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LIVING IN SWITZERLAND

REVEALED: What is included in this Swiss city’s time capsule?

Lausanne officials have buried “treasure” under a bridge, to give future generations a glimpse into life in this Swiss city at the beginning of the 2020s. What do they want future generations to know?

Published: 6 May 2022 14:56 CEST

REVEALED: What is included in this Swiss city’s time capsule?

Some of the 'treasures' buried in Lausanne's time capsule. Photo: Mathilde Imesch, Ville de Lausanne

The ‘Lausannois’ living in 2122 will be able to learn about their city’s past not just from whatever search engine will replace Google, but by a far more traditional method.

To make sure no stone is left unturned (literally and figuratively), Lausanne authorities saw the renovation of the city’s Grand-Pont bridge as an apt opportunity to bury a time capsule whose contents symbolise what the early 2020s are all about in Vaud’s capital city.

The “burial service” took place on Thursday, when a municipal delegation placed a metal box in a specially dug hole.

The burial is about to begin. Photo: Mathilde Imesch, Ville de Lausanne

READ MORE: Swiss town ranked the ‘world’s best small city’

“The objects and documents found there are intended for future generations, who will discover them during the next renovation of the bridge a hundred years from now”, Lausanne mayor Grégoire Junod in a press release.

The box contains items that are representative of the modern-day life in Lausanne; all were selected by city officials, as well residents:

Map of Lausanne
Photos of the renovation of the Grand-Pont
Covid auto-test with instructions
Mobile phone with charger
A bottle of water from Lake Geneva
A stamp showing the cathedral’s watchtower
A recording of the city noises on USB key
Aerial photos of the city
Bus ticket and map of the public transport network
5-franc coin
An issue of Lausanne daily newspaper, “24 Heures”
A copy of the city’s legislative projects from 2021 to 2026

“These objects are intended to be both symbolic and representative of the times in which we live, with its legacy, challenges, and hopes for the future”, Junod said.

READ MORE: After 600 years of night watchmen, Lausanne gets first watchwoman

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Do adult children in Switzerland have to support their parents financially?

In most cases, once children are grown up and out of the house, they are (or at least should be) self-sufficient in terms of finances.

Parents too should breathe a sigh of relief that they are no longer obligated to pay for their children’s expenses, except perhaps for giving them some money here and there as a gift.

This is what happens in the best-case scenario.

But what if things don’t go according to this plan — for instance, if the parents find themselves in financial straits and can’t afford to pay their bills?

Family obligations

Generally speaking, the truly needy people who don’t have enough income to pay for their basic living expenses will receive financial help from the government, in the very least in the form of the health insurance and housing subsidy.

READ ALSO: Can I get financial help in Switzerland if I’m struggling to pay the bills?

However, before doling out public money, authorities will see whether relatives should be made to help the struggling individuals pay their bills.

(In this context, ‘relatives’ means only those in the direct line of descent: grandparents, parents, and children.)

They will do it by checking the tax status of these relatives — how much they earn and what other financial assets they have — to determine whether, and how much, they should be paying toward their parents’ expenses.

Obviously, you will be expected to pay up only if your own financial situation allows it; you will not be forced to part with your money if you have very little of it yourself.

‘Favourable financial circumstaces’

Based on a Federal Court ruling, if the adult child lives in ‘favourable financial circumstances’ they are required to help out their struggling parents.

The Court defined ‘favourable financial circumstances’ as income and assets allowing a comfortable life.

‘Comfortable life’, in turn, was defined by the Swiss Conference for Social Welfare (SKOS), as a taxable annual income of 120,000 francs for a single person, and 180,000 francs for married couples.

“If you have minors in your household, the limit is increased by 20,000 francs per child,” according to AXA insurance.

It goes on to say that you can deduct an exempt amount from your taxable assets.

“Your annual depletion of assets is deducted from the remaining amount. This means that if you are obligated to provide financial support, you are permitted to use part of your assets yourself each year; you don’t have to devote your entire assets to providing support.”

At between 18 and 30 years of age, this is 1/60th per year; from 31 to 40, 1/50th per year; 41 to 50, 1/40th per year; 51 to 60, 1/30th per year; and from the age of 61,1/20th per year.

Are there any exemptions to these rules?

Aside from not having sufficient funds, you could be exempted from paying if, say, your parents, or parent, have not lived up to their own financial obligations toward you.

In Switzerland, parents are required to provide financially for their children until the age of majority, and even beyond that if they are still studying or undergoing vocational training — typically, until the mid-20s.

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