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Women of action (Macherinnen)
| Nr | English text |
| 0 | Women of action Women’s stories from Burgdorf and the Emmental Since time immemorial, women have been a part of society, whether alone, in groups or in associations. Some gained such freedom naturally, while others had to fight long and hard for their rights. Some pursued their own personal goals, others fought for more rights or better education for all women. Most of these courageous women were involved in social causes. Women are often expected to care for those around them: a role that many of them embraced. The stories of the women of Burgdorf and the Emmental could fill an entire museum. This exhibition focuses on just a few of them. Both modern women and women alive decades or even centuries ago. These women of action forged their own paths and changed the world, in the past as well as in the present, in ways both big and small. |
| 1 | Where are all the women? A quest with many helpers. Even today, women are given less attention than men. For a long time, museums and historical researchers have shown little interest in researching women. It is high time women’s history and their life stories were showcased. First of all, however, these stories have to be found. When preparing this exhibition, the local community and visitors to the museum were invited to tell us about local women who they thought deserved a place in the museum. School classes began to search for their stories. The many participants in our quest for women’s stories collected amazing things, stories that could not be found in books, archives or on the internet. |
| 2 | United we stand! Women get organised Like-minded women joined forces. In the 19th century, they formed charitable associations and later on they established networks, working together to fight for women’s rights. Women took matters into their own hands when necessary, often in the form of unpaid voluntary work. For as long as there were no nursing homes or crèches, private women’s associations took care of the sick, the elderly, and children. Women were the backbone of society. To this day, both the state and society as a whole benefit from such unpaid care work, still primarily done by women. Within the drawers are introductions to several regional associations, intended to represent the many different women’s organisations in the region. |
| 3 | Women on the pedestal! A joint school and museum project Who are the women who most impress us? Are they visible in the public eye? What would a modern-day monument to them look like? These were the questions that students from the Gsteighof school in Burgdorf, working with the museum, asked themselves as part of the cultural outreach project “Tête-à-tête”. The teenagers interviewed women and developed ideas for a future monument dedicated to women in Burgdorf. They filmed and recorded their work and publicly presented their commemorative pieces. |
| 4 | Documentary film showing the creation of a monument to Heidi Brodbeck-Zürcher Birgit Steinegge Elisabeth Zäch Simone Niggli-Luder Created by the students of the Gsteighof secondary school, 2022. |
| 5 | The museum magazine “Schlossschrift” is the perfect complement to the exhibition, with further tales of women from around Burgdorf. Please feel free to read one on site or to take one home with you. |
| 6 | A wall for women Multifaceted commitment Only one woman for every four men – that’s the current gender ratio in exhibitions shown in the castle. Not a single street in Burgdorf is named after a woman. Such little recognition given to half of the population – it is not enough! It is not true that there were no women in history. This exhibition’s findings show the opposite: stories of the women of Burgdorf and the Emmental could fill an entire museum. Hardly any of them are mentioned in a history book, and only a few of them have left any trace in the museum’s collection or in its archives. Some people, however, still remember them.Audio document about the woman Video about the woman Object on display related to the woman Link to an organisation |
| 7 | But gaps still remain This exhibition features women whose stories have never before been told by a museum. But who identifies as a woman and who might feel excluded by such a label? What about those who consider themselves to be neither of the traditional genders? Our conception of gender has changed over time. That which is questionable today was unquestionable a generation ago. The women presented here modeled themselves on the roles of their time. No trans women or openly lesbian women have been nominated for inclusion in this exhibition. Nor have any non-white or Muslim women been suggested. These gaps must be filled in the future. Tell us who deserves a place in the museum so that museums can truly reflect the diversity within our society!Online form at schloss-burgdorf.ch/frauengeschichte |
| 8 | Women and their things The legacy of women, despite the many gaps in the collection In the museum’s collection there are many examples of objects related to women, most of which were used in the kitchen or in the household. They tell us about wives and caring mothers. Only a few objects can be linked to women who worked or who were active in public life. Most of the objects on display come from private individuals. Their descendants found pieces of memorabilia in their basements and attics. If a personal item could not be found, one was chosen that was felt to represent the activities of the woman in question. The diversity of women’s lives should be reflected in the museum’s collection in the future. |
| 9 | 1 Feminist strike flag 2019. This flag was carried through Bern by strikers and then hoisted in Burgdorf Castle by a female member of staff. The next day it became part of the museum’s collection.2 Armchair owned by Gertrud Derendinger, 1960s. As an author of books on handicrafts, she may well have embroidered this armchair herself.3 Typewriter owned by Gertrud Derendinger, 1950s. It was used to type the brochure “Unsere Schein-Demokratie” in 1959. Donations from Erika Derendinger4 Painting by Christa Markwalder showing Burgdorf Castle and the Federal Palace, 2003. She painted this picture for the National Council elections. On loan from Christa Markwalder 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 |
| 10 | 16 “Zornige alte Damen” signed by Hanna Schilt-Urech, 1994. She fought for a world where everyone could live with dignity, free of fear and war.17 Hanna Schilt-Urech’s school reports, 1932/33. At that time, 1 was the top grade. Hanna Schilt-Urech came from a poor family, which made it difficult for her to study.18 Hanna Schilt-Urech’s kitchen scale, 1940s. She had to weigh a lot of things: Christianity and socialism, work and children’s education, but also flour and butter for the Sunday brioche. Loans from the Schilt family19 A still owned by Vreni Mosimann, 1980s. “Brönner Vreni” distilled her spirits using different stills. In the picture she and her husband are standing next to a large still. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 |
| 11 | Determined, tenacious and persistent Five women tell their stories At these sound stations, five women talk about their lives. In the display case, you can see their personal belongings. Books by some of the women are also available for browsing. Portraits of all five women can be found among the many women displayed on the wall. Can you find them all? |
| 12 | Marie Schafroth (1874-1922), 6 min. A deaf woman travelling alone, she completed a voyage around the world in 1910, collecting objects for the Burgdorf collection along the way.Marion van Laer-Uhlmann (1905-2004), 5 min. As a Red Cross driver, she saved children and the wounded during the Second World War. An audio drama (not just) for children. Gertrud Derendinger (1920–1994), 7 min. Hanna Schilt-Urech (1917-2011), 6 min. Anne-Marie Rey-Kühni (1937-2016), 5 min. |
| 13 | Much remains to be done Studying the history of women The army, the economy and politics – for centuries these were considered the most important areas of society. And also areas that were largely reserved for men. Archives document them and historians study them. Few women have been able to influence them. The more time passes, the more difficult it is to trace the life story of a woman. The societal areas reserved for women leave few traces. Women’s activities have historically been deemed to be of less importance and not worthy of documentation. The life stories of many women remain forever forgotten. Museums and historians are urged to collect and preserve women’s stories. Only then can a truly comprehensive picture of the past emerge. |
