Swiss Passport

Who was William Tell?

Wer war Wilhelm Tell?

Correct answer: B

  1. A a Swiss mercenary in foreign serviceein eidgenössischer Söldner in fremden Diensten
  2. B a legendary figure from Central Switzerland who fought against foreign rulerseine Innerschweizer Sagenfigur, die gegen fremde Herrscher kämpfte
  3. C a noble landlord in the Swiss Plateauein adliger Grundherr im Schweizer Mittelland
  4. D a leader in the Peasants' Warein Anführer im Bauernkrieg

Why

Tell is a legendary figure from Central Switzerland. The story of the apple shot and the fight against the bailiff Gessler is not historically proven.

Common mistakes

A: a Swiss mercenary in foreign service
There were many mercenaries, but in the legend Tell fights for his homeland, not for money in foreign service.
D: a leader in the Peasants' War
The Peasants' War was in 1653, long after the Tell legend, which takes place in the 13th/14th century.

Topic

1291, the Rütli and William Tell

At the beginning of August 1291, three valley communities on Lake Lucerne formed an alliance: Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden. They are called the founding cantons (Urkantone). Today Unterwalden is divided into two cantons: Obwalden and Nidwalden. The alliance is recorded in a document in Latin, the Federal Charter. In it, the valley communities promised each other mutual help and wanted to settle disputes peacefully.

Timeline of Swiss history
  1. 58 BCHelvetii and Romans
  2. 1291The Rütli and William Tell
  3. 1515Marignano
  4. 1523The Reformation
  5. 1798The French and Napoleon
  6. 1815Neutrality
  7. 1848Sonderbund War and the federal state
  8. 19th c.From agrarian state to industrial state
  9. 1918National general strike
  10. 1939–1945Second World War
  11. 1948Prosperity and AHV
  12. 1970Immigration and the Schwarzenbach initiative
  13. 1971Women's suffrage and equal rights
  14. 1979The youngest canton: Jura

History of Switzerland
Beginnings and the Old Swiss Confederacy

Sources

Last checked: September 2026

Question 243 of the official question list of the Canton of Zurich (Gemeindeamt, May 2025). Translation and explanation: Swiss Passport.

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