On the evening of 2 May 2025, a wonderfully impressive concert took place in the Walchwil Reformed Church.

The four talented musicians Anna Veronika Mischol, Andri Mischol, Bertina Adame and Tobias Renner performed selected works by Telemann, Goldberg, Bach and Soler and delighted the audience with their virtuoso technique and high level of musicianship. The harmonious and different combinations of recorder, violin, organ, harpsichord and spinet provided a varied and special sound experience.

The church was well attended and the atmosphere was both festive and relaxed, even though the high room temperature demanded a lot from the audience, but above all from the performers and the delicate instruments. After the concert, the guests had the opportunity to get together on the outdoor terrace with cool drinks and to review the musical impressions in a relaxed and good-humoured atmosphere. It was a very successful evening, which above all celebrated the music, but also our Walchwil community.

Text and pictures: Antje Gehrig

A new sign of hope in the Walchwil Reformed Church: on Easter Sunday, Pastor Antje Gehrig-Hofius lit an Easter candle for the first time in this beautiful church.

Plain and simple, as an unmissable light, it will remind us throughout the year of the strength with which we are sent into everyday life in the family and at work. Resignation, pusillanimity and fear should not dominate our world and our lives. A new vision may awaken us and a broader horizon may guide us to stand by life in freedom and justice and to go our own way.

Hans Ruedi Kilchsperger

It only happens in Walchwil: palm tying, a tradition handed down through generations that emphasises the unique culture of the village.

Around 200 palms are tied from ten different types of trees and shrubs. On the Saturday before Palm Sunday, the palms are blessed in the church and brought to the people of Walchwil by the children. (The children are happy to receive a contribution). The palms are intended to decorate the buildings and protect them from adversity. Let us hope that this culture, which characterises the village, will continue to be cultivated with heart and soul for a long time to come. kh.

Yesterday, April 1, it was the 20th session start for the Bike Club Walchwil.

The weather was beautiful and fresh – and yes, 20 active bike friends showed up for this jubilee start. President Henrik Steffensen gave a short welcome speech with some general information for the year and a briefing on the new regulations for biking in the mountains.

Then everyone was ready, and the tours went up in the beautiful spring weather (Oberwil-Walchwil), after a good ride it was wonderful that a member had invited to a small evening finish for the start tour.

All in all, we had a great start and are pleased with everyone who participated in making this 20th jubilee session start something very special.

Bike Club Walchwil meets every Tuesday at 18:00, at Dorfplatz, from where starts (from May we start at 18:30).

Anders Borgen

An anti-cat initiative is causing discussion. There are too many cats in Switzerland.

The fact is that cats are by far the most popular pets in this country and their population is growing continuously. According to the Identitas national database, there are currently more than three quarters of a million cats – and that's just the registered animals. The exact number of cats in this country is not known. This is because, unlike dogs, they are not subject to registration. Identitas estimates the cat population in Switzerland at over two million animals, almost 758,000 of which are currently registered in the database - twice as many as a few years ago.

This is how many cats there are in Walchwil

Number
250 (6.5 cats per 100 inhabitants)

Most popular breeds (absolute)
European domestic cat: 121
European Shorthair: 27
British Shorthair: 16
Crossbreed: 16
Bengal: 8
Maine Coon: 8

Source: Identitas

Most people probably go skiing on the Stoos in the Muotathal, but not the men's team.

After it was still bitterly cold in the Muotathal with temperatures below zero, we were able to warm up properly in the Hölloch at 6 degrees. The Hölloch is one of the largest cave systems in the world with over 207 kilometres of measured passages. After initial professional instructions, we were able to really prove ourselves on the rope and by crawling through narrow passages. The ambition was similar to that in the hall and could be clearly recognised on some faces...

After the physical exertion, everyone was probably glad to be released back into the daylight. The delicious and friendly hospitality in the Hölloch restaurant afterwards was a worthy end to this great excursion. Some of us probably still felt their bruises for a long time.

Many thanks to Martin for the perfect organisation!

Guido Pirovino

Currently everyone is talking about ChatGPT. But what is behind the term and what added value can the use of AI, especially ChatGPT, offer?

ChatGPT – A Text-Based AI Application
Artificial intelligence (AI for short) refers to computer technologies developed to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. In this process, computers are designed to learn to recognize patterns, make decisions, and solve problems. AI is playing an ever-increasing role in our daily lives, providing us with assistance and convenience through voice assistants like Alexa and Siri, personalized movie recommendations on Netflix, or facial recognition on our smartphone camera.

