Page 41 - Willi Distel Diary

Mountain excursions and companions at Andermatt, then leaving to learn French in western Switzerland [needs a human eye]

Translated from Willi's German.

Galenstock, the Rhone Glacier, Oberalp, Furka, Gotthard, the Devil's Bridge, and so on. On 1 August I also met a dear, nice girl; I called on her until 1 September, when she moved away. It came to nothing much. I had many comrades, such as Koch, Ernst, Oskar, the Swiss fellow, the photographer, the baker, and so on. We shared many a merry hour and treated ourselves to a little something now and then. Altdorf, with its Tell play, was very nice. When autumn came, it was no longer the place for me: I wanted to learn French, so I gave notice, to the great regret of my boss. The whole affair with Herr Schweizer had grown rather wearing to me. So I set off for Fluelen, and from there by boat to Lucerne - a magnificent trip - to visit Zurich. From there I went on into the Welschland, French-speaking Switzerland, without a position, first to Lausanne, with which I was enchanted, and then, in the most glorious weather, by boat to Geneva, with its view of Mont Blanc. It is a magnificent city, but I found no work there. By way of Lausanne I came to lovely Neuchatel, where I did find work. D. Christen was the name of the shop in Andermatt.

Places: Andermatt, Furka, Gotthard, Teufelsbruecke, Altdorf, Fluelen, Luzern, Zurich, Lausanne, Geneva, Neuchatel

Interesting facts

The Alpine landmarks he lists. The Rhone Glacier, Furka and Oberalp passes, Galenstock peak and the Gotthard all lie within reach of Andermatt, making it a superb base for the mountain excursions Willi enjoyed.
The Devil's Bridge. The Teufelsbrucke ('Devil's Bridge') spans the wild Schollenen gorge near Andermatt. Wrapped in legend and the scene of a famous 1799 battle, it was already a noted tourist sight.
Swiss National Day. The 1 August that Willi mentions is Switzerland's national day, marking the founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291, traditionally celebrated with bonfires.
The Tell play at Altdorf. Altdorf is the town linked to the legend of William Tell, the Swiss folk hero. Its open-air Tell play, staging Schiller's drama, was a well-known theatrical event.
Into French Switzerland. Willi crosses into the 'Welschland', the French-speaking western part of Switzerland, specifically to learn French. Geneva, Lausanne and Neuchatel all lie in this region on their lakes.
View of Mont Blanc. Geneva sits at the end of its lake with Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, visible to the south-east, the celebrated view Willi notes from the boat.