Grand opening of the Egerkinger Poetry Trail on Sunday, May 25, 2025
The weather was not particularly cooperative for the official opening of the new Egerlingen Poetry Trail on Sunday morning, May 25. However, the light drizzle was hardly noticeable when around 40 people involved and interested gathered at 10 a.m. at the Nackgrube above the Fridau and were officially welcomed by Franz Fischer, President of the Egerkingen Culture, Society, and Social Affairs Commission.
A musical performance by the “Stiron” alphorn trio from Hägendorf was followed by a speech by Mayor Johanna Bartholdi.
According to Bartholdi, emotions and events are expressed in poetry in such a way that they often transport readers into worlds of fantasy and stimulate their imagination. The “Nack,” a legendary figure from Egerkingen, symbolizes the community’s growing carelessness. His legend shows how unconditional help and care can quickly be taken for granted and, as a result of the resulting irresponsibility, lead to crises. Christoph Schwager, too, combines profound thoughts with a rollercoaster of emotions in his poetry, addressing economic developments in the Gäu and Egerkingen regions and their impact on the community. The Poetry Trail in Egerkingen connects nature and poetry, offering an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The forest inspires and stimulates the imagination, while poetry evokes emotions.
She would like to thank the Committee for Culture, Society, and Social Affairs, as well as the Active Ageing Association, for organizing the poetry walk.
Christoph Schwager*, the initiator and author of the Poetry Trail, who grew up in the Egerkingen suburbs, shared his memories of his youth in the village and the tradition of hiking with his father on Sunday mornings up the “Jakobsleiter” to the Blüemlismatt. He is therefore particularly pleased that his Poetry Trail has now been realized here in Egerkingen. The idea came to him after a visit to Oberammergau in 2022. While hiking there, he stumbled upon such a Poetry Trail by chance and learned about several other existing Poetry Trails in the region. He studied the texts and, during his research, came across their author, who—like himself, a theater person who had already created such trails—shared many parallels with him. Although Schwager, who wrote and published two books of poetry in his youth, has not written poetry as regularly since then, he began planning and creating a new poetry trail. When he presented his idea to the municipality of Egerkingen and Johanna Bartholdi, he, as he put it, “was preaching to the choir.” Initial difficulties with mapping out the route and obtaining the necessary permits from the canton were resolved thanks to Franz Fischer’s strong commitment, and so Christoph Schwager wrote new poems specifically for the new location in the Egerkingen forest, some of which have a direct connection to the site.
The forestry working group from the “Aktives Alter” association was then commissioned to build the 14 stations, Fischer Schriften AG in Egerkingen produced the signs, and so the new Poetry Trail was officially opened on schedule, accompanied by a reception hosted by the Blüemlismatt team. The trail is now open to the public on Lampastweg between Nackgrube and Blüemlismatt, inviting visitors to stroll along it and find inspiration.
Afterwards, most of those present continued on to Blüemlismatt to listen to various legends being recounted in the hayloft, which provided the perfect atmospheric setting. Christoph Schwager performed the following narrative theater pieces in a dramatic and entertaining show in front of a full house:
Legend from the Gäu region: "S'Gäutier"
Legend of Holderbank: "Dr Nachtwächter"
Legend of Egerkingen: "Dr Ribyschtei"
Christoph Schwager comes from Egerkingen, where he also spent his childhood. He is married and lives in Härkingen. He has four adult children and eight grandchildren.
After completing his first apprenticeship in an office, he studied religious education and later theology. From 1983 to 2002, he worked as a pastor in poor neighborhoods in Peru, in the parish of Härkingen, and at the hospital in Zofingen.
After training as a body language and theater coach in Freiburg im Breisgau, he founded the Schwager Theater Institute and later, in 2006, the Schwager Theater in Olten. He usually performs on stage as a solo artist. He is currently on tour with his latest play, "s'Gäutier – SAGENhaftes Erzähltheater" (s'Gäutier – Legendary Narrative Theater).
He became known to a wide audience through his pantomime sermons, with which he has been touring for over 25 years. He also works as a playwright and director. In 2001, he founded the Gäuer Spielleute theater company and will be staging the 13th play for this association this summer.
In 2011, he received the Solothurn Award for Cultural Education in recognition of his dedication. For his work in theater, he was awarded the City of Olten Recognition Award in 2013 and the “Prix pro Wartenfels” in 2016. In 2021, he received a special award from the “Rentsch Foundation.”
Sources:www.schwager.ch and Wikipedia
