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T H E E X C L U S I v E M O N T H LY P U B L I C aT I O N a B O U T T H E G O O D L I F E I N G S Ta a D

Friday 24 June 2011 - Issue 3 - CHF 3.50 excl vaT

MaGaZINE

Warming up LOCaL PERSONaLITY

Krishnamurti an interview with Friedrich Grohe aLSO IN THIS ISSUE

· Last year bicycle sticker needed · access road main concern in Le Rosey development plans · Giant crane at Gstaad rail viaduct · Michel Brand voted new board member of Swiss Open Gstaad · Should tax payers subsidize farmers who own cows with horns?

· Too sensitive for our own good

Photo: Ivan Inäbnit

COLUMN

Unique artistic images of mood and emotion. Including scenes of Gstaad, Saanenland & Pays-d‘Enhaut.

For further information and details of exhibitions and limited large commissions visit www.view-finder.ch and contact us via info@view-finder.ch. To see images on display also visit Basta at the Bernerhof Hotel.

Tadeusz Michalski

2 – 23 July 2011 Mon – Sat, 11 am – 1 pm/3 pm – 6 pm

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VON u N G E r G A l l E r y

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Ian Wilson

Friday 24 June 2011 Page 3

Contents

UPFRONT Gstaadlife is available in these hotels ***** Gstaad PalaCe: +41 (0)33 748 50 00, info@palace.ch

Letter from the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Local News Last year bicycle sticker needed . 4 Access road main concern in Le Rosey development plans . . 5, 7 Michel Brand voted new board member of Swiss Open Gstaad . . . . 6 Giant crane seen at Gstaad rail viaduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Parismont S.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Events Local News

Events calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Dredging to slow Lauenensee siltingup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Should tax payers subsidize farmers who own cows with horns?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Local Personality Krishnamurti remembered 25 years after his death. . . . . . 9, 10 Column Too sensitive for our own good . 11

***** GRand hotel PaRK: +41 (0)33 748 98 00, info@grandhotelpark.ch ***** GRand hotel bellevUe: +41 (0)33 748 00 00, info@bellevue-gstaad.ch ***** Wellness & sPa hotel eRMitaGe-Golf: +41 (0)33 748 60 60, ermitagegolf@ermitage-gstaad.ch **** hotel alPenRose: +41 (0)33 748 91 91, info@hotelalpenrose.ch **** Golfhotel les haUts de Gstaad: +41 (0)33 748 68 68, mail@golfhotel.ch **** GRand Chalet: +41 (0)33 748 76 76, hotel@grandchalet.ch **** hotel aRC-en-Ciel: +41 (0)33 748 43 43, www.arc-en-ciel.ch **** hotel beRneRhof.: +41 (0)33 748 88 44, info@bernerhof-gstaad.ch **** hotel ChRistiania: +41 (0)33 744 51 21, info@christiania.ch

Letter from the Editor -

**** hotel GstaadeRhof: +41 (0)33 748 63 63, gstaaderhof@gstaad.ch

Summer season 2011 Welcome to GstaadLife’s first is sue of summer 2011. Aptly themed ‘Warming up’ we start the season off slowly with a 12 page issue du ring the quiet shoulder season and then expand to 24 to 30 pages as the summer rolls on. Following shorty at the heels of ‘Warming up’ we will bring you the second issue of summer ‘Feel ing good’ and in short succession another two issues,’ A feast of cul ture and ‘Exclusively yours’. These themes give you a peek into what we have in store for you this sum mer as we make sure we cover all of the facts, glamour, excitement and energy that comes with the sum mer season. We will bring you a host of inte resting topics this summer season ranging from a 3 part series of dis covering the bountiful flora in the Saanenland to regular interviews

with fascinating patrons and locals in the region, as well as keeping you abreast with all of the many major building projects and plans for de velopment in the region. The Gstaad Open Tennis tourna ment, Volleyball Grand Slam, in ternational Polo, Country night, Menuhin festival, Davidoff Saveurs and the many exciting agendas of the top hotels and restaurants in the region will all be reported on as they draw the crowds and dis play their excitement, glamour and intrigue. So whilst we perform our public duty of informing you about what will happen and then on reflection, reporting to you on how it hap pened, we leave you to take in the wonders of what could well be the nicest places on earth. We urge you to walk in the glorious mountains, refresh yourself in the abundant

**** Chalet hotel hoRnbeRG: +41 (0)33 748 66 88, willkommen@hotel-hornberg.ch

streams, savour the local produce and enjoy the elegance, simplicity and sheer pleasure of what life in the Saanenland is all about. Wishing you a happy and healthy summer.

