The Swiss National Day!
The Swiss Confederation was founded as a defensive alliance among three cantons: Uri, Schwytz and Unterwald against surrounding aggressors mainly the Habsbourgs Empire. A citizen of each of the canton swore on August 1st 1291 on the "Rütli" meadow: "We will be a one and only nation of brothers ...". This lead to the term confederation ("Eidgenossenschaft". Many other localities joined the original three and in 1648 the Declaration of Independence was pronounced. Switzerland becomes an independant Nation then in 1912 the Swiss Federation declares its neutrality. In 1815 Valais, Neuchâtel and Geneva joins the Swiss Federation - Switzerland gets its final bounderies.
A few other interesting facts about Switzerland:In 1848 The Swiss Federation changes from a Union of States to a Confederation. Its first Federal Constitution ("Bundesverfassung") is set up.
In 1864 The International Red Cross (
ICRC) is founded by Henri Dunant.
In 1872 sets the beginning of the railway across the alps construction("Gotthardbahn").
In 1882 the opening of the "Gotthardbahn" after 10 years of hard labour.
In 1932 the Swiss physician
Auguste Piccard sets record when he reaches a height of 16'940 meter with his balloon. This was the first ballon equipped with a preassure cabin.
On February 1st 1959 The canton Vaud (VD) was the first canton to give women the vote, followed
on September 27 1959 by the canton Neuchâtel (NE) and
on March 6, 1960 by canton Genève (GE).
In 1960 The son of Auguste Piccard,
Jacques Piccard sets record when he dives at the amazing depth of 10'916 meters deep together with american Don Walsh in a Bathyscaphe (some sort of submarine) called "Trieste".
In 1963 the
ICRC received the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 1971 Swiss people vote for the women's suffrage.
In 1978 A few villages "leave" the state Bern and found a new Canton called "the Jura".
In October 1984 The combined federal assembly elected Elisabeth Kopp as the first woman as Bunderat (executive authority). Sadly, Ms. Kopp had to step back due to some possible illegal activities of her husband.
On April 30 1989 Appenzell Ausserrhoden (AR) was the
last canton to give women the vote; Appenzell Innerrhoden (AI) had to be forced by the Swiss federal court ("Bundesgericht") to give women the vote (27-nov-1990).
In 1992 Swiss people vote against becoming a member of the EEA (european economic area) or "Espace Europeen Economique".
On July 31 1992 Claude Nicollier takes off on board of the space shuttle Atlantis and becomes the first Swiss in space.
In 1993 The combined federal assembly elected Ruth Dreifuss as the second woman as Bunderat (executive authority.Then in 1999 she became the first female president of the Bundesrat "Bundesratspräsident").
That same year the combined federal assembly ("Vereinigte Bundesversammlung") elected Ruth Metzler as the third woman as Bunderat. Ruth Metzler is only 34 years old!
On March 20 1999 Swiss Scientist,
Bertrand Piccard (Grand son of Auguste Piccard and son of Jacques Piccard mentioned above) and british co-pilot Brian Jones have become the first balloonists to circumnavigate the globe with a non-stop, non-refuelled flight. It has taken the team 19 days, 21 hour and 55 minutes to travel the 46'759 km on board of Breitling-Orbiter 3. (I remember flying to Asia and the pilot waking us up to say to look out of the windows on the right wing of the airplane we could see a dot a few miles away and that wasthem! -
brreee it gives me the goose bumps!)
In 1999 The Swiss people accept a new Federal Constitution on a referrendum.
In 2000 The Swiss people accept the bilateral contracts with the European Union.
On March 3rd 2002 Finally, Switzerland is to join the
United Nations. Today, both the people and cantons have accepted the popular initiative on Swiss membership of the United Nations. 6 months later
on September 10, 2002 Switzerland was declared a full member of the United Nations as recommended by UN's Security Council.
In 2003 the
Alinghi Team lead by the Swiss Ernesto Bertarelli wins the 31st America's Cup in Auckland, New Zealand after a 5:0 victory over Team New Zealand. Team Alinghi makes history by bringing the America's Cup to Europe for the first time in 152 years. And I have a question...where do the Swiss learn to sail? On their lakes naturally the closest see is the Mediterannean sea.
So what do Swiss people do on Swiss National day? Well I don't want to sound too boring so I won't elaborate but a lot of them would have a few glasses of wine, they would light up bond fires and kids would walk around villages and town with lite up lanterns.
