HELVETIA
MAGAZINE OF THE SWISS SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND
YEA R
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012
78
A message from the new President
HIGHLIGHTS:
 Welcome from the
new Swiss Society
President
 Introducing the new
Helvetia Team
 Canvassing your opinion
 Swiss National Day
INSIDE:
Message from the
new President
1-2
From the new Helvetia team
3-4
Embassy News
5
Swiss Music and
Entertainment
6
Health Corner
7
Grüessech, Bienvenu, Benvenuti,
Allegra and Haere Mai to all members
of the Swiss Society of New Zealand.
The AGM in June marked another milestone in the history of the Swiss Society:
Wellington handed over their responsibility
to Auckland who will be hosting the Swiss
Society for the next 5 years.
We would like to thank the outgoing Wellington team very much for their tremendous effort and huge commitment:
Roland Schütz (Society President), Max
Fuhrer (Vice President), Heidi Amelung
(Treasurer/Helvetia lay-out), Trudi
Brühlmann (Editor/Secretary) and Mark
Kiser (Rifle Master).
The Wellingtonian’s grin was even bigger
after they received the huge “Chueglogge” they had also won the Cowbell competition
that day: Well done and congratulations!
The attendees of the AGM had the pleasure
to elect a new team – this time from Auckland. I was the lucky winner of the presidential race – not that the queue was very
long…
I’d like to hereby introduce you to our new
Swiss Society team: President & Secretary:
Tanja Latham-Zurbrügg, Vice President:
Marcel Rüedi, Treasurer: Carmen FitziGordon, Helvetia Editor: Susie Wood and
Rifle Master: Ernst Lanz. Thank you very
much for your support during the next few
years. (cont. p2)
Story / Kids’ Corner 8-9
Swiss National Day/ 10-11
Swiss Customs
Swiss Club News
12-17
Chuchichäschtli/
Garden Diary
18
Swiss News
19
Rhaetian Railway
20
The old and the new Swiss Society team: Front row, from left to right: Ernst Lanz (new riflemaster), Mark Kiser
(previous riflemaster), Adrian Blaser (new Helvetia Team), Trudi Brühlmann (previous editor/secretary); standing,
from left to right: Tanja Latham-Zurbrügg (new president/secretary), Renate Meyer-Knecht, Nelly Steinemann,
Edith Hess, Melissa Lanz (all new Helvetia Team), Heidi Amelung (previous treasurer/Helvetia composer), Susie
Wood (new editor), Roland Schütz (old president); behind Melissa: Marcel Rüedi (new vice president).
www.swiss.org.nz
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From the new President and Editor
(cont.) The Swiss Society was established in 1935 by a group of Swiss
immigrants who left their homeland
to begin a new life in a country totally
unknown to them.
The objectives of the Society were to
assist other compatriots requiring
moral or financial support, teaching
immigrants the New Zealand way of
life as well as to promote cultural
traditions by setting up Swiss clubs
around the country.
the Swiss Society I would like to
thank them very much for their tremendous effort.
I could hear the champagne corks
pop up in Auckland when they finished their last Helvetia issue. Our
new Helvetia team in Auckland has
very large shoes to fill, so we decided to get our own boots instead…
The Helvetia magazine is traditionally published by the Swiss Society
and is currently in it’s 78th year!
We are lucky to have a very dedicated new Helvetia team and I would
like to thank each of you very much
for your contributions and commitment over the next few months and
years.
Trudi Brühlmann and Heidi Amelung
have done an outstanding job in producing the Helvetia in the last 5
years – the commitment they have
put in is admirable and on behalf of
You would not be reading this article
if it wasn’t for our wonderful new editor Susie Wood who has already
spent hours and hours producing
this “new look” Helvetia for you!
From the Editor
Greetings dear Readers!
As Trudi Brühlmann and Heidi Amelung leave their respective roles as
editor and lay-out expert of the Helvetia magazine and tidy up their bits
and pieces, our desks and minds are
flooded with the new tasks at hand.
It is only as we take over that we
truly appreciate the amount of work
and organisation that is involved in
creating such a magazine.
I am delighted to be supported by a
very creative Helvetia team which
will help with both editorial matters
and writing articles. This team will
be instrumental in shaping the Helvetia over coming months and also
contribute key articles.
You will see on page 4 that this
change of guard is also an opportunity to ask you for your opinion about
the Helvetia magazine. I hope many
of you will participate in the survey
(with a good prize to be won!) and
send future letters to the Editor.
Best wishes,
Last but not least we would like to
thank everyone that travelled from
near and far to attend the Swiss Society AGM and everyone who helped
make the Queens Birthday weekend
a memorable couple of days.
“Der krönende Abschluss“ (the finale) for me was the Swiss Kiwi Yodel Group’s song about the Niesen
and the Thunersee – I felt homesick
just listening to them singing about
“mini Heimat” (my homeland)…
Tanja Latham-Zurbruegg
Swiss Society of New Zealand Inc.
Patron
President/
Secretary
Vice President
Editor
Treasurer
Riflemaster
H. E. Dr Marion Weichelt Krupski
Tanja Latham-Zurbruegg, 45 Kinross Street, Blockhouse Bay,
Auckland 0600. Ph 09 627 8777. E-mail: [email protected])
Marcel Rüedi, 25 Beverley Crescent, RD 1 Whangarei 0179
Ph 02 7490 1836. E-mail: [email protected]
Susie Wood, PO Box 65206 Mairangi Bay Auckland 0745.
Ph 09 4736098. E-mail: [email protected]
Carmen Fitzi-Gordon, 2 Coldham Crescent, St. Johns, Auckland 1072.
Ph 09 528 0903. E-mail: c and [email protected]
Ernst Lanz, 23 Hawaiian Parade, Arkles Bay, Whangaparaoa 0932.
Ph 09 428 5687. Email: [email protected]
Delegates to the Swiss Abroad Conference in Switzerland
Delegate
Deputy Delegate
Othmar Hebler, 9 Larlin Heights, RD 15, Hawera. Ph 06 278 6878
Emanuel Zust, 41 Cheltenham Drive, Kapiti Village, Paraparaumu
Ph 04 905 0017
Secretaries of the Swiss Clubs
Auckland
Hamilton
Taranaki
Wellington
Heidi Wilson, 53 Rothesay Bay Road, Rothesay Bay, Auckland.
Ph 094789751. E-mail: [email protected]
Anita Zuber, PO Box 24061, Hamilton 3253.
Mob 027 498 5170. E-mail: [email protected]
Marianne Drummond, 508 Salisbury Road, RD 24, Stratford.
Ph 06 7628 757. E-mail: [email protected]
Odile Stotzer, 24 Fitzherbert Street, Alicetown, Lower Hutt 5010.
Ph 04 586 3095. E mail: [email protected]
Swiss Government Representatives
Embassy of
Switzerland
Consulate
of Switzerland
HELV ETIA
Thank you very much Susie!
Level 12, Maritime Towers, 10 Custom House Quay, Wellington 6140.
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.eda.admin.ch/wellington
Peter Deutschle, 3 Marine Parade, Herne Bay, Auckland 1011.
Ph 09 366 0403. E-mail: [email protected]
AUGUST /SEPT EMBER
2012
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From the new Helvetia Team
Welcome
Change is in the air...
Finally the big moment has arrived! The new Auckland
Helvetia Team bids all our readers across New Zealand a
warm welcome. We hope you will bear with us over the
coming months while we hone our writing and publishing
skills, and give you a Helvetia magazine which you will
come to enjoy just as much as the old one.
Even though we know you like the Helvetia just like it is,
the handover of the Helvetia to a new team also presents
an opportunity for change. We are very much aware that
the Helvetia is about you, the reader. Therefore, we are
not proposing changes lightly and without careful thought.
A big Thank You to the
outgoing Helvetia Team
No doubt you will all join us in thanking the amazing outgoing Wellington Helvetia team.
Past editor Trudi
Brühlmann and publisher Heidi Amelung, as well as their
regular and occasional authors, have done a truly outstanding job in creating a Helvetia magazine that is professional, creative and engaging. Special thanks also go
to Carolyne Lane, a key contributor.
