Escalade de Genève

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Captured Savoyard armor

The Escalade de Genève , L'Escalade or Fête de l'Escalade is an annual festival to commemorate the successful defense of the city of Geneva against Charles Emanuel of Savoy on the night of December 11th jul. / December 21st 1602 greg. to December 12th jul. / December 22nd, 1602 greg. . The story is told in the song Cé qu'è lainô , the unofficial anthem of the republic and canton of Geneva .

About 2000 to 3000 Savoyard mercenaries sneaked from the Swiss stone pine to the city wall of Geneva under cover of darkness . A small combat group of just over 200 men managed to climb the wall using two ladders (hence the name Escalade for "climbing") before the alarm was sounded and the gate of the city gate Porte Neuve was lowered and the sweeping capture of Geneva by Savoy could be averted. The independence of Geneva was subsequently recognized in the Peace of Saint-Julien .

The festival, which is celebrated on December 12th, has included a historical torchlight procession since 1902 and a city run since 1978.

One of the great symbolic figures of this festival is the Mère Royaume (Mother Kingdom) who, according to legend, killed a Savoyard soldier in the streets of the city during the night battle by dropping her cast iron pot full of hot soup on him.

This is said to be the origin of the chocolate pot (Marmite de l'Escalade) (which is now filled with marzipan vegetables) and the vegetable soup that is part of this festival. Traditionally, the youngest and the oldest of all those present smash the chocolate pot together after the ritual phrase "Et qu'ainsi périssent les ennemis de la république" (This is how the enemies of the republic perish) has been uttered .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hanno Helbling: Handbuch der Schweizer Geschichte , Vol. 2, p. 610. Verlagberichthaus, Zurich, 1977.

Web links

Commons : Escalade de Genève  - collection of images, videos and audio files