| 14 | Clementia, the last Zähringen The castle and the town of Burgdorf exist today because of the Zähringens. Around 1200, the last Zähringen, Duke Berthold V, founded several towns including Burgdorf. Upon his death in 1218, the castle passed into the hands of the Kyburgs. This is what the children of Burgdorf learn at school. But this story overlooks the duke’s wife. Clementia d’Auxonne was next in the Zähringen line and although she fought for her inheritance, she never succeeded in claiming it. The order to release her was ignored, despite coming from the emperor, and she spent many years in captivity. What happened to the childless widow during this time? What was her life like later? When did she die? Many questions, but no answers. |
| 15 | The woman in the blue dress is Clementia d’Auxonne, wife of Berthold V of Zähringen and heiress of Berthoud. Diebold Schilling painted her 250 years after her death. Spiez Chronicle of 1484/85, Bern, Burgerbibliothek, Mss.h.l.16, p. 67, (www.e-codices.ch). |
| 20 | Gemeinnütziger Frauenverein Burgdorf Benefitting young and old alike Since 1910, the Burgdorf Charitable Women’s Association has been active wherever the state has been lacking. Many of our social services were first made possible by women working voluntarily: the Red Cross transportation service, the cafeteria at the residential care home, care at home, homework help for schoolchildren. Today, the association organises repair cafés, babysitting courses or social afternoons for seniors. The members of the association see themselves as creators of opportunities. The association also offers a network, both to newcomers and to people already settled in the community. Men are also welcome. For the moment, the association has sufficient volunteers but it is not clear whether enough people will be interested in getting involved in the Burgdorf community in the future. |
| 21 | Frauenverein Sumiswald 1844 One of the first women’s associations The women of Sumiswald have been holding meetings since before the foundation of the Swiss state. At first, they met once a week and knitted clothing for the poor. But they also wanted to feed those in need and offer financial aid, so they founded a soup kitchen and started selling their work at charity auctions. In 1911, the women established a women’s association with statutes and accounts. The association hired an pediatric nurse and established a family welfare centre in Sumiswald. It also provided nursing services to care for the sick in their own homes. Later on, it opened a kindergarten and a playground. |
| 22 | Dorfläbe Grünenmatt A new name for a new direction In 2003, the “Gemeinnützige Frauenverein Grünenmatt” (Grünenmatt Charitable Women’s Association) was faced with the question of how to continue. Its members wanted to carry on with their community work, but they also wanted to encourage men to participate. A new name was needed: “Dorfläbe Grünenmatt” (Grünenmatt Village Life). The association organises outings and events such as film screenings and spaghetti dinners, as well as working to make the roads safer and offering a repair service. The “Dorfläbe” association is open to all people living in Grünenmatt and plays an important role in keeping community spirit alive. |
| 23 | 1 Second-hand items sold by the “Gemeinnütziger Frauenverein”: pliers, a damaged smartphone, a saucer, sugar tongs, a dice, a knitting dolly. The association organises social afternoons for seniors, as well as running a game library, a “Repair-coffee shop” and much more. The association set up the second hand shop in 1923 to help finance their social and charitable projects. On loan from the “Gemeinnütziger Frauenverein Burgdorf”2 Girls attending vocational school in 1913. Women’s charitable associations committed themselves to better education for girls. They helped to professionalise domestic work. Burgerarchiv Burgdorf Bechstein 20673 The women of the “Frauenverein Sumiswald”, around 1885. Collection family Sommer, Mur, Sumiswald, in: Sumiswald Streiflichter, Sumiswald 2006, p. 300.4 Minutes from the “Gemeinnütziger Frauenverein Grünenmatt” meetings from 1930-1947 and 1948-1966. On loan from the association “Dorfläbe Grünenmatt” 5 6 |
| 24 | Landfrauenvereine Burgdorf/Kirchberg and Wynigen-Rumendingen Education and financial security for rural women In 1930, the “Oekonomische Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft” (Economic Charitable Society) sent Ms Dettwilder out to the Bernese villages with instructions to establish rural women’s associations. The associations of Burgdorf/Kirchberg and Wynigen/Rumendingen were founded in accordance with statutes drafted by the OGG. After the first exhibition dedicated to women’s work (SAFFA) in 1928, it became increasingly clear that farmer’s wives needed to be able to earn their own money. Better education was called for, such as schools teaching home economics. Today, rural women’s associations guarantee farmer’s wives financial security in the event of divorce. The associations also provide opportunities for women to cook, bake, and take part in arts and crafts activities together. |
| 25 | Doing good “Men win wars, women make the world go round” In keeping with this motto, rural women worked (and still work) hard for the good of society. Like many women’s organisations, they worked on the “home front” during the world wars and took on all the tasks that politicians were only too happy to leave to them: they knitted, cooked, supported unemployed women and took in refugee children. Today, rural women collect donations for the poor, help in their community and distribute food after natural disasters. They are committed to remaining politically neutral. |
| 26 | 1 “Landfrouelied” (rural women’s song), 1939 Frieda Grossenbacher-Mäder composed this song for the rural women of Burgdorf, Kirchberg and surroundings. On loan from the “Landfrauenverein Burgdorf, Kirchberg und Umgebung”2 The bee was taken as the symbol of rural women: they work just as hard and tirelessly, an idea that nowadays is open to criticism. On loan from the “Landfrauenverein Burgdorf, Kirchberg und Umgebung”3 Statutes of the rural women’s association of Burgdorf, Kirchberg and surrounding areas, 1930. The place, date and headquarters are written manually in the gaps in the text. On loan from the “Landfrauenverein Burgdorf, Kirchberg und Umgebung”4 Minutes from the Wynigen rural women’s association meetings, 1930-1951. During the Second World War, the rural women had so much work to do that they only had time for taking notes. On loan from the “Landfrauenverein Wynigen-Rumendingen” 5 6 |
| 27 | FrauenNetz Burgdorf Committed to networking and women’s rights The “FrauenNetz” (Women’s Network) emerged in 2000 from a working group dedicated to women’s issues. This independent network connects women from all over the political spectrum. Working together in different working groups, they address political and family issues from a female perspective. The “FrauenNetz” organises film mornings, plant swaps and youth concerts or “Modi-Tage” events (days for girls). Other activities include a mentoring programme and a reading circle. All activities are as much about promoting women as they are about having a good time. |
| 28 | Feminist strike Wages, time, respect More pay, more time, more respect – now more than ever. Under this motto the second feminist strike took place in 2019. The “FrauenNetz Burgdorf” organised an afternoon of music and speeches at Kronenplatz on the 14th of June. Many women took part in the first strike in 1991. Even though equality had been accepted at the ballot box in 1981, it had still not become a reality. As the “FrauenNetz Burgdorf” had not yet been founded, it was the women’s group that distributed badges and raised awareness of the strike. |
| 29 | 1 Video, book and flyers about various events and activities organised by the “FrauenNetz”. On loan from “FrauenNetz Burgdorf”2 International Women’s Choir concert, organised by the “FrauenNetz” at the “Begegnungsfest” in 2017 in Burgdorf. On loan from the “FrauenNetz Burgdorf”3 The founders of the “FrauenNetz Burgdorf”: in the back (from left to right) Gabriela Kühni, Bernadette Zurkinden, Andrea Rüfenacht, Regina Biefer (with her daughter Tamara), in the front: Mirjam Rumenthaler, Johanna Schlegel, Elisabeth Zäch. On loan from “FrauenNetz Burgdorf”4 2019 feminist strike flyer: about 100 people gathered at Kronenplatz to listen to speeches by Elisabetz Knutti (president of the “Gemeinnütziger Frauenverein Burgdorf”) and Barbara Lüthi (mayor). On loan from “FrauenNetz Burgdorf” 5 6 7 |