Trudi and Heidi have maintained this large commitment
over five years without fail, working their lives around the
many tasks and deadlines such a job involves. Their
friendship and plenty of cups of coffee have carried them
through all the way.
Over the years, the Helvetia magazine has been instrumental in weaving the New Zealand Swiss people together and sharing what it is to be Swiss in New Zealand.
We have all learnt things about Switzerland we never
knew and would have never known even if living in Switzerland! And we have been kept up to date with Swiss
current affairs where important.
But there has been much more than just information to
the Helvetia magazine. The graciousness and insightfulness of Trudi, Heidi and their contributors have given the
Helvetia a unique flavour, and have made us think and
smile many times over the years.
We know that Trudi and Heidi look forward very much to
their newly won freedom...although we may need to call
on them just occasionally for their advice and opinion.
Already they have done everything they can to promote a
smooth transition to the new team.
We wish you all best for the future and many more
friendly cups of coffee...
Some of that change is already evident by the modified
look of the Helvetia. These changes are not large and
focused more on updating the Helvetia as a publication.
We hope you like it.
Perhaps the most important issue we have had to grapple
with is the monthly publication of the Helvetia (10 issues/
year). Members of the new Helvetia Team are engaged
already in the Swiss Club, other volunteering jobs, professionally and with their families. Therefore, the commitment to a monthly publication, with all the attendant work
and deadlines, is difficult to sustain in the long term.
As a result, we have decided on the two-monthly publication of the Helvetia (six issues/year). In this, we are supported by Trudi Brühlmann and Heidi Amelung who have
found the commitment, although enjoyable, at times difficult to reconcile with their personal lives.
We presented our proposal to the AGM of the Swiss
Society in Auckland on 3 June 2012 and it was unanimously accepted.
We know that many among you will be disappointed and
apologise for this. However, we trust you will understand
our decision. We hope to make up with a high quality and
enjoyable two-monthly Helvetia magazine with more colour and the occasional “bumper” issue.
The new Helvetia Team
Having an active Swiss Club in Auckland has enabled us
to assemble a lively and diverse team of contributors who
have agreed to write on a range of topics.
The Auckland Helvetia team embraces a range of interests and ages. These will hopefully reflect the diversity of
interests and ages among our readership across New
Zealand.
Over the coming months, we will take the opportunity to
introduce the various members of the team and their respective areas of interest.
We also intend to “shoulder tap” other members of the
Swiss Society occasionally to see whether they would like
to make a contribution to the Helvetia. Further, Carolyne
Lane has promised to continue to make an occasional
contribution.
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4
From the new Helvetia Team
Give us your opinion – and win
a box of wine!
Your brand new publishers would love to know what you
would like to read in future editions of the Helvetia magazine. To this end, we have devised a questionnaire. It’s fun
to complete, and will take you five minutes only, unless
you have lots to comment on. You can do it either online,
or on paper.
You find the link on:
http://www.swiss.org.nz/event.php?ID=1567
It is also on the Hamilton, Taranaki and Auckland Swiss
Club websites. For the non-computerised, request a paper
version by writing to or phoning Nelly Steinemann, 8 St.
Ives Tce, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0630, or phone
09 4794038 (message with your address is fine).
Letters to the Editor
Do you have any issues or comments that are central to
the Swiss Society and its members in New Zealand, and
that you would like to see raised and addressed in
greater detail? Would you like pass on some important
news about the Swiss in Switzerland or New Zealand?
We would really like to hear from you, either via e-mail or
letter to the Editor and we will do our best to include your
message into the Helvetia, time and space permitting. As
a general guideline, we would like to encourage you to
limit your messages to approximately 100-150 words.
Please send your messages to the Editor using the details on page 2. We look forward to receiving them!
All entries received by 30 August will go into the draw to
win half a dozen bottles of fabulous Renato wine (two Pinot Gris, two Pinot Noir and two Sauvignon Blanc), delivered to your doorstep.
The draw is open to all paid up members of the NZ Swiss
Society (your membership in your Swiss club includes the
society). Maximum two entries per family.
Renat Nussbaumer is a Swiss winemaker, who established the Renato vineyard on the Kina peninsula near
Nelson 12 years ago. He produces exquisite wines, which
he sells in New Zealand as well as in Switzerland and
other countries. You can find out more about him and his
wines at http://www.renatoestate.co.nz/.
Are you interested in an
electronic version of the
Helvetia?
Given the age of computers we live in, some people like to
receive their printed matter via ‘cyberspace” and save
some paper, waste and postage in the process. Of
course, we realise that many of you prefer the printed version and having the ability to read it at a place of your convenience - and you will be able to continue to do so.
However, those who are interested now have the option of
requesting the Helvetia magazine in electronic form - but
please note that if you chose this options, you will not receive the paper version anymore.
If you would prefer to receive an electronic version of the
Helvetia, please advise the Secretary (Tanja LathamZurbruegg) by e-mail ([email protected]), and we
will make the necessary adjustments to the data base.
HELV ETIA
A visual sample of Renato vine
Öisen Wäg
Leere Iuege,
wie der ander
zfride blybt und gsund und zwääg.
Leere lose
was de Mitmänsch
öis wott mitgee uf de Wääg
Leere lauffe
graad und wäidli
hilft äim über mänge Haag.
Leere tanke
tüüf und eerli
für so mänge schöne Taag.
Contributed by Edith Hess
AUGUST /SEPT EMBER
2012
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Embassy News Ambassador’s Speech in Auckland
Those who attended the formal dinner of the Swiss Society
AGM in Auckland on 3 June have heard the speech of our
Ambassador Marion Weichelt Krupski on Swiss Politics during 2011-2012.
If you were not able to attend, you are able to access and
read the speech on the Swiss Embassy’s website (http://
www.eda.admin.ch/wellington) and follow the link through to
Embassy Wellington/Welcome Message. For those among
you who do not have access to a computer/internet, the Embassy has kindly agreed to post out printed copies of the
speech. Please refer to page 2 for relevant contact details.
Following is a brief summary of the speech.
The Ambassador gave us an update of Swiss elections in
2011, reiterating the Swiss Governance model and describing the newly elected Federal Council (Bundesrat) and its
political composition. Of interest were the voting patterns of
Swiss living abroad, which are generally more liberal and
green in comparison to voters living in Switzerland. More
detail on this can be found in the June 2012 issue of the
Swiss Review (www.revue.ch/en).
The speech covered the 10th anniversary of Switzerland’s
membership in the United Nations (UN), highlighting the fact
that Switzerland has been a strong UN partner, with a clear
commitment to many challenges the world faces today.
Financial matters were next. Switzerland is currently the 7th
most important financial centre worldwide and under increasing international pressure to cooperate in the fight against
tax offences. A Financial Centre Strategy issued by the Federal Council at the end of February 2012 aims for a credible,
tax-compliant and competitive Swiss financial centre. The
strategy includes a number of key actions, including fighting
money laundering and market abuse, and implementing
measures to ensure that Swiss banks only accept taxed
money.
Of note in this context is progress with successful trials for
e-voting. An increasing number of cantons are being
granted permission for e-voting, with priority given to Swiss
living abroad. The ASO (Auslandschweizer Organisation Organisation of the Swiss living abroad) plays an active role
in the above two matters.
The Ambassador also spoke about Swiss – Kiwi relationships and the close cooperation where common interests are
concerned, such as in the areas of the environment, human
rights, disarmament, free trade and rule of law.
Despite recent talks between the former Ambassador Beat
Nobs (now the head of the Asia/Pacific Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs) during his visit to New Zealand
and the New Zealand Government, no further progress has
been made regarding the non-deduction of the AHV (Swiss
pension) from the New Zealand pension, nor are any
changes likely to occur in the near future given the current
budgetary situation in New Zealand.
The Ambassador commented that this does not apply to second tier Swiss pensions (Pensionskasse) nor to the voluntary
AHV which are not deducted from the New Zealand pension.
The same situation applies to all other European countries
as well.
