Happy Schweizer Bundesfeier!
Saturday, 1 September 2007 by Jacob TomawToday is the national holiday of the Swiss Confederation. It celebrates the Federal Charter of 1291 which formed League Of The Three Forest Cantons: Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden. These three cantons are now in the middle of Switzerland. Although the holiday is celebrated today, the Bundesbrief was not signs 1 August 1291. The Charter only refers to “Early August.”
Also, this is a relatively recent holiday to be celebrated in the neutral heart of Europe. Over the last century the Bundesfeier displaced Rütlischwur, marking the Oath of the Old Swiss Confederation on 8 November 1307. This displacement allowed the Swiss to celebrate their 600th anniversary in 1907 and their 650th in 1941, just 34 years apart. Of course being neutral, the Swiss had nothing else going on in 1941.
Posted in National Holiday
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September 2nd, 2007 at 9:25
[...] did not start off my series on National Holidays very well. Turns out this month is September and not August. [...]