On March 4, 1945, six B-24H American bombers on their way to bomb Aschaffenburg again in the
"clean up" missions at war's end, somehow ended up bombing the city of Zurich, Switzerland "by
mistake", 15 miles within the territory of the neutral power with which the United States was
supposedly trying to maintain good relations. They dropped 12 tons of incendiary bombs and 12.5
tons of heavy explosives. Most exploded in an open field, but 5 Swiss civilians were killed, 22 left
homeless, and several houses were destroyed.
"clean up" missions at war's end, somehow ended up bombing the city of Zurich, Switzerland "by
mistake", 15 miles within the territory of the neutral power with which the United States was
supposedly trying to maintain good relations. They dropped 12 tons of incendiary bombs and 12.5
tons of heavy explosives. Most exploded in an open field, but 5 Swiss civilians were killed, 22 left
homeless, and several houses were destroyed.
| Neutering the Neutral and....what the hell, Wilhelm Tell |
The Americans placated the Swiss with one million dollars in relief
funds, followed by another 3 million. There were numerous other
attacks throughout the war, including one which killed seven people
and injured 16 at Taegerwilen and Stein-am-Rhein; eight died at Rafz,
as did a child at Vals in two of 13 separate attacks. On Christmas
Day, 1944, planes from the 1st Tactical Air Force bombed Thayngen.
funds, followed by another 3 million. There were numerous other
attacks throughout the war, including one which killed seven people
and injured 16 at Taegerwilen and Stein-am-Rhein; eight died at Rafz,
as did a child at Vals in two of 13 separate attacks. On Christmas
Day, 1944, planes from the 1st Tactical Air Force bombed Thayngen.
Previously, on April 1, 1944 the northern Swiss city of Schaffhausen
was seriously damaged when 50 U.S. bombers killed and wounded
100 people and ravaged homes, factories, city buildings and railway
yards of the city of 22,000 inhabitants. There were 428 left homeless
and 67 buildings damaged. At the Museum of Natural History and at
the Allerheiligen Museum, valuable treasures were destroyed,
including nine works of Tobias Stimmer and the collection of Swiss
painters of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, all burned.
was seriously damaged when 50 U.S. bombers killed and wounded
100 people and ravaged homes, factories, city buildings and railway
yards of the city of 22,000 inhabitants. There were 428 left homeless
and 67 buildings damaged. At the Museum of Natural History and at
the Allerheiligen Museum, valuable treasures were destroyed,
including nine works of Tobias Stimmer and the collection of Swiss
painters of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, all burned.
Further, they observed that the Allies wanted to stop German shipments to Italy over the Swiss rail
system and the Swiss repeatedly rejected these demands. The 1944 bombing of Schaffhausen
included destruction of the rail line and rail station ( Schaffhausen coincidentally also lost a major
watch making and precision instruments factory that some feared was supplying precision equipment
to Germany). Basel's and Noirmont's damage was also to the railway, and in Zurich the main
destruction was to the neighborhood and homes around the Zurich rail center.
system and the Swiss repeatedly rejected these demands. The 1944 bombing of Schaffhausen
included destruction of the rail line and rail station ( Schaffhausen coincidentally also lost a major
watch making and precision instruments factory that some feared was supplying precision equipment
to Germany). Basel's and Noirmont's damage was also to the railway, and in Zurich the main
destruction was to the neighborhood and homes around the Zurich rail center.
Several planes attacked a railway station at Noirmont, despite the presence of Swiss flags painted on
village roofs. Basel was bombed as well, damaging the freight station and injuring people. The British
were also responsible for minor attacks on Geneva, Basel, and Zurich, all explained as "mistakes".
However, At the time, the Swiss accused the Allies of attacking their railway, and claimed that the
bombings were not accidental but intentional, even going so far as to proclaim the bombing of
Schaffhausen a war crime. It was a fact that Aschaffenburg, Germany was the primary target in the
Basel bombing and Freiburg, Germany was the target in the Zurich bombing, and the cities bore not
much similarity at all. In fact, Freiburg is more than 200 miles away from Zurich and Ludwigshafen,
the purported intended target for Schaffhausen, was about 145 miles north.
village roofs. Basel was bombed as well, damaging the freight station and injuring people. The British
were also responsible for minor attacks on Geneva, Basel, and Zurich, all explained as "mistakes".
However, At the time, the Swiss accused the Allies of attacking their railway, and claimed that the
bombings were not accidental but intentional, even going so far as to proclaim the bombing of
Schaffhausen a war crime. It was a fact that Aschaffenburg, Germany was the primary target in the
Basel bombing and Freiburg, Germany was the target in the Zurich bombing, and the cities bore not
much similarity at all. In fact, Freiburg is more than 200 miles away from Zurich and Ludwigshafen,
the purported intended target for Schaffhausen, was about 145 miles north.
