livesay
Activity Chair
Kurt Schittli
Membership Chair
Marianne Sacarisen
Past President
Ueli Zaugg
Message from the President
Dear Members,
I hope you had a wonderful summer and enjoyed a few days off
away from the heat or even visited the home country Switzerland.
This year we started a new program for our youngest members
and parents. Please find details for our kids and family get-together
on the special page of this newsletter and feel free to contact Doris
Torres directly with any questions you may have. Thank you Doris
for organizing these events.
This year’s fall party will once again be our Oktoberfest featuring Raclette, Bratwurst and
Polka Music. An ideal event to introduce your friends and neighbors to a casual Swiss
Sunday afternoon, or to socialize with your family and friends, of course. The Oktoberfest
will be held on Sunday October 21 at the Papago Park in Phoenix (right next to the Phoenix Zoo and Botanical Garden).
By the way, if you are in the mood for a real Bavarian-style Oktoberfest please make a
note of the Oktoberfest organized by the Arizona Center for Germanic Culture held on
Saturday Oktober 13 at the Margaret T. Hance Park in Phoenix from 10 am to 10 pm.
Committee Members:
Newsletter Editor
Ruth Brandy
Suzanne Steadman
Sunshine Committee
Elizabeth Haechler
Cornelia Herzer
Yvonne Zaugg
Historian
Sigrid Kuster
Web site
Craig Livesay
Alisa C. Jost
Hon. Consul of Switzerland
I look forward to seeing you on October 21st for our Oktoberfest-Fall Event or on any other
future events.
Sincerely,
Max Haechler
Consul Emeritus of Switzerland
Hans Gut, President
Email: [email protected]
We will celebrate the end of our year with the traditional Christmas Party on Sunday December 9, 2007. Please make a note of that date for a wonderful party for young and old.
If you haven’t visited the web site of the Arizona Swiss Society lately please check out the
latest update at www.azch.org.