| 30 | Women get organised Committed to Burgdorf and to the world A crèche, a cross-cultural meeting space or a branch of “Soroptimist International”: women are active for a variety of causes. But their organisations all have one thing in common, their founders were women of action who fought for their convictions. |
| 31 | Soroptimist International Club Burgdorf Equal rights for women and girls “Soroptimist International” is a worldwide volunteer organisation, the largest of its kind for professional women. Founded in 1921 in California, it now has 72,000 members in 121 countries. Soroptimist International is one of the only NGOs to advise the UN. They advocate for women and girls to have equal opportunities to be a part of society. The organisation’s motto is “educate, empower, enable”. In 1956, Simone Friedli and Martha Hofer initiated the Burgdorf branch, which today is actively involved in fighting violence against women and girls. |
| 32 | Krippeverein Burgdorf For children and working parents The oldest nursery in Burgdorf dates back to 1891. It was founded by wealthy middle-class women, with the help of the pastor. It provided childcare for poorer women so that they could work in the factory, or simply if they were ill. At the time, women were expected to be solely responsible for childcare. Originally, the crèche only accepted children born to married couples. Until the 1970s, deaconesses looked after the children. They lived at the nursery and looked after the children 24 hours a day, some of whom also lived there permanently. Today, the crèche is called “Villa ChriBu”. |
| 33 | Interkultureller Frauentreff A place to meet and to integrate Three women from Burgdorf hoped to help migrant women integrate more easily by organising social events. In 2006, they founded the Intercultural Women’s Meeting Centre. Since 2012 it has been run by the Protestant church, which finances it in collaboration with the town authorities. Women from all over the world meet once a week and take part in activities such as crafts, discussions, sports and outings, all while learning from each other. |
| 34 | 1 “Soroptimist International Club Burgdorf” pennant. Further down, the logo of “Soroptimist International” shows a woman with raised arms, symbolising freedom and responsibility. On loan from Stacy Ciulik2 “Soroptimist International Club Burgdorf” bookmark. On loan from Stacy Ciulik3 Badges bearing the logo of “Soroptimist International”. On loan from «Soroptimist International Club Burgdorf»4 Images of the Intercultural Women’s Meeting Centre On loan from the “Interkultureller Frauentreff 5 6 7 8 |
| 40 | Historian and archivist Trudi Aeschlimann-Müller *1943 “It doesn’t matter if they are artists or craftswomen: I am always interested in the human being behind the work.” Without her, Burgdorf would know much less of its history: as an archivist at the Burgerarchiv, editor of the Burgdorfer Jahrbuch (the town’s annual), first female president of the Knights’ Hall Association and now curator of its collection, she is a student of local history. Upon graduation she married young, as it was her only option if she wished to live with her boyfriend. As a young mother, she was employed by the cantonal historical monuments service. In the seventies she became the first female archivist to work in Burgdorf. Sometimes older visitors would ask her: “Hello miss, where is the archivist?” |
| 41 | Sculptor Helen Balmer-Gerber *1924 “You should never force things, but instead allow them to come to you.” She dedicated her life to the arts, took part in a number of exhibitions and championed the importance of more women in the arts. She was born into a family of industrialists in Langnau and as a child played in their garden and built small sculptures. After studying law, she convinced her parents to allow her to become a sculptor, travelling to Paris to study with Germaine Richier. Her husband, Lorenz Balmer, produced several stone sculptures based on her sketches, including the “Cloud” which graces the fountain in front of the Langnau secondary school. Photo: Raffaella Bachmann |
| 42 | Reader, mother, housewife Henriette Bitzius-Zeender 1805–1872 “For your child, the time you spend on a good book is never a waste of time.” Although she was overshadowed by her famous husband, Albert Bitzius (better known by his pen name Jeremias Gotthelf), she was key to his success as a writer. She first met him while running her grandfather’s household. As his wife, she handled the finances and welcomed guests. She taught her daughters to be good housewives, always at the service of their husbands. She read and proofread her husband’s works and letters and at times softened his sharp tongue. Burgerbibliothek Bern, Neg. 4248, photo: Gerhard Howald |
| 43 | Politician, networker Regina Biefer *1952 “The 1991 women’s strike and the failure of Christiane Brunner to be elected in 1993 really shocked me into getting involved in politics.” A native of Burgdorf, she co-founded the Freie Liste party in 1986, which later evolved into the Burgdorf Greens. Since then she has held various positions within the party and has been both a municipal councillor and chairwoman of the Green parliamentary group. For 17 years she was a member of the committee of the Ämmebrügg district association, serving as its chairwoman for 8 of those years. In 2000 she co-founded the “FrauenNetz Burgdorf”, and remains its coordinator to this day. This provides an alternative platform for women not wishing to be involved in (party) politics. |
| 44 | Philosopher Magdalena Aebi 1898–1980 “All foxes have four legs, all smart people are foxes, so all smart people have four legs.” Her 1947 critique of Kant’s ‘Logic‘ laid the foundation for her international reputation. She declined a career in academia, wishing to remain free and independent. Instead, she spent her time in hotels in Switzerland and Germany and travelled extensively, publishing a series of other texts after her thesis. She spent the last years of her life in a residential care home in Oberburg, taking her entire book collection with her. There, she introduced the locals to the delights of German asparagus and the nursing staff to Kant. Burgdorfer Jahrbuch 1982, p. 78, photo: F. Henn “Kants Begründung der ‘Deutschen Philosophie’. Kants transzendentale Logik, Kritik ihrer Begründung” – Magdalena Aebi, 1947 She was one of the first women in Burgdorf to write a thesis. In it, the philosopher critiques Immanuel Kant. |
| 45 | Author Therese Bichsel *1956 “I’m interested in biographies of women of the past that can shine a light on women of today.” Her novels focus on historical female characters. She spent her childhood in the Emmental and then went on to study German and English. She spent time abroad and worked as a journalist and in parliament. Her first historical novel, “Schöne Schifferin” (1997), met with great interest. Since then she has written nine more books. Her latest novel, “Anna Seilerin”, tells the life story of the founder of the Insel hospital in Bern. Photo: Bettina Brun «Das Haus der Mütter» – Therese Bichsel, 2001 Therese Bichsel interweaves the story of a modern woman with that of five of her ancestors. The novel is set in the Emmental and combines historical facts with the everyday lives of the characters. |
| 46 | Detective novelist Christine Brand *1973 “I’ve always tried to understand the stories that make these people criminals. They are human beings with stories, not monsters.” The journalist from Burgdorf grew up dealing with death: her father was a carpenter and undertaker, her neighbours butchers and hunters. She discovered the world of justice and criminology through her work as a legal reporter, notably for the newspapers “NZZ am Sonntag” and “Der Bund” and also for Swiss-German television. She became known as a detective novelist and true crime writer, occasionally setting her books in the Emmental. In 2009, she published her first detective novel “Todesstrich”, inspired by real events. |
| 47 | Salonnière Julie Bondeli 1732–1778 “Since I am still so young, I tell myself: ‘Julie, my child, don’t get married, instead stay free and do as you please.’”. She hosted a salon in Bern attended by members of the enlightened elite and kept up correspondence with numerous intellectuals. As a teenager she lived in Burgdorf castle, where her father was the governor. She received a particularly comprehensive education for a girl, studying languages, mathematics and philosophy. Following the Parisian example, she hosted a salon where culture, discussion and friendship were encouraged across the boundaries of class and gender. She spent her old age in Neuchâtel with her friend Henriette de Sandoz and made no secret of their love. Burgerbibliothek Bern, Porträtdok. 216, photo: Gerhard Howald |
