Kidnapped Böögg and falling Federal Councillor You need to know these 5 curious Sechseläuten episodes

Sechseläuten is a fixture in Zurich's calendar, but its history is anything but static. Five episodes show how deeply rooted politics, mishaps and protests are in the fire of spring.

When the Böögg burns in Zurich, the city is turned upside down. Sechseläuten is more than just a spring festival - it is a living tradition, a spectacular production and an emotional ritual of the guilds. Year after year, the event draws thousands to Sechseläutenplatz, where the fate of winter goes up in flames.

But the centuries-old choreography also conceals curious, moving and political episodes that have shaped the festival.

Some of these moments are so extraordinary that they remain topics of conversation to this day: from kidnapped snowmen and rebellious Bööggs to historic premieres for women. We take a look back at five unforgettable chapters in the history of Sechseläuten.

Guild master explains SechseläutenWhy exactly do the people of Zurich burn this Böögg?

In 2006, the Böögg was stolen shortly before Sechseläuten - directly from the production site in Stäfa ZH. Despite the negligent storage of explosives, the manufacturer was not reported to the police. The left-wing activist group "1. Mai - Strasse frei" claimed responsibility for the crime. A replacement Böögg had to step in, which was actually intended for the children's parade.

The original Böögg later turned up at the May Day demonstration, but disappeared again. It was not until the following day that the police found the stolen item in the bunker of the Kanzlei schoolhouse and took it to the Zurich city nursery. There, the Böögg was "liberated" again in the night from May 20 to 21.

As much as the Böögg is a symbol of spring in Zurich, there have been years in which its ceremonial burning was completely dispensed with. This was particularly striking during the First World War: in 1917 and 1918, the last two years of the First World War, the Zurich guildsmen decided not to burn the Böögg because of the "seriousness of the times".

They also refrained from burning the Böögg during the Second World War. The reason for this was the so-called Anbauschlacht, which turned the Sechseläutenwiese into a field for years.

However, the last time without Sechseläuten was not so long ago. The traditional festival was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the burning of the Böögg was postponed by a few weeks due to strong gusts of wind and finally took place in Heiden AR.

The interview with Markus Gilli is already over when the then SVP Federal Councillor Christoph Blocher says a few words to the television audience in 2005. He seems to forget that the interview is taking place on a podium. Blocher falls - and Tele Züri captures this unforgettable Sechseläuten moment for posterity.

Two particular mishaps in the history of Sechseläuten happened in 1921 and 1944 - and they could hardly be more different. In 1921, a secondary school student lit the pyre early in the afternoon - albeit without the Böögg. The people of Zurich then rushed to bring new wood and keep the fire alive. With success: the pyre burned punctually at 6 pm.

In 1944, Sechseläuten had to be moved to another location: Because potatoes and rapeseed were planted on the Sechseläutenplatz during the Second World War and in the course of the cultivation battle, the Böögg was set up on the Enge harbor dam. The unfamiliar surroundings had consequences: the supporting pole burned through and the Böögg fell into the lake. The guild members brought the head back ashore so that at least it could still be burned.

For over a century, Sechseläuten was a men's ritual: guilds, men, tradition - period. Women could only take part as flower girls or external guests of honor. Things have been different since 2023. The Zunft zur Meisen was the first to allow the guild daughters to join in the Sechseläuten procession. Other guilds followed suit.

At an extraordinary general meeting in February 2025, the Zunft zur Meisen decided to change its statutes. Women are now equal to men in this Zurich guild and can be admitted to the guild.