HELVETIA MAGAZINE OF THE SWISS SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012 Y E A R 7 8 A message from the new President Grüessech, Bienvenu, Benvenuti, The Wellingtonian’s grin was even bigger HIGHLIGHTS: Allegra and Haere Mai to all members after they received the huge “Chueglogge” - of the Swiss Society of New Zealand. they had also won the Cowbell competition Welcome from the that day: Well done and congratulations! The AGM in June marked another mile- new Swiss Society The attendees of the AGM had the pleasure stone in the history of the Swiss Society: President to elect a new team – this time from Auck- Wellington handed over their responsibility land. I was the lucky winner of the presiden- to Auckland who will be hosting the Swiss Introducing the new tial race – not that the queue was very Society for the next 5 years. long… Helvetia Team We would like to thank the outgoing Wel- I’d like to hereby introduce you to our new lington team very much for their tremen- Canvassing your opin- Swiss Society team: President & Secretary: dous effort and huge commitment: ion Tanja Latham-Zurbrügg, Vice President: Roland Schütz (Society President), Max Marcel Rüedi, Treasurer: Carmen Fitzi- Swiss National Day Fuhrer (Vice President), Heidi Amelung Gordon, Helvetia Editor: Susie Wood and (Treasurer/Helvetia lay-out), Trudi Rifle Master: Ernst Lanz. Thank you very Brühlmann (Editor/Secretary) and Mark much for your support during the next few Kiser (Rifle Master). years. (cont. p2) INSIDE: Message from the 1-2 new President From the new Hel- 3-4 vetia team Embassy News 5 Swiss Music and 6 Entertainment Health Corner 7 Story / Kids’ Corner 8-9 Swiss National Day/ 10-11 Swiss Customs Swiss Club News 12-17 Chuchichäschtli/ 18 Garden Diary 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 P A G E 2 From the new President and Editor (cont.) The Swiss Society was estab- the Swiss Society I would like to Thank you very much Susie! lished in 1935 by a group of Swiss thank them very much for their tre- Last but not least we would like to immigrants who left their homeland mendous effort. thank everyone that travelled from to begin a new life in a country totally I could hear the champagne corks near and far to attend the Swiss So- unknown to them. pop up in Auckland when they fin- ciety AGM and everyone who helped The objectives of the Society were to ished their last Helvetia issue. Our make the Queens Birthday weekend assist other compatriots requiring new Helvetia team in Auckland has a memorable couple of days. moral or financial support, teaching very large shoes to fill, so we de- “Der krönende Abschluss“ (the fi- immigrants the New Zealand way of cided to get our own boots instead… nale) for me was the Swiss Kiwi Yo- life as well as to promote cultural We are lucky to have a very dedi- del Group’s song about the Niesen traditions by setting up Swiss clubs cated new Helvetia team and I would and the Thunersee – I felt homesick around the country. like to thank each of you very much just listening to them singing about The Helvetia magazine is tradition- for your contributions and commit- “mini Heimat” (my homeland)… ally published by the Swiss Society ment over the next few months and and is currently in it’s 78th year! years. Trudi Brühlmann and Heidi Amelung You would not be reading this article have done an outstanding job in pro- if it wasn’t for our wonderful new edi- ducing the Helvetia in the last 5 tor Susie Wood who has already years – the commitment they have spent hours and hours producing Tanja Latham-Zurbruegg put in is admirable and on behalf of this “new look” Helvetia for you! From the Editor Swiss Society of New Zealand Inc. Greetings dear Readers! Patron H. E. Dr Marion Weichelt Krupski As Trudi Brühlmann and Heidi Ame- President/ Tanja Latham-Zurbruegg, 45 Kinross Street, Blockhouse Bay, lung leave their respective roles as Secretary Auckland 0600. Ph 09 627 8777. E-mail: [email protected]) editor and lay-out expert of the Hel- Vice President Marcel Rüedi, 25 Beverley Crescent, RD 1 Whangarei 0179 vetia magazine and tidy up their bits Ph 02 7490 1836. E-mail: [email protected] Editor Susie Wood, PO Box 65206 Mairangi Bay Auckland 0745. and pieces, our desks and minds are Ph 09 4736098. E-mail: [email protected] flooded with the new tasks at hand. Treasurer Carmen Fitzi-Gordon, 2 Coldham