**** hotel olden: +41 (0)33 748 49 50, info@hotelolden.com **** hotel steiGenbeRGeR: +41 (0)33 748 64 64, gstaad@steigenberger.ch *** hotel belleRive: +41 (0)33 748 88 33, bellerive-gstaad@bluewin.ch *** hotel alPenland: +41 (0)33 765 91 34, hotel@alpenland.ch *** hotel alPhoRn: +41 (0)33 748 45 45, office@gstaad-alphorn.ch *** hotel alPine lodGe: +41 (0)33 748 41 51, info@alpinelodge.ch

Peter Sonnekus-Williams Editor in Chief

*** hotel KeRnen: +41 (0)33 748 40 20, info@hotel-kernen.ch *** hotel landhaUs: +41 (0)33 748 40 40, landhaus-saanen@bluewin.ch *** hotel saaneRhof: +41 (0)33 744 15 15, hotel@saanerhof.ch *** hotel solsana: +41 (0)33 748 94 94, info@solsana.ch *** hotel sPitzhoRn: +41 (0)33 748 41 41, hotel@spitzhorn.ch *** Posthotel Rössli: +41 (0)33 748 42 42, info@posthotelroessli.ch *** sPoRthotel viCtoRia: +41 (0)33 748 44 22, info@victoria-gstaad.ch *** z'loft hotel: +41 (0)33 744 69 69, info@zloft.ch hotel bäRen: +41 (0)33 755 10 33, hotel@baerengsteig.ch hotel GeltenhoRn: +41 (0)33 765 30 22, F: +41 (0)33 765 32 31

Gstaad life, Anzeiger von Saanen, Kirchstrasse, P.O. Box 201, 3780 Gstaad, Phone: 033 748 88 74, Fax: 033 748 88 84, E-Mail: info@gstaadlife.ch, Website: www.gstaadlife.ch Management board: Frank Müller, Peter Sonnekus-Williams Publisher: Frank Müller frank.mueller@gstaadlife.ch; editor in Chief: Peter Sonnekus-Williams peter.sonnekus@ gstaadlife.ch; Project Management and content coordination: Sanet Sonnekus-Williams Columnist: Mandolyna Theodoracopulos translations: Diana Oehrli editorial: Anita Moser, Sheila Matti, Peter Sonnekus-Williams, Tess Larosse, Christine Eisenbeis. Polygraph team: Jonas Bach Printing: Müller Marketing & Druck AG, Gstaad advertising: Peter Kuntze-Schneider peter.kuntze@gstaadlife.ch, phone 033 744 46 64 subscriptions: Fabienne Koitka tel. 033 748 88 74

hotel sanetsCh: +41 (0)33 755 10 10, F: +41 (0)33 755 18 11 hotel viKtoRia: +41 (0)33 755 10 34, hotel_viktoria@bluewin.ch hotel WildhoRn: +41 (0)33 765 30 12, hotel@wildhorn.ch

BUCH & BILD

FRAminG

EncAdREmEnTS EinRAhmUnGEn

Bicycle sticker needed for the last time BERN PRESS RELEASE Starting June 1, every bicycle in Switzerland must display the 2011 road tax and liability insurance sticker (known as the “vignette”)… for the last time. Valid until May 31, 2012, the mandatory fivefranc sticker serves as third party liability insurance and is obtainable at any post office or bicycle shop. Recently, the federal parliament passed a law to abolish the mandatory sticker but not until January 1, 2012. In the meantime, if you are caught without

the sticker, the fine is SFr. 40. In the future, private household liability in surance will cover damages caused by bicycles. The Federal Office for Roads (Astra) has started hearings to finalize regulatory changes per taining to electric bikes and wheel chairs, and handheld tractors. As tra will begin a public information campaign to close the coverage gap created by 10% of the Swiss popu lation that does not carry private li ability insurance.

arts-protocol.com Gold Or Gold

White-Gold Or blanc Weissgold

Opening hours: TU–FR 14–18h SA 10–16h Kirchstrasse 7 3780 Gstaad Tel. 033 744 89 66 Fax 033 744 89 68

abraham llucià lópez +41 79 896 71 91 portraits, sculptures, enseignement des Arts à tous les niveaux, décorations, conseiller et créateur pour l’architecture et de l’industrie, localisation des réseaux téluriques…

Antiquités – Décoration – Curiosités Main Showroom - Rotlistrasse 1a - 3780 Gstaad Tel. 033 744 60 00 Other Showrooms in Saanen at Chalet Flora, next to the JFK School and in Rougemont at Le Comptoir d’Enhaut.

LOCaL NEWS

Friday 24 June 2011 Page 5

Michel Brand voted new board member of Swiss Open Gstaad SWISS OPEN GSTAAD AG Much has changed since 2006, when the corporation Swiss Open Gstaad AG was founded to keep the ATP tennis tournament in Gstaad. “We are on a good path,” said Aldo Kropf, local council representative on the board of directors, last year. At a March meeting of the cor poration, Kropf stepped down as

board member and nominated as his successor Michel Brand, a local businessman and local associa tion president. The board voted in Brand. “It was clear from the outset,” Kropf said, “that I would be acti ve on the board of directors for a limited time only.” In addition, the

local council voted earlier this year to no longer allow its own mem bers to serve on boards of private corporations. “This was decided in order to pre vent potential conflicts of interest,” Kropf explained. “Furthermore, I simply lacked the time to continue being active on the board, in addi

tion to my tasks as council presi dent and as business owner.” “It makes me very happy that Mi chel Brand has accepted,” Kropf said. “He is local, knows the needs of the region, has been an advoca te for the concerns of the village Gstaad, and he is young and enga ged.”

