Guisanplatz
The Guisanplatz is a terrain surface above Arosa , on which the Swiss World War - General Henri Guisan on Swiss National Day undertook a large-scale troop inspection 1940th
Location and description
The area originally called "Unterer Sandboden" is located directly on the Schanfigger Höhenweg between Maran and Ober Prätschsee at point 1985, where the mountain hiking trail in the direction of Scheidegg separates from the Höhenweg. It is a more or less flat area of grass of a few hundred square meters that has not undergone any permanent structural changes. In winter, a groomed ski slope leads from the Brüggerhorn over the Guisanplatz towards Prätschli. The place is located directly behind the historic stone border wall to Arosa in the area of the former municipality of Peist .
history
Since the outbreak of World War II that led infantry - recruit school II / 6 of the Swiss army , whose command school was housed under Lieutenant Colonel Keller in Arosa Hotel "Mercury", the top Schanfigg practically non-stop military exercises with live ammunition by. This led to some dissatisfaction in the health resort of Arosa, as it was feared that the shooting noise would drive away the guests, who were only sparsely present anyway.
At the end of July 1940, the infantry formations of the entire then Mountain Brigade 12 gathered under the command of Rudolf von Erlach, a son-in-law of Theophil Sprecher von Berneggs , after completing a major field service exercise with all weapons in the Arosa area. The troops set up a large field camp in the area around Guisanplatz for two days . On August 1, 1940 - one week after the Rütli report - General Guisan appeared for the first time to visit the troops in the canton of Graubünden . His presence also served the purpose of raising the morale of the troops and locals. Guisan therefore intended to celebrate the federal holiday together with his soldiers, the local authorities and the local population.
In the morning, after a field service , he was shown various troop exercises, including competitions on a arena in front of an improvised amphitheater , before he was officially received by the governments of the cantons of Graubünden and Glarus as well as the Arosa municipal council around noon . In addition to the regiment game , the Arosa choirs and costume groups as well as a girl scout department paid their respects to the general . In the afternoon the troops held their individual military championships on a specially equipped arena and in front of a large crowd. After dark the lit up the surrounding peaks Aroser Dolomites in perfect weather, numerous bonfires on which the well by members of the local section of the troops themselves as Swiss Alpine Club had been kindled. The next day the inspection was over and the general withdrew from the Schanfigg.
A memorial plaque mounted on a boulder commemorates the historical event on site today. In addition, there are still traces of the troops of the Second World War, buried for exercise, in the Arosa valley basin.
swell
- Memorial plaque on Guisanplatz
- Ueli Haldimann in: Die Südostschweiz from July 31, 2015, p. 4 f.
- Aroser Zeitung of September 5, 2014, p. 5.
- Hans Danuser : Arosa place and field names with inclusion of the Welschtobel and some areas near the border in neighboring communities, self-published Danuser, Arosa 2011, ISBN 3-905342-49-9 , p. 13, 66.
- Hans Danuser: Arosa - as it was then (1928–1946) , vol. 3, self-published by Danuser, Arosa 1999, p. 188 f.