Lastly, the Ambassador noted the fact that no progress has
been made on reaching a mutual Working Holiday Agreement for young New Zealand and Swiss people.
We all appreciated the Ambassador’s effort to attend our
dinner on her way back from an official engagement in Samoa and her update on political matters in Switzerland.
The speech then centred on Switzerland and the European
Union (EU). It discussed existing bilateral agreements, focusing on that for the free movement of persons between
Switzerland and any of the partner countries. It highlighted
ongoing institutional questions about how to adjust these
agreements to new developments in EU law.
The Ambassador talked about the 700,000 Swiss Citizen
who have chosen to live abroad, mostly in Europe (60%).
Some 170,000 live in the USA and 30,000 live in our region
of Oceania. Three out of four Swiss living abroad possess
dual nationality.
The Ambassador also noted the fact that the Swiss government is currently considering a Federal Law for Swiss Citizens abroad, together with one department with responsibility for all issues relating to Swiss citizens living abroad. In
June, a parliamentary initiative to this end was signed by 31
out of 46 members of the Council of States (Federal Council).
The new Federal Council (from left to right): Johann N. SchneiderAmmann (Department of Economic Affairs), Didier Burkhalter
(Department of Foreign Affairs), Ueli Maurer (Vice-President, Department of Defence), Swiss President Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf
(Department of Finance), Doris Leuthard (Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications), Simonetta Sommaruga
(Department of Justice and Police), Alain Berset (Department of Home
Affairs) and Federal Chancellor Corina Casanova.
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Swiss Music and Entertainment
77 Bombay Street
There are many, many family bands, but very few of them
have as much in common and yet as many differences as
the members of 77 Bombay Street. The sound created by
the four brothers from Scharans is reminiscent of The
Beatles in their early days or the Beach Boys after a night
on the drink.
The combination of this sound, the inspiring mountain air,
and influences from the current music scene creates the
unmistakeable brand of folk rock that is the "Bombays".
All four brothers write songs, channelling their personal
preferences into the band's music. This means that in this
case, variety and inventiveness are not just an empty
phrase, but the defining feature of this band.
They weren't in the least bit bothered that they would
have to share a bedroom. A short time later they formed a
band which they named after their temporary home down
under. From this point, the heart of the band beat in the
chalet's cellar, where they rehearsed. Then everything
happened very quickly: 77 Bombay Street began to enter
band competitions, winning almost every one of them.
They were then hired for some gigs and won both the
Little Prix Walo and the MyCokemusic Contest in 2009.
At this stage, 77 Bombay Street is more than just an insider tip. 77 Bombay Street is all about the joy of making
music, musical talent, intensity and authenticity. With the
songs '47 Millionaires' and 'Long Way', they have conquered the radio waves and are getting both positive media reviews and encouraging feedback.
"Our music is a combination of folky lightness, profound
song-writing, and a healthy dose of humour," grins Matt.
Matt (28), Joe (26), Esra (24), and Simri-Ramon (20)
grew up in a family of nine in Basel. Ever since they were
tiny, they have been making music together. Initially, they
performed in nursing homes, hospitals and at private
events.
The band's fan community is growing steadily. 77 Bombay Street have already played over 100 live shows in
their very short career. Their debut album, Up In The Sky,
features 12 characteristic and unmistakeable folk-rock
gems. There isn't a note too many, the songs are not
overloaded with ideas, every word counts ... in fact, every
one of the songs is straightforward, direct, and goes
straight to the heart.
Then came an event that changed their lives: in 2001, the
Buchli family moved to Australia for two years, setting up
home at 77 Bombay Street in Adelaide.
Piqued your curiosity? Visit their official website
www.77bombaystreet.com and listen to ‘47 Millionaires’.
On their return to Switzerland, the four decided that they
didn't want to live in the city any more. "We were lucky to
be able to take over the old chalet that belonged to our
grandparents in Scharans," says Esra. "Surrounded by
the beautiful mountains of the canton of Graubünden, it
was just perfect."
HELV ETIA
By Alexandra Jung
AUGUST /SEPT EMBER
2012
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Health corner
Going to the doctor in New Zealand – what’s different?
It happens to all of us sooner or later:
An accident, a minor or major illness,
stress that’s a bit overwhelming - and
we need to see a health professional.
Many of us are very comfortable with
the English language and the way
things function at home and at work,
but feel unsure about how to tackle
health issues. There is often an inbuilt
distrust in the healthcare of another
country.
I have worked in New Zealand general
practice for longer than I care to remember and would like to share some
of my experiences with our readers.
Today, I try to give you an overview of
how the system works. In further editions I will cover more practical aspects about your relationship with your
health professionals and deal with specific conditions. I will appreciate your
feedback on what you would like to
see in future.
We have several health practitioners of
various backgrounds in our club, who
will take it in turns to populate this
health corner. You are most welcome
to contribute – contact the Editor if you
feel like writing about YOUR health
interest.
Health is a major political issue in most
countries. No wonder – it concerns us
all, costs more than we can afford to
pay and someone has to decide how
to share the pie. Successive New Zealand governments have tinkered with
the way health is administered and
built up large organisations, only to
overthrow these again when the administration changes.
At the moment, most of the health
budget is administered by the 20
DHBs (District Health Boards) who
either provide health services or contract others to do so. Overall, I feel
New Zealanders have a good health
system and would rather be sick here
than in Switzerland!
Your first point of contact with the NZ
health system is often the GP or General Practitioner. This is different from
Switzerland, where you go directly to a
specialist with different complaints.
It pays to be ‘enrolled’ at a General
Practice if you are a permanent NZ
resident.
The enrolment is done through a PHO
(Primary Health Organization, a large
association of up to several 100 GPs).
The PHO is funded by the DHB to deliver health services. The GP practice
receives a specific amount of money
(depending on the age and location of
the patient) every three months for
each enrolled patient, whether s/he is
seen or not and your consultations will
be cheaper. In most cases – except
children under 6 – there is still charge
to pay. You are expected to pay at the
time of consultation, not like in Switzerland where you are sent an account.
Some NZ GPs work alone, but increasingly, they work in groups of various sizes. Until recently, most owned
their business. Now larger organisations are buying GP practices and employ the doctors. I have particularly
liked the small group practices in my
working life here.
Patients feel they still know ‘their’ doctor and nurses, and vice versa. It has
been rewarding for me to get to know
two, three and even four generations
of one family. Because we do most
referrals to specialists and in turn get
their reports, we have a good grasp of
all the health issues of a patient, which
can only be an advantage to her/him.
Another thing I like about working here
is the use of computers. New Zealand
was at the forefront of computerised
medical notes using very good software. Patients get better care overall
if their records are organised in an
integrated way.
We receive most reports online, so the
process is very streamlined. Confidentiality can be an issue and is monitored
carefully, as we can log into laboratory
results and prescriptions issued elsewhere. I find the advantages of sharing
reports outweigh the dangers.
Not only does it save much time and
money; I do feel it is safer for patients
and they get better care.
Most GPs don’t work 24/7. If you need
to be seen after hours, you are advised to go to an emergency surgery.
Usually, the charges are higher there
than at your local practice. You can try
and present at the local hospital’s
emergency department where you will
be seen for free.
They discourage you to attend with
trivial issues; the waiting times for nonemergencies can be so long that you
will get better before you are seen! But
if you have a serious medical emergency, you will be attended to quickly
at a hospital, and it is better to go there
rather than to your GP.
GPs don’t usually keep medications at
their surgeries. Instead, you will take a
prescription to any pharmacy. Most
medications are subsidised; you pay $
3.00 only (soon it will be 5.00) for each
item. Laboratory testing is free for almost all tests.
Your GP can refer you for an X-Ray or
a specialist consultation. You have a
choice of having these done privately,
and paying for it – maybe you have
insurance – or be referred to a public
hospital. Hospitals have waiting lists.