Giant crane seen at Gstaad rail viaduct The sight of construction cranes in Saanenland has become so typical that the presence of these towers in the landscape has become nearly imperceptible. Yet, a giant green cra ne stood out on May 7 in Gstaad, as

it was seen lifting prefabricated steel elements onto the rail viaduct. These parts were to make the new “silent bridge”, a costeffective technology developed in Holland that aims to reduce external rail noise. Restora

tion work on the viaduct began in autumn 2010, when the steel scaf folding appeared, measuring 114 meters in length and 30 meters in height. Total cost of the project is estimated to be in excess of SFr 4m.

Rail service was suspended during a twoweek period in May, when passengers were forced to take a bus between Zweisimmen and Gstaad. TRANSLATED AND ADAPTED FROM THE ARTICLE BY SHEILA MATTI AVS 10.05.2011

Ian Wilson’s – Dan Fox BY PETER SONNEkuS-WILLIAMS Ian Wilson: Businessman, Lawyer, Photographer, Writer, all words that have been used to describe Ian’s ca reer over the past years. A father of three, Ian was born in an old seaside town of 1960’s England from where he says he ‘escaped’ for the bright lights of London as soon as he could. After studying law at King’s College, he spent 8 years in Hong Kong where he soon left be hind his burgeoning legal career as ‘too boring’ and has since built suc cessful business interests that have taken him all over the globe. He now lives in the beautiful moun tains of the Saanenland and Pays d’Enhaut and, writing under his nom de plume of Dan Fox, Ian’s de but novel, Nine Lives, was recently published. A deep and highly emo tional journey, this book was nomi nated for the 2011 Booker Prize.

In addition, Ian has also recent ly launched his project of Fine Art Photographic images under the name ViewFinder. Including many scenes from our beautiful region, Ian’s stunning images seek to dis play many features we know well in a different artistic fashion fea turing a combination of mood and feel – typical touristic postcard scenes they are not! Ian says, “Nine Lives is essentially a love story but I purposely set out to write a book that would also be very emotional and encourage people to think about certain issues that we all come across and, particularly, to help people to deal with any loss in their lives and ultimately become comfortable with the unanswerable question of ‘Why?’“ Ian had been coming to Gstaad and enjoying the region for a num

ber of years before spending a few months here to focus on his writing three years ago, so much of the no vel was written here and does in clude a few small references to our Region. He then made the move permanent at the beginning of 2010 with his young son now here at school while two elder daughters finish their education overseas. ‘I find the creative process very emo tional,’ says Ian. ‘When I write I often act out what I am creating to myself, speaking dialogue out loud as I write it or I really push to immerse myself into the character to understand what they would be feeling and how they would act in a certain situation. It is the same with my photography, when I am making the images I re ally strive to create extra mood and atmosphere to provoke an element of intrigue for the viewer. And to do

this, I find this wonderful Region in credibly inspirational.’ ‘What is it about the Region that I love so much? Of course, I could cite the natural beauty of the en vironment as one of the major reasons to live here; however, it is much more than that. It is also the air, the light and the people that help to make this place so special – after all my travels, it really is unlike any other place on earth.’ Further Information on Ian’s View Finder images can be found at www.viewfinder.ch And some of his images can be vie wed at Basta at the Bernerhof Hotel where they are on display. Further information on Ian’s wri ting can be found at www.danfox. ch and we will be reviewing his no vel, Nine Lives, in the next issue of Gstaad Life.

LOCaL NEWS

Friday 24 June 2011 Page 6

access road main concern in Le Rosey development plans At an informative meeting on May 11, the commune unveiled plans for two projects related to the Le Rosey’s future campus in Schön ried. The projects are titled: “Wid ening of Hubelstrasse” and Nr. 75 “Erli,” the plans of which were made available for viewing at the com mune during a 30day public feed back period that ended June 10. The focus of the discussion amongst those present at the meeting was less so the development of the campus, but more so the widening of the Hubelstrasse, which all agree is too narrow for the expected rise in traffic. For more than 10 years, the Institut Le Rosey searched for a new loca tion for its winter campus. This hunt proved to be difficult, as the con

struction requirements for such a campus were extensive. Aside from a certain property size, other crite ria had to be fulfilled. Recreational rooms and classrooms as well as dormitories for approximately 450 students and 100 teachers were necessary. A landowner had to be found, and one who was willing to sell. The discovery was made with the property “Erli,” the cur rent location of the vacation home Ferienheim Amt Fraubrunnen. After negotiations, the purchase contract for four hectares (9.88 acres) was signed. A publicized architectural competition resulted in two proj ects being picked out and recom mended for further revision. But both projects could not be brought to a satisfying conclusion in the

Photo: zvg

How the campus of Institut Le Rosey in Schönried is to appear.

