Naturalisation: Apparently, genuine Swiss people do not wear tracksuit bottoms and really like cowbells
Recently, the naturalisation of foreigners in Switzerland was in the news all over the world: Even though 25-year-old Fund Yilmaz of Buochs (AG) was born and raised in Switzerland, speaks the local dialect, has a steady job, and even is a member of associations in the village where she lives, she did not pass the citizenship test last month.
The young woman had to take two naturalisation tests consisting of 100 questions each. She passed both of them. But in the final stage, a face-to-face meeting, she failed a question about garbage disposal and did not pass due to the fact that she prefers shopping in Migros rather than in the local village shop. When the «Schweizer Illustrierte» magazine made these documents public earlier this week, the entire nation wondered what had gone wrong. Christine Wirz-von Planta of Basel-Stadt’s naturalisation commission states: «It does not make any sense to pose 100 questions to someone.» The naturalisation procedure is clear in Basel: It consists of a 15-minute discussion and covers knowledge about the canton and the Swiss political system. «But garbage disposal or the shopping preferences of a person do not play any role,» said Ms Wirz-von Planta.
Applicants should like Lake Geneva
Naturalisations are not so harmonic elsewhere either. For example, the municipality of Bubendorf denied the Kosovo family Halili their naturalisation because the father and his two sons walk through town in sweat pants from time to time. In January, a person from the Netherlands did not pass her naturalisation exams because she did not like the sound of ringing cowbells. Such arbitrariness of the Swiss system can be bizarre. Therefore, «The Guardian» English newspaper questioned why Funda Yilmaz was asked whether she liked hiking. The newspaper also could not provide the right answer for the question of whether Yilmaz should have liked Lake Geneva or not.
Ms Wirz-von Planta confirmed that applicants are only asked questions that they learned about during voluntary preparation courses in Basel-Stadt. «The discussion takes place within a clear framework,» she said. People may be asked about their favourite places in Basel, but this question is merely posed to break the ice. Ms Wirz-von Planta appreciates Basel’s clear regulations. She also points out the advantage of clear language prerequisites. This was not always the case, and consequently led to ambiguities in the past.
Liberal procedures in Basel
Statistics show that there are about 1,000 naturalisations per year in Basel-Stadt – a stable number. Ms Wirz-von Planta explained the arbitrary decisions of other cantons are sometimes made when campaigns are launched against people applying for citizenship. In Basel, the naturalisation process works almost perfectly. «We are doing well with our liberal procedures,» she said. The tests are also adjusted to the applicant’s level of education.
For now, there is no happy ending for Funda Yilmaz, but she has one more chance. Theoretically, the state secretariat for migration could veto the village’s decision. However, Bern does not want to interfere with municipalities. One wonders whether this is making Migros happy.
Unhappy with school report: Boy takes train from Germany to Switzerland
A boy from Schleswig in Northern Germany intended to leave his country because of his seemingly bad school grades. The 10-year-old had not dared to show his school report to his parents, the police of Flensburg informed on Saturday.
Instead, the boy entered a train to Hamburg all by himself on Friday evening and changed to a train towards Basel there. A ticket conductor noticed the boy and alarmed the police in Lörrach, where the 10-year-old is now waiting for his father.
His grades were not even that bad, it was further revealed: The school report showed merely a 3 (equivalent to a 4 in Switzerland or a C in the United Kingdom or the United States), the police informed.
Musical diversity from four continents at Basel Tattoo
The premiere of this year’s Basel Tattoo impressed the audience with a remarkable program. A total of 1,000 performers shone with musical quality, astounding show performances, and graceful dances. Presidential escorts, royal guards, and powerful soloists were captivating from the start and offered first-class entertainment.
The opening fanfare was followed by the traditional entrance march of the impressive Massed Pipes and Drums. Afterwards, the Reggimento Corazzieri offered a statesmanlike performance on motorcycles and horses. The precision-march show by the ladies of the Lochiel Marching Team from New Zealand was fascinating. Thanks to their humour, the Musique des Sapeurs-Pompiers de Paris filled the arena with a more relaxed atmosphere. Then, the Australian elite of the OzScot Highland Dancers performed surprising choreography – light-footed, elegant, and always smiling.
The recruits of the Swiss military music offered a striking show with local melodies and global hits such as Jennifer Lopez’ «Let’s Get Loud». The Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) of the Swiss army created a surprise during their performance. They rappelled down from the Kaserne façade and brought back a stolen drum to the tambours recruits. The dance show of the Igor Moiseyev State Academic Ensemble of Popular Dance from Russia that followed was absolutely mesmerising. The audience greeted the dancers’ impressive legwork and powerful expression with frenetic applause.
The Australian Army Band presented itself full of joy, refreshing, and captivating. They rocked the arena with pieces like «Apollo» or «It’s a Long Way to the Top». The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps showed their dynamic and precise talent, causing the hearts of tambours and pipers to beat faster. They performed the classic Basel song «z Basel a mym Rhy» as a goodbye and garnered a special applause. Next in line was the Royal Guard from Norway – His Majesty The King’s Guard Band and Drill Team. They shone with astonishing dance figures, excellent music, and stunning marching perfection.
Spectators held their breath during the acrobatic show elements of the Drill Team. Then, the grand finale brought all performers together to the arena. The song «Abschied von the Bergen», written by musical director Major Christoph Walter, touched the premiere audience, with heartfelt yodelling by Franziska Wigger. Passionate singer Corinne Gfeller provided the brilliant climax with the global hit «Hallelujah». The audience gave a standing ovation.
For the first time, the audience was part of the performance. With the Basel Tattoo app, the smartphones of spectators lit up as magical lights during the drum solo of the Swiss recruits and during the finale.