Grüezi Amerika Episode 15: Emil Frey – From the US Civil War to the Federal Council

Emil Frey (1838-1922) was not only the only Federal Councillor from the Canton of Basel-Land, but also – according to the NZZ – ‘the most adventurous Federal Councillor Switzerland has ever had’: in the fateful year of 1860, he travelled to the United States with his cousin, originally to further his education as an agronomist. Ultimately, he would stay for five years, fighting for the Northern States in the American Civil War. A major and a prisoner of war at Gettysburg, he would become the stuff of films in the US – and a novel in Switzerland: ‘The American in the Federal Council: Stages in the Life of Emil Frey’ (Der Amerikaner im Bundesrat. Stationen im Leben des Emil Frey) by Markus Wüest, with whom we discuss this unusual man of two worlds.

Markus Wüest is a member of the editorial board of Basler Zeitung, has commuted between Basel and Maine for more than three decades, and is now working on his fourth novel. The first three were all published by Zytglogge, including the one about Emil Frey's life.

This episode was recorded live at OPEN SQUARE at the University of St.Gallen on 22 March 2025.

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