revision process. So the developer decided to hire a new team made up of Gstaad architects Benz Haus wirth GmbH, Jaggi & Partner AG and Chaletbau Matti AG to realize the project, applying the findings of the competition. For a 30-day period in May, the commune invited the public to submit their input. “Naturally, the local council is aware that there will be changes for the abutting residents,” said municipal councillor Christa Kunz. “However, Institut Le Rosey is partly respon sible for turning GstaadSaanen into what it is today. Therefore, it is important that the campus re main in Saanenland.” Those present at the meeting seemed to agree on

this point. However, the main dis cussion point was the access road. “Mini-village” above the actual village of Schönried. The new campus is planned as a new neighborhood above the vil lage center and is to integrate itself into the landscape as a minivillage. “From a distance, one sees chalets in varying sizes that adapt to the slope,” explained Elizabeth Wamp fler of architects Jaggi & Partner AG. “Dormitories and residences for teachers, classrooms, adminis trative offices and an infirmary are to be integrated within the chalets. Only upon closer observation will it be evident that this is not a normal residential area.” The semibasements between the chalets will house a dining room,

Friday 24 June 2011 Page 7

Road construction project with potential for conflict. The main discussion focused on the widening of the Hubelstrasse, which connects the “Erli” area. The Hubelstrasse, as it is today, barely meet standards for a basic develop ment, according to planner Richard Trachsel of Ecoptima, a planning of fice in Bern. The Erli campus is not the only development in the area. The Ferienheim Langnau is to be converted into a hotel zone. Both of these projects will compel a need to change the road. The Hubelstrasse is only 3.50 meters wide and only

Photo: zvg

kitchen, and multipurpose hall and will follow the contour of the slope and are thus arranged so that they are never entirely visible. The larger chalets will be in the lower flat area of the property. On the higher slope to the north, structures with lower heights are planned. All chalets will be in typical chalet style with pitch ed roofs. The Rosey compound will have its own village square at the main entrance. It will serve as a central meeting place for students, teach ers, and visitors. In the main level, a learning center is planned. The main entrance will open up to a cafeteria on one side, and to study rooms, work rooms, library, and to administration offices, on the other. At the central reception, a vertical connection to the lower level will exist, linking the chalets, restau ration areas, a parking garage for approximately 75 spaces, and work rooms. Above the village center are a maximum of 11 chalets of vary ing sizes that face south and that will serve as residences for students and teachers. The small connecting roads to these chalets are to be as minimally designed as possible. “The chalets are to be reached mainly by foot,” said Elizabeth Wampfler. “A road is only intended for safety or for transport.”

LOCaL NEWS

Model of the Le Rosey campus village. has a few places for cars to back into. It must, therefore, be widened in most places. “We estimate 300 additional trips a day,” said engineer Toni Haldi. The lowest part of the road, the part to the Bodmestrasse intersection, must be widened to 5.70 meters, as does the lowest bridge over the Hublegraben. Here, one counts on a frequency of 1050 trips per day, according to Haldi. A widening of the road would make it possible for a car and one truck (or agricultural vehicle) to pass each other. Between the intersection Bodmestrasse and Erliweg, the access road needs to be widened continuously by 60 centi meters, and in two places, to 5.70 meters. In the area between the Erliweg intersection, there are five pullover spots to provide adequate passing spots. The Erliweg all the way to the campus entrance will be widened to 4.60 meters. Total road con struction costs are estimated at SFr.

1.2m to be split between the com mune and landowners. The Com mune of Saanen carries the costs to the Erliweg intersection and start ing at the Erliweg intersection one third of the costs, two thirds going to the landowners. The landowners are responsible for 100 percent of the costs associated with access road Erliweg. So it continues. In order for both projects to go for ward, voters need to approve the development plans. “Within the framework of public input, all persons—not just regis tered voters—are eligible to raise objections and submit sugges tions,” Trachsel said. He encouraged those present at the meeting to al low their thoughts to flow into the projects. Public input was possible until June 10. From June to August, the Office for Municipalities and Area Planning of Canton Berne is expected to review the project.

Only after then will the project be publicized. A vote will take place at a meeting of the commune, pre sumably in December. Lack of safety. Following the orientation meeting, the topic of conversation was the widening of the Hubelstrasse. Some said the safety of pedestrians—in particular of school children—is not ensured. One person present said that a speed limit of 30 km/h would be insufficient, unless daily radar controls could be carried out. An other concern was that the ski piste leads over the road, which could lead to major traffic chaos in win ter. The main criticism was the lack of sidewalks. Many persons agreed that there should be a sidewalk at least up to the Bodmestrasse. The public input period was there to discuss such problems and to find solutions, Trachsel said. TRANSLATED AND ADAPTED FROM THE ARTICLE BY CHRISTINE EISENBEIS AVS 13.05.2011

