Can you imagine Zurich without the Neue Zürcher Zeitung? This monument behind me, the Salomon-Gessner-Denkmal, honors the man who started it all.
Salomon Gessner wasn’t just a newspaper publisher. He was a true Renaissance man of 18th-century Zurich. Poet painter graphic artist he did it all. Born in 1730 Gessner lived nearly his entire life in Zurich. His home was at Muenstergasse 9.
Gessner’s father was a successful printer publisher and bookseller. You might think Salomon would follow in his footsteps. But young Salomon had other plans. He apprenticed at a Berlin bookshop. However, he soon left to pursue landscape painting and etching. A brief stint in Hamburg sparked an interest in poetry.
Back in Zurich Gessner wasn’t keen on joining the family business. He found camaraderie with a group of young men called the Dienstags-Compagnie. They met every Tuesday. They discussed ideas enjoyed each other’s company and shared a love for nature. They even fancied themselves modern-day shepherds.
Gessner’s star rose quickly. His poem “Lied eines Schweizers an sein bewaffnetes Mädchen” and his painting “Die Nacht” gained attention. His longer poem “Daphnis” followed. In 1756 his most famous work “Idyllen” appeared. A collection of his works was published in 1762.
Besides his artistic endeavors Gessner was active in public life. He co-founded the Helvetic Society in 1761. That same year he married Judith Heidegger. She was the daughter of his father’s rival. In 1762 Gessner became the artistic director of the Kilchberg-Schooren porcelain factory.
He entered politics. In 1765 he was elected to the Zurich High Council. Three years later he became a supervisor for Erlenbach. Later he held the same position for Wipkingen.
In 1780 Gessner launched the Zürcher Zeitung. It became the Neue Zürcher Zeitung in 1821. From 1781 he managed the Sihlwald. He supplied Zurich with firewood. He spent summers at a cabin in the forest.
This Salomon-Gessner-Denkmal was erected in 1792/93 in Platzspitz park. Alexander Trippel designed it. It was one of Switzerland’s first patriotic monuments. Though another monument in Bad Dürkheim was destroyed by the French in 1794. Streets and a bridge bear his name.
Salomon Gessner died in 1788. But his legacy lives on through his art his writings and the newspaper he founded. Think of him next time you read the Neue Zürcher Zeitung. Remember the man who helped shape Zurich’s cultural landscape. He captured an idyllic vision of nature that resonated deeply with his time. His work still offers a glimpse into the soul of 18th-century Switzerland. The Salomon-Gessner-Denkmal stands as a tribute to his diverse talents and lasting contributions.