Michael Flügger, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany

Article published in the August 2022 infoletter.

It varies tremendously. I have a lot of meetings with government representatives and politicians to discuss topics of mutual interest and the latest political developments. I accompany German Federal Government ministers to bilateral meetings, to conferences such as UCR2022 or to the meetings of German-speaking countries, most recently at the meeting of German-speaking foreign ministers in Liechtenstein.

The Russian attack on Ukraine also has an impact on my day-to-day work, for example in G7 meetings (Germany holds the G7 presidency this year) or during visits from German delegations to Switzerland, at which energy policy is high on the agenda.

My work also centres around the relationship between the EU and Switzerland, as this relationship impacts Germany as an immediate neighbour and Switzerland’s number 1 trading partner. I am involved in regular discussions with my EU colleagues, and we keep our ministers informed on current developments.

Following the containment of the Covid pandemic and the re-establishment of personal encounters, I am getting to know Switzerland as much as I can as I travel and meet with leaders of industry, science and culture to discuss matters of mutual interest. A further important task of the embassy is to provide consular services for the 400,000-plus German citizens in Switzerland – the passport office in the Bern embassy is the largest one in the world outside Germany.

Together with over 15 other embassies in Bern, we are part of the Greening Embassies Network environmental initiative (the German embassy is even a founding member). In collaboration with the City of Bern, we keep the environment in mind in all our actions and are committed to reducing the collective environmental impact of the diplomatic community in Bern. Milestones this year included activities for the World Bike Day as well as the Biodiversity Day in Bern at which we campaigned for reaching the United Nations’ SDGs.

I am also looking forward to the next event in our series "Ber(li)ner Salon", in which German and Swiss keynote speakers discuss common topics. You can join us digitally via our Youtube Channel Deutsche Botschaft Bern.

It is often said that the EU is a younger version of Switzerland. Bern and Brussels do not just share an initial letter – they are both the capital/federal cities of countries characterised by multilingualism and cultural diversity.

When I arrived in Bern from Brussels in 2020, I was quite surprised about how much more relaxed the Covid restrictions were handled here. People were hanging out in bars – something I had not seen in Brussels for quite a while.

What I like about Bern is that I can get a real insight into the political culture of a country in a small area: the federal institutions, rallies and the submission of initiatives, the collection of signatures at the weekly famers' market on Saturdays, democracy education in the Käfigturm Politforum – all of this is located and takes place on and around the Bundesplatz.

I love the view over Bern’s old town – from the Rosengarten at sunset, or from the train as it crosses the Kornhaus Bridge with the Minster and the Alps in the background. And I keep on discovering new gems in this UNESCO World Heritage City.

The Elfenau neighbourhood has near-rural idylls, historic charm and the international flair of the different embassies. Diving into the River Aare with a view of the Bundeshaus (Parliament Building) or strolling through the woods and meadows helps clear my head.

Book tip: those who would like to learn more about the Elfenau should read Therese Bichsel’s book "Grossfürstin Anna: Flucht vom Zarenhof in die Elfenau" ("Grand Duchess Anna: Escape from the Tsar's court to the Elfenau") about Juliane Henriette Ulrike von Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld who lived here as Grand Duchess Anna and gave the neighbourhood its name.

The people of Bern’s friendliness and readiness to help, easy access to all the people you want or need to speak to including the government, the incredibly efficient and punctual organisation, the unparalleled close contacts in all areas, the fantastic landscapes, skiing – and of course the canton of Valais.

The great German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was very fond of Switzerland – he toured the entire country three times. This year, Switzerland celebrates the 225th anniversary of his third visit to the country in the St. Gotthard fortress and is opening the first permanent Goethe exhibition. I wonder if I'll be able to travel to all the places that Goethe visited in Switzerland.

In my opinion, the best way to get to know the city and its history is to go on a guided scenic tour, such as Stattland Bern's "Top Secret" tour about Bern's past as a city of secret agents. A personal highlight are the many festivals and events that take place in Bern, such as the Theatre Festival, the Light Show on Bundesplatz, the Zibelemärit (Onion Market) and the Museum Night.

Finally, I recommend good swimmers to go for a swim in the River Aare – for many locals, there is nothing more pleasant on a summer's day. And I have to admit that the Aare is a whole lot cleaner and more inviting than the River Spree in Berlin.

I still remember the sentence "Hesch dini Ovo hüt scho gha?" ("Have you had your Ovo today?") from when I was learning to ski in Lenk as a child. Since arriving in Bern, my passive vocabulary has unfortunately been growing very slowly because I have so few opportunities to pick up Swiss German.

Andrea BEKIĆ, Ambassador of Croatia.

Get to know the interesting international personalities living in our federal city.