Crescent, St. Johns, Auckland 1072. It is only as we take over that we Ph 09 528 0903. E-mail: c and [email protected] truly appreciate the amount of work Riflemaster Ernst Lanz, 23 Hawaiian Parade, Arkles Bay, Whangaparaoa 0932. and organisation that is involved in Ph 09 428 5687. Email: [email protected] creating such a magazine. Delegates to the Swiss Abroad Conference in Switzerland I am delighted to be supported by a Delegate Othmar Hebler, 9 Larlin Heights, RD 15, Hawera. Ph 06 278 6878 very creative Helvetia team which Deputy Delegate Emanuel Zust, 41 Cheltenham Drive, Kapiti Village, Paraparaumu will help with both editorial matters Ph 04 905 0017 and writing articles. This team will Secretaries of the Swiss Clubs be instrumental in shaping the Hel- vetia over coming months and also Auckland Heidi Wilson, 53 Rothesay Bay Road, Rothesay Bay, Auckland. contribute key articles. Ph 094789751. E-mail: [email protected] Hamilton Anita Zuber, PO Box 24061, Hamilton 3253. You will see on page 4 that this Mob 027 498 5170. E-mail: [email protected] change of guard is also an opportu- Taranaki Marianne Drummond, 508 Salisbury Road, RD 24, Stratford. nity to ask you for your opinion about Ph 06 7628 757. E-mail: [email protected] the Helvetia magazine. I hope many Wellington Odile Stotzer, 24 Fitzherbert Street, Alicetown, Lower Hutt 5010. of you will participate in the survey Ph 04 586 3095. E mail: [email protected] (with a good prize to be won!) and Swiss Government Representatives send future letters to the Editor. Embassy of Level 12, Maritime Towers, 10 Custom House Quay, Wellington 6140. Best wishes, Switzerland E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.eda.admin.ch/wellington Consulate Peter Deutschle, 3 Marine Parade, Herne Bay, Auckland 1011. of Switzerland Ph 09 366 0403. E-mail: [email protected] HELVETIA AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012 P A G E 3 From the new Helvetia Team Welcome Change is in the air... Finally the big moment has arrived! The new Auckland Even though we know you like the Helvetia just like it is, Helvetia Team bids all our readers across New Zealand a the handover of the Helvetia to a new team also presents warm welcome. We hope you will bear with us over the an opportunity for change. We are very much aware that coming months while we hone our writing and publishing the Helvetia is about you, the reader. Therefore, we are skills, and give you a Helvetia magazine which you will not proposing changes lightly and without careful thought. come to enjoy just as much as the old one. Some of that change is already evident by the modified look of the Helvetia. These changes are not large and A big Thank You to the focused more on updating the Helvetia as a publication. outgoing Helvetia Team We hope you like it. Perhaps the most important issue we have had to grapple No doubt you will all join us in thanking the amazing out- with is the monthly publication of the Helvetia (10 issues/ going Wellington Helvetia team. Past editor Trudi year). Members of the new Helvetia Team are engaged Brühlmann and publisher Heidi Amelung, as well as their already in the Swiss Club, other volunteering jobs, profes- regular and occasional authors, have done a truly out- sionally and with their families. Therefore, the commit- standing job in creating a Helvetia magazine that is pro- ment to a monthly publication, with all the attendant work fessional, creative and engaging. Special thanks also go and deadlines, is difficult to sustain in the long term. to Carolyne Lane, a key contributor. As a result, we have decided on the two-monthly publica- Trudi and Heidi have maintained this large commitment tion of the Helvetia (six issues/year). In this, we are sup- over five years without fail, working their lives around the ported by Trudi Brühlmann and Heidi Amelung who have many tasks and deadlines such a job involves. Their found the commitment, although enjoyable, at times diffi- friendship and plenty of cups of coffee have carried them cult to reconcile with their personal lives. through all the way. We presented our proposal to the AGM of the Swiss Over the years, the Helvetia magazine has been instru- Society in Auckland on 3 June 2012 and it was unani- mental in weaving the New Zealand Swiss people to- mously accepted. gether and sharing what it is to be Swiss in New Zealand.