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The Swiss Army . . . A Nation of Reservists: In no other country but Switzerland, does a reservist keep his "gun" at home until retirement, but then the Swiss Army is a special case in its own. Here, a "special case" is a normal case, dogs are used as early warning systems, pigeons are kept for mountain communications, horses wear gas masks. With the Federations, there are 15 soldiers to every square kilometer which covers the 41.293 klms that make up the state of Helvetia. Around 40,000 new recruits aged 20 do their 17-week basic training in a school near Zurich, and in case of an emergency, 625,000 men can be called up within 48 hours notice to perform their duty, 9 out of 10 of them bring their arms and ammunition from their cupboards at home. Every year, two thirds of all reservists practice a refresher course. Each year the reservationists put on their smart uniforms and parade in the Morgarten ceremony to commemorate the battle in 1315 against the Hapsburgs between Schwyz and Zug, and the continued belief of stopping a mighty invader

c. 1987
(Swiss, b. 1950)
Switzerland
resin coated print
Image: 14.7 x 22 cm (5 13/16 x 8 11/16 in.); Paper: 17.7 x 23.9 cm (6 15/16 x 9 7/16 in.)
Gift of George Stephanopoulos 2018.630
Location: not on view
This artwork is known to be under copyright.

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The Swiss Army . . . A Nation of Reservists: In no other country but Switzerland, does a reservist keep his "gun" at home until retirement, but then the Swiss Army is a special case in its own. Here, a "special case" is a normal case, dogs are used as early warning systems, pigeons are kept for mountain communications, horses wear gas masks. With the Federations, there are 15 soldiers to every square kilometer which covers the 41.293 klms that make up the state of Helvetia. Around 40,000 new recruits aged 20 do their 17-week basic training in a school near Zurich, and in case of an emergency, 625,000 men can be called up within 48 hours notice to perform their duty, 9 out of 10 of them bring their arms and ammunition from their cupboards at home. Every year, two thirds of all reservists practice a refresher course. Each year the reservationists put on their smart uniforms and parade in the Morgarten ceremony to commemorate the battle in 1315 against the Hapsburgs between Schwyz and Zug, and the continued belief of stopping a mighty invader

The Swiss Army . . . A Nation of Reservists: In no other country but Switzerland, does a reservist keep his "gun" at home until retirement, but then the Swiss Army is a special case in its own. Here, a "special case" is a normal case, dogs are used as early warning systems, pigeons are kept for mountain communications, horses wear gas masks. With the Federations, there are 15 soldiers to every square kilometer which covers the 41.293 klms that make up the state of Helvetia. Around 40,000 new recruits aged 20 do their 17-week basic training in a school near Zurich, and in case of an emergency, 625,000 men can be called up within 48 hours notice to perform their duty, 9 out of 10 of them bring their arms and ammunition from their cupboards at home. Every year, two thirds of all reservists practice a refresher course. Each year the reservationists put on their smart uniforms and parade in the Morgarten ceremony to commemorate the battle in 1315 against the Hapsburgs between Schwyz and Zug, and the continued belief of stopping a mighty invader

c. 1987

Alberto Venzago

(Swiss, b. 1950)
Switzerland

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