| 48 | Teacher, women’s rights activist Marie Brechbühl 1857–1933 As a teacher she campaigned for co-educational classes and as a woman she campaigned for her rights. Like many other women activists, she never married. Born in Burgdorf, she qualified as a teacher and in 1875 became head of a private school in Geneva, which became known under her name. She made it possible for children of all religions to attend her classes. As co-founder of the “Union des femmes de Genève”, the first association for the defence of women’s rights, she fought to improve the legal and political status of women. Archives of the École Brechbühl, Geneva |
| 49 | Writer, chronist Lotte Brechbühl-Ris 1923–1999 “… and I was allowed to savour life in all its fullness, as an extraordinary melody full of harmonies, dissonances and rhythms.” Her poems captured the spirit of the “Solätte”, Burgdorf‘s annual town festival. She worked for the “Burgdorfer Tagblatt” and “Berner Zeitung” newspapers and was the first woman to write a column for the Burgdorf town annual (Burgdorfer Jahrbuch). In addition to her work as a journalist and a mother of four children, she was also an active member of the parish council, as well as of various associations and committees. |
| 50 | Social worker Lilo Brand-Bühler *1948 “My life is made of stories.” She is actively involved in helping others, whether as director of Pro Senectute or as a volunteer with refugees in Burgdorf. In the 24 years she worked for Pro Senectute she counselled more than 6000 people. Since her retirement she has been working on behalf of refugees in Burgdorf developing German language manuals, helping them find accommodation and collecting donations. The association “Learning by doing”, which she co-founded, works to help refugees integrate and to provide them with a range of social activities. |
| 51 | Philanthropist Heidi Brodbeck-Zürcher *1930 “It is important not to live for yourself, but rather to help wherever you can.” Community and altruism: following in her parents’ footsteps. Her happy early years, which were spent in the forest, on the banks of the Emme, or in the garden, were always shared with foster children. Later she raised six children and cared for her father, mother and ultimately, her husband. Even today, she enjoys spending time outdoors, skiing or riding an electric bike, a gift for her 90th birthday. Her life story has also inspired the young people of today: schoolchildren were the ones who nominated her for this exhibition. |
| 52 | Engineer Stacy Ciulik *1961 “Together we can make life better.” After studying computer science in California, she met her husband in Switzerland. A few years and two children later, the young family moved to California, where she opened a textile and craft shop. Back in Burgdorf, she found it difficult to return to professional life as a mother. She was involved in technology weeks for girls and helped migrant children with their homework. Later she worked as a business process engineer and in telecommunications. She represents the service club “Soroptimist International” at the UN in Geneva. |
| 53 | Activist Béatrice Däpp-Tren *1943 “It’s not my cup of tea to grow wiser with age. I’m staying angry.” As a member of the Burgdorf women’s group, inspired by the Women’s Liberation Movement (FBB), she fought for women’s rights. On Mother’s Day 1975, the window of her shop “Froulädeli” (Women’s shop) read: “Thanks for the flowers – we prefer rights”. As a mother of two children she realised that she could never be content to simply be the “wife of…”. In the 1970s, she became an activist and then later a local councillor. She fought for the abolition of the army, for a moratorium on the construction of nuclear power plants and for prisoner’s rights. But she insists on never blindly being against something and is always open to dialogue. |
| 54 | The first female musicians in the town’s brass band Christine Derendinger Marianne Stuber *1955, *1957 “Apart from the music itself, it was the tremendous camaraderie of the members that inspired us to join the band.” Until 1973, no woman had ever played in the Burgdorf brass band. Marianne Stuber was the first. Passionate about music since childhood, she asked to join the band at the age of 16. Her request was promptly rejected as they had never played with women before. Nevertheless, she was able to take part in a rehearsal the next day. Christine Derendinger, who joined the band in the same year, also faced difficulties. After an uphill struggle for acceptance, she is still a part of the band today. Festschrift 200 Jahre Stadtmusik Burgdorf 1802–2002, p. 65. |
| 55 | Teacher Lina Döbeli 1867–1932 As a teacher at the girls’ secondary school in Burgdorf, she was president of the Burgdorf chapter of the Association of Women Teachers from 1902 to 1913. She advocated a religious life, abstinence and women’s causes, sometimes publicly if necessary. She founded a home for the “blind, deaf and dumb” and was involved in animal welfare and in religious and charitable institutions. |
| 56 | The first female cantonal huissier Christina Dübi Flückiger *1973 “I am proud to be able to work in this position and I find it interesting how tradition and customer service can coexist in a historical building.” In 2000, she was the first woman to assume the office of huissier in the Canton of Bern. Officially, her job title used the masculine form of the word. It was only in 2007 that the Grand Council passed a law allowing her to call herself a huissier using the feminine form of the word. She was responsible for managing Bern City Hall and for organising events. She represented the Canton of Bern at official ceremonies wearing ceremonial dress. Today she works for the museum in Burgdorf castle. Staatsarchiv of the Canton of Bern, PBA BZ, Photo: Andreas Blatter |
| 57 | Editor, journalist Gertrud Derendinger 1920–1994 “Let us prepare ourselves for battle! Let us prove […] to our esteemed men that we are no longer willing to accept our political submission without a fight.” She quit her steady job as an accountant to pursue her passion: writing. She published articles in national and international newspapers, also on women’s rights. In the pamphlet “Unsere Schein-Demokratie” (“Our Sham Democracy”) she criticised the lack of women’s suffrage and was publicly attacked for it. She also published books on handicrafts and gave classes. She was so successful that she was able to build a house with a garden, a swimming pool, and her own gallery. But in the 1970’s her popularity waned and she was forced to sell the house and went on to live as a recluse. «Unsere Schein-Demokratie. Ein weiblicher Kommentar über unsern Staat der Männerherrschaft, der sich einbildet, eine wahre Demokratie zu sein» – Gertrud Derendinger, 1959 After the rejection of women’s suffrage at the ballots, she settles the score with men, politicians, the media and moderate women activists. She urges us to dare to “be different” and to “fight with strength and determination”. |
| 58 | Entrepreneur Adelheid Fankhauser-Marti 1665 – vers 1723 “May the Lord in Heaven grant that I may perform all my actions to honour, praise and glorify His holy name […] for the benefit of myself and those for whom I am responsible […], amen.” After the death of her husband, she became a successful entrepreneur. The Fankhauser textile factory flourished under her leadership. All seven of her children grew to adulthood. Before taking over the management of the factory, she took care of the household, the accounts and the children’s education. |
| 59 | Home care coordinator Lori Friederich-Richard 1923–2000 “It is practically impossible to satisfy everyone at the same time. Mediation is a compromise between what is desirable and what is feasible.” From 1969 to 1997, she coordinated the home care service to enable older people to live in their own homes for as long as possible. The town of Burgdorf tried to thank her by making her an honorary citizen, but she refused, not least because she had no wish to make regular speeches. |
| 60 | Bank manager Margrit Friedli 1964–2019 “I come from the Wynigen region, I was born and raised there. The Wynigen Spar- und Leihkasse is not just my job, it’s my hobby”. In 2017, she was voted the first ever female “Banker of the Year”. Her bank in Wynigen was ranked first among 100 other banks. As a bank manager, she was always at the service of her customers. She worked at her small branch for almost 40 years, first as an apprentice in 1980 and then as manager from 2001. |
