Näfelser Fahrt: National Anthem

Musicians, soldiers, police and civilians in a colorful informal formation next to the battle monument east of Näfels town. While the church choir is singing the national anthem, most of the audience is silent - not out of sheer reverence, but rather because most Swiss citizens simply don't know more than half of the first verse of it by heart ...

This photo might also serve as an illustration for some other more or less typical aspects of Switzerland:

• Federalism is when the cantonal police and the army have different ways of standing at attention
• Reformitis is when the soldiers don't know anymore what the correct way to stand at attention currently is
  after too many changes of order
• Swissness is when nobody except for the church choir remembers the words of the national anthem and nobody is alarmed about this fact

Photo taken at "Näfelser Fahrt", an annual commemoration day with processions, marching bands, political speeches and sermons to celebrate the anniversary of the battle of Näfels back in 1388.