EvENTS

Friday 24 June 2011 Page 8

Events Calendar ■ fRidaY, JUne 24 & fRidaY, JUlY 1 20h00: Concert saaner Proms 2011 at the Molkerei parking area in saanen: Concert in the heart of Saanen. Come and join in and listen to good music. Contact +41 (0)33 748 81 60. ■ fRidaY, JUne 24, JUlY 1, 8 & 15 08h00-12h00: Weekly market in saanen: Local and fresh produce from the region for sale weekly in the centre of Saanen. ■ fRidaY, JUne 24 – sUndaY, JUne 26 fC sarina football tournament for all. Locality: Oeyetli. Rate: SFr60-120. Registration compulsory, contact +41 (0)79 333 30 19. ■ sUndaY, JUne 26 & MondaY, JUne 27 Gstaad Comedy night 2011: one-man show in German, accompanied by his piano. Locality: hair_room, Lauenenstrasse 32. Entry from 17h00. Contact +41 (0)33 744 98 88. ■ thURsdaY, JUne 30 – thURsdaY, oCtobeR 27 Guided village tour saanen & visit to the museum: Every Thursday at 16h00-18h00. Adults SFr 14, Children SFr 8. For further info, contact +41 (0)33 748 81 60.

■ MondaY, JUlY 4 – sUndaY, JUlY 10 sWatCh fivb beach World tour Grand slam 2011: The best Beach Volleyball teams of the world are playing on the Center Court of Gstaad! The camping-site of the beach is available: reservation – beach-zeltplatz@hotmail.ch For more info, contact +41 (0)33 744 06 40.

Friday June 24 2011 until Friday July 15 2011

■ WednesdaY, JUlY 6 & 13 alp visit with breakfast above Gsteig, each Wednesday and Thursday during the months of July and August. Rate SFr 8.50 - SFr 16. Reservation possible. For more info contact +41 (0)33 755 81 81. ■ thURsdaY, JUlY 7, fRidaY JUlY 8 &

satURdaY, JUlY 9 20h00: Concert of the alphorn at zwischen Restaurant Bären & Church on July 7th. On July 8th at the Schulhaus or in the Mehrzweckhalle in Schönried. On July 9th on the Promenade, Gstaad from 10h00-12h00. Phone +41 (0)33 744 58 36 for more information.

■ fRidaY, JUlY 8 – sUndaY, JUlY 17 davidoff saveurs – Gourmet week at diverse localities in Gstaad. Famous chefs will tickle your taste buds with their exquisite cuisine. Reservation possible, contact +41 (0)33 744 68 32 for more information. www. davidoffsaveurs.ch ■ MondaY, JUlY 11 – fRidaY, JUlY 15 learn camp in turbach. For more information: www.kine-thun-gstaad.ch Reservation possible. ■ WednesdaY, JUlY 13 summer party in saanen village. For more info, contact +41 (0)33 748 81 60.

■ fRidaY, JUlY 15 19h30: Menuhin festival Gstaad opening Concert: Boléro – Katia & Marielle Labeque. Rate SFr 40 – SFr 125. For more information,

contact +41 (0)33 748 83 38 or www.menuhinfestivalgstaad.com

■ fRidaY, JUlY 15 – satURdaY, seP-

teMbeR 11 55th Menuhin festival Gstaad: a classical music festival with word-famous artists. Concerts take place in different localities. Contact +41 (0)33 748 83 38 or visit www. menuhinfestivalgstaad.com

■ RotaRY ClUb Gstaad-saanenland Meetings every Monday 12h00 Palace Hotel Gstaad (033 / 748 50 00), President: Rot. Ernst Niederhauser (033 / 744 21 90), Program: Rot. Andreas Hurni (033 / 744 36 28)

■ lions ClUb Gstaad-saanenland Meetings normally each first and third week of the month on Thursdays, either at 12h00 a.m. for lunch or at 7h00 p.m. for dinner. Meetings in Wellness & Spa-Hotel ErmitageGolf, Schönried, Tel. 033 748 60 60. For details and program contact Urs Wittwer, president, 033 748 99 11, info@wittwer-fleurs.ch, htttp://gstaad-saanenland.lionsclub.ch ■ ChURCh seRviCes st Peter’s english-speaking anglican Church, Château-d’oex 25 June 2011, 10h00 – 12h00 Open Church, Rev. Penny Frank. 25 June 2011, 15h30 Music,

English tea & cake outside. Rev. Penny Frank. 26 June 2011, 17h30 Evening Prayer. Festival of Petertide. Rev. Penny Frank. 27 June 2011, 10h00 – 10h30 Prayer Circle. Rev. Penny Frank 2 July 2011, 10h00 – 12h00 Open Church. Rev. Penny Frank 3 July 2011, 17h30 Evening Prayer. Rev. Clive Atkinson 9 July 2011, 10h00 – 12h00 Open Church. Rev. Penny Frank 10 July 2011, 17h30 Holy Communion. Rev. Penny Frank 11 July 2011, 10h00 – 10h30 Service of Healing. Rev. Penny Frank information: 026 924 60 92 Web: www.allsaints.ch/chateaudoex

■ iMPoRtant nUMbeRs Ambulance 144, Police 117 Police office 033 356 84 31 Fire-brigade 118 Saanen Hospital 033 748 02 00 Château-d‘Oex Hospital 026 923 43 43 Car accident service 033 744 88 80 Veterinary 033 744 35 31 / 033 744 06 61 Medical emergency 0900 57 67 47 Dental emergency 033 748 02 00 For additional useful numbers please visit www. gstaadlife.ch/usefulnumbers For the latest local weather forecast visit www.gstaadlife.com/weather

Dredging to slow Lauenensee silting-up A study has concluded that Lauenen see (the Lauenen Lake) is gradually siltingup. And regional economic de velopment leaders are calling for dred ging, a project estimated to cost in ex cess of SFr 3m. A permit application is to be submitted in the fall of 2011.