If your condition is potentially dangerous – e.g. it could be cancer – you will
be seen within a reasonably short
time. If it is ‘just’ painful, or otherwise
inconvenient, the wait might be anything between long and endless. Public hospitals are free for New Zealand
residents, be it as inpatients or outpatients. Private hospitals, where you
pay, tend to mainly do non-urgent operations.
If you have an acute condition – e.g. a
severe infection or injury – you often
have no other option than going public,
even if you have medical insurance or
the funds to pay for it in private. You
can find more on the health system on
www.health.govt.nz .
I look forward to your feedback.
By Nelly Steinemann
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The non-Swiss Perspective
“Shoes on, shoes off”
A story of what it can be for a New Zealander in a
Swiss world.
I was 23 years old. It was the first time I had seen snow
and I was excited. Coming from South Africa, I was used
to shorts, t-shirt and bare feet. I found myself at the family home of my future mother-in-law in the middle of Swiss
winter. About zero degrees out, 24 degrees (exactly) in.
Apparently, it is NEVER appropriate to walk around (even
for a distance of no more than 5 meters) in shorts, t-shirt
and bare feet in rural Berner Oberland. Especially in winter!
I was promptly dispatched back outside, across the ice,
up the metal stair case and to my room to change into
winter clothes. I was instructed to wear socks and shoes.
Having arrived, I felt I would freshen up and change into
something more comfortable. Shorts, T-Shirt and finally,
after a long flight, bare feet. I can't tell you how good it
felt to be free of long trousers and socks after a full 16
hours of travel through the world's airports.
At this point I would like to note that the shoes were on
my feet for a period of no more than 30 seconds as I had
to remove them on re-entry to the main house. It felt like
some kind of bizarre Karate Kid film... “Shoes on, Shoes
off...”
I emerged from the studio apartment and wondered if my
feet would stick to the external metal staircase. I even
took a test step just to make sure. I remember feeling the
icy chill in the air and knowing that it would only be a few
seconds until I was back inside and protected by the best
climate control the world has to offer! No big deal. Or so I
thought...
So, after I had dressed up again and returned to the
kitchen, everything was fine and life continued as normal,
albeit a bit stuffy in my long trousers, socks and jumper.
A quick hop down the metal stairs and skip over the ice in
my bare feet. It wasn't too bad. I had strong feet in those
days. Inside, brush the snow off my shoulders and arms
and into the kitchen for a cuppa.
Next thing I know, my soon-to-be-mother-in-law is yelling
at me and pointing at my feet! I had no idea what she
was saying (no Swiss German at that time) except that I
knew it must be bad. Straight away I knew I was in trouble. First impression – not good.
Two years later, in summer, we were visiting again and
this time took the local bus service into the mountains.
The bus driver announced in Swiss German as I boarded
the bus, “Look everyone, it's that man who was walking
around in Winter without shoes on.”
- Aaah how nice to be back and remembered in the
mountains.
By David Latham
Chuderwaelsch (Swiss Dialect)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
aatööplä – unnötig betasten – to finger
ääli mache - eine zarte Geste of die Wange machen - to stroke another‘s cheek tenderly
ambrii und ambrüüf – nach unten und nach oben – down and up
äs biräbiräbitzeli – ein klein wenig – a little bit
alläwiil – dauernd – continously
Ankämödeli – Butter – butter
Aaleggi – Kleidung – clothing
allpott – immer wieder – again and again
aamächälig – angenehm, sympatisch – tasteful
abgschnittä – sehr ähnlich – very similar
abschtottärä – abzahlen – to pay off (with difficulty)
HELV ETIA
AUGUST /SEPT EMBER
2012
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Kids’ corner
1st AUGUST CROSS WORD
This crossword has something to do with
the history of Switzerland. Hint: there are
some clues in this issue of the Helvetia
magazine!
ACROSS
7.
9.
11.
13.
One of the 3 member states
Austrian "Vogt"
Weapon used in shooting
First name of famous shooter
DOWN
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
8.
Shooters target
Place where original treaty was signed
Surname of the famous shooter
Place where shooting took place
Place where Gessler’s Castle was
One of the 3 member states
In which month was Switzerland
formed?
10. One of the 3 member states
12. Famous shooters son
INTERVIEW WITH TOBIAS BLASER
When did you go to Switzerland?
Making new friends and learning
proper German.
On the first of October 2010 I
flew off at Auckland Airport
What did you like the most in
general?
How long did you stay there?
Being able to see how different
life is over there and seeing relatives.
For three months, I arrived back
in Auckland on the 20th of December.
Where did you stay?
I stayed at my grandparents’
house in Hasle-Ruegsau, Bern.
Did you go to school?
Yes I went to school for one term.
There were 12 kids in 3 different
years in the same class room
(Schule Ruegsau).
What was the best part of
school?
If you have a story to tell, would like
to introduce yourself or have any
other comments or contributions to
the Kids’ page, please email
[email protected] or phone
09 832 0366 or 021 232 7998.
Did you do any trips?
Yes I went to Austria for three
days, there was 30 cm of snow!
My other grandparents also took
me up to the Chueboden, that’s
above Fiesch, Wallis.
Would you go again?
Yes of course it was an amazing
experience.
Our interviewee Tobias Blaser
Thanks for the interview.
Thank you for interviewing me.
By Adrian Blaser
P AGE
10
Swiss National Day
1st of August Celebrations
As many of us are getting ready for
Swiss National Day celebrations in
various places and ways around the
country, it is again time to reflect on
what it is all about.
The origin of the Swiss Confederation (Alliance) is historically understood to be the outcome of an oath
of mutual support sworn between the
three "original cantons" of Uri,
Schwyz and Unterwalden in 1291.
This event followed the death of the
German Emperor, Rudolf of Habsburg. There was concern that his
successor might try to take away
the customary rights and freedoms
previously granted by the Emperor.
The oath took place on the Rütli
meadow by Seelisberg high above
Lake Lucerne, which has since become a symbol of Swiss freedom.
Whether in remembrance of this
event, or just because it is fun, every
Swiss commune now lights its own
bonfire and sets off fireworks, and
children parade through the streets
with paper lanterns - often decorated
with the Swiss cross or the symbols
of the cantons - and people light
candles in their windows.
The children love to light their Bengal matches (bengalische Zündhölzli) and draw some fancy figures into
the air.
We wish you all enjoyable celebrations!
Sources: www.swissworld.org,
www.swiss.org.au
The legend of William (Wilhelm) Tell
At a time soon after the opening of
the Gotthard Pass, when the Habsburg emperors of Vienna sought to
control Uri and thus control transAlpine trade, a new bailiff (Vogt),
Hermann Gessler, was despatched
to Altdorf. The proud mountain folk
of Uri had already joined with their
neighbours from Schwyz and Unterwalden at Rütli in pledging to resist
the Austrians’ cruel oppression.
When Gessler raised a pole in the
central square of Altdorf and
perched his hat on the top, commanding all who passed before it to
bow in respect, it was the last straw.
William (Wilhelm) Tell, a countryman
from nearby Buerglen, either hadn’t
heard about Gessler’s command or
chose to ignore it; whichever, he
walked past the hat without bowing.
Gessler seized Tell, who was well
known as a marksman and set him a
challenge. He ordered him to shoot
an apple off his son’s head with his
crossbow; if Tell was successful, he
would be released, but if he failed or
refused, both he and his son
(Walter) would die.
HELV ETIA
The boy’s hands were tied. Tell put
one arrow in his quiver and another
in his crossbow, took aim, and shot
the apple clean off his son’s head.
Gessler was impressed and infuriated – and then asked what the second arrow was for.
Tell looked the tyrant in the eye and
replied that if the first arrow had
struck the child, the second would
have been for Gessler. For such impertinence, Tell was arrested and
sentenced to lifelong imprisonment
in the dungeons of Gessler’s castle
at Kuessnacht, northeast of Luzern.
Determined to see his task through
and use the second arrow, Tell hurried to Kuessnacht. As Gessler and
his party walked along on a dark
lane called Hohlegasse on their way
to the castle, Tell leapt out, shot a
bolt into the tyrant’s heart and
melted back into the woods to return
to Uri. His comrades were inspired
by Tell’s act of bravery to throw off
the yoke of Habsburg oppression in
their homeland, and to remain forever free.
