Der Bund
Encyclopedia
Der Bund is a daily German-language newspaper
published in Bern, Switzerland. Established in 1850 and associated with the cause of liberalism
, it was among the leading quality newspapers in Switzerland for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. In economic distress since the 1980s, its circulation has dropped and it has changed hands several times since then. It is now owned by the Tamedia
publishing group.
and veteran of the Freischarenzüge, the Liberal insurrections of 1844/45 that led to the Swiss civil war of 1847. The paper's name, Der Bund
, translates as "The Union", but is also shorthand for the Swiss Confederation
, the democratic federal state established in 1848 by the Liberal victors of the civil war.
The newspaper was first published on 1 October 1850 with a daily circulation (including Sundays) of 1,000, and was sold by subscription for 26 Batzen
for three months. Its circulation soon grew nationwide, briefly rising to more than 10,000 during the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870/71. By 1875, according to the conservative Intelligenzblatt, Der Bund was Switzerland's leading news medium.
It was initially intended to be a neutral, national newspaper modeled after the British newspaper The Times
. But in the intensely polarized political and cultural environment of the period, the editors – Abraham Roth and Johann Karl Tscharner – soon took the side of the Liberals, then governing the federal state but in opposition to the majority Conservatives in the Canton of Bern. Der Bund notably focused on publishing the deliberations of the national parliament and government, to which it had unique connections: Three Federal Councillors
(Friedrich Frey-Herosé
, Stefano Franscini
and Constant Fornerod
) regularly forwarded notes from cabinet meetings to the paper, and Fornerod even drew a 1,000 franc salary from the paper for this service.
In 1893, Der Bund introduced one of the first typesetting machines on the European continent, and in 1894 the paper helped in establishing the Schweizerische Depeschenagentur
(SDA), still the country's leading press agency. In 1897, a second daily edition was introduced, not to be abandoned until 1967.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published in Bern, Switzerland. Established in 1850 and associated with the cause of liberalism
Classical liberalism
Classical liberalism is the philosophy committed to the ideal of limited government, constitutionalism, rule of law, due process, and liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and free markets....
, it was among the leading quality newspapers in Switzerland for much of the 19th and 20th centuries. In economic distress since the 1980s, its circulation has dropped and it has changed hands several times since then. It is now owned by the Tamedia
Tamedia
Tamedia AG is a media company in Switzerland.Its most important publications is the Tages-Anzeiger, a daily newspaper based in Zurich. It also owns the weekly SonntagsZeitung, the free national newspaper 20 Minuten, the free Tagblatt der Stadt Zürich, the weekly financial newspaper Finanz und...
publishing group.
19th century
Der Bund was founded by Franz Louis Jent, a bookseller from SolothurnSolothurn
The city of Solothurn is the capital of the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. The city also comprises the only municipality of the district of the same name.-Pre-roman settlement:...
and veteran of the Freischarenzüge, the Liberal insurrections of 1844/45 that led to the Swiss civil war of 1847. The paper's name, Der Bund
Bund
- Organizations :* German American Bund, a pro-Nazi pre-World War II organisation* General Jewish Labour Bund in Lithuania, Poland and Russia, a political party founded in the Russian Empire* General Jewish Labour Bund in Poland, a political party founded in Poland...
, translates as "The Union", but is also shorthand for the Swiss Confederation
Switzerland as a federal state
The rise of Switzerland as a federal state began on September 12, 1848, with the creation of a federal constitution, which was created in response to a 27-day civil war in Switzerland, the Sonderbundskrieg...
, the democratic federal state established in 1848 by the Liberal victors of the civil war.
The newspaper was first published on 1 October 1850 with a daily circulation (including Sundays) of 1,000, and was sold by subscription for 26 Batzen
Batzen
The batzen was a coin produced by Bern, Switzerland, from the 15th century until the mid-19th century. The batzen is named for the bear depicted on the batzen of Bern....
for three months. Its circulation soon grew nationwide, briefly rising to more than 10,000 during the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
of 1870/71. By 1875, according to the conservative Intelligenzblatt, Der Bund was Switzerland's leading news medium.
It was initially intended to be a neutral, national newspaper modeled after the British newspaper The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. But in the intensely polarized political and cultural environment of the period, the editors – Abraham Roth and Johann Karl Tscharner – soon took the side of the Liberals, then governing the federal state but in opposition to the majority Conservatives in the Canton of Bern. Der Bund notably focused on publishing the deliberations of the national parliament and government, to which it had unique connections: Three Federal Councillors
Swiss Federal Council
The Federal Council is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the federal government of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss collective head of state....
(Friedrich Frey-Herosé
Friedrich Frey-Herosé
Friedrich Frey-Herosé was a Swiss politician.He was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on November 16, 1848 as one of the first seven members of the council...
, Stefano Franscini
Stefano Franscini
Stefano Franscini was a Swiss politician and statistician. He was one of the initial members of the Swiss Federal Council elected in 1848 and Switzerland's first native Italian speaking federal councillor. Franscini was affiliated to the Liberal Radical Party of Switzerland. During his office...
and Constant Fornerod
Constant Fornerod
Constant Fornerod was a Swiss politician, originally from Avenches, and member of the Swiss Federal Council ....
) regularly forwarded notes from cabinet meetings to the paper, and Fornerod even drew a 1,000 franc salary from the paper for this service.
In 1893, Der Bund introduced one of the first typesetting machines on the European continent, and in 1894 the paper helped in establishing the Schweizerische Depeschenagentur
Schweizerische Depeschenagentur
Schweizerische Depeschenagentur AG is the national press agency of Switzerland, founded in 1894. The SDA is a non-profit organization, but is owned privately....
(SDA), still the country's leading press agency. In 1897, a second daily edition was introduced, not to be abandoned until 1967.
List of publishers and co-publishers
Until 1993, Der Bund was published by members of the Jent family:- Louis Jent (1810–1867), publisher 1850–1867
- Sophie Jent-Reinert (1822–1907), publisher 1867–1881
- Adolf Jent (1846–1894), publisher 1874–1894
- Hermann Jent (1850–1915), publisher 1874–1915
- Fritz Pochon-Jent (1875–1950), publisher 1909–1950
- Alice Pochon-Jent (1881–1970), publisher 1950–1970
- Werner Hans Stuber (b. 1930), publisher 1961–1993