Schwingen, the Swiss go to war, too

There are a lot of preconceptions and stereotypes about the Swiss (whether they are unfounded or not is another story). Those who have their original neighbors in Zurich or Geneva tell horror stories. It is almost a crime to flush the toilet or run the dishwasher after eight at night, and playing flamenco at any time of the day on a wooden floor can be murder. At the end of the legendary scene of a Ferris wheel in the movie The third manHarry Lime (Orson Welles) says to Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten): “In Italy, during the thirty years of the rule of Borgia, there was only terror, wars and pogroms, but Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci of the Renaissance. In Switzerland, on the contrary, as a result of Five hundred years of love, democracy and peace is simply a cuckoo clock. “

Well, the Swiss are definitely much more than just the cuckoo clock, the chocolate bar, the delicate trains, and the famous pocket knives. And not everything is decided by the referendum. They also fight, even if they don’t have an army. They do this every summer, and epidemic through, mainly In alpine villages in the German cantonsIn tournaments or festivals swingIt is the national sport. So much so that one time the champion was awarded the title of Athlete of the Year One ahead of Roger Federer, Who won three Grand Slam tournaments.

Traditions

Fair play is great and the winner in combat wipes the sawdust off the loser’s back

he is swing (In German it literally means spin, vibration, wave) is The Swiss equivalent of Japanese sumo. It is a form of combat that takes place in a ring with sawdust soil, twelve meters in diameter. The two opponents wear jute shorts over their clothes, and hold the opponent’s opponent in the back, where the belt meets. There are several techniques similar to those used in judo to bring down an opponent (with Germanic names such as wyberhaagge a Was skipped), And the battle is won by points, or by making the enemy’s shoulders hit the ground, holding it with one hand. short .

If he is into football Video assistant referees’ decisions are a constant cause of controversy He almost always preferred Real Madrid, at swing Fans often doubt the neutrality of the three referees (one in the ring and two at the table), but especially those in charge of the couples’ stays, because with the exception of the first round and the final (in which two fighters with the best cumulative score), it is conducted by finger, with Suspicion of favoritism of the local population.

Among the participants, yes, fair play It’s cool, there are no protests, and the winner wipes the sawdust off the loser’s back at the end of the fight as proof of recognition. It’d better be this way, because they are great players (although they are not sumo-sized), who often have a height of 1.90 and a weight of over 140 kilograms, so they better not get angry. It is an amateur sport, it is prohibited to advertise and sponsor it, whether in clothing or on the playground. But a champ Federal Wrestling and Älperfest It was named (The most important tournament held every three years) The substitute king Or “king swing“He becomes a celebrity nationwide, and with the help of a good agent, he can make very little money from advertising.

Artistic sports

The key to success is a combination of technology, agility and strength, and the best fighters work in the field and in professions such as carpenters or masons.

The key to success is a combination of technology, agility and strength, and the best fighters work in the field and in professions such as carpenters or masons. There are two types, sennenschwingers (Fighters from the countryside, both the traditional and the better), feature a white or blue shirt and black pants, and Gymnastics (From Sports City clubs), who wear all-white. The national championship is a real event. Last year, which was held in Zug, it gathered fifty thousand people on the stadium and three hundred thousand others in its vicinity on each of the three days (Friday to Sunday) to watch the fights on the giant TV screens. German cantonal channels broadcast it live. There are no cash prizes, but there are things like cattle bells, microwave ovens, or horseshoes and a bull for the overall winner.

In times of identity politics, it was swing It is considered an element of national cohesion, a hymn to traditions and a connection to the land. American comedian Larry David used to say that the Swiss don’t like to fight, and would rather people do it for them while they skate and eat chocolate. But some enter the ring.