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Strong shoulders, thick beard, resolute look. The tourism manager knew exactly what he was doing 20 years ago when he asked Sepp Steiner, a trained cheesemaker, if he wouldn't

Is it time to forget about
William Tell?

But what's the attitude of the Swiss to their national myths and legends? Well, if research conducted by the magazine Beobachter is to be believed, belief remains strong. Three out of four people spoken to by Beobachter believe "completely or partly" that Switzerland owes its existence to the letter of alliance signed by its various cantons in 1291. An astonishingly high number, Beobachter says, given that doubt has frequently been thrown by historians on the validity of the fact. "I know of no professional historian", says Roger Sablonier, history professor at Zurich University, "who would maintain that William Tell ever lived".

That, however, ignores the fact that last year, 34,500 spectators attended the William Tell open air play in Interlaken, 30% up on 2001. Bookings this year are up even further, Andrea Trachsel tells Beobachter.

And it's not just ancient myths that are firmly rooted in people's minds, the magazine says. 84% of those spoken to believe "completely or in part" that products that are "Made in Switzerland" are the best in the world in terms of quality. 70% say that Switzerland will always remain a case apart, while 60% think that the country's continuance of its banking secrecy regime is indispensable to its future.

"In order to maintain its sense of togetherness, a nation needs such myths", says Sablonier. "You can criticise them, but they are still somehow alive." Indeed Sablonier welcomes the fact, lamenting only that politicians appropriate them for their own purposes
.
Switzerland's position as a "Sonderfall" (special case) grew in importance after the second world war, Beobachter says, as the country was able to demonstrate that this stance had enabled it to emerge from the conflict relatively unhurt. In the eyes of many today, however, things used to be better than they are. Being a "special case" is fine when you want to differentiate yourself in the face of threats, but something more is needed to go forward, especially in a Europe which is taking new shape and direction.

The belief of the Swiss in the quality of their products derives from the fact that the country is relatively poor in natural resources, believes professor Peter von Matt, and could only survive by making the best possible use of them. While the population may stick to them, however, the nation's advertising and marketing communities are less inclined to resort to use of traditional national symbols and "Swiss-made" claims in promoting their products. "National symbols, such as William Tell's crossbow, don't really play an important role in advertising any more. The recent trend towards 'Swissness' won't change that, either", says Caspar Coppetti, brand strategist at the advertising agency Advico Young & Rubicam, who also points to other countries. In Germany, for example, "Made in German" has been superseded by corporate claims such as "Made by BMW". Companies, clearly, have a greater global projection than the country in which they are based.

To read the rest of this article, in German, on the Beobachter website, click here. To read other, similar stories from Switzerland, click here.