Zurich’s Böögg was unable to eradicate the damage it caused last year: Because the wind was too strong on Sechseläutenplatz, the pile of wood couldn’t even be lit.
The gusts would pose too great a security risk, said Felix Boller, President of the Central Committee of Zurich’s Guilds (ZZZ), to SRF. “Everyone involved supports the decision,” Boller continued. It was too great a safety risk because of the flying sparks. “That could lead to mass panic.” The wind direction kept changing. “We had no alternative,” explains Boller. And so at 6 p.m. there was only a gun salute.
Other options such as watering the Böögg or lighting it higher up as well as partially clearing Schseläuten Square were considered. “But these variants are all unsuitable,” emphasized Boller.
The Böögg is said to burn in Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Böögg is still likely to be in trouble. The ZZZ is therefore already in discussions with the guest canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden. Landamman Yves Noël Balmer told the “NZZ” in the evening that it was “more or less decided” that the Böögg should be burned on Appenzeller soil. Details will be announced in the coming days.
Zurich’s Sechseläuten reaches its climax with the parade of guilds. On Monday afternoon, in variable weather conditions, around 3,500 guild members marched to Sechseläutenplatz, where the Böögg was to be lit at 6 p.m.
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Legend: Lots of celebrities at Zurich’s Sechseläuten: former Federal Councilor Ueli Maurer is presented with lots of flowers. Keystone/Michael Buholzer
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Legend: Also the former Federal Councilor Hans-Rudolf Merz… Keystone/Michael Buholzer
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Legend: …and FDP Councilor of States Petra Gössi are guests at the traditional Zurich event. Keystone/Michael Buholzer
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Legend: Army chief Thomas Süssli also took part in the parade. Keystone/Michael Buholzer
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Legend: And Zurich’s health director Nathalie Rickli ran alongside Zurich’s school principal Filippo Leutenegger. Keystone/Michael Buholzer
The guilds were accompanied on the parade by 130 guests of honor. Among them are politicians from the city and canton of Zurich as well as representatives from the host canton. Federal Councilor Albert Rösti also did the honors, as did the two former Federal Councilors Hans-Rudolf Merz and Ueli Maurer. Sina, Chris von Rohr, Marc Sway, Pedro Lenz and Hausi Leutenegger were also well-known names.
For a brief moment in the afternoon the procession came to a standstill. An environmental protection organization protested against fossil fuels with an action on the route. This caused a gap in the moving group. The police were able to clear the blockade after a short time.
The burning time of the Böögg
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Tradition says: The faster the Böögg’s head explodes, the more beautiful the summer will be. If Böögg’s forecast had come true last year, the summer would have been arctic. At 57 minutes, the snowman burned on his pyre for longer than ever before.
However, Böögg’s forecasts cannot be confirmed meteorologically. Last summer, for example, was sunny and hot above average.
Threatening gusts of wind
According to SRF Meteo, strong winds picked up during the early evening. There was talk of gusts of around 60 kilometers per hour. These now prevented the Böögg from being set on fire due to safety concerns.
Legend: Böögg farmer Lukas Meier fills the head of the Böögg 2024 with wood shavings and firecrackers. Keystone/Michael Buholzer
Böögg farmer Lukas Meier reacted in advance to the announced gusts of wind and strengthened the snowman’s arms and lashed them securely. Unfortunately in vain.
Three guilds admit women
Legend: In 2023, women took part in the Sechseläuten for the first time at the Meisen Guild – in 2024, three guilds will allow women to take part in Keystone / Ennio Leanza
The tradition of the Zurich Sechseläuten is slowly starting to move. Three guilds have now spoken out in favor of accepting women. Last year only one guild had female members in its ranks.
Legend: A prominent member of the Kämbel guild is “Weltwoche” publisher Roger Köppel (here at Sechseläuten 2015) Keystone / Walter Bieri
A controversial tradition is also being shaken: For the first time, the Kämbel guild has given its members the freedom to decide whether they want to paint their faces brown. And the move showed that most members actually gave up on it. Traditionally, the members take part in the procession in long Bedouin clothes, and in the past also with their faces painted brown.
The guild says it’s not about moral or ethical arguments. Rather, it is a continuous development of costuming.
The discussion about the racism guidelines
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However, the Zurich guilds have backtracked when it comes to developing a guideline with rules of conduct. A month ago, the Central Committee of the Guilds (ZZZ) announced that it wanted to examine such a thing. However, this is now being dispensed with, as the “Tagesanzeiger” recently reported.
The trigger for the guideline discussion was a controversial performance at a private event at Sechseläuten last year. A guild member had painted his face black and appeared in a bast coat. The Federal Commission against Racism and Mayor Corine Mauch condemned the incident.
In this context, the central committee of the guilds wanted to examine the introduction of guidelines. This should be based on the code that was introduced at the Basel Carnival and states that racism, xenophobia, sexism, insults and degradation do not correspond to the spirit of the event. When I checked the guide, it stopped.