Looted Nazi art, Meonites and teachers’ woes

Here are some of the stories we will feature in the week begiing October 30.

Monday:

Five hundred years ago on October 31, a German monk nailed 95 theses to a church door and set off the Reformation. Only a few years after Martin Luther’s bold move, Swiss reformers got involved and influenced Protestantism as we know it today. Read our in-depth report, which also looks at the importance of the most radical group of Swiss reformers who would make their mark in the United States.

Wednesday:

To accompany our 500 Years of Reformation series, we will publish two stories on Wednesday looking at the language and culture of Anabaptist communities living – and thriving – in the United States today. In one story, we talk to two linguistic experts about how the dialects spoken by Amish and Meonite communities in the American Midwest have evolved from their German and Swiss German roots. In the other, a lifelong Pesylvania Dutch speaker and teacher shares his love of the language, and the culture it springs from.

Thursday:

Sometimes it’s not the pupils who give teachers headaches – it’s their demanding parents. We report on the issue, highlighting how the Federation of Swiss Teachersexternal link has drawn up a guide with advice for dealing with what is becoming an increasing problem.

Thursday:

The long-awaited double art exhibition featuring work from the Cornelius Gurlitt legacy opens at the Fine Arts Museum in the Swiss capital, Bern, and in Bo, Germany. swissinfo.ch will publish a gallery with selected pictures of looted art from the Nazi era.

Friday:

The political systems of Switzerland and the US have much in common. But what do the Iroquois native Americans have to do with it? Global democracy correspondent Bruno Kaufma discovers the roots of federalism in both countries.

In case you missed it:

swissinfo.ch/ug