| 61 | Research associate Helene Gabriel 1917–2009 “For working women to be fully accepted into society […] there must be more solidarity […] on the part of women, but also between men and women […].” A newspaper article referred to the 59-year-old research associate working for the Federal Office of Health as “Miss Lawyer Gabriel”. In 1943, she completed her law studies, then started her own law practice and later ran the women’s section of the Bernese Employment Service. As a research associate, she was responsible for legislation on toxic substances, on medication and on “women’s issues”. She campaigned for women in the workplace and dealt with legal and insurance matters for the Federation of Swiss Women’s Associations. Gosteli Foundation, photographic portrait of Helene Gabriel, AGoF, Biographical notes 2261, photo: Hans Schlegel. |
| 62 | Teacher, journalist Gertrud Egger 1902–1947 “For women, the meaning of life is love, love in the broadest sense. With it she defends her homeland. Love is a Stauffacher tradition.” A certified schoolteacher, she grew up in Burgdorf. She spent time working in the Federal Military Sanatorium for tuberculosis patients. In the 1930s, she began writing articles on topical issues, such as the Christian faith, culture and the role of the “Swiss woman” – entirely in keeping with the spirit of national defense. Burgerarchiv Burgdorf, photo Bech 300244 |
| 63 | City guide Marianne Gertsch-Schoch *1956 “Every person has a light side just as much as a dark side, much like the Berthoud coat of arms, that – luckily – is framed in golden humour.” She gives guided tours of Burgdorf, where she entertains visitors with informative and occasionally disturbing facts, anecdotes, songs, tastings and humour. As a grandmother, she looks after her four grandchildren and a refugee boy. After a serious illness, she started her own business. At the “Solätte” town festival in 1991, the young nursery school teacher replaced a sick colleague and led the class wearing a white jumpsuit. How shocking to wear trousers! |
| 64 | Painter, teacher Eva Haas-Lehmann 1933–1998 After her studies at the Biel School of Visual Arts and two residencies, she began to work first with experimental photography and then with etchings. She also worked as a teacher in Heimiswil. In Burgdorf she had her own studio and exhibited at the Bertram Gallery for the first time in 1973. In 1982, she turned to painting large pictures, inspired by a stay in Egypt. Upon her retirement, she moved to Italy. Burgdorfer Jahrbuch, 1999, S. 213. |
| 65 | Painter, illustrator, poet Mily Hartmann-Dür (Mily Dür) 1921–2016 “But this ecstasy, I already experienced it, with colours and shapes. And good music. […] – then I’d look at my watch and realise: ay, I have to start the cooking” Her works are characterised by mutually reinforcing contrasts and express a sense of wholeness, often via the symbol of a circle. Born in Burgdorf, she studied at the School of Applied Arts and travelled extensively with her husband. Her paintings were often exhibited, notably at the second SAFFA (an exhibition of women’s work) in 1958. She was a nature lover, a vegetarian and an environmentalist. |
| 66 | Painter, poet Doris Horisberger-Flück (Doris Flück) *1937 “To stop would be my undoing, I must always keep searching and finding.” It was only at the age of 35 that she began to paint and write, in addition to her duties as a mother and housewife. In Düsseldorf she discovered Japanese poetry. She learned Japanese and visited the country. She has since published several volumes of poetry and exhibited her paintings in several shows and in her studio in Burgdorf. |
| 67 | Trade unionist Elisabeth Jacchini-Mühlemann *1951 “Never say, I can’t do that.” City councillor, women’s rights activist, cooperative housing co-founder: she has always fought against injustice. As a town councillor and president of the town council, she was behind a number of initiatives, notably a candlelit march against right-wing extremism in 2000. As a member of the the Swiss Professional Association of Nurses, she helped organise a cantonal strike in 2001 and was involved in negotiating the present collective labour agreement. |
| 68 | CEO Eva Jaisli *1958 “Diversity promotes value creation and innovation. For sustainable solutions in business and society, we need more of both.” Her family-owned business, PB Swiss Tools, produces medical tools and equipment. She is committed to ensuring that all her employees have equal access to opportunities. With this goal in mind, she is also involved in various business organisations and sits on several boards of directors. For her efforts on behalf of both enterprise and community, she was presented with an honorary doctorate by the University of Bern. The city of Burgdorf has also honoured her for her support of the hospital and her contributions to healthcare in the Emmental region. |
| 69 | Pioneer in the fight for abortion rights Anne-Marie Rey-Kühni 1937–2016 “As long as women cannot freely control their own pregnancies, gender equality remains a dream.” A prominent campaigner for the decriminalisation of abortion, she was an early advocate of gestational time limits as a solution. She herself had to terminate a pregnancy with the help of her father, who was one of few doctors in Bern to perform abortions. The horror of not being allowed control over her own body transformed her into an activist. As early as 1971, she was campaigning for a law permitting an abortion within the first months of pregnancy. She was also active in environmental issues, energy policy and women’s rights. As a member of the SP, she was also a member of the Bernese cantonal parliament. Schweizerisches Sozialarchiv F 5030-Fa-0132 “Die Erzengelmacherin. Das 30-jährige Ringen um die Fristenlösung” – Anne-Marie Rey, 2007 The book is an account of the fight for gestational limits as a solution. Rey combines her own experiences with research on the history of abortion. |
| 70 | Schoolchild Christine Kauz-Wüthrich *1970 “As a matter of principle, girls should break with tradition.” Already as a 10 year old, she dressed as she pleased. She liked the harem pants she made herself from fabric left over from her mother’s wedding dress, so she wore them to the afternoon parade during the 1982 “Solätte”. Her classmates were in awe and her teachers were not happy, since girls had worn dresses for every one of the previous 250 “Solätte” parades. |
| 71 | The first female police director Rosmarie (Romy) Kieliger-Jutzi *1951 “Being a strong woman in a man’s world – that fascinated me.” She was the first woman in the Canton of Bern to work as a police secretary- as the job was known at the time. It was a challenge for the former executive secretary of the Federal Police Office, but one that appealed to her and pushed her to new heights. After the restructuring of the local authority, she was appointed head of the Burgdorf Population and Security Directorate. |
| 72 | Association President Elisabeth Knutti-Hofer *1958 “To be an activist is to have an inner sense of your own purpose and the privilege to be able to act.” For her, it is very important for voluntary work to be seen in a positive light, as a chance to build relationships and to take direct action, unencumbered by red tape. Even though her father was against women’s suffrage, she was able to learn a trade and became a teacher. She continued working even after she had children. Later, she worked in adult education and gave integration classes. The first association she worked with was the Satus Burgdorf Gymnastics Club and she became its first female president. Since 2012, she has been president of the “Gemeinnütziger Frauenverein Burgdorf” (the Burgdorf Charitable Women’s Association). |
| 73 | Association and club president Trudy Köhli-Borter *1931 “Who says A, must also say B, and really handle things like a true businesswomen. Sometimes you have to stop seeing life through rose-tinted glasses.” As president of the “Gemeinnütziger Frauenverein” she worked for the greater good of Burgdorf for a long time. In 1977, she was accepted as a member of the “Burgdorf Soroptimist International Club”, which recognises housewives as a profession. As a member of the women’s volunteer service organisation, she has been a representative for NGOs at the UN in Geneva. She later became president of the national network. The project “Friendship without borders” led her to Eastern Europe, where she helped local clubs to create social projects. Photo: Andrea Flückiger |
