I was born and grew up in Switzerland. Three years ago I left Switzerland and immigrated to Israel. While visiting my parents in summer 1998 I found a couple of old family albums thrown away in the streets to be recycled with the old newspapers immediately felt a connection to them and went to look for the photographer. I found her in an old people's home. Her name was Mrs. Huerlimann. She was pleased to have me adopt her very swiss memories. According to her, she had no one that was interested in her life. Mrs. Huerlimann died shortly after our meeting. Growing up in Switzerland I had a lot of friends who had this kind of family-albums at home. Mine looked different. A lot had been lost in the second world war, while my grandparents where busy running away.





After leaving Switzerland I finally got the family album that goes with being Swiss. Today I don't consider my self Swiss anymore. I'm Israeli. But I have a swiss past, I even have the albums to prove it.

submitted by Caroline
Israel
March 2000