Happy Swiss Independence Day!

Early august 1291, the three forest cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden signed the Federal Charter. The charter united the signatories in the struggle against Habsburg rule, the family then possessing the Duchy of Austria in the Holy Roman Empire. The charter was signed in a beautiful field on Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstatersee) near the town of Brunnen, birthplace of my mother's parents. My grandmother, Marie Franziska Struby Kiene, worked one summer at the "Rutli", the name given to the location of the charter signing.




The signals given, to indicate the charter had been successfully signed, were huge bonfires lit on the mountain tops. On this day, all over Switzerland, people will be burning bonfires, setting off fireworks and eating some great food. If you were in the countryside you would be able to hear Alpenhorns, which are beautiful and almost mournful.

What would that food be? Bratwurst, potato salad or rosti (something like a cross between a potato pancake and hash-browns), grilled meats, green beans, and lovely fruit tarts called "fruchtwehe". If this weren't such a hectic year, we would be having a little Swiss gathering of our own. In the meantime, I might just have to fix some grilled sausages and eat some chocolate!

Special thoughts go out to my Swiss cousins that have recently passed away. Dear Sefi (Severina Kiene Thommen) was like a mother to me, and Monique (Monique Kiene) was far too young to leave us. Say hi to Mom for me.