A German family near Winterthur was astonished when they were suddenly asked to host soldiers from the Swiss army. The soldiers helped with repairs and even brought chocolate.
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- Four Swiss soldiers spend the night on a farm.
- The German owner's family reacted with surprise.
- The family hesitated at first, but then decided to offer the soldiers the hayloft as a place to sleep.
A German family in Switzerland were in for a surprise when soldiers from the Swiss army suddenly turned up on their doorstep. Anna Herfter, who lives with her family on a horse farm near Winterthur, was asked by the soldiers if she could provide accommodation for a week.
The soldiers, who were on a refresher course, had no place to sleep in the barracks and were looking for alternative accommodation.
The family hesitated at first, but then decided to offer the soldiers the hayloft as a place to sleep. "They thought it was great, and now the Swiss army is staying with us for a week - crazy," says Hefter in a social media video.
Soldiers sleep away from home again and again
The soldiers returned the favor with chocolate and biscuits and helped with minor repairs in the yard. They installed lamps and repaired a horse stall.
Army spokesman Matthias Volken explained to 20 Minuten that such accommodations are made in consultation with the owners and are possible within the framework of military law. This law obliges landowners to make their land available for military exercises. "Over the years, the army has had good experiences in its dealings with landowners," says Volken.
Anna Herfter was satisfied with the experience and emphasized that she would host soldiers again at any time. She praised the soldiers as friendly and helpful and shared her positive experiences on Tiktok.
The only thing Herfter didn't want to share was the toilet. But a solution was found for this too: the soldiers simply used a nearby petrol station for sanitary facilities.