Those responsible for the Schaffhausen bombing received no reprimand , and the Swiss insisted on
disciplinary action for those responsible for the Basel and Zurich bombings. The Zurich pilots were
court marshaled by a reluctant US military, but amid Swiss objections it transpired in a military court
instead of a civilian court (it is interesting to note that the presiding officer at the trial was future actor
Jimmy Stewart), and all were later acquitted.
disciplinary action for those responsible for the Basel and Zurich bombings. The Zurich pilots were
court marshaled by a reluctant US military, but amid Swiss objections it transpired in a military court
instead of a civilian court (it is interesting to note that the presiding officer at the trial was future actor
Jimmy Stewart), and all were later acquitted.
| The Legend of Wilhelm Tell |
At the end of the 13th century, the folks living in the hills and mountains of today's Switzerland had
to bear the presence of various Habsburg sheriffs, some of whom were cruel and hated. Soon after
the opening of the Gotthard Pass, the Habsburg emperors sought to control the canton of Uri.
to bear the presence of various Habsburg sheriffs, some of whom were cruel and hated. Soon after
the opening of the Gotthard Pass, the Habsburg emperors sought to control the canton of Uri.
In legend, one of the worst of the bailiffs they appointed was a nasty little man
named Hermann Gessler who enjoyed humiliating the peasants in Uri because they
had joined with their Schwyzer and Nidwaldner neighbors in pledging to resist
Austrian oppression. It is told that Gessler placed his hat, sported with large
feathers, on a pole at the market place of the hamlet of Altdorf and dictated that
every man who passed by kneel before it as a token of respect and submission.
One day, a hunter by the name of Wilhelm Tell who lived in the Canton of Uri, in
the valley of Schächen near Bürglen, happened to pass the market place with his
son Walter and either failed to heed the hat or purposely ignored it. For this
offense, the ever vigilant Gessler had him arrested.
named Hermann Gessler who enjoyed humiliating the peasants in Uri because they
had joined with their Schwyzer and Nidwaldner neighbors in pledging to resist
Austrian oppression. It is told that Gessler placed his hat, sported with large
feathers, on a pole at the market place of the hamlet of Altdorf and dictated that
every man who passed by kneel before it as a token of respect and submission.
One day, a hunter by the name of Wilhelm Tell who lived in the Canton of Uri, in
the valley of Schächen near Bürglen, happened to pass the market place with his
son Walter and either failed to heed the hat or purposely ignored it. For this
offense, the ever vigilant Gessler had him arrested.
Hearing gossip about Tell's prowess as a hunter and his reputation as an expert marksman, Gessler
had Tell informed that his only chance to remain alive was to hit an apple, placed by Gessler himself,
on the head of Tell's son Walter with his bow. Indeed, Tell accepted the challenge. The boy’s hands
were tied and an apple was placed on his small head. Tell put one arrow in his quiver and another in
his crossbow and squarely hit the apple. But, of course, this was not the end of things.
had Tell informed that his only chance to remain alive was to hit an apple, placed by Gessler himself,
on the head of Tell's son Walter with his bow. Indeed, Tell accepted the challenge. The boy’s hands
were tied and an apple was placed on his small head. Tell put one arrow in his quiver and another in
his crossbow and squarely hit the apple. But, of course, this was not the end of things.
A humiliated Gessler, noticing that Tell had brought a second arrow, asked him why, and when Tell
mockingly replied that had he hit his son instead of the apple, the second arrow was intended for
Gessler. This cockiness made even more of a fool of Gessler, and in his fury he had Tell sentenced
to lifelong imprisonment in the dungeons of Gessler’s castle at Küssnacht, northeast of Luzern.
When the time came to depart, Gessler boarded the boat in Lake Lucerne along with Tell.
mockingly replied that had he hit his son instead of the apple, the second arrow was intended for
Gessler. This cockiness made even more of a fool of Gessler, and in his fury he had Tell sentenced
to lifelong imprisonment in the dungeons of Gessler’s castle at Küssnacht, northeast of Luzern.
When the time came to depart, Gessler boarded the boat in Lake Lucerne along with Tell.
Suddenly, there was a raging storm during the boat journey and the oarsmen convinced Gessler to
release Tell because his strength was needed to steer them to safety. Tell helped maneuver the boat
close enough to the shoreline that he was able to leap to freedom, landing on a flat rock called the
Tellsplatte, and off through the woods he sped. Knowing he was a dead man if the others lived, Tell
hurried ahead to Küssnacht and waited.
release Tell because his strength was needed to steer them to safety. Tell helped maneuver the boat
close enough to the shoreline that he was able to leap to freedom, landing on a flat rock called the
Tellsplatte, and off through the woods he sped. Knowing he was a dead man if the others lived, Tell
hurried ahead to Küssnacht and waited.
