GERMANY: Three hundred goats lead celebrations for National Swiss Day in Berlin

Record ID: 862969

  • Title: GERMANY: Three hundred goats lead celebrations for National Swiss Day in Berlin
  • Date: 3rd August 2008
  • Summary: MAN WITH GOATS SWISS ARMY BIKE IN FRONT OF BRANDENBURG GATE VIEW OVER RIVER SPREE TO THE CHANCELLORY AND THE SWISS EMBASSY
  • Embargoed: 18th August 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • City:
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: International Relations,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVABHTNVJTXVN88NX772BP2ZB7ED
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Three hundred goats and their keepers marched through the centre of Berlin on Friday (August 1) as part of the city's celebrations to mark Swiss National Day.
    The animals, accompanied by men in traditional dress ringing traditional Swiss bells, paraded past the famous landmark Brandenburg Gate to the delight of many onlookers.
    Every year Swiss national day is marked in Berlin, with a different one of the 26 cantons being represented this year.

    "The emblem of Graubuenden is the capricorn which is similar to the goat and they have chose "Berlin calling Graubuenden - Heidi is coming" as the motto. And of course that means of course also Peter and the goats, so last night 300 goats arrived from Graubuenden," the Swiss Ambassador to Germany, Christian Blickenstorfer told Reuters TV.
    Graubuenden prides itself as a multicultural region, famous for it's research centres and also where three languages (German, Italian and Romansh) are officially spoken.
    The region is also home to Heidi and Peter, the characters of a 1950's film involving two children who are spending their summer in the Swiss alps.
    For this reason, two children also walked through the city dressed as Heidi and Peter.
    For the rest of the day, Swiss delicacies will be available to buy and visitors will be entertained by traditional music from the Alps. The evening's festivities are set to be rounded off with a spectacular fireworks show.
    Organisers expect around 15,000 visitors throughout the day.
    Swiss National Day marks the date in 1291 when three Swiss cantons, namely Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, swore allegiance to the Swiss Confederation.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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