Westward. Encounters with Swiss American Women

“The first time I ever watched television was at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. For me it was a marvel. General Motors had a great hit with this new wonder of the world. Another popular place at the Fair for the Swiss was the Swiss Pavilion. In the foreshadowing of the Second World War it offered a bit of the homeland. Everyone was very patriotic and one heard Swiss dialect spoken all around. Almost once a week our family drove to the Fair from New Jersey – as a teenager I could join the official events to which my father was invited, or simply went with friends for a raclette or fondue.”

Margot Ammann Durrer is the daughter of the Swiss structural engineer and bridge builder, Othmar H. Ammann. She speaks an American brand of her Swiss dialect. The longer the conversation lasts the more extended and colorful her vocabulary becomes. “In my heart I am both American and Swiss; rather than a conflict, this is an asset. Although I was born in America, my Swiss background has made its mark throughout my life.”