The municipality Vilters-Wangs in the canton of St. Gallen, received a legacy of around 8 million francs recently. The estate of a German couple includes their house, securities and an art collection, which will be put on display next summer in the Kunstmuseum in St. Gallen. The town of Vilters-Wangs has a population of around […]
Switzerland’s religious decline continues – numbers by canton
Time and history have revealed almost countless Gods. However, in some countries, more and more people are choosing to believe in none. In Switzerland, where religious freedom is set out in the constitution, the portion of the population with no religious affiliation is approaching 25%, according to figures for 2016 published this year. In Switzerland, religion […]
Begging ban upheld by Switzerland’s highest court
In September 2016, the government of the Swiss canton of Vaud introduced a law banning begging across the canton. Unhappy with the ban a group made up of religious groups and political parties on the left have been challenging the law ever since. In 2017, they approached Vaud’s constitutional court where 4 out of 5 […]
Swiss divorce rates continue to climb
In 2017, 15,906 couples in Switzerland got divorced after an average of 15.1 years together. The majority (56%) split before their 15th anniversary. In 2017, 40.5% of those married for more than 30 years were divorced, compared to 40.3% in 2016. Breaking up after 30 years of marriage has been rising since records began in […]
Cows suffer long after their horns are removed, says new research
A new study concludes that the pain associated with horn removal can last for months, according to a report by the Luzerner Zeitung. This conclusion supports the upcoming vote to penalize dehorning in Switzerland. The initiative, scheduled for 25 November 2018, entitled: For the dignity of farm animals, aims to withdraw farm subsidies from farmers […]
Switzerland’s most popular names in 2017
In Switzerland one name really stands out. At the end of 2017, 84,100 people called Maria were living in Switzerland, a number that far outstrips the second most popular female name Anna (41,950), according to figures from the Federal Statistical Office. Part of Maria’s secret to success is its appeal in all of Switzerland’s linguistic […]
Cause of fatal vintage plane crash in Switzerland remains a mystery
On Saturday, a plane constructed in 1939 crashed in the Alps while flying from Locarno to Dübendorf, just outside Zurich, leaving all 17 passengers and 3 crew dead. The Junkers JU-52 aircraft, flown by the company Ju-Air, crashed at 2,540 metres on the side of Piz Segnas in the Swiss canton of Graubunden. The aircraft, […]
Prisoner in Bern requests assisted suicide
A 64-year-old in prison in the canton of Bern recently asked the organisation Exit for suicide assistance. It is rare for someone in a Swiss prison to make such a request, although Pierre Beck of Exit told RTS that a gravely ill prisoner in Geneva made a similar request last year. Exit is taking the […]
How mathematicians solved glacier death mystery after 86 years
On the 4th of March 1926 three brothers and a fourth man set out on a hike to Koncordiaplatz on Switzerland’s Aletsch glacier, the largest in the Alps. They never returned. When their bodies were discovered in 2012, scientists and mathematicians were able to work out what happened to the men 86 years earlier. The […]
Football – Switzerland goes through to next round
On 27 June 2018, Switzerland drew 2:2 to Costa Rica. This gave Switzerland a total of 5 points, placing it second in Group E, behind Brazil with 7 points. Brazil won 2:0 against Serbia in the other final Group E match. This sends Switzerland through to the next round. At 90 minutes, Switzerland was set […]