“It is the ‘subjective’ perception of the local population that Lauenensee is siltingup,” said Andreas Grünig, managing director of the Bergre gion ObersimmentalSaanenland, an economic development association aiming to promote the mountain re

gion’s cultural and natural touristic draws. “The ‘objective’ report, ho wever, concludes that Lauenensee is siltingup, but slowly. In accordance with this report, there exists no big need for action.” But he was of the opinion that waiting was not an op

tion. “Fact is,” said Bethli Küng, who began the motion to save the Laue nensee in 2007, “the groundwater le vel is at least a half meter higher than it was before the earthquake of 1946.” TRANSLATED AND ADAPTED FROM THE ARTICLE BY ANITA MOSER AVS 27.05.2011

Should taxpayers subsidize farmers who own cows with horns? Ninety percent of cows in Switzerland don‘t have horns. But unlike the rest of the country, the majority of Saa nenland farmers don‘t dehorn their cattle. Those who do it, do so for eco nomic and safety reason. Horns can be dangerous to humans as well as to cows housed in modern freesty le barns, which are popular for being lesslabor intensive. Horned livestock

take up more space and their horns have to be maintained. But some say that it is unnatural and cruel for a cow to be without its horns. Without them, cows cannot defend themselves and their young from predators and bullying cows, nor can they scratch themselves. To change the dehorning trend, a small farmer in the Bernese Jura has sub

mitted a proposal that would subsidi ze farmers who keep horned animals with: onefranc per cow per day; or 20rappen per goat per day. His proposal has garnered support from animal protection advocates, ecolo gists, and small farmers. The federal department for agriculture is revie wing the proposal. Local politicians Erich von Siebenthal and Bethli Küng

are split on the subsidy issue (von Siebenthal is for it), but both agree that cows should have horns. Should farmers who keep horned an imals receive subsidies? Let us know! Email peter.sonnekus@gstaadlife.ch or frank.mueller@gstaadlife.ch TRANSLATED AND ADAPTED FROM THE ARTICLE BY ANITA MOSER 20.05.2011

Friday 24 June 2011 Page 9

LOCaL PERSONaLITY

Krishnamurti – Local personality remembered 25 years after his death

Jiddu Krishnamurti was born in India in 1895 and died in the United States in 1986. He was a writer and speaker who addressed fundamental questions of human conflict, suffering, intelligence, perception, beauty and love. He spoke throughout his life in many parts of the world to large audiences as well as with numerous individuals, including writers, scientists, philosophers and educators. Asked to describe what lay at the heart of his work, he said: “Truth is a pathless land. Man cannot come to it through any organization, through any creed, through any dogma, priest or ritual, nor through any philosophic knowledge or psychological technique. He has to find it through the mirror of relationship, through the understanding of the contents of his own mind, through observation and not through intellectual analysis or introspective dissection…” Krishnamurti was concerned with all humanity and stated repeatedly that he held no nationality or belief and belonged to no particular group or culture.

In the tent in Saanen, 1985.

In the latter part of his life, he travelled mainly between the schools he had founded in India, the United Kingdom and the United States. He stressed that only a profound understanding can create a new generation that will live in peace. Much has been written about Krishnamurti, affectionately known as ‘K’. And because of his well-known talks and regular visits to Saanenland, I interviewed someone locally for GstaadLife who for several years had a connection with him. Friedrich Grohe – an incredibly fit and agile 82-year-old who knows virtually every peak in the region due to his love of nature and hiking – met K in 1983 and became a trustee of the Krishnamurti Foundations, which are responsible for the schools K founded as well as for the archiving and publication of his work. Friedrich and K sometimes walked together in Saanenland when K came to give his annual talks by the Sarine. Tess Larosse What was it that first attracted you to what this man had to say?

Friedrich Grohe A friend gave me a book by Krishnamurti. In the book K said something like, If you don’t like the existing schools, why don’t you start your own? So I went to his talks, and was amazed. One of the things that most struck me was when he said, “Love has no cause.” TL Do you think coming from a German industrial family, and a firm such as Grohe, you needed something more ‘philosophical’ to connect to? FG I knew I didn’t want to spend my whole life in business, though it is fun to run a successful business. It made no sense to me to accumu late more and more money. What for? And I was interested to support a new kind of education. TL K traveled the world. Do you know how he first discovered Saa nenland? FG Friends invited him. His first meetings were held in the Land haus in Saanen in 1961. During this time he stayed at Chalet Tannegg in Gstaad, rented by the friends who’d invited him. The chalet was taken down a few years ago. When the Landhaus proved too small for the growing numbers who came to hear him, first a tent and later a big marquis was put up on land that is now the football pitch in Saanen. Aldous Huxley, the English writer and a close friend of K, attended the first meetings. Yehudi Menuhin attended a couple of years later, which I’ve heard was his introduc tion to Saanen. TL What did K particularly enjoy doing here? FG Besides meeting the many people who came to see him, not only in the tent but also in smaller groups and individually, he loved

INTERVIEw wITH FRIEDRICH GROHE BY TESS LAROSSE.

