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SWISS GERMAN

Putsch: How one Swiss German word became known around the world

Swiss German is notoriously difficult for many people to understand, even those who speak 'Hochdeutsch'. But there is a famous term that has made it into the global vocabulary.

Published: 3 August 2023 14:56 CEST
A view of Zurich, Switzerland
Did you know that the word putsch comes from the Zurich dialect? Photo by Wyron A on Unsplash

Swiss Germans are incredibly proud of their wide variety of dialects, known as Schwyzerdütsch.

But it’s fair to say that these dialects are not well known outside of Switzerland. In fact, even some High German speakers struggle with understanding Swiss German. 

But according to a report in Swiss newspaper Blick, there is a famous word used in other languages that actually originated from Swiss German. 

And no, it isn’t Müesli, which is probably the most famous Swiss German export.

READ ALSO: Swiss German vs Hochdeutsch: What are the key differences? 

The word is ‘putsch’, which many people around the world use in a political context to mean a coup, or an attempt to overthrow a government.

According to the report, ‘putsch’ originated from the Zurich dialect of the 19th century.

‘Züriputsch’

At that time in Zurich, putsch meant knock, thrust, clash, bang or push.

This type of clash happened in Zurich’s Paradeplatz on September 6th 1839. It involved thousands of members of the rural conservative population who stormed against the liberal rule of the city of Zurich.

The insurgents saw the position of the church threatened, feared for their traditions and felt abandoned by the government and townspeople.

The putsch, which was led by Pastor Bernhard Hirzel, cost the lives of 14 insurgents and a member of the government council. The Zurich government abdicated, and the rebels celebrated this as a success. In the long run, however, the uprising had no effect.

A painting shows fighting during the Züriputsch 1839.

A painting shows fighting during the Züriputsch in 1839. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/ Zentralbibliothek Zürich

The events received a lot of attention abroad. German newspapers reported on the ‘Züriputsch’. In France and Britain, reports spoke of “le putsch” or “the putsch” in Switzerland.

In the decades after 1839, the term gained popularity. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, it became even more well known in English around the Kapp Putsch of 1920, when Wolfgang Kapp and his right-wing supporters attempted to overthrow the German Weimar government.

Putsch attempts were common in Weimar Germany, so the word appeared often in the stories of British journalists who described the events

Adolf Hitler’s attempt to gain power with the National Socialists in the Bürgerbräukeller in Munich on November 9th 1923 went down in history as the “Hitler Putsch” or “Beer Hall Putsch”. These events helped the Swiss German word achieve a global breakthrough.

READ ALSO: Why November 9th is a fateful day in German history

In 1958 and 1961, when sections of the French military campaigned for Algeria to remain part of France, they revolted against the government in Paris. The resistance failed both times and the North African country became independent in 1962. The events found their way into the French history books as the “putsch d’Alger” and the “putsch des généraux”.

In recent history, former US President Donald Trump’s supporters tried to enact a putsch in Washington DC in January 2021. In neighbouring Germany, a group of far-right extremists were arrested in a suspected plot to overthrow the government in December 2022. And in June this year, the leader of the Russian Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, failed in a revolt against the Russian government.

So if this word is part of your vocabulary then congratulations – you already speak (a little) Schwyzerdütsch.

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SWISS HISTORY

How to research your Swiss ancestry

If you are a descendant of a Switzerland-born person and would like to find out more about them, there are ways to do that.

Published: 18 April 2024 15:29 CEST
How to research your Swiss ancestry

Researching a family tree has always been a popular, though often a painstaking, activity.

In the past, ancestral records were mostly heavy, dusty, and not always accessible.

Today’s technology and resources, however, make this ‘investigation’ much easier.

What to know before you start 

It helps to know the ancestor’s name, date of birth and death, as well as the community where he or she came from.

The more you know, the easier the process will be.

And if you conduct your search in Switzerland, you are in luck.

That’s because the Swiss are very well organised and, therefore, good record keepers.

Add to this their penchant for documenting and registering everything that goes on in the country, and your job of finding your roots will be all that much easier.

According to the government, “Switzerland’s civil status data (birth, marriage, death) is not only registered at the place where the event occurs, but also at each Swiss citizen’s place of origin.” (Read more about this below).

That should be your first clue, as it will allow you to begin your research at the registry office responsible for the registration of their birth, marriage or death. 

Keep in mind, however, that the official registration of civil status data did not begin in Switzerland until 1876. Until then, churches kept records of such events.

Where should you begin your search?

These are some good ‘starting points’:

Registry office / cantonal archive

In Switzerland, in contrast to other countries, a person’s place of birth is not as important, at least for administrative purposes, as where his or her ancestral roots lie — that is, where their forebears came from.

READ ALSO : Why do Swiss passports show ancestry rather than birthplace?

Therefore, knowing the municipality from which a Swiss ancestor obtained his or her citizenship rights —  Heimatort in German, lieu d’origine in French, and luogo di attinenza in Italian — would be helpful, as you would be able to pinpoint the place where to start your search.

“Questions regarding the existence of Swiss ancestors should be addressed to the registry office in place of origin,” the government suggests. “When the requests go back as far as the 1870s, the research can be pursued in the relevant cantonal archives.”

Thankfully, they are easily available, here. 

Church records (parish registers)

Old church records could possibly be found in the archives of the parish where the ancestor was baptised and / or died.
Some old registers have been recorded on microfilm, which certainly makes the search easier.

One thing to keep in mind is that the federal data protection law requires a cantonal research authorisation, and a fee determined individually, for all of the above sources. 

And that brings us to another point, loosely related to your ancestors

A number of people who discovered that they have Swiss roots have wondered whether their forefathers had any money deposited in Swiss banks.

That is clearly a long shot, because even if they had, that money is most likely long gone.

Still, if you would like to find out, you can do so.

According to Swiss legislation that went into effect in 2015, banks must publish a list of ‘dormant’ bank accounts, which had been unclaimed for at least 60 years.

You can find more about this here. 

And can you get citizenship if you have Swiss ancestors?

Some countries do give citizenship based on more distant ancestry, such as Ireland which gives citizenship to people who have an Irish grandparent, or Italy which considers ancestors going all the way back to the 1800s.

In Switzerland, however, you are likely out of luck – you need at least one Swiss parent, full details here. 

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