| 74 | Local historian Barbara Kummer-Behrens *1942 “Whoever knows their homeland, loves it.” Born in Hanover, she spent her childhood in Argentina. As an exchange student in Switzerland, she fell in love with the town of Utzenstorf, with Gotthelf’s literature and with a man. She remained in the Emmental, where she ran a farm household and learned to understand the Bernese dialect. She was particularly interested in the life of Gotthelf, who had spent a year in northern Germany as a student. Little by little she became Utzenstorf’s local historian. Photo: Beat Mathys |
| 75 | Co-founder of the Lenco company Marie Laeng-Stucki 1905–1974 “If you want, you can do anything, you just need to want it.” She co-founded the Lenco company with her husband and was instrumental to its success. The girl from Signau was orphaned at an early age and placed as intendured child laborer (Verdingkind). At the age of 24, she married Fritz Laeng and began working in his radio shop. Together, they founded the Lenco company in 1946 and it soon became known for its record players. She discovered a second homeland in Italy. She opened a school near Ancona, the “Istituto di instruzione superiore M Laeng”, which still trains industry professionals today. Burgdorfer Jahrbuch, 1976, p. 18. |
| 76 | Social worker, writer Annemarie Lanker-Burkhalter *1944 “Paying taxes, but not having the right to vote or to be elected – that really irritated me, in fact, it infuriated me and made me very angry. The fact that my mother was opposed to women’s suffrage made the whole thing an explosive issue within the family.” A single mother, she completed her training as a social worker, ran a counselling centre for substance abusers and then went on to manage the City of Bern social services. After growing up in the Bigental, she fell pregnant very young and subsequently got married and had three more children. The marriage failed. The unfairness of what was then matrimonial law and the absence of any right to appeal was what led her to politics. From then on, she campaigned for women’s suffrage and for access to a better education for women. After retiring, she began to write and in 2021 she won a short story contest held by the “Der Bund” newspaper. |
| 77 | President of the National Council Christa Markwalder *1975 “For me, political engagement means paving the way for future generations, so that they too have a fair chance to shape their own futures.” In 2015, she was elected President of the National Council and became the first woman from Burgdorf to hold office as Switzerland’s premier citizen. From 1999 until her election to the Grand Council of Bern in 2002, she was a Young Liberal town councillor in Burgdorf. In 2003, she was elected to the National Council as a member of the FDP and has since served on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Legal Affairs Committee. She also advocates a sustainable old age pension and for renewable energies. |
| 78 | Social worker, politician Christine Meier *1956 “I love people and nature in all their diversity.” Her passion for development work led her to volunteer for several years in the rainforests of Peru. After having children, she returned to Switzerland and managed, among other projects, the “Frauenhaus” women’s shelter in Bern. As manager, she was always very conscious of the needs of the women themselves. She joined the Green Party, became president of the local branch in Burgdorf and served as president of the town council. As a member of the “FrauenNetz Burgdorf” network, she makes sure women’s voices are heard. |
| 79 | Traveller, collector Marie Marta Schafroth 1874–1922 “So I fulfilled my childhood dream. To visit real cannibals on their palm tree filled islands in the southern Pacific Ocean.” The deaf woman had a thirst for knowledge that took her on a voyage around the world. She brought back a number of souvenirs, many of which now form a part of the ethnographic collection in the Burgdorf Castle Museum. She lost her hearing after a childhood bout of scarlet fever, but went on to master lip-reading in four different languages. As a member of the Bernese association “Hephata-Verein”, she campaigned for the promotion of lip-reading and helped to finance its monthly newspaper. She fulfilled a long-held dream with the fortune she inherited from her father: in 1910, she travelled to the Pacific. «Südsee-Welten vor dem Grossen Krieg» – Marie M. Schafroth, 1916 Marie Schafroth recounts her journey through New Guinea. Her descriptions are a minefield of racist remarks (‘cannibals’, ‘anthropophages’) and she holds a colonialist view of the natives, whom she describes with a mixture of admiration and disapproval. |
| 80 | Distiller Vreni Mosimann-Schärer 1936–2017 “I’ve worked all my life and I can’t really see myself stopping now.” She was one of only a handful of women in the distillery business, but her spirits gained national renown. After the untimely death of her husband, she continued running the business they had built together and became known as “Brönner-Vreni”. Although initially uncertain of her ability to cope with the work, she soon ran her mobile distillery with enthusiasm- making spirits became her life’s work. In her raincoat and big hat, she was out and about in all weathers, distilling and experimenting with strawberries, acorns and herbs. |
| 81 | Officer, networker Esther Niffenegger-Herzog *1981 “I love my life as a mother and manager.” Board member, officer, mother – she manages to make it all work together. She is blazing her own trail, while her husband runs the household. She was the first Swiss woman to complete officer training for combat troops – a real school of life! However, despite her degree in economics, she still struggled to get ahead professionally. So, she started networking. Today, she is responsible for 8,000 postal workers and enjoys being able to mentor others. She is an enthusiastic advocate for better work-life balance. |
| 82 | Orienteering champion Simone Niggli-Luder *1978 “I had to learn to separate family and sport, to focus fully on what was in front of me at the time – otherwise I ended up doing neither of them properly.” The greatest orienteer of her day was introduced to the sport as a child. Even today, returning to Burgdorf is a return to her roots. After graduating in biology, she was the first person to dare to make a career out of orienteering in 2003. She paved the way for orienteering to become a top sport. Her success proved her right: prior to her retirement in 2013, she was a 23-time world champion and was voted Swiss Sportswoman of the Year three times. |
| 83 | Mother, patron of the arts Anna Pestalozzi-Schulthess 1738–1815 “In my own small way, with our small fortune, I wanted us and our child to be able to go through life with dignity.” Without her financial, organisational and emotional support, Pestalozzi would most probably not have become a famous educator. She went against the wishes of her parents to marry Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi in 1769, after a lengthy courtship. From then on, she managed their house and finances, also finding the time to teach household skills to the girls in her husband’s educational institutes. With the family fortune, the couple could finance projects such as the orphanage and the educational institute in Burgdorf Castle. Aargauer Kunsthaus Aarau, photo: Jörg Müller |
| 84 | President of the “Dorfläbe” association Verena Ramseier-Flückiger *1955 “In Grünenmatt, we really live. What we achieve is only possible as a team. Good – charitable – sociable.” The president of the “Dorfläbe” association in Grünenmatt is actively involved in the Lützelfüh community and helps keep the village spirit alive. It was thanks to her that the women’s association was not disbanded in 2003, but renamed “Dorfläbe” so that men and young people could also join. She and her husband run a pub that was on the verge of closure. They have now started their own brewery and are planning to build several mini-houses. |
| 85 | Entrepreneur, sportswoman Beatrix (Trix) Rechner *1951 “Sport was a school of life for me, without which I would never have learned to fight so well and without which I would never have been able to take over a business at 20.” She was a trailblazer in many fields: sport, politics and associations. The first woman to use a flop when doing the high jump (a jump named the Rechner Flight, after her), she competed in the 1972 Olympic Games. She later served as a municipal and town councillor in Burgdorf, first for the SVP and later for the BDP. She was the first female president of the civic community. As a businesswoman, she became the first woman to chair the Burgdorf SME committee and was awarded the SME prize. She was also the first woman on the board of the Hunters’ Association and on the Cantonal Hunting Examination Commission. |