Krishnamurti in Saanen, 1968. walking in the mountains. Here is an excerpt from one of his many books (Krishnamurti’s Notebook), where he describes the area around Saanen and Gstaad: “Crossing the little wooden bridge and looking up the stream, there was the mountain, surprisingly delicate, aloof, with inviting strength; its snow was glistening in the evening sun. It was beautiful, caught between the trees on either side of the stream and the fast-running waters. It was startlingly immense, soaring into the sky, suspended in the air. It wasn’t only the mountain that was beautiful but the evening light, the hills, the meadows, the trees and the stream. Suddenly the whole land with its shadows and peace became intense, so alive and absorbing. It pushed its way through the brain as a flame burning away the insensitivity of thought.” Continued on page 10

LOCaL PERSONaLITY

compassion that K had are rare and of course always very much need ed. That’s why, in my opinion, his insights are deeply relevant. They are in no way sectarian or confined to any political, economic, social or religious ideology. Instead, they ad dress world problems and the hu man condition as a whole. “The crisis is not economic, war, the bomb, the politicians, the scientists, but the crisis is within us, the crisis is within our consciousness. Until we understand very profoundly the nature of that consciousness, and question, delve deeply into it and find out for ourselves whether there can be total mutation in that consciousness, the world will go on creating more misery, more confusion, more horror. So our responsibility is not some kind of altruistic action, political or economic, but to comprehend the nature of our being – why we human beings, who have lived on this beautiful lovely earth, have become like this.” TL But he was respected by some politicians and scientists? FG Yes, certainly. He was deeply concerned with the state of the world. Although he spoke against nationalism and every kind of po litical faction as among the causes of division and conflict, some world leaders, like Nehru and his daughter Indira Gandhi, had personal meet

Photo by Rita Zampese.

Continued from page 9 TL His talks here in Saanen were in ternationally famous. What kind of people attended them? FG All kinds, from all walks of life. Some stayed in posh hotels, oth ers camped along the river. A few were hippies, and in the ’70s a cer tain guru sent his followers, who dressed in orange robes. No doubt this gave the wrong impression to many local people. K actively spoke out against gurus and their follow ers, accepting no such following himself. TL One of the six schools that Krish namurti founded is in the beautiful English countryside – Brockwood Park School in Hampshire. What was his intention for the school? FG The seed of Brockwood Park was sown in Saanen when several edu cators approached Krishnamurti about starting a school in Europe. In addition to academic excellence, the intention is to bring about a quality of total integrity as human beings, so that there is a sense of harmony in oneself, in relationship and therefore potentially in the world at large. TL With all the craziness going on internationally at the moment, do you think the world is missing someone like Krishnamurti? FG Human beings with the quality of perception, understanding and

Friday 24 June 2011 Page 10

Krishnamurti and Friedrich Grohe, 1984.

ings with him, and he received a State reception in Sri Lanka. He was awarded a peace medal by the Pa cem in Terris Society at the United Nations. He was also concerned with the potential effects of science on the future of humanity. He had many filmed dialogues with scien tists and psychologists to go into the implications of what he was talking about. One such scientist was the leading theoretical physicist and philosopher David Bohm. He even conducted a seminar on cre ativity at the physics laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA. The thing is that K had a global outlook and statesmen and scientists who shared that outlook were naturally drawn to him and his teachings. TL K was viewed by many as a reli gious teacher. How do you think the Church viewed him? FG He emphasized the meaning and depth of religion beyond the confines of any dogma or orga nized system of belief, and there fore those who could see beyond or were not bound by tradition took an interest in his work. For example, there are filmed dialogues between Krishnamurti and the Je suit priest Eugene Schallert, as well as with Buddhist monks and Hindu pundits. The Dalai Lama met with K and thought very highly of him. K viewed his teachings as a mirror in

Friedrich Grohe on the Sulzfluh (GR). which we might see ourselves re flected as we actually are, both in our particularity and in our univer sal humanity. TL It’s now 25 years since his death. Are you planning anything special this summer? FG On June 21st at Oeyetli (Oeyetli weg 30, 3792 Saanen), there was an introduction to Krishnamurti in English, with a short video shown, questions and answers, and books, CDs and DVDs for sale. On June 23rd, also at Oeyetli, there was an introduction to K in German. Those who are interested in any information could write to me at friedrichgrohe@kmail.ch July 23rd30th there will be a gath ering of Parents with Children at Chalet Alpenblick in Gstaad. July 30th – August 13th there will be a twoweek gathering in Mürren of adults interested in studying the work of Krishnamurti, which in cludes video showings, dialogues with other participants, and walks in the mountains. On August 13th 20th there will be a Mountain Pro gramme for Young People (young adults, to age 35) in Bourg St Pierre. For more information about these three latter events, please contact Gisèle Balleys at giselebal leys@hotmail.com Introduction based on Krishnamurti Foundation material and The Beauty of the Mountain – Memories of J. Krishnamurti by Friedrich Grohe (friedrichgrohe@kmail.ch)

