The thing with the flag

Switzerland is probably the only country with a square flag. And the flag has a large plus sign. In American films the Swiss flag is often depicted to represent the Samaritans. A mistake! The Red Cross flag also has a plus sign – but it is red – as the name already suggests. The Swiss flag is a white cross on a red background. Some naughty people say that the flag is like that so that the Swiss cannot hang their flag upside down.

The Red Cross does have something to do with Switzerland, however, in that the founder of the organisation, Henri Dunant, is Swiss. But Dunant is not the only famous Swiss. The actor Jim Caviezel to has Swiss roots, as does the singer Jewel and the director of the new Bond film, Marc Foster. In addition famous celebrities have sought refuge in Switzerland (and they still do): Albert Einstein, Charles Chaplin, Michael Schumacher, Tina Turner, Phil Collins and many others (some of them have only sent their gold to Switzerland).

This not only has to do with the fact that Switzerland has beautiful scenery. But also because Mr and Mrs Swiss are also rather discrete, withdrawn and very reserved. No one will dare address Tina Turner as she wanders through Zürich. In Switzerland people treat celebrities properly in the same way they do bank secrecy: everyone knows what treasures there are in Switzerland, but no-one talks of them.

Those who come to Switzerland do not merely enter one country. They enter a federation of 24 different states. Switzerland is comprised of 24 cantons that for a longer or shorter time have belonged to the “confederation” (as Switzerland is called). This confederation explains the "CH" on cars (Confoederatio Helvetica). This also means that there are 24 different systems of logic and that the 24 different cantons function, in part, extremely individually. Even today someone who moves from one canton to another cannot be sure that they can transfer seamlessly into another school system.

Language Variety

Switzerland has four official languages. German is spoken the most. Followed by French, Italian and then the small linguistic minority of Rhaetoromansch.

One thing is uniform – the Swiss franc – the native currency. Once again differing from other countries Switzerland did not introduce the Euro (it is however accepted in many places – but change is given in Swiss francs, the official currency). Switzerland is also not a member of the EU, but follows its own path. And it’s good like that. And for many things it’s also not good like that. It is not only its square flag that makes Switzerland strange.

Chocolate

Swiss chocolate is really best purchased in Switzerland. The difference in quality between Export chocolate is quite striking. The Swiss are somewhat reserved in this matter too – and would rather keep the pearls for themselves.

Swiss Football

It is almost unbelievable that Switzerland has won an international title in football. During the Olympiad in Paris in 1924 Switzerland reached the finals and lost to the famous "Urus" (Uruguayans). Since there were no European Championships at the time Switzerland were classified the best European team – so to say European Champions. Not much happened over the next few years footballwise, until the hosting of the World Cup by Switzerland in 1954. Club teams have often made a name for themselves in European football. For instance Young Boys of Bern, that reached the 1959 Champions’ Cup semi-finals. Or in recent years first FC Basel and then little FC Thun that both caused a furore in the Champions League. FC Thun did not follow on from this success and are now playing with a totally different problem – that of relegation. The Swiss national team on the other hand, called in Switzerland "Nati" (do not be alarmed, Swiss fans are singing "Nati" and not "Nazi") had to wait 30 years after 1966 to qualify for a major tournament. As it does not happen very often it brings great joy to the local population.

http://www.switzerland.com/en.cfm/euro_2008/

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It is almost unbelievable that Switzerland has won an international title in football. During the Olympiad in Paris in 1924 Switzerland reached the finals and lost to the famous "Urus" (Uruguayans).

Since there were no European Championships at the time Switzerland were classified the best European team – so to say European Champions. Not much happened over the next few years footballwise, until the hosting of the World Cup by Switzerland in 1954.

Club teams have often made a name for themselves in European football. For instance Young Boys of Bern that reached the 1959 Champions’ Cup semi-finals. Or in recent years first FC Basel and then little FC Thun that both caused a furore in the Champions League.

FC Thun did not follow on from this success and are now playing with a totally different problem – that of relegation. The Swiss national team on the other hand, called in Switzerland "Nati" (do not be alarmed, Swiss fans are singing "Nati" and not "Nazi") had to wait 30 years after 1966 to qualify for a major tournament. As it does not happen very often it brings great joy to the local population.