| 86 | Racing cyclist, doctor Marlen Reusser *1991 “It must become normal for women to ALSO take on heroic roles.” Originally a doctor, now a professional racing cyclist. Politically, she supports sustainability and environmentalism. She was president of the Young Greens of the Canton of Bern and served on the Green Party Committee in the Emmental. Having completed her medical studies, she embarked on a career as a racing cyclist. She was European Champion and World Vice-Champion in the cycling time trial. She won the silver medal in the time trial at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and is an advocate for women’s cycling. In 2021, she was elected Bernese Sportswoman of the Year. |
| 87 | Refugee sponsor, journalist Margrit Romang-Beck 1912–1988 “I have to leave, I need time to sort out my thoughts. In the alpine meadows I can find the peace and quiet I need to write.” She campaigned for refugees and wrote her “Schache-Rösi” column for the Burgdorfer Tagblatt with a sharp wit and a sharper attitude. The journalist reported on local and cultural affairs. On the 250th anniversary of the town “Solätte” festival, she published a book. She was active in many areas: she gave courses for pensioners and taught German as a foreign language. In 1956, when Hungarian refugees sought asylum in Switzerland, she joined the refugee committee in Burgdorf. |
| 88 | Writer Henriette Rüetschi-Bitzius 1834–1890 “I consumed books with a ravenous hunger […]. My mother fought this urge to read with everything she had, but to no avail.” She became a famous writer under the pen name “Marie Walden”, much like her father Jeremias Gotthelf. As a woman who had to look after six children, her husband and the household, she was only able to start writing after being widowed. From 1877 on, she published numerous short stories and accounts of everyday life in the countryside. Her female characters give an insight into the lives of women in the 19th century. Her biography of her mother reveals how she made Gotthelf’s work possible. Burgerbibliothek Bern, Porträtdok. 8560, photo : Gerhard Howald |
| 89 | Worker, Christian, Socialist Hanna Schilt-Urech 1917–2011 “We have been called upon to be fighters and not mere bystanders to history. We have the duty, the co-responsibility to transform the circumstances of this world and make them fairer.” Born into a poor family, she went into domestic service. As a young mother, she worked in the factory, cleaning and taking in washing in order to feed her family. She read as much as she could in the early morning before work and attended evening classes to catch up on her schooling. Together with her husband Hans, she fought for workers’ rights. She participated in a demonstration for the first time in 1972, with many more to follow. Later she gave readings and sermons in the Emmental. She tried to combine Christianity with socialism in the reading groups that she attended. Photo: Ueli Schilt «Es wär’ noch Zeit, etwas zu wagen. Hanni Schilt erzählt ihr Leben» – based on audio recordings by Judith Giovanelli-Blocher, 1994. In her memoir, Hanna Schilt describes what it was like to live as a worker, the difficulties she faced in reconciling Christianity and socialism, and how she went to her first demo. |
| 90 | Politician, social worker Lucie Schletti-Stössel 1915–2014 “Since women around 1970 did not yet have the right to vote and were consequently ‘politically uneducated’, educational courses were held on topics ranging from housing and age-related issues to gestational time limits for abortion.” In 1958, she co-founded the Liberal Women’s Group in Burgdorf because the FDP refused to admit women. She was president of the cantonal Liberal Women’s Group and fought for the right to vote and to be elected. In 1970 she founded the “Frauenzentrale Burgdorf”, which provided home care for the elderly. In 1971, along with Meli Saurer-Waldvogel, she was the first female town councillor for the FDP. She remained in this position for thirteen years and was involved in women’s rights, as well as educational and social causes. Burgdorfer Jahrbuch, 2015, p. 203. |
| 91 | Landlady Sophie Schürch-Grossenbacher 1840–1920 Like her mother-in-law, she managed the “Zum Wilden Mann” estate in Wynigen after the death of her husband and until her son came of age. The estate included a large farm, a pub, a butchery and a bakery. She added a slaughterhouse, a butcher’s shop and a bowling alley. In 1905, she built a reception hall for parties and events, which is now a listed building. |
| 92 | The top female Schwingen wrestler Ursula Ruch *1976 “Every opponent – even the strongest – has a back, off which one can perfectley wipe off the sawdust after winning!” The champion Schwingen wrestler was the first, and so far only, Bernese woman at the head of the Swiss Women’s Schwingen Association. A challenge, since she had to master the art of public relations. After a 12-year career in the sawdust ring and having won seven wreaths, a young bull and numerous bells, she retired in 2014. Today she works on her farm and in the alpine pastures and keeps up her ties to the world of Swiss wrestling. |
| 93 | «Witch» Margret Schär † 1609/10 She came from Niederösch. Accused of witchcraft, she was brought to Burgdorf where the judge forced her confession under torture. The executioner led the condemned woman through the “Poor Sinners’ Way” to the execution site, where she was publicly burnt at the stake. Afterwards, the Schultheiss (a Bernese castle bailiff), the councillors, the burghers and the clergy all enjoyed a meal together at the “Krone” restaurant, at state expense. Her fate was by no means unusual – an estimated 7,000 people were accused of witchcraft and put to death in Switzerland, the majority of them women. |
| 94 | Landlady Maria Schürch-Aeberhardt 1794–1865 She lost her husband early and had to manage the estate alone. In 1835 she was instrumental in establishing a secondary school in Wynigen and recommended that it be housed in the village tavern. Her friend, the poet Gotthelf, called her “the Queen of Sheba, who made schoolhouses out of taverns”. Later generations of Schürch women were also landladies and kept the “Zum Wilden Mann” estate alive. |
| 95 | Doctor Christa Spycher-Braendli *1939 “A great interest in strangers – meetings between equals – creating dialogue and trust.” Originally from Burgdorf, the doctor and her family lived in Latin America for 16 years. There, she practiced her profession under difficult social and political conditions. In 1988, she returned to Switzerland and headed the family planning centre at the Gynecology Department of the University Hospital in Bern. She also found the time to provide counselling for migrants at the University Psychiatric Service in Bern. She was active as president of the association “Sexual Health Switzerland”. Photo: Peter Spycher |
| 96 | Driver for the Red Cross Marion van Laer-Uhlmann 1905–2004 “With my writings, I hope to kindle the present generation’s curiosity and interest in the lives of their predecessors.” In 1938, wanting to serve her country, she signed up as a driver for the Red Cross. She transported sick and wounded soldiers and rescued children in occupied France. She organised and directed the care of sick internees. After the war, she was involved in child relief missions in Poland and Hungary and provided accommodation for displaced people. During the Second World War she wrote a diary, which she later published as a book. «Weisses Kreuz und Rotes Kreuz. Als Rotkreuzfahrerin im Aktivdienst 1938–49» – Marion van Laer, 2002 In her diary, Marion von Laer recalls her time as a driver for the Red Cross during the Second World War. |
| 97 | Actress Birgit Steinegger *1948 “Gender equality should have a place in every room.” Wearing a curly grey wig and a polka dot dress in the Swiss-German TV comedy show “Total Birgit”, she made her character “Frau Iseli” into a cult figure. After attending school in Burgdorf, she studied acting in Bern and Paris, and later appeared in theatre, on radio and on television. Her parodies made her famous and she won several awards for her work, including the “Walo Award” and the “Salzburger Stier”. Photo: Jorma Müller |
