Rapperswil-Jona, Band 2

Two world wars in the same century took their toll on industry and the population. Our country's neutrality had worked well , but poverty was increasing. Towards the end of the First World War, people's worries increased, with one sixth of the population receiving less than the minimum subsistence level in 1918, while at the same time inflation caused prices to double.

At the beginning of the 1930s, Switzerland was plunged into the global economic crisis, with strikes and social unrest. The 1940s brought us some social security, such as the AHV. This achievement was partly offset by rationalization and the intensification of production and work processes. The municipalities were also heavily involved, they had to plan and organize the entire infrastructure.

The water supply had to be renovated, renewed and expanded. From the "slurry trough" to sewage treatment plants, the wastewater supply was a challenge. The schools and sports grounds, the roads and buildings, and the entire health and old age system had to be constantly adapted to the needs of the population. The fire department and the rescue service also had a lot to do. It all seems so self-evident. One forgets that behind this modern, technological revolution, there are many people, women and men, who have had to work hard all these years. It wasn't easy, but they did it with flying colors.

Many rare documents are works of art. The old documents could not simply be conjured up from the color laser printer. You had to go to the photographer, lithographer and printer, it was very time-consuming and expensive. The monochrome version of envelope, letterhead and invoice were common and a guarantee for cheaper printed matter.