Federal Letter Museum

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The main facade of the former Bundesbriefarchiv with the «Fundamentum» by Heinrich Danioth

The Federal Charter Museum (until 1992 Federal Charter Archive ) is one of three historical museums in Schwyz . Since its inauguration in 1936, it has housed the Federal Letter from 1291 , which was previously kept in the Schwyz archive tower . In addition to the main exhibit, other medieval documents , including all early federal letters up to 1513, as well as banners are on display.

history

The idea for a Swiss national monument can be traced back to the 600th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation in 1891. However, its realization was delayed until the 1930s when the Federal Council accepted a request from the Schwyz cantonal government. The canton of Schwyz was already planning to set up its state archive in a side wing. In 1933, 43 designs were entered in an architecture competition, which Joseph Beeler from Zurich won. The jury particularly emphasized the successful opening of the building through the vestibule and arcades as well as the simplicity and appropriateness of the architectural means used. The construction of the archive building between 1934 and 1936 fell at a time of internal unrest ( front movement , global economic crisis ) and external threats. The architecture and furnishings of the Bundesbriefmuseum reflect the ideology of resistance at the time, and the documents, primarily the Bundesbrief of 1291, served as templates for behavior in the current political situation (cf. Intellectual National Defense ).

The works of art on the building reinforced this impression: Heinrich Danioth's “Fundamentum” (representation of the union of fountains ) on the main facade was highly controversial because of its modernity, especially in central Switzerland . Walter Clénin's mural in the exhibition room “The Federal Oath on the Rütli ” was created towards the end of the Second World War . Hans Brandenberger's monumental sculpture «Wehrmacht» (created for the Landi in 1939 ) was put up in the park in 1941. Maurice Barraud created a " Brother Klaus " who can be clearly understood as the religious guardian of the fatherland. The wall sculpture “Eidgenössischer Kreuzweg” was created by Josef Rickenbacher .

In 1979/80 the exhibition hall was renovated for the first time and the 21 banners and flags restored. In 1998/99 the whole exhibition was redesigned. The federal letter of 1291, its history of impact and the changed image of the tradition of liberation were brought to the fore.

The Bundesbriefmuseum was closed for renovation work between December 2, 2013 and September 20, 2014. With structural and content adjustments, the exhibition around the Federal Letter from 1291 was brought up to date again. Interactive computer stations with touchscreens have been accompanying the certificates presented in showcases and explaining their meaning since the reopening. This decisively refreshed the previously somewhat dusty image of the museum.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Bundesbriefmuseum: History
  2. ↑ SCHWYZ. Report of the jury on the result of the competition for a federal letter archive in Schwyz. In: The work. Issue 11/1933, p. XVIII.
  3. ↑ Competition for the Federal Letter Archive in Schwyz. In: Schweizerische Bauzeitung. Issue 12/1934, p. 22 ff.
  4. ↑ Jürg Lehmann: The heroic confederates as "Jammergestalten" In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung of August 5, 2019

literature

Web links

Commons : Bundesbriefmuseum  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 47 ° 1 '19 "  N , 8 ° 38' 54"  E ; CH1903:  691 965  /  208586