| 98 | Director Sara Stalder *1966 “The unequal distribution of power and knowledge creates unfair conditions for the customer. My vision is that every consumer should always be treated fairly by all corporations and suppliers.” With her advisory platform, the director of the Consumer Protection Foundation aims to help consumers help themselves. Originally from the Emmental, she started out as a primary school teacher and later became a head teacher. At 40, she decided on a new career path and is now head of the Consumer Protection Office in Bern. |
| 99 | Speech therapist, pastor Annemarie Studer *1945 “All the stories, no matter how big and small or tiny, of people coming to us to seek protection, must be made central.” She was the first speech therapist in Burgdorf and language has always been important to her. The question of hope led her to study theology and was during her studies in Reutlingen that she became involved in politics. She accompanied asylum seekers during her curacy. Today, as a retired pastor, she teaches German to asylum seekers and is active, among other things, at the Intercultural Women’s Meeting Centre. She still hopes that the churches will speak out for the protection of refugees. |
| 100 | The last duchess Clementia d’Auxonne vers 1190–après 1235 Upon her marriage to Bertold V, the daughter of a count rose to become the Duchess of Zähringen. Little is known about her life, a fate shared with many other princes’ wives. Berthold V died in 1218 without an heir, and his widow inherited Burgdorf Castle. However, her nephew imprisoned her and seized the castle, thus preventing her from inheriting it. Burgdorf then passed into the hands of the Kyburgs. She ordered that the legend of Margaret be written. This picture was painted 250 years after her death. Burgerbibliothek Bern, Mss.h.h.l.16, p. 67 (www.e-codices.ch) |
| 101 | Migration expert Anette Vogt *1978 “On a small scale, we can all work for peaceful coexistence. For structural change, there is only one way: through politics.” She has been involved in refugee work since 2014. She organises volunteers and is co-founder and president of the association “Burgdorf integriert”. Her voluntary work became her profession and she now works advising the Protestant church on migration issues. Shocked by immigration policy, she ran for the town council elections. She strives for a strong community, where everyone can learn from each other and broaden their horizons. |
| 102 | The first woman on the town council Doris von Ballmoos-Pauli * 1933 “LIve and let live.” In 1970, she was the first woman in the canton of Bern to sit on a town council. Like everywhere else at the time, the Burgdorf council was a bastion of masculinity, but she still managed to hold her own. She was perhaps helped in this by her female network: from 1965 she was the first president of the “Soroptimist International Club Burgdorf”, a women’s volunteer service organisation. She was an accountant and worked in her parents’ business. As a mother of three children, she was already used to working from home in 1965. |
| 103 | Professional footballer Lia Wälti *1993 “I’ve always been competitive, I’ve always wanted to win at everything I did ever since I was a kid. Nothing’s changed since then.” As captain of the Swiss national team, the professional footballer will be competing at the Euro 2022 in England. Her team is like a family to her. The athlete left Langnau at a young age- at twenty she was transferred from Young Boys Bern to Potsdam in Germany. Today, she plays for Arsenal Women in London and is studying business administration and sports management. |
| 104 | The first female student at the Burgdorf Technical College Emmy Wedlake-Haldimann 1890–1988 In 1910, she was the first woman to study at the Technical College in Burgdorf – rather late compared to other colleges! The director at the time only conditionally allowed women to study, as “the suitability of the female sex for the technical profession” could not be definitively established. But she dropped out of her studies in her final semester to get married. It was only in 1919 that Clara Balz became the first woman to complete her studies. By 1930, only two other women had graduated. Burgerarchiv Burgdorf, Photo Bech 300245 2 |
| 105 | Midwife Marie Zürcher 1927–2019 “There is nothing more beautiful or greater than a birth. … A miracle.” She was one of the first women in Wynigen to learn a trade, and spent 40 years working as a midwife. She went to her first births by bicycle, carrying a chamber pot, her midwife’s kit and an inflatable mattress with her. For 20 years she was the chief midwife at the Burgdorf hospital. She has introduced several thousand children to the world and was known throughout the region. She used a scooter to get around the hospital’s long corridors. «Das volle Leben: Frauen über achtzig erzählen» – Susanna Schwager, 2007 Susanna Schwager invites twelve women to talk about their lives. Marie Zürcher shares how she became a midwife, was almost married and tells us tales of birth and death. |
| 106 | Artist Margrit Wenger-Bernhard *1951 “Drawing and painting simply make me feel good, I sink into the colours and become totally myself within them.” She has always been passionate about drawing and painting. She has shown her paintings in various exhibitions, with the theme “Women who read are dangerous”. Growing up in Bätterkinden, she went on to work as an administrative assistant. She would have liked to become a decorator, but her parents were against it. Once her children were grown, she began to paint landscapes, but female figures soon began to creep into her work, growing more and more prominent over time. |
| 107 | Artist, writer Theresa Widmer 1957–2011 “For every problem there are at least seven solutions.” She did not let illness stop her from living her life to the fullest: at the age of 16, she contracted polyarthritis. Soon she was dependent on a wheelchair and needed outside assistance – almost every one of her joints was operated on. Nevertheless, she was determined to live as independently and as freely as possible. She trained as a painter and art therapist and exhibited her paintings. She wrote the book “Polyarthritis und Teeservice. Eine Erbschaft” and travelled the world with her brother. |
| 108 | Farmer Rosa Wüthrich-Scheidegger 1907–1995 “Come, sit down and help yourself to whatever you want, then you’ll grow big and strong.” The farm meant a lot of work and financial worries. But pregnancy was also a heavy burden on the farmer- she gave birth to twelve children. Yet she never lost her sense of humour. When her husband was called up for active service at the beginning of the Second World War, she managed the farm alone. Later, she was helped by foreign soldiers stationed on her farm. The couple also took in foster children, whom they treated as their own. She became a byword for helpfulness and hospitality in the region. |
| 109 | The first female mayor Elisabeth Zäch *1954 “Presenting a vision, fighting for it, debating it, convincing others of it and achieving it together: that’s what I find fascinating about politics.” She worked as a journalist for SRF radio and for various newspapers, before taking over the bookshop at the Kronenplatz in Burgdorf. She then became involved in local politics, first as a municipal councillor and then as a Socialist mayor. From 2010, she also served on the Grand Council of the Canton of Bern. She worked to keep Burgdorf an attractive educational location and to ensure that the Emmental remains a region with a future. Her personal project has been the transformation of Burgdorf Castle into a youth hostel, a restaurant and a museum. Photo: Jeroen Seyffer |
| 110 | The first female motorist Anna Zbinden-Grossenbacher 1895–1990 “I don’t even know why humans are so afraid of death. It’s so beautiful there.” At the age of 20, she passed her driving test in the first car to be driven in Burgdorf – becoming the first woman in the Canton of Bern to do so. Her father Fritz Grossenbacher was the Burgdorf veterinarian but felt he was too old to drive, so his daughter learnt instead. In a Citroën, she drove him to his clients and only occasionally crashed into piles of manure. |
| 111 | The first female town councillor Berta Zeller-Friedli 1917–2007 “I wasn’t afraid to raise my voice when needed.” The mother of three was already a member of the socialist women’s group in the 1940s. In 1971 she was the first woman to be elected to the Burgdorf town council. With no parliamentary experience, she held her own among nine men. Like many of the early female politicians, she was responsible for social affairs. She accomplished many goals, such as granting those with less means a free choice of doctor. After retiring from office, she became a member of the city’s social welfare commission. |