Can you name 2 famous Swiss people?
Thursday January 28, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

No, neither can we. Roger Federer, obviously, but who else?

The question arose as a couple of us from PlanetSKI were having a beer in the Swiss resort of Champery the other night.

We could name a few Swiss ski racers - Didier Cuche and Carlo Janka - but we decided they didn't count as the general public probably hasn't heard of them.

After that we were rather scratching out heads. Surely there must be one other person who is widely known across the world?

Now a few years ago the task used to be to name 3 famous Belgians - Hercule Poirot, Herge and the cyclist Eddy Merckx were the standard answers.

We could name a few famous people who currently live in Switzerland - Roger Moore, Phil Collins and Michael Schumacher. 

And we can name a few famous people who used to live here - Freddie Mercury and Charlie Chaplin.

Bu what about those born and bred? They don't even have to be alive.

Please settle our little bar room discussion and tell us if you know of anyone.

So do you know of any famous Swiss people except for Roger Federer?

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er, no!
Judith Fewell,


Sepp Blatter FIFA President is Swiss
Robert Hardy, Nottigham



I was about to cheat, but then I thought:

http://www.about.ch/various/famous-swiss.html

Ursula Andress (or Undress) deserves a mention
David Goldsmith, London


Here's a few more I found in Wikipedia:

Actor: Yul Brynner
Architect: Le Corbusier
Artist: Paul Klee
Chocolate makers: Henri Nestle, Philippe Suchard
David Goldsmith, London


Is there a Monsieur Rolex, Tissot or Swatch perhaps?
Luke Somerset, London


Sebastian Buemi, driver for Torro Rosso F1. Founder of Betty's in Harrogate. Swiss Tony, joking, he is made up! Hispano-Suiza cars? Guess there was a Swiss person somewhere in the mix. Marc Birkigt was the engineer, and was Swiss!
Xavier Adam, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK


How about William Tell? Or Heidi?
Liz Vizard, Kent


Jurg Ludwig
Jan Tischauser
Ski World.
Jim Collins, South Island, New Zealand


It's a pretty thin list really. OK, the Swiss are a rather dull lot and i have yet to meet one with a sense of humour but they do have some great mountains and their cheeses and wines are very under-rated.

I never knew Yul Brynner was a Swiss so thanks for that - i have learnt something today.
Ronnie, Verbier


Ok, I've had a good look through the local phone book, and these are all the ones I recognised:

Martina Hingis (tennis)
Any of the Piccard family (balloonists, deep sea exploration etc)
William Tell (archery expert)
Renee Zellweger (actress; Bridget Jones diary etc)
Bernoulli family (mathmaticians)
Charles-Edouard Corbusier (architect, man with glasses on the 10 CHF banknote)
John Calvin (religous fundamentalist)
Louis Chevrolet (auto engineer)
Carl Jung (psychiatrist)
Basil, Lausanne


@Basil, Calvin, of course, doh, must think harder!
Xavier Adam, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK

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