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A new platform brings historical pearls of Central Switzerland to light. It should grow – also thanks to screed finds.
Winston Churchill was a man with a healthy appetite, and every day Liselotte Kaufmann-Sigrist made a neat note of what she served him. On June 10, 1951, for example: “Smoked Salmon” is noted under “Lunch” in the notebook with a burgundy cover. These include: stuffed duck, rice, potatoes, tomatoes and, for dessert, jam tarts.
That may not be earth-shattering, but it is definitely an interesting document of the time. Because it was penned by a 19-year-old from Ebikon in Lucerne: Liselotte Kaufmann-Sigrist followed her home economics teacher to Great Britain and worked for a year and a half as an assistant cook in Chartwell, the country estate of Churchill, who was initially the leader of the opposition and then for the second time became British Prime Minister.
Legend:
A prime minister with a healthy appetite – about whom his assistant cook in Lucerne kept careful records: Winston Churchill on a recording from 1954.
key stone
When she returned home, she brought with her, among other things, a job reference, a short message from Churchill, photos, an ashtray with the prime minister’s likeness on it – and the menu books.
All of this is now publicly available on the new platform “ZentralGut” of the Lucerne Central and University Library ZHB. And it’s just one example of many.
Legend:
One of Liselotte Kaufmann-Sigrist’s souvenirs from her time as a cook for Churchill: an ashtray with the Prime Minister’s likeness.
Historical Museum Lucerne
Thousands of graphics, prints, manuscripts, photographs and postcards from Central Switzerland can be accessed on the platform. There are also films by the Obwalden photographer Carl Abächerli, who began capturing moving images in the 1920s. Or the programs on “Kabel-Fernsehen Zug” from the early 1980s.
Treasures should no longer gather dust in the archive
Mirjam Zürcher is jointly responsible for the platform. The treasure trove of witnesses to the past is overwhelming in Central Switzerland, she says. And also how many people would have left interesting traces here. But: “Your estates have all ended up somewhere in an archive or library where they are not visible to most people.”
It is overwhelming how many people have left interesting traces here.
“ZentralGut” wants to change that. Instead of digitizing objects and then letting them rest, the platform wants to make them public. “These are things that don’t make it into an exhibition because there may be better examples for the showcase,” says Zürcher. “But they are still valuable sources.”
Balloon train to the Rigi, dromedaries in Zug
Among them there are also insights into the past that make you smile. For example, a graphic from 1859 that shows the idea of a balloon ride up the Rigi – around a decade before the cog railway was built. A photograph from 1865 shows dromedaries being led through the old town of Zug. And in Giswil around 1910 there was obviously a car being pulled by a horse.
“ZentralGut” should become the digital memory of Central Switzerland, and this memory should grow. Also with the help of private individuals: Anyone who comes across old documents or photos in the attic can upload a picture of them to the platform. The “ZentralGut” team will look at it, maybe obtain additional information and add it to the platform.
Platform wants to use people’s knowledge
At the same time, the public is asked to participate in so-called crowdsourcing campaigns. “We publish pictures and ask if anyone knows who the people in them are and what the pictures might show,” says Mirjam Zürcher. “A lot is stored in people’s heads. We want to use this knowledge.” And who knows: Maybe the menus of other state leaders will also come to light.