Lion Hearts

When Europeans want to make fun of a neighbouring country or even have a hearty laugh at themselves, they use "The Perfect European" chart. The chart suggests that perfect Europeans should be "talkative as a Finn, humble as a Spaniard, generous as a Scott...", and the list goes on and on. The principle the list is based on is quite simple: reverse the stereotypes associated with the country in question to create a laughter-drawing paradox. It turns out that there are stereotypes targeting quite a few nations - the chart alone mentions 15 Western European states. Remarkably, Switzerland isn't one of them, as if the Swiss didn't have any vices or even little imperfections - and maybe they don't. Considering the country's long established neutrality, one might presume that "warlike as a Swiss" sounds as amusing as the above examples. Such an assumption would miss the mark by a country mile. While not necessarily a military power, Switzerland has never lacked brave and valiant warriors - and it has a long succession of Popes and Royalties to witness to it.

Using foreign mercenaries on the battlefield was common practice in the Middle Ages. The main two reasons for doing so were either choosing trained professionals over local peasants or simply not having any standing army in the realm. However, none of those reasons could fully justify hiring foreigners as guards because when it comes to rulers' personal safety, loyalty takes precedence over essentially everything else. In other words, whoever went abroad to make money by guarding the ruler's person, wasn't necessarily immune to a better offer made a foreign adversary (in particular, from his own country) or even a domestic rival. To be considered for such a position, one's reputation would have to be utterly unblemished - and the condition applied not only to individuals but also to their countries of origin. Or "country", to be precise, because it so happened that Switzerland ended up in a class of its own. To be a foreign guard meant being a Swiss guard. 

The above picture helps to understand how that distinction had been earned. A sprawled lion with multiple holes in his body - the marks left by spears and arrows - symbolizes a detachment of the Guard protecting the Tuileries Palace under siege by unruly, bloodthirsty mobs. The year is 1792, and Paris is painted red from all the blood spilled during the so-called "revolution" that had already been going on for 3 years. The Guard - young boys from the neighbouring country that had no vested interest in the event. They must have had plenty of opportunities to escape and go home - none of them did. Instead, they fought - and kept fighting when it became clear that they had no chance to prevail... or survive. There is a Latin inscription on the rock monument "Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti" - "To the Loyalty and Bravery of the Swiss".

The monument is located in Lucerne - a relatively small town famous for its old bridges and voted "the most beautiful town in Switzerland". Quaint and rustic in the best sense of the words, Lucerne has plenty to offer to nature lovers. Its list of attractions is rather long - yet, none of them is more prominent and poignant than the Lion Monument. The country remembers - and it urges the rest of the world to follow suit.