Rapperswil-Jona, Band 3

As a pilgrimage route to Einsiedeln and the southern gateway to the canton of St. Gallen, Rapperswil-Jona has had to fight for its freedom several times over the centuries. The town was a strategic crossroads between Zurich and Chur as well as St. Gallen, Schwyz and the Gotthard. Our journey through time continues with short stories about the life of the town and its inhabitants. It also shows how the area has changed over the course of time. With increasing industrialization and motorization , the well-being of the inhabitants in everyday life also grew. Cars took to the streets, cyclists took to the cycle lanes and pedestrians were directed to the sidewalks. Traffic lights and traffic signs were installed everywhere.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the housing situation was characterized by excessive rents and a completely inadequate supply. This was due to the rapid upswing in industry. An important topic was the garden city and further urban expansion. There was a distribution of spatial relationships and a relocation of apartments and workplaces.

Everything had to become bigger, such as living spaces and stores. New infrastructure had to be built, which brought additional jobs. The automobile became affordable for broader social strata, and suddenly fewer rural police and more traffic police were needed. The authorities had to incorporate this new mobility into their urban planning. This frenzy forced the craftsmen to adapt; it was grow bigger or die. An economic and human challenge.