Swiss Review 1/2020

Swiss Review / January 2020 / No.1 5 The first star park in Switzerland It is entirely true: we humans also need darkness at night for sleep to be truly restorative. Being able to look up at a starry sky is a RIGHT that human be- ings should demand, just like listening to the birds sing and the frogs croak. It forms part of our natural emotions: those of childhood which have been replaced by the emotion created through cinema or television. Whilst nature, the great provider of magical scenes, no longer attracts attention. SANTIAGO DE GERMAN RIBON, BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA Thank you for being brave and a good role model. I hope this encourages many people throughout Switzerland and the rest of the world to follow suit. KATHARINA PREIS-JOST, HAUSEN OB VERENA, GERMANY Bank fees eat up any interest Things have got slightly worse for us all. The bank fees for Swiss Abroad have increased sharply. For example, the cantonal bank that we looked at charges 120 Swiss francs per customer base on top of the account fees – and only be- cause we live in Germany. That equates to 360 Swiss francs per year – for actually doing noth- ing. GIACOMO A MARCA, GERMANY Negative interest rates are a real problem. At themoment here in Australia the interest rates are at a record low but not nega- tive yet. If they ever go below zero, thenmoney in your hand is worth more than the same amount in the bank. People will start looking for alternatives. The problem is if the government threatens us with a jail term and heavy fines for holding cash at home. Also cash transactions of over 10,000 Australian dol- lars carry heavy fines and potential jail. I wonder how the banks gained somuch power over us. Negative interest onlyworks for a handful of people. I don’t think it’s good. DANNY ZEMP, AUSTRALIA International Health & Travel Insurance and Superior Service for Travelers , Expatriates and Mobile Employees . T: +41 43 399 89 89 E: info@asn.ch W: www.asn.ch SINCE 1958 ADVICE AND SUPPORT FOR SWISS LIVING ABROAD, TRAVELERS AND RETURNEES. WWW.SOLISWISS.CH PHONE: +41 31 380 70 30 YOUR SWITZERLAND ABROAD. COOPERATION & SOLIDARITY © LauretaMancinoHajra Consular services anywhere, conveniently on your mobile devices Bangkok (2019) www.fdfa.admin.ch “SWISS REVIEW” – THE APP IS JUST THREE CLICKS AWAY! Get “Swiss Review” free as an app! It’s really easy: 1. Open the store on your smartphone or tablet. 2. Enter the search term “Swiss Review”. 3. Tap on install – all done! SWISS REVIEW Themagazine for theSwissAbroad January2020 SWISS REVIEW Corippo:Lightandshadow in the smallestSwissAlpinemunicipality TheSwissHolocaustvictims: Swisscitizens inHitler’sdeathcamps Switzerlandwants to tailor itsdevelopment aidmoreclosely to itsown interests Thepublisherof “SwissReview” is theOrganisationof theSwissAbroad (OSA).