The mountains of paper, because of the Agassiz horn are high, although probably not quite as high as the 3946-Meter-high summit. The mountain of the Canton borders between the Valais and Bern is named after the glaciologist Louis Agassiz. This became, posthumously, for a new awareness – not because of his scientific achievements.
“He was one of the most racist of the 19th century. Century”, enerviert Hans Fässler (66), a historian and St. Gallen, SP-politician. Fässler fights since 2007, for a renaming of the Agassiz horn and proposes, instead, Rentyhorn – the slave of the rent, the Agassiz as alleged proof of the inferiority of the black race photograph told.
the Old request, new relevance
Fässler tried it now again with a letter to the three affected municipalities. He has but also on the Federal level, a comrade-in-arms: SP-councillor Carlo Sommaruga (60) will submit in the next session week, a procedural request for the name change of the summit. It is already his third. But the claim has reached in the Wake of the “Black Lives Matter” new relevance.
“This is the Name that has over the Switzerland in addition to effect,” said Sommaruga. Agassiz developed his racial theories after his emigration to the United States. In his earlier Initiatives Sommaruga was unsuccessful. But, according to the Geneva: “You had to deal with it, that Agassiz was a racist – and that was already a success.”
Problematic appreciations
About Agassiz argues Switzerland for over a decade. For example, there is a “mountain of shame” – titled short documentary. However, the list of historical figures, their assessment is at least problematic, is no longer. What a historian myself, Fässler “always amazed”. He called around the family Pool, Bever, GR, on its historical Remnants, he was met with a hike in the Engadin – and made their money from plantations owned.
Basel, however, has his Johann August Sutter. In the 19th century. Century, the merchant followed the gold rush in California. He was rich and laid the Foundation for the city of Sacramento is also considered as a slave-driver.
Zurich, in turn, must deal for some time, that the family of business leader, and railroad pioneer Alfred Escher on coffee held days in Cuba, slaves. The Image of the “national saints” and has a couple of unsightly scratches.
And of course: The debate over the term moor’s head splits, Switzerland. Coat-of-arms, signs, road name will be regarded with References to colonialism and racism is critical. And in Bern, the Bar Colonial has removed your name after public protests.
To the context it comes to
The stone heads could roll soon. The Basel Juso, for example, has Packed the appropriate Sutter memorial recently, and also the Base of the Zurich Escher Statue wobbles. However, the statues tear down is not a solution, finds Hans Fässler.
“is the Dismantling of a Statue, finally, a historical act,” he says. More important is the engagement with the corresponding figure was. The example of Escher is what they say: “You can pay tribute to the man and the context make it visible – for example, in the Museum, or at least with a plaque.”
Please no “Mohr images”
“You have to look at the former people’s heroes with a critical eye,” says SP councillor Sommaruga. Because Switzerland had also a colonial heritage. “Images of Ethiopians in the coat-of-arms-for-nothing.”
In the Parliament Sommaruga, however, remains the fight against the Agassiz horn faithful. Finally, the topic had already arrived at the Federal level, and that it was now “high time that the Federal Council and the concerned municipalities to move”.
Agassiz has left many of the Other US tracks. So a Statue of him stands in front of Stanford University in California – one of the most prestigious universities in the country. The University is now considering to remove the figure.