During the long boat journey, a violent storm arose on the lake, and the
oarsmen – unfamiliar with the lake –
begged with Gessler to release Tell
so that he could steer them to safety.
Gessler acceded.
Tell cannily manoeuvred the boat
close to the shore, then leapt to freedom, landing on a flat rock (the
Tellsplatte) and simultaneously
pushing the boat back into the
stormy waters.
William Tell and his son Walter
Source: www.swissworld.org
Contributed by Adrian Blaser
AUGUST /SEPT EMBER
2012
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Swiss Customs
William Tell
Open-Air Theatre
The tradition of the William Tell Open
-Air Theatre in Interlaken began in
1912. Since then, Friedrich Schiller's
play "William Tell" has been performed from 1912 to 1914, from
1931 to 1939 and every year since
1947, in the Rugen woods in Matten.
Performances were only interrupted
during the two world wars.
The William Tell Open-Air Theatre
today involves about 190 performers,
from children to old men, all in historically authentic costumes. The
fascinatingly realistic backdrop, with
live goats, cows and horses, allows
ample room for action-packed riding
scenes that raise the hairs on the
back of your neck.
In this performance, the splendidly
staged scenes of the swearing of the
Rütli Oath and the shooting of the
apple are turned into an exciting historical detective story. The curious
can also take a look behind the
scenes, a privilege not granted to
normal theatregoers. In this intensely
exciting show, the fine town of Interlaken and the magnificent scenery of
the Jungfrau region also play glittering cameo roles.
Funfairs in Switzerland
Switzerland is a country of fete days,
fairs and festivals, particularly so
during the summer seasons. Just as
each canton has its own beautiful
traditional costumes which have
been passed down from father to
son and from mother to daughter for
many generations, each canton possesses its own unique festivals.
The Festival of St. Albans
(Albanifest) in Winterthur
This particular festival is somewhat
exceptional since it is based on an
historical event but has only recently
been reinstituted. Up until the eighteenth century, the custom was regularly observed but only since 1971
has the "Albanifest" been celebrated
in grand style again.
The festival dates back to June 22,
1264, when Winterthur received its
status as a free town from Rudolf of
Habsburg. Political and military matters were discussed and settled on
St. Albans day. Of interest here is
the parallel development of events
that took place in Winterthur and
later at the Rütli in 1291.
All the citizens were then invited to
celebrate with a free meal (bread,
cheese and wine) after church service up until 1866, when the town
could no longer afford these handouts. As it was on St. Alban's Day
(one of the town’s four saints), the
f est iv al was t hus nam ed
"Albanimahl". From 1971 each year,
during the last weekend in June, the
Source: http://www.myswitzerland.com
He who has a thousand friends has not a
friend to spare. And he who has one
enemy will meet him everywhere.
AIi ibn-Abi-Talib(602 AD - 661 AD),
A Hundred Sayings
Contributed by Edith Hess
old city centre of Winterthur is now
transformed into a fairground with
dozens of open air eating places,
more than twenty dance- and light
entertainment orchestras, several
amusement stands and an enormous "Chilbi", a fair ground carnival
with eateries and stalls. Thus, Winterthur's City Centre is transformed
into one big party location. More
than 100,000 festival fans converge
on what "Winterthurers" claim to be
the largest annual city party in
Europe.
By Renate Meyer-Knecht
Sources: http://albanifest.ch, http://www.winterthurtourismus.ch
P AGE
12
Swiss Club News
TARANAKI
SWISS CLUB
Past Events
The last two card afternoons have
been fun and Walter hopes for a few
more faces for the last two games.
Here are the results from the last two
afternoons:
Jassen
17 June
1st
Dinner was absolutely delicious … it
consisted of potatoes, red cabbage,
sauerkraut, peas, pork and frankfurters … all cooked by our very own
Master chefs, Marlies, Heidi and
Margaret … many thanks to you for
a tremendous effort. Many thanks to
all the other helpers … the ones who
served, cleared the tables and did
the dishes … we’re so lucky to have
a fabulous team!!!
Well done, guys … that’s a great
effort and lots of shooting!!! Congratulations.
Mark soon started with the evenings’
proceeds … firstly the cup winners
were awarded their trophies, then
the days’ competitors were read and
then the raffles were sold. Here are
the trophy winners:
Top scorers in the keglen were
Maria Nolly, Alan Nolly, Mathias
Seifert and Zeno von Hospenthal …
great going guys … we may need
your help in the semi-final of the
Cowbell competitions, so keep practicing!!! Raffle tickets were soon
sold by some of our young salespeople, with winners taking home some
great prizes.
Heidi Seifert
Men
2
Heidi Werder
3rd
Berta Hughes
 President Challenge Cup: Jon
Phillipps with runner-up Mark
Kiser
nd
Booby Myrtha Seifert
The lucky raffle winners were Walter
Seifert, Albi Schuler and Frieda
Meier.
24 June
1st
Walter Seifert
2nd
Othmar Hebler
3rd
Myrtha Seifert … hey, you
did much better than last week!!!
Well done!!!
 Self-handicap Cup: Mark Kiser
with runner-up Jon Phillipps
 Erwin Kiser B Grade Cup: Remigi
Zimmermann
 Fuglistaller C Grade Cup: Daniel
Fitzgerald
Ladies

Booby A four way tie, with Josie
Gillbanks winning the 50c!!!
Ashleigh Lodge President Cup:
Helen Freiman with runner-up
Sue Kiser

The raffle winners were Zeno von
Hospenthal, Marlies Hebler and Albi
Schuler.
Engelberger Memorial Cup (Selfhandicap shoot): Helen Freiman
with runner-up Sue Kiser

Walter Seifert Junior Girls Trophy: Jacinta Fitzgerald with runner-up Emma Fitzgerald.
The Anniversary Shoot was
held on 30th June on a sunny but
cold day … it was great to see the
sun after seemingly weeks of wet,
windy weather!!! Participants could
either shoot or do 9-pin bowling and
everyone participating in the sports
received a packet of five cervelats …
a good deal, with $20.00 covering
both the meal and sausages!!! Just
a little reminder – in future would
those wishing to take part in the
“keglen” come a little earlier so everyone has competed when dinner is
served … we would really appreciate your promptness!!!
HELV ETIA
Remigi then had the pleasure of
awarding two Karabiner Shooting
medals. These are beautiful medals
awarded to participants in the field
championship shoots who have eight
cards in each of two of the big bore
shoots – eight cards in each is a
bronze medal, two lots of eight cards
in each is a silver medal and three
lots of eight cards in each is a gold
medal. Remigi presented Othmar
Hebler with the silver medal and Erwin Kiser with the gold medal!!!
Mark then proceeded to read the
days’ scores … the best shooters
being Emmi Kiser, Mark Kiser and
Walter Seifert … well done to you
all!!! Participants may ask someone
else to compete for them … and
somehow I think Mark may have had
a hand in all the shoots!!!
On behalf of the committee and club
members, I would like to thank Mark
and his helpers for a great meal and
evening. We really appreciate all the
time you put into our club and its
activities, Mark.
Many thanks to everyone for coming,
for without your valuable support we
wouldn’t able to create such a vibrant and happy atmosphere!!!
Future Events
August and September are very
quiet months at the Taranaki Swiss
Club as many of our members are
farmers … and this is their busy season!!! We all hope for some fine
weather, few frosts and a great calving season … good luck to you all!!!
AUGUST /SEPT EMBER
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Swiss Club News
October
4 & 18 Keglen recommences from
8.00pm. Johnny would love
to see a few more people so
come along and give it a try.
They enjoy a drink or two, a
fine supper, great company
and in between try their hand
at the 9-pin bowling!!!
18
21
From 6.00pm, Heidi and Marlies will be holding a baking
demonstration, so come
along and see what they can
show you … some delectable
Swiss cookies and baking!!!
Yum!!! An evening not to be
missed!!!