ChatGPT is an AI program that interacts with users via text according to a question-answer pattern. It can answer questions, write texts, and respond to various requests as if it were a real human. To make this possible, the tool was trained with a large amount of text data to generate contextual and relevant answers. All users have to do is type in a question. The program then answers in complete sentences

Multiple ways of use – private and professional
In private everyday life ChatGPT can be used in many ways. For example, if you want to know what makes Walchwil unique, one of the things mentioned is the strong sense of community with the lively community life, which contributes positively to the social network in our community. You can also look for recipes by asking the program for dinner ideas. If you are looking for entertainment, you can simply chat with the AI application and share jokes or riddles.

In professional life, ChatGPT can also be very useful: For example, you can ask the program for ideas for a creative brand name or have it generate text suggestions for blog articles, emails or product descriptions. The AI tool can also support research by providing information on specific topics.

The potential fields of use for ChatGPT are many and varied. It can help in numerous situations, answer questions, give ideas, and save time, making it a useful tool in everyday private and professional life.

Human vs. ChatGPT: Will we soon be replaced by AI?
No! AI can help us in many areas, especially when it comes to automating repetitive tasks or analyzing large amounts of data, but human expertise is still essential! For example, AI cannot fully replicate the creativity, strategic thinking, and empathy of humans. However, learning the right way to use AI tools can be rewarding for us both personally and professionally!

Are you interested in the use of AI? We will be happy to advise and train you!

Who we are:
digital nalu is a digital boutique specialized in data-driven marketing. It was founded 4 years ago by Holger & Ricarda von Ellerts in Walchwil. As a local company, we understand the unique needs of our clients – whether it's a massage practice, an industrial business or an online store. Our goal is to help businesses effectively reach their customers in the digital world. We offer consulting, planning and the implementation of digital marketing solutions.

Hey Holger, what do you know about Walchwil? Get in touch with me!

Contact:
digital nalu GmbH
Break.Transform.Create.
Rossblattenstrasse 4
CH-6318 Walchwil
phone: ‭+41 41 562 02 92
Mail: welcome@digital-nalu.ch
www.digital-nalu.ch

In heavy rain, the marquee on the Pfaffenboden was full for the yodelling mass with the alphorn players. Community leader Benjamin Meier invited guests to stay for greetings from the presidents and a speech by the chronicler, who spoke of four old aunts to be celebrated today: 150 years of the residents‘, citizens’, corporate and Catholic parishes.

Such an anniversary may not seem so exciting, but it is certainly cause for gratitude: 150 years of tried and tested institutions that shape and promote public order (‘liberté - égalité - fraternité’). Freedom of establishment was and is both an achievement and a challenge. We can be grateful to have suitable, strong institutions for this. The President of the Church Council spoke with reason about the future. It is surprising to discover that the Protestant Reformed parish of the Canton of Zug is even older than the Catholic parishes in the canton! The government council had already approved a separate parish for Protestant immigrants in 1867, with foresight and without a legal basis, which was only created later for all parishes. In Walchwil, we will also be celebrating 60 years of existence of our pretty Reformed church next Sunday.

In any case, the Reformed are happy about the four ‘old aunts’ in the village: the residents‘, citizens’, corporate and Catholic parishes. We congratulate them on their anniversary!

Hans Ruedi Kilchsperger
Bezirkskirchenpflege Ressort Walchwil

Anyone who earns more than a million a year can save a lot of tax in Central Switzerland. The municipalities of Wollerau SZ, Feusisberg SZ and Walchwil ZG stand out in particular.

The top ten municipalities with the highest millionaire density include four municipalities in Central Switzerland. Wollerau SZ and Feusisberg SZ are at the top. Also represented are Walchwil ZG and Freienbach SZ.

Incidentally, apart from Central Switzerland, the highest number of income millionaires in Switzerland is to be found on Lake Geneva.

These are the top ten
11. Wollerau SZ (4.1 percent)
12. Feusisberg SZ (3.3 percent)
13. Vandoeuvres GE (3.2 per cent)
14. Cologny GE (2.7 per cent)
15. Walchwil ZG (2.2 per cent)
16. Freienbach SZ (2.1 per cent)
17. Pierrafortscha FR (2 percent)
18. Rossenges VD (2 percent)
19. Buchillon VD (1.9 per cent)
10. Küsnacht ZH (1.9 percent)