Swiss National Day

Federal holiday (French Jour de la fête nationale, Italian Giorno della festa nazionale, RG di da la festa naziunala ) is the official name of the national holiday of the Swiss Confederation. Usual in the Swiss standard German are the names August 1st or federal holidays. It commemorates the Federal Charter, completed in early August from 1291.

History of the holiday

The day is celebrated in the whole of Switzerland on August 1, 1891, there is a statutory holiday. August 1st as the date of the Rütli oath, however, is not historically proven. The Federal Charter, it means " in the year of our Lord 1291 at the beginning of August. "

The idea to set it as the founding year of the Confederation and August 1 as a federal holiday 1291, goes back to the initiative of the Bernese. In Bern wanted to celebrate in 1891 the 700th anniversary of the city. The connection to a 600 - year celebration of the Confederation came in handy there. The report, which the Department of Home Affairs for submission on November 21, 1889 the Federal Council wrote, for a two-day celebration in Bern and not in central Switzerland is actually provided. The Federal Charter of 1291, which held the defense agreement between the three original cantons, however, had chosen a document that was not without controversy. Historian counted in the 19th century for the period 1251-1386 82 documents that similar frets were sealed. In particular, the federal government to wells of the 1315 was considered by many as the founding of the Swiss Confederation, because if you do not ever emanated from a stepwise formation of the Confederation.

Be held until the 20th century Aegidius Tschudi also date of Rütli Oath ( November 8, 1307 ) as the birth of the Swiss Confederation. 1907 was celebrated in Altdorf UR in the presence of a delegation from the Federal 600 - year anniversary of the Swiss Confederation. Since then, the memory of 1307 has lost the date of the Rütli oath and thus as the founding year of Confederation. In the new national myth, which in the time of World War II - including the Riitli repeat of General Guisan or with the 650 - year celebration of 1941 - was coined, the Rütlischwur myth linked more and more with the August 1, the by the Federal Council in 1889 set Swiss Federal Holiday.

The National Day Committee, founded in 1909 (now Pro Patria) began in 1910 with the publication of federal holidays postcards to raise funds for charitable purposes, such as for the Swiss Red Cross or the mothers help. In 1923, the official added August 1st Badge, 1938 supplemented by the National Day celebration stamp with Taxzuschlag as the third collection agent. The Bundesfeierkarten 1960 were adjusted, while the sale of badges and stamps by school children today will continue. Since 1992, the Pro Patria Foundation supports so that the preservation and maintenance of cultural landscapes and monuments.

Since 1 July 1994, the Swiss National Day is a non-working day throughout Switzerland after Swiss voters had adopted the popular initiative " for a non-working federal holiday (1 August ) initiative » on September 26, 1993 ( see Article 110, paragraph 3 of the Federal Constitution). Before the day had this status only in a few cantons.

In 1993 for the first time since then become a tradition, 1 -August- brunch place on individual farms. 2007 received 420 farms a total of 200,000 guests. At this farm breakfast mainly dairy, cereals, fruits, fresh braid, August 1 -Weggen, cheese, sausage and homemade hash browns are offered. The brunch is coordinated by the Swiss Farmers' Union.

Festivities and customs on 1 August

Many people decorate their homes with Swiss, cantonal and municipal flags. The flagging of the public buildings, streets and squares is required by law in most places.

In the municipalities in the afternoon or evening instead of celebrations, each village maintains its own traditions. Prayers for the nation and fatherland, the singing of the national anthem ( Swiss Psalm ), and bell ringing mostly belong to. In some places, traditional costumes are worn. Often a public figure makes a speech, and the local music club plays on.

At nightfall lanterns illuminate their children and all private or public fireworks are burnt. On many mountain peaks and hills several meters high, burning wood cone can be seen, the August fire.

In some cities and towns (for example, Biel / Bienne ), the official National Day celebration will take place on the eve already, July 31, instead. Thus, for years in Basel the " National Celebration on the Rhine " officially celebrated on July 31. The local music clubs are an integral part of the festival program. There are numerous concerts at the fairgrounds on the Rhine. This extends to the small banks of the Rhine from the St. John's to Wettsteinbrücke and in Großbasel of the St. John Bridge to Middle Bridge and from the pier to the marketplace. Average 100,000 visitors take part of the city and its surroundings on the National Day celebration. On the Rhine itself is both a boat race and the star lights, a benefit - light action for developing countries held. The subsequent large firework display each on two Rhine ships left and right of the middle bridge.

A national celebration has not been naturalized. Only on the Rütli, according to tradition, the " Cradle of Confederation ", organized by the Swiss Public Welfare Society ( SGG ) since 1942 on a regular basis a National Day celebration, which is addressed to all residents of Switzerland. Moreover, a solemn radio and television address of the federal president is broadcast. In the evening a joint for the four linguistic regions Bundesfeier broadcast is transmitted from a community in the public SRG television programs.

In the whole of Switzerland by 20 clock ringing church bells all for a quarter of an hour. The Swiss National Day is celebrated at the embassies of Switzerland worldwide.

The Swiss National Day is celebrated in the divided town of Laufen castle for many years on the border between Switzerland and Germany. At the Old Rhine Bridge, which connects the two parts of the city, experience the music and dance groups from both countries on the border line. (Running Castle in 1801 divided by Napoleon along the Rhine in two halves, the southern part belongs to Switzerland (Canton Aargau ) and the northern part to Germany ( Baden- Württemberg). )

Spectators at the landmark with the Aargau Coat of Arms

« Folk Dance Group Laufenburg », Germany

Dance performance along the boundary line