40 Years of the Gurten Festival: From a Non-Alcoholic Affair to Today’s Consumer Society

2023-07-12 05:14:34

– «At the first festival no alcohol was sold at all»

Published today at 7:14 am

Kathrin and Fredi Hallauer met in 1975 in the Mahogany Hall in Bern.

Foto: Raphael Moser

A view of the audience from the main stage at the first Gurten Festival in 1977.

Photo: Hansueli Trachsel

Ms. and Mr. Hallauer, why did you choose the Gurten as a location back then?

Freddy Hallauer: The selection wasn’t very big. There was the Allmend, where concerts have recently been taking place. But this place is ghastly, just off the freeway. We knew it had to be a beautiful place. A place where everyone feels comfortable.

Kathrin Hallauer: At that time, the Gurtenwiese was the sacred lawn of the Bern city nursery. We needed a permit for the festival. In the beginning we only got permission from the city of Bern to use the lower part of the meadow, where the main stage and the backstage area are today.

Freddy Hallauer: In 1977 we assumed an event for 1000 people. Shortly before the festival started we realized that at least 3000 people had to buy a ticket so that we might make ends meet financially. Reynold Tschäppät, then Mayor of Bern, personally gave us permission to use the upper part of the meadow. When we wanted to build something, the supervisor from the city garden center jumped in and wanted to stop us. We then called Tschäppät once more, and he said to the city garden center: “It’s okay, let them start up.”

After winning the first Gurten Festival, Mahogany Hall was renovated.

Photo: Hansueli Trachsel

Kathrin and Fredi Hallauer appreciate the peaceful atmosphere on the Gurten the most.

Foto: Raphael Moser

The festival used to be very political. Today, people come up here mainly to consume. Was it better then?

Freddy Hallauer: No, just different. If we were still holding concerts today, we would have to do a lot of things differently. Everything has become much more professional. What has remained, however, is the peaceful atmosphere, the Gurten spirit.

Kathrin Hallauer: I appreciate that the most too. Everyone who comes here wants to have a good time together.

Freddy Hallauer: Of course there are things that I like less. What I find unnecessary, for example, are the party tents on the festival grounds, which constantly fill you with sound.

Did you drink as much alcohol in the past as you do today?

Kathrin Hallauer: At the first festival no alcohol was sold at all!

I’m sorry, what?

Freddy Hallauer: Exactly, back then we only had a non-alcoholic beer from the Gurtenbrauerei on tap. The violinist of the Irish Bothy Band complained at the time that he was still not drunk despite 15 beers. (both laugh)

When was alcohol served?

Freddy Hallauer: Already in the second year. One of the reasons was that the hotelier at the Gurten Hotel suddenly started serving beer at the first festival. So we thought we’d rather sell the beer ourselves.

Music was played everywhere and practically at all times.

Photo: Hansueli Trachsel

In the first Gurten years, people stayed overnight on the festival grounds.

Photo: Hansueli Trachsel

I don’t even know most of the bands that are performing here this year. How are you doing?

Freddy Hallauer: People have been telling me that for years. And by the way, that was already the case at the very first festival in 1977. I always replied that that’s exactly the purpose of a festival: to discover new things. I also don’t know many bands this year. But I’m happy to get to know you.

Are artists generally accessible people?

Freddy Hallauer: Most do.

Kathrin Hallauer: Not all the same.

Freddy Hallauer: Sometimes they are under time stress. But I’ve had good experiences with most of them. Stephan Eicher, Stress and Philipp Fankhauser, for example, are all very approachable. They also enjoy talking to journalists.

Were there also headliners at the Gurten who didn’t let anyone get to them?

Kathrin Hallauer: I still remember Bob Dylan. He got up at the last second. Everyone then had to leave the backstage area. He didn’t want to see anyone, went on stage, wound up his program there and left immediately following the concert was over.

Freddy Hallauer: I remember him well too. (laughs) Only Jimy Hofer, the Broncos boss, was allowed to be in the back with him (Editor’s note: The Broncos are the security service on the Gurten). When he accompanied Bob Dylan onto the stage, he checked that no camera was aimed at him. Nobody would have recognized him anyway because he pulled a towel over his head.

The American superstar Bob Dylan performing at the Gurten Festival in 1993.

Photo: Keystone

This year Kathrin and Fredi Hallauer will visit the Gurten with their grandchildren.

Foto: Raphael Moser

Quentin Schlapbach is an editor in the Bern department. He did a commercial apprenticeship and studied at the Swiss journalism school MAZ in Lucerne. More info@qscBZ

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