Please register
your interest, by ringing Heidi
on 06 273 4286 or Marlies on
06 278 6878. Then stay and
try the keglen (9-pin bowling)
… you may have hidden talents!!!
The Trudi Ott Belt and Championship Shoots will be held
from 1.00pm … come along
and support Mark. He’s more
than happy to coach you …
and age is no barrier … young
and old are more than welcome!!!
November
1 & 15 Keglen, once again, so join
this merry bunch!!!
18
25
The Ted Napflin Memorial
Shield and the Championship
Shoots will be contested from
1.00pm … so give it a go!!!
The Christmas Shoot / Keglen
will be held from 10.00am.
Further details will be provided in the next issue of the
Helvetia.
MD
Individually, we are one drop.
Together, we are an ocean.
WELLINGTON
SWISS CLUB
Past Events
24 June: Jass afternoon
Wednesday 11 July: Krabbelgruppe
Despite the cold weather and the
fact that some of us are in Switzerland, we managed to gather five children together for this Krabbelgruppe.
The kids had fun dressing up and
exploring all the toys.Thank you Rahel for hosting it and for the yummy
baking!
OS
Eight keen Jassers met at Trudi’s
place – and Trudi was relieved that
she didn’t have to play. At first, it
looked as if the keen Jassers weren’t
all that keen on playing either.
Future Events
We spent the first half hour on a
good old chat. Actually, there were
about three chats going simultaneously…, lubricated by a first round of
coffee and cake.
After having enjoyed the bonfire on
the beach on Wednesday August 1st
(call either Sibylle ph. 461 6147, or
Peter ph. 236 6921 for more details
on the bonfire), come to the clubhouse for dinner on Saturday August
4th. The dinner will start at 6:30 with
mulled wine and nibbles. Please
register with Odile (ph. 586 3095).
But then we got going, with Trumpf,
Slalom, Undenufe, Obenabe, Wiis,
Stöck, Match and all the rest of the
trimmings!
After a second round of coffee and
cake (thank you, Lotti, for your
yummy Oepfelwähe, and Rosina, for
your delicious cake!) and friendly
chats we had another round of
cards. A very pleasant afternoon it
was.
As Trudi goes on holiday, the jassers
will organize themselves until October.
TB
4 August: National Day Dinner
at the clubhouse
8 September: Fondue at the
clubhouse
The usual popular event: Fondue
accompanied with nibbles, mulled
wine, and dessert. Please call Odile
(ph. 586 3095) or Murray (ph. 528
6960) before 4 September to register.
13 October: Movie Day
More details will come in the next
Helvetia.
Have you got a horrible winter cold or flu?
Make your own lemon ginger drink
Winter time is also the season when we catch a yucky cold or flu!!! Here is a simple
recipe which you can use to get rid of them.
For 1 cup you will need the following ingredients:




1 Tsp Vinegar
Pinch of ground fresh or dry Ginger
1 Tsp Honey
1 slice fresh Lemon
Pour hot water over and drink as hot as possible!
Inhalation is also a great way to fight against all those bugs. It also can be used as a
prevention, for sinusitis, coughs and other respiratory problems. Heat a bowl of water
so it is hot but not boiling. Add 2-3 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil to the bowl. Hold
your head over the bowl and drape with a towel. Breathe deeply, inhaling the steam.
By Alexandra Jung, Aroma Therapist, Aroma Young
P AGE
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Swiss Club News
HAMILTON
SWISS CLUB
Past Events ….
Card Evenings
Our fourth Card Evening took place
on Friday 22nd June, and despite
quite a few players travelling to Switzerland, 36 people still came along
on an extremely cold winter’s night
for a game of cards.
Whilst Vreni Vetsch and Evelyn
Reichmuth prepared supper in the
kitchen, Herbert had the unenviable
task of cooking the Bratwurst on the
barbeque out in the cold!!
After yet another tasty supper, and at
the conclusion of the second three
rounds of cards, the room was
quickly cleaned and tidied, followed
by the presentation of 11 prizes.
Just two weeks later, 36 people once
again arrived at the Union Parish
Church for our fifth and final card
evening for the year.
As the card playing got underway,
Anita was busy in the kitchen heating a variety of home-made savouries for the evening’s supper.
These were served after the first
three rounds of cards, followed by
baking and coffee, before the final
three card rounds of the year.
At the conclusion of the competition,
Beatrice took a few minutes to add
the evening’s scores to the previous
totals of those players eligible for the
overall trophy and prizes.
Congratulations to all our prizewinners.
This year, we presented a total of 73
prizes, including 5 booby and 14
overall prizes. Grateful thanks to all
who donated the many extra prizes.
A big thank you to Vreni, Evelyn,
Ruth, Anita and Helen for all the baking and help in the kitchen to provide
the delicious suppers over the last
two evenings; and to Herbert for the
smooth running of the evenings.
Once this was done, Herbert first
announced the evening’s 12 prizewinners, before Beatrice announced
the 14 overall places. Congratulations to Oskar Reichmuth, the evening’s winner, who after the first four
evenings came from sixth place back
to also win the Overall Trophy and
prize ham with a very high score of
16,281 points.
Second place went to Erika Bolli
with16,207points.
Pia Russenberger finished in third
place (16,164 pts), whilst our youngest regular card player, Vern
Forsythe deserves a special mention
with his 7th placing (15,772 pts).
Dr. Veronika Isler
PhD, PGDip(Clin)Psych, Member of NZ
Psych Soc and NZICP
REGISTERED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST
Ph: (07) 8238190 (Hamilton)
Cell: 021 457 944
Offices in Ohaupo and Hamilton
The proud winner: Oskar Reichmuth
HELV ETIA
AUGUST /SEPT EMBER
2012
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Swiss Club News
And once again, special thanks to Uli
and Richard for always coming early
to set up the room, and so allowing
us to get started on time.
Finally, thank you to all of our card
players for your regular attendance we look forward to seeing you all
again next year.
BL
Fourth Card Evening, 22nd
June
1) Pia Russenberger
2) Bruno Rufer
3) Elisabeth Gaemperle
4) Walter Unternahrer
5) Erika Bolli
6) Heidi Santner
7) Bruno Rufer
8) Hans Vetsch
9) George Russenberger
10) Vern Forsythe
11) Eileen Hickey
4279
4218
4203
4199
4185
4149
4007
3997
3979
3943
3920
Booby Prize
Lina Rufer
3317
Fifth Card Evening, 6th July
1) Oskar Reichmuth
2) Margarethe Poppe
3) Heidi Santner
4) Ruedi Wernli
5) Max Schwitzer
6) Heinz Leuenberger
7) Karl Waldvogel
8) Richard Wehrle
9) Lina Rufer
10) Elisabeth Gaemperle
11) Heidi Leuenberger
12) Hanspeter Burch
4304
4285
4109
4014
3993
3985
3956
3931
3890
3886
3874
3871
Booby Prize
Beatrice Leuenberger
3233
Overall Prizewinners
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Oskar Reichmuth
Erika Bolli
Pia Russenberger
Richard Wehrle
Heidi Santner
Heinz Leuenberger
Vern Forsythe
16,281
16,207
16,164
16,070
15,828
15,800
15,772
8) George Russenberger
9) Eileen Hickey
10) Theresa Fitzi
11) Angus Forsythe
12) Heidi Leuenberger
13) Karl Waldvogel
14) Elisabeth Gaemperle
15,732
15,731
15,723
15,684
15,461
15,417
15,366
Overall Placings
15) Pat Steiner
16) Max Schwitzer
17) Robert Frischknecht
18) Uli Elmiger
19) Bruno Rufer
20) Lina Rufer
21) Hans Vetsch
22) Fritz Haesli
23) Ruth Waldvogel
24) Ruth Baumberger
25) Rita Braem
26) Anna Rufer
27) Peter Weiss
28) Margaret Hayward
15,249
15,163
15,153
15,139
15,061
14,972
14,948
14,976
14,748
14,732
14,688
14,632
14,434
14,400
Future Events ….
Family Walk – Sunday 26th August – Hamilton.
