Back in the 18th and 19th centuries, these folks weren’t just out for fun. Many were trained to build floating military bridges-yes, river soldiers! The Bernese Schwellenmeister (call him the river boss) was responsible for construction, and if the army needed to cross a river, these were the people they called. By 1860, locals had formed Bern’s first pontonier club, and by 1876, with a little nudge from the Canton of Bern’s engineering society-and some official Swiss army approval-the Pontonier Driving Club officially set sail.
But these pontoniers weren’t just about rowing and military drills. Every year, in 1871, they threw a huge party and took everyone out on the Aare for a public ride-perhaps Switzerland’s earliest version of UberPOOL, but with way more splinters. Their club expanded fast: They started a shooting section in 1908, had a choir for those who preferred singing over swimming, and even a “Veterans’ Section” for those too tired to row.
And when winter blanketed Bern, the boats were tucked away, but the fun never stopped. Enter the “Skibande Ankerrödu.” In 1920, a group of adventurous pontoniers started hitting the ski slopes together. They even got their own alpine hut to use during snow season! By 1926, these river champs had skied their way to second place at a national military patrol race in Wengen-proof that Bernese pontoniers moved just as well on snow as they did on water.
So right here, you’re standing where a club of river heroes, singers, marksmen, and ski bandits shaped Bern’s spirit-proving they could handle oars, rifles, and even skis, often all in the same year. I bet the only thing they never tried was synchronized swimming, but hey, there’s still time!