As Gessler and his party later walked along the dark lane called Hohlegasse in the gorge that led to the
castle, Tell, who had hidden in the bushes, leaped out and shot a bolt straight into the tyrant’s heart
and then vanished back into the woods and returned to Uri to retrieve his son. His comrades and the
people were so inspired by Tell’s act of bravery, that they threw off the yoke of Habsburg
oppression in their homeland to embrace freedom. This defiance is said to have sparked the rebellion
which led to the formation of the Old Swiss Confederacy of Helvetica, today call Switzerland or
"Land of the Schwyzers". Schwyz, along with Uri and Unterwalden, was one of the three original
cantons that swore the oath and formed the confederation in 1291 on the Rütli.
castle, Tell, who had hidden in the bushes, leaped out and shot a bolt straight into the tyrant’s heart
and then vanished back into the woods and returned to Uri to retrieve his son. His comrades and the
people were so inspired by Tell’s act of bravery, that they threw off the yoke of Habsburg
oppression in their homeland to embrace freedom. This defiance is said to have sparked the rebellion
which led to the formation of the Old Swiss Confederacy of Helvetica, today call Switzerland or
"Land of the Schwyzers". Schwyz, along with Uri and Unterwalden, was one of the three original
cantons that swore the oath and formed the confederation in 1291 on the Rütli.
Alas, as is the case with other Germanic folk heroes, there is a bitterly vocal, humorless and insistent
minority who for some dull, politically correct reason are bent on "debunking" the Tell myth.
Apparently, while belief in King Arthur, Camelot or the Sheriff of Nottingham is acceptable, belief in
the villain Hermann Gessler is not, and while a Robin Hood is just plain fun, a dreaded Wilhelm Tell
is something "we must take very seriously." Despite the party-poopers, the Wilhelm Tell's saga, left
the world beautiful poetry, drama, art and song, and for doing might deserves more respect.
minority who for some dull, politically correct reason are bent on "debunking" the Tell myth.
Apparently, while belief in King Arthur, Camelot or the Sheriff of Nottingham is acceptable, belief in
the villain Hermann Gessler is not, and while a Robin Hood is just plain fun, a dreaded Wilhelm Tell
is something "we must take very seriously." Despite the party-poopers, the Wilhelm Tell's saga, left
the world beautiful poetry, drama, art and song, and for doing might deserves more respect.
| "By this fair light which greeteth us, before Those other nations, that, beneath us far, In noisome cities pent, draw painful breath, Swear we the oath of our confederacy! A band of brothers true we swear to be, Never to part in danger or in death! We swear we will be free as were our sires, And sooner die than live in slavery! We swear, to put our trust in God Most High, And not to quail before the might of man! " |
The small community of New Glarus, Wisconsin has
attracted Swiss settlers for over 150 years. New Glarus
was originally settled in 1845 by 108 Swiss pioneers
who left the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland during an
economic crisis, and ever since has welcomed
succeeding generations and even some new Swiss
immigrants, keeping the community's Swiss-German
language, folk traditions, and music alive.
attracted Swiss settlers for over 150 years. New Glarus
was originally settled in 1845 by 108 Swiss pioneers
who left the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland during an
economic crisis, and ever since has welcomed
succeeding generations and even some new Swiss
immigrants, keeping the community's Swiss-German
language, folk traditions, and music alive.
The legend of Wilhelm Tell first appeared in the 15th century in two versions, one in a ballad from
about 1470, and the other from the chronicles of a Melchior Russ of Berne written a few years later.
There are several Norse, Germanic, Danish and English tales and myths of other cultures carrying
similar themes. Friedrich von Schiller, Franz Lizst, Gioacchino Rossini and countless other writers,
artists and musicians were inspired by the legend of Wilhelm Tell, and a majority of the Swiss believe
that Tell really lived. In recent times, historians have, through research, uncovered possible figures
who could indeed have been the real live Wilhelm Tell.
about 1470, and the other from the chronicles of a Melchior Russ of Berne written a few years later.
There are several Norse, Germanic, Danish and English tales and myths of other cultures carrying
similar themes. Friedrich von Schiller, Franz Lizst, Gioacchino Rossini and countless other writers,
artists and musicians were inspired by the legend of Wilhelm Tell, and a majority of the Swiss believe
that Tell really lived. In recent times, historians have, through research, uncovered possible figures
who could indeed have been the real live Wilhelm Tell.