Please meet at 11am outside Hukanui School (corner Hukanui Road
and Pickering Crescent), opposite
Westfield Chartwell on the eastern
side of Hukanui Rd.
We will do some of the gully walks in
the neighbourhood, probably in two
groups – one doing a leisurely walk
and one doing a more challenging
walk.
Bring a picnic lunch or there would
be the option of having lunch across
the road at the Foodcourt in Westfield.
Fondue Evening – Saturday,
22nd September.
Our annual Fondue Evening will be
held at the Matangi Hall, 7.00pm –
bookings will be required and a
newsletter will be sent to members
early September.
AZ
AUCKLAND
SWISS CLUB
Past Events
Sunday 17 June: Chocolate
Factory
21 people turned up to our
“Chocolate event” at the Swiss Bliss
Chocolate Factory in Waitoki, separated into a morning and afternoon
group.
Edith started the sessions by explaining what happens from the moment the cocoa bean is picked until
the different products such as cocoa
butter or cocoa solids are processed
into eatable chocolate or beauty
products.
After a short introduction into how to
temper and work with chocolate, all
the participants were excited to dig
into the work.
In pairs of two, they first prepared
the truffle mass, followed by the
white chocolate and mango center
which then was injected into the truffle mass. To finish off, the truffle was
coated and the typical truffle pattern
(which gave it the name) applied.
For the second half, we created Walnut Marzipan and Cinnamon Chocolates.
Everyone had fun and not many
needed lunch or dinner afterwards…
A big thank you to Edith and her
team, who once again did a great
job!
Due to the size of the factory we had
to limit the amount of people which
unfortunately meant we had to turn
away a few more interested parties.
Sorry guys!
By Erika Lanz-Wetli
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Swiss Club News
Friday 23 June, Pub night and
farewell to Marcel
It was nice to see a good two dozen
club members turn up to say goodbye to Marcel at the Blankenberge
Belgian Beer Café – and there was
much more than beers to choose
from.
We have been so lucky to have had
Marcel guiding our club for over five
years. Fortunately, he is not too far
away and will join us, plus / minus
grandchildren, at some of our
events.
We look forward to formally thanking
him at our National Day celebration
on 28 July, and hope you managed
to be part of it!
Friday 13 July - Jassen
Congratulations Marie-Therese on
your win for the evening – even if
you only found out the next day !!
As usual, we had a noisy evening of
fun and some frustrations – funny
how you just can have bad cards for
a whole night. And reassuring we all
keep moving from top to bottom and
back again.
Results
1st Marie-Theres Melville
2nd Hans Iten
3rd Walter Haller
4th Heinz Frei
5th Andrew Iten
6th Hilda Iten
7th Hansruedi Wolf
8th Annagret Wolf
9th Neil Kaiser
10th Louis Wallimann
11th Renat Nussbaumer
12th Edith Hess
13th Nelly Steinemann
14th Adrian Blaser
15th Heidi Wilson
16th Matthew Kaiser
17th Frederick Conquer
18th Franz Krieger
HELV ETIA
4112
4055
4033
3961
3951
3939
3935
3879
3843
3798
3762
3653
3564
3520
3494
3476
3462
3387
August/September
and beyond
1st August at the Swiss Farm:
The REAL National Day
You are invited to take yourself, your
family, your food and drink, and join
us for a get-together around a fire
from 6 pm at the Swiss Farm. To find
out how to get there see our website:
www.swiss.org.nz/auckland
In case of doubtful weather contact
Adrian by e-mail:
[email protected] (or
phone him at 09 8320366 or
021 232 7998).
Friday 10 August, 7.30pm:
Jassen at the Danish
Clubhouse, 6 Rockridge Ave,
Penrose
Heat up in this cool night, and play
cards with players from all walks of
life and all levels of experience. You
can only improve your game!
Saturday 18 August 7pm:
International Evening at the
Danish Club
The Danish Clubhouse has been our
second home for a few years now.
Like several other European clubs,
we are affiliated members of the
Danish Club. They have invited us
for an evening of socialising, entertainment and fabulous food.
You will be treated to a Danish meal,
followed by desserts from various
countries including Switzerland, and
you will meet fellow expatriates from
Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Austria.
Bookings are essential, and likely to
be very popular. Book now with
Adrian at:
[email protected] (or
phone him at 09 8320366 or
021 232 7998).
For liquor licensing reasons, we
need to know the names of all the
guests. Cost: Members of Swiss
Club: $25, non members $35.
SWISS KONDITOREI BERN
Bakery & Pastry
Do you feel like eating real Swiss/German
breads, tasty and healthy?
German Sourdough, Butterzopf,
Walliser Bread, Kibbled Rye, Walnut Bread,
Tasty White Bread, Basler Bread,
or chose from a wide range of rolls,
inclusive Laugenrolls.
In the sweet range we offer
Blackforest Cake, Bienenstich,
Chocolate Truffle Cake, Quark Cheesecake,
Fruit Flans, Patisserie,
seasonal specialities and much more.
We are using local and often
organic ingredients.
Retail sale at our bakery
Thursday, Friday and Saturday 7am-2pm
5/448 Rosebank Rd, Avondale, Auckland
Tel: (09) 828-5860 Fax: (09) 828-5861
www.swisskonditoreibern.co.nz
AUGUST /SEPT EMBER
2012
P AGE
17
Swiss Club News
Friday 07 September from
6.30pm: Fondue and Quiz
Night at the Danish Club
Preschoolers $10, school children
$15, adults $18, discount 10% if we
are more than 10.
Saturday 15 December:
Enjoy a typical Swiss fondue for only
$25 (members), $35 (non-members),
$1 per year of age for youngsters up
to 18.
Please book with Tanja by phone
6278777 or email:
For the full programme, see our
website.
Doors open at 6.30, Fondue at 7,
followed by quiz then dessert. Get
your paper dart skills up to scratch –
and general NZ or Swiss knowledge
may come in handy too.
Register with Lukas Lanz by phoning
09 4796503 or email Lukas at:
[email protected]
Friday 14 September 7.30pm:
Jassen at the Danish
Clubhouse, 6 Rockridge Ave,
Penrose
Meet your fellow Swiss and have fun
with our National game!
Sunday 23 September:
ROCKCLIMBING
At Clip ‘n Climb, 610 Dominion Rd,
Balmoral. Meet at 2.45pm for climbing from 3pm to 4.15pm. Suitable for
all ages, even preschoolers. All
climbers must wear closed shoes
such as trainers, enclosed toes.
[email protected]
Sing Swiss Christmas songs with us
at the Danish Club.
Nelly Steinemann
See website for details: http://
clipnclimb.co.nz/index.php?
page=home
October and beyond
Some of the events we
planned for you:
have
Friday 05 October
Pub night, place to be announced.
Sunday 04 November:
Fingerlicking good
We have planned a family outing,
right now we have not quite decided
where we will take you to … watch
the space.
Saturday 01 December:
Working Bee at the Swiss farm.
Sunday 09 December:
Santa is coming to the farm. Make
sure you are there on time, he has
been getting up early these last few
years.
Concentration is needed
Farewelling our outgoing President Marcel Rüedi
Das isch de Gipfel: Outgoing President Marcel
Rüedi receives a giant Nussgipfel (nut croissant)
and kindly shares it with all his Swiss mates.
Adrian Blaser, our new President (front left),
Marcel Rüedi, and baker Franz Müller, producer of the giant Nussgipfel (front right).
Erika and Lukas Lanz (our new VicePresident)
P AGE
18
Chuchichäschtli (Kitchen Cupboard)
Rösti
Rösti (often spelled Röschti) is a
Swiss dish consisting mainly of potatoes. It was originally a common
breakfast eaten by farmers in the
canton of Bern, but today is eaten all
over Switzerland and also in many
restaurants in the western world.
Many Swiss people consider rösti a
national dish.
Today, rather than considering it a
complete breakfast, it is more commonly served to accompany other
dishes such as bratwurst or fried
eggs. Rösti is made with roughly
grated potato, either cooked or raw.
Depending on the frying technique,
butter or another fat may be added
(and usually salt and pepper).
