Mailbag

Ashamed

Today, after yesterday’s disastrous referendum on the construction of minarets, there is one more reason to be ashamed of being Swiss. But at least I had the consolation that the Bundestag member for my Bavarian constituency, CSU Secretary General Alexander Dobrindt, spoke out strongly against following the Swiss example. He was even optimistic as to the negative outcome of such a referendum in Germany, if such an eventuality arose.

I wrote to him the following: “This time I do not have any concern to voice but would like instead to congratulate you on your position as to whether we should follow the Swiss example of opposing the construction of minarets, and to thank you for your clear and courageous words. As a world citizen who holds dual nationality, if I could not get by without an emotional identification with one particular nation state, then once again I would be ashamed to be Swiss at this moment. The result of Sunday’s referendum represents a step backwards in civilisation, in the ‘One World’ which is slowly being achieved in spite of all the obstacles that still exist, mostly in people’s minds. I do not entirely share your confidence that a similar vote in Germany would have a different outcome from that in Switzerland. And even the majority of Swiss politicians were against such a change to the constitution. But it is at least reassuring that a constitutional change need not necessarily be pushed through simply because so many people have voted in favour of it. Fortunately, there are still some hurdles that will hopefully be high enough to prevent such an ignoble restriction on religious freedom from becoming embedded in the Swiss constitution.

M. de Coulon, Schabsoien, Germany

One-sided

Many thanks for the most recent edition of “Swiss Review”. Like many readers I am delighted that this publication exists and it is a pleasure to receive it on a regular basis.

I was pleased to see that the editorial took such a prominent stance on Swiss culture and would like to make a few comments on Heinz Eckert’s article. The significant investment in culture is indeed something our country can be proud of, something which helps us to maintain our identity. But I was somewhat disappointed at the one-sided description of Switzerland’s flourishing cultural scene. Apart from the mention of a few open-air festivals, the examples given were of highbrow culture accessible to only a relatively small section of the population. It is not surprising that Presence Switzerland should be more interested in these examples, as it is their job to promote Swiss culture (and its image) abroad rather than to stimulate a cultural dialogue. But Swiss culture is so much more rich and diverse than was portrayed in this article. Pro Helvetia, for example, promotes a wide range of different cultural activities. And these are by no means all enormously expensive events (which are portrayed in the article as a prerequisite for world-class culture). What is important – particularly for foreign cultural policy – is to promote and share a diversity of culture that goes beyond the expensive and elite cultural consumption of Swiss people living in Switzerland. The choice of the term ‘cultural superpower’ in the article’s conclusion is somewhat unfortunate: culture is, after all, also a means of overcoming hegemonial power structures and going beyond pure representation. The aim of foreign cultural policy must be nothing less. A problem arises when culture is instrumentalised and marketed like any other export. What we need is not only an audience that pays, but also one that participates – at home and abroad.

Y. Regenass, Hildesheim, Germany

A great pity

We are returning to Switzerland after spending 17 years in Germany. During this time “Swiss Review” has always been a welcome and stimulating companion. It would be a great pity if it were only to be published electronically in the future. Many of us sit at a computer all day long and constantly have to read e-mail attachments for professional purposes. But if you want to or need to study a text more closely, the only option is to print it out. On the whole, this does not save any money, at least not for the ‘consumer’, only – as in so many cases – for the producer.

I used to enjoy reading “Swiss Review” on the sofa in the evenings, or over Sunday breakfast. Somehow I cannot picture myself propping up my laptop on the sofa or the breakfast table in order to read “Swiss Review” in an electronic format to save somebody money.

Switzerland has an obligation to keep its citizens abroad informed. Meeting this obligation ought to be more important to the country than saving money by fobbing us off with an electronic version of the magazine.

B. Hauser-Schäublin, Göttingen, Germany

Help the environment

Many thanks for “Swiss Review”. The electronic version saves paper and that can only be good for the environment. I have just downloaded a 276- page document on the latest legislative changes of the Spanish Interior Ministry onto my computer in a matter of seconds. By contrast, the Swiss Central Compensation Office has sent me a letter and a form by post from Geneva which I must have certified and stamped by the Spanish authorities before posting back to Switzerland, simply to confirm that I am still alive and still entitled to my modest pension. I dread to think how much postage and paper the whole process will cost.

F. Leisinger, Marbella, Spain

Frustrated

I get so frustrated when they always talk about the rich Americans who hide their money in Switzerland. I can assure you, the rich will find a way to get out of this mess. It’s the little people who pay for everything.

Our situation is that we are a Swiss family who have lived all over the world the last few years, at the moment residing in the USA, on a Green Card. We have 2 boys, aged 19 and 16 who go to school here. They have had UBS bank accounts since they were born. Grandparents put money for birthdays, Christmases, etc. in those accounts. My husband and I had 2 accounts, one a savings account and one a current account, which we had for over 30 years. And we have also carried a mortgage with UBS for over 20 years because we have a small apartment in Switzerland which is rented out. Now, all those accounts are declared and have been declared for years. But last October we were told we had to close those bank accounts because we had a U.S. address. Within a week, I received 4 registered letters to close those accounts. When we called, they told us we had one phone call. I felt like I was in prison. When I finally got to talk to somebody competent, I asked what would happen to our mortgage. They had no answer for that. And in fact, they could not care less. We were treated like the last dirt on earth. I asked if we could transfer our accounts into the structure they had set up for U.S. clients. The answer was you need a minimum of CHF 50,000 for them to take you as a client. Now, what 19 or 16 year-old has CHF 50,000 in a bank account? I am really frustrated and very mad at the way UBS has handled the whole situation.

G. Blackburne, Savannah, USA

As good as Appenzeller cheese

You may have heard this many times before, but all of my family look forward to receiving each issue of “Swiss Review”, even my children, aged 11 and 12, who have already travelled to Switzerland, where they have had some wonderful holidays. So please keep sending it. There’s nothing we like more – apart from Appenzeller cheese. Greetings from the vast expanses of the Argentinean Pampas.

G. Vidallé Baumgartner, Rosario, Argentina