COLUMN

Friday 24 June 2011 Page 11

Too Sensitive for Our Own Good BY MANDOLYNA THEODORACOPULOS

What kind of society touts free speech and then shuns dissenters who dare to speak about “sensi tive” issues? In today’s politically correct en vironment one is expected to be at ease with genders, races, re ligions, and political viewpoints other than their own. Yet there are certain hypersensitive nogo areas that people are obliged to avoid as a matter of course. It’s important that we share each other’s experiences and resolve our differences, but how do you expect anyone to be comfort able with foreign people or ideas if they cannot be made light of or spoken about freely? When in history has making people up tight served to relax them? Humor is a timehonored way of broaching a delicate subject. But somehow we’ve come to a point where humor is forbidden when it comes to serious topics such as the Holocaust or Muham mad. It is hard to imagine why someone would want to make jokes about the extermination of any great number of people, but sometimes humor is the only means we have to process an unconscionable idea like geno cide or to deal with a religion we do not understand.

In today’s often hostile environ ment, a quick glance at the daily headlines reads like a page from the diary of an exceedingly dis turbed individual, so why ad monish people for trying to make light of things? Nonetheless, it happens constantly. Obviously, a normal person should have no trouble avoiding a Mel Gibson styled meltdown. Only an inebri ated fool carrying a giant cross on his back would start railing about Jews in the heart of Malibu. Gibson’s crackup might be funny to some people, but tirades like his don’t amuse anyone for very long. What I don’t understand is why anyone took him seriously. We cannot take everything to heart. Stupid people say stupid things, and it’s stupid for smart people to get upset about it. In a lessderanged pronounce ment, the film director Lars von Trier jokingly called himself a Nazi sympathizer and was ex pelled from the 2011 Cannes Film Festival as a result. I will assume he was using the term to refer to something other than a desire to see Jewish people exterminated. He was making a jokeobviously, a bad one. Nevertheless, expel ling him from Cannes seems ex cessive. He’s nothing more than a secondrate film director. Mak ing an example out of him makes the Cannes Film Festival look more like an award show for kin dergarteners than a symposium for serious filmmakers. Making a big deal out of a flippant com ment is just as silly as making such a comment. Furthermore, shunning someone for a few mis spoken words goes against our culture of empathy and sends a

message of intolerance, which is everything we are fighting against in the West. Finding common ground between ourselves and our neighbors is one of the biggest issues of our time. Creating an environment where the ability to speak free ly is considered taboo creates a counterproductive atmosphere. Christians, Muslims, and Jews are different. We do not often abide by the same values or share com mon practices in the way we ap proach life. But we all are prone to reacting emotionally when it comes to our race or religion. Without our senses of humor intact we certainly won’t come close to settling our differences. Some groups have a greater number of reactionary and in tolerant individuals than others. Unfortunately, they will always threaten those who are inclined to avoid brute force. Since there isn’t much we can do get rid of these killjoys, at the very least shouldn’t we be allowed to make fun of them without the threat of death or banishment? Af ter the controversies in Sweden and Denmark regarding cartoons depicting Muhammad, I guess the answer is a resounding NO. Muslims do not have a sense of humor when it come to their re ligion, and neither do most other Semitic people. These days, their relentless defensiveness is verg ing on tyrannical, and I am tired of this ongoing war that has spilled over into my territory. I wonder if a psychiatrist would think that those who overreact to essentially harmless com

ments are projecting their own deepseated biases onto others? They cast their own problems onto scapegoats instead of fac ing them personally. I’m no psy choanalyst but I am certain that talking freely about our issues is a good way toward understand ing them. I believe the only way to deal with a thorny situation is calmly and headon. Pussyfoot ing around the cultural and re ligious wars between Muslims, Jews, and Christians is no way forward. When race, religion, and politics come into play, folks can become ridiculously sensitive and immature. Individuals with radically different points of view often feel they are at war with each other and make it very dif ficult to maintain a composed dialogue. Agreeing not to talk about something doesn’t cre ate a bridge to common ground, and common ground is what we need. Since violence, fundamentalism, and profound distrust of oth ers seem to be all the rage, why isn’t a little quip here and there more welcome? Just because someone refers to himself as a Nazi doesn’t necessarily mean he hates Jews or wants to kill them. Neither does a cartoon hold the power to actually diminish what’s sacred. The ability to control our impulses is the mark of civility. Perhaps we should afford people a little more slack when it comes to discussing these issues, be cause a joke is not a gateway drug to violence; to the contrary. But censoring wisecrackers will surely lead us to the doldrumsif we are not there already.

C A L E N DA R 2 0 12 BEAUTIFUL PICTURES OF THE SAANENLAND

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