The grated potatoes are then
shaped into rounds or patties, which
come in different sizes, usually
measuring between 3–12 cm (1 to
5 inches) in diameter and 1–2 cm
(0.5 inch) thick.
Often, Rösti is simply shaped inside
the frying pan. It is most often pan
fried, but can also be baked in the
oven. Although basic Rösti consists
of nothing but potato, a number of
additional ingredients are sometimes
added, such as bacon, onion,
cheese or fresh herbs. This is often
considered to be a regional touch.
There are different views on what
makes a perfect Rösti. The greatest
difference of opinion is whether to
use raw or boiled potatoes as the
main ingredient. The kind of potato
which makes the best Rösti dish is
widely disputed in Swiss popular
consciousness.
Rösti is eaten only in the Germanspeaking part of the country. They
are portrayed stereotypically as identifiers of Germanic culture, versus
the Latin one. The line separating
them is called Röstigraben (the Rösti
-trench).
By Marcel Rüedi
!
En guete
What is your favourite New Zealand potato
for a great Rösti?
Garden Diary
Spring Gardening
Veges may be growing slowly now
due to cold or waterlogged soils. You
may have to cover crops with frost
cloth and speed up growth with liquid
fertiliser. Dig in compost lime and
general garden fertiliser and leave
the garden to settle ahead of spring
sowing and planting.
Clean your seed trays stock up on
seed raising mix and sort out your
planting plan. Don't forget to rotate
your crops to prevent soil borne diseases. Check your seed packets as
well, as some seeds lose their viability after a while but you have nothing
to lose by sowing what you have .To
check if they are OK, drop a few
seeds into a bowl of water to see if
the sprout in a few days.
If your soil is warm and friable
enough, you can start to plant early
spring crops in August like broad
beans, snow peas and Cos lettuce,
as well as radishes and Lambs letHELV ETIA
tuce which don't mind the cooler
temperatures. Brassicas such as
cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli
can go in now also to be ready before the white cabbage butterflies
are back on the wing in late spring.
Sow onions indoors in seed trays
and wait until the seedlings are 510cm tall before transplanting.
If you haven't put any fruit trees in
yet, get them in quick and stake well
to prevent windrock and keep well
watered.
Plant berries for Christmas such as
raspberries,
boysenberries
and
thornless blackberries. They can be
trained up a trellis or along wires. It
is also not too late to plant strawberries either as they fruit six weeks
after flowering and plants are readily
available in garden centres.
Spray peaches and nectarines with
copper or a fungicide, before bud
burst to prevent leaf curl.
Plant early potatoes and protect with
frost cloth, as seed potatoes take up
to one month to show their tops
which are susceptible to frost damage. If you have room, sow Globe
Artichokes to be ready in late summer. Wait until September to sow
traditional Summer crops such as
Tomatoes Peppers and Aubergine
indoors.
Happy Spring planting!
By Melissa Lanz
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2012
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Swiss “atomic” news: CERN
CERN in a nutshell
Discovery of the Higgs Boson?
CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research,
is one of the world’s largest and most respected centres
for scientific research. Founded in 1954, the CERN
Laboratory sits astride the Franco–Swiss border near Geneva. It was one of Europe’s first joint ventures and now
has 20 member states.
On 4 July 2012, CERN reported that its experiments have
revealed a particle consistent with long-sought Higgs
boson, deemed to be a vital piece of the puzzle to explain
the working of the Universe. The so-called Standard
Model of physics successfully describes all of the elementary particles we know to exist and how they interact with
one another. But our understanding of nature is incomplete. In particular, the Standard Model cannot answer
one basic question: Why do most of these elementary
particles have masses?
Its business is fundamental physics, finding out what the
Universe is made of and how it works. At CERN, the
world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments
are used to study the basic constituents of matter - the
fundamental particles. By studying what happens when
these particles collide, physicists learn about the laws of
nature.
The instruments used at CERN are particle accelerators
and detectors. Accelerators boost beams of particles to
high energies before they are made to collide with each
other or with stationary targets. Detectors observe and
record the results of these collisions.
A subatomic venture
“Imagination is more important than
knowledge.”
These were the words of the famous physicist Albert Einstein, who went on to say that "Knowledge is limited.
Imagination encircles the world."
If you venture into the subatomic world in an attempt to
unveil its inner workings, possession of all the knowledge
in the world is not enough. Instead, invite your imagination to serve as a guide, because many rules as we know
them no longer apply. Just like the story of Alice In Wonderland, this new world may look familiar but it is not fully
comprehensible. Scales shift and matter transforms.
Transitory twins appear and extra dimensions hide.
The Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a gigantic scientific
instrument near Geneva, where it spans the border between Switzerland and France about 100m underground.
It is a particle accelerator used by physicists to study the
smallest known particles – the fundamental building
blocks of all things. It will revolutionise our understanding,
from the minuscule world deep within atoms to the vastness of the Universe.
Two beams of subatomic particles called "hadrons" – either protons or lead ions – travel in opposite directions
inside the circular accelerator, gaining energy with every
lap. Physicists use the LHC to recreate the conditions just
after the Big Bang, by colliding the two beams head-on at
very high energy.
Without mass, the universe would be a very different
place. For example, if the electron had no mass, there
would be no atoms. Hence there would be no ordinary
matter as we know it, no chemistry, no biology and no
people. In addition, the sun shines thanks to a delicate
interplay among the fundamental forces of nature, which
would be completely upset if some of those force particles
did not have large masses. The Higgs boson is thought to
provide the necessary clues to the conundrum.
Where the web was born
Tim Berners-Lee, a scientist at CERN, invented the World
Wide Web (WWW) - the Internet - in 1989. The Web was
originally conceived and developed to meet the demand
for information sharing between scientists working in different universities and institutes all over the world - and of
course now many of us are part of it!
Sourced from http://press.web.cern.ch
AUGUST /SEPT EMBER
2012
Unesco Swiss World Heritage Sites
Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Over the next months, we will feature the World Heritage
sites in Switzerland. UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) encourages
the identification, protection and preservation of cultural
and natural heritage around the world considered to be of
outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an
international treaty called the Convention concerning the
Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage,
adopted in 1972.
The Rhaetian Railway
The Rhaetian Railway or the Rhaetische Bahn, as it is
known to many of us, brings together two historic railway
lines that traverse the Albula and Bernina landscapes
through picturesque valleys and mountain passes. The
Albula line in the north western part of the railway is 67km
long and features 42 tunnels and covered galleries, as
well as 144 viaducts and bridges. The 61km Bernina pass
line features 13 tunnels and galleries, as well as 52 viaducts and bridges. The Railway is deemed to constitute
an outstanding engineering, architectural and environmental achievement in harmony with the landscapes
through which it travels.
The Rhaetian Railway between Thusis and Poschiavo is
a marvel of railway engineering. Railway enthusiasts assert that the Albula route between Chur and St. Moritz is
the most picturesque mountain route in the world and
rave about the boldly curved Landwasser viaduct.
But that’s only the start: on its route, the Bernina Express
passes by the gigantic Morteratsch glacier, climbs without
the help of cogwheels across Europe’s highest railway
Alpine pass, the 2253-metre-high Bernina, and winds
down to Poschiavo along daring loops. The “Kleine
Rote” (small red one) is the heart of the Albula/Bernina
UNESCO World Heritage listing, which also includes the
surrounding cultural landscape with its pristine villages,
ruggedly-romantic landscapes and primordial Alps.
The Rhaetian Railway has been the key to overcoming
the extreme isolation of settlements in the Central Alps
early in the 20th century, with a major and lasting socioeconomic impact on life in the mountains.
The lucky among us who have had the opportunity to experience the railway will not fail to remember the beautiful
valleys and mountains, pine forests, flower meadows and
snowy landscapes. The even luckier ones have had the
chance to walk or take a “gondola” up on the mountains
and enjoy both the silence and the views over the vast
expanse of the alps.
Sources: www.unesco.org, www.myswitzerland.com, www.flickr.com
(Rhaetian Railway)