Swiss Review 6/2020

Swiss Review / November 2020 / No.6 20 Report ple, but he knowswhere to draw the line. Groups can now book an audi- encewith the hermit. For 150 francs, they can listen to Daum talk about his life and his chores at the hermit- age. Evidently, there is more than meets the eye to being a hermit in Switzerland. But what is it really like for someone to relinquish their worldly attachments? We still wanted to know, so we contacted Einsiedeln Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in central Switzerland. Father Philipp Steiner wrote back: “Our life at the abbey is one of soli- tude, but also one of fellowship.” Three hundred years ago, the monks at Einsiedeln thought long and hard about how they could reconcile the tranquillity of an abbey with all the activities connected with an im- portant place of pilgrimage. As a con- sequence, the abbey’s private quar- ters are situated more towards the back of the building, where it is qui- eter and greener. Father Philipp: “Nev- ertheless, finding tranquillity is not always easy these days.” The abbey church attracts many visitors, so it is a constant job tomaintain the hushed atmosphere. Father Philipp and his fellowmonks also host laity suffering burnout who have come for spiritual retreat. “It is rare for us not to have guests staying on any one day.” Hand in the rock for good luck Back to the Verena Gorge Hermitage, which is now beginning to get busier as we approach noon. An elderly man prays in front of the Ölberg grotto. Not enough space in Switzerland? Switzerland must certainly have changed if even the Verena Gorge hermits don’t have the place to themselves. The small country’s population keeps growing and currently stands at 8.6 million. It was 6.3 million 40 years ago. According to the Federal Statistical Office, it could hit 10 million within the next 20 years. Switzerland has an average population density of 215 people per square kilometre, which is double that of France. However, Switzerland’s mountainous topography means that more than two thirds of the population live in the central plateau region between Lake Geneva and Lake Constance, where population density is at its highest as built-up areas eat into the countryside. Conversely, floor space matters more to the Swiss now than it used to. Per capita living space in Switzerland is 48 square metres – seven more than it was 60 years ago. High-density building is presented as the antidote to urban sprawl, but the pandemic has raised the question of whether that puts public health at risk. Estate agents have started to see the beginnings of an urban exodus since the initial lockdown, as demand for countryside living increases. However, politicians disagree on whether critical levels of population density have actually been hit yet. (SWE) Nordic walkers and mountain bikers hurry past. A bride and groom have turned up with their photographer. A merry brigade on their works outing are walking towards Restaurant Ein- siedelei at the gorge’s northern en- trance. A cacophony of school children are approaching from the opposite di- rection. The class stop to listen to their teacher. Each child is allowed to place their hand in the “Verenenloch” – a fist-sized hole in the cliff wall. “They say it brings good luck,” she whispers. According to scientists, our ability to cope with a physical lack of space depends less on the number of people around us and more on how we treat and respect our surroundings. This is a view shared by the Einsiedelei- Gesellschaft – the body that assists Solothurn council inmaintaining the upkeep of the hermitage. The Einsie- delei-Gesellschaft has produced a children’s colouring book that por- trays the hermitage and its idyllic set- ting as a placeworth protecting. In his foreword, the author says that he hopes to plant a seed in children’s minds that will blossom in later life. Michael Daum at the press conference fol- lowing his appoint- ment as the official Verena Gorge hermit Archive photo: Keystone (2016))