Aug.1 – A new Year

 

 OK not a new calendar year, nor a new fiscal year, but a New Year all the same!

Today Switzerland celebrates 731 years since it was founded.

 

Falling as it does this year on a Monday, means that a lot of people – or rather the few who weren’t already gone on summer holidays – took a long weekend. I, for once, am in town.

But am planning on a very low-key celebration, on my own as simply too hot these days to enjoy crowds and/or bonfires. Not that the latter will take place due to the extreme dryness of the whole country. Many cities and communities are getting creative and I have even heard that there are drone displays mimicking fireworks. Such inventiveness.

 

It’s also a personal milestone as I have been a Swiss citizen for 15 years now, but always felt patriotic on the day having lived in the country for almost 50 years. I enjoy the four national languages although my Romantsch is rather lacking and it depends upon the dialect of Swiss German being spoken: for some reason I do best understanding those from Lucerne – go figure. I love the mountains, the culture, the diversity. Switzerland is not only a land that emigrated, but also a land of immigrants. There are occasionally clashes, but on the whole a country that can function in spite of, or perhaps thanks to, its diversity is a great one to live in.

The Federal Charter from early August 1291 is Switzerland's oldest constitutional document. In this ancient pact, the valley communities of Central Switzerland, Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden pledged to help each other resist any threat of violence or injustice. Foreign judges were not to be tolerated, while the existing power balance remained intact.  

Summary of the Latin text

“For the common good and proper establishment of peace, the following rules are agreed :

1. In view of the troubled circumstances of this time, the people and communities of Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden promise to assist each other by every means possible against one and all who may inflict on them violence or injustice within their valleys and without.
2. Each community shall help the other with every counsel and favour and at its own expense in the event of any assault on persons or goods within and without the valleys and to this end have sworn a solemn oath to uphold this agreement in confirmation and renewal of a more ancient accord.
3. Every man shall continue to serve his overlord to the best of his abilities.
4. The office of judge may not be obtained for any price and may only be exercised by those who are natives or resident with us.
5. Any dispute amongst the Confederates shall be settled by the most prudent amongst us, whose decision shall be defended by all.
6. Those who commit murder shall themselves be put to death. A murderer who flees may never return. Those who protect him shall themselves be banished from the valley until they are recalled by the Confederates.
7. Those who maliciously injure others by fire shall lose their rights as fellow countrymen, and anyone who protects and defends such an evil-doer shall be held liable for the damage done.
8. Any man who robs a Confederate or injures him in any way shall be held liable to the extent of his property in the valleys.
9. The property of debtors or sureties may only be seized with the permission of a judge
10. Every man shall obey his judge and must if need be indicate the judge in the valley before whom he must appear.
11. Any man who rebels against a verdict and thereby injures a Confederate shall be compelled by all other Confederates to make good the damage done.
12. War or discord amongst the Confederates shall be settled by an arbiter and if any party fails to accept the decision or fails to make good the damage, the Confederates are bound to defend the other party.
13. These rules for the common good shall endure forever.

Done with the seals of the three aforementioned communities and valleys at the beginning of August 1291.”

Anyone wishing to can look up the history behind the Federal Pact although it was adopted as the beginning of Switzerland only in the 19^th century can follow this link:

https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/federal-council/history-of-the-federal-council/federal-charter-of-1291.html