Since when have there been sirens in Switzerland at all?
An exciting and informative article by Dr. phil. Juri Jaquemet on the history of sirens on the occasion of the annual howling.
Wailing sirens! An uncertain glance at the clock. Exactly 13:30. Aha, siren test! All is well! Today (05 February 2020) the sirens are wailing again throughout Switzerland. The annual test takes place on the first Wednesday in February. But since when have there been sirens in Switzerland at all? What is the history of this hair-raising means of communication? This short excursion on the occasion of the annual howling provides information.
Sirens are one of a series of archaic means of communication for alerting the population. The call “Fürio”, the ringing of bells, drums or the fire horn already called firefighters to action centuries ago and warned the population of disaster. The high sentinels (Chutzen) are part of a similar tradition. At locations visible from afar, this networked warning system in Switzerland signalled an enemy attack from the 15th century onwards and served to mobilise troops. Messages were passed on with fire and smoke signals, sometimes supported by the bang of a cannon and the ringing of church bells in poor visibility.
The Frenchman Charles Cagniard de la Tour is considered the inventor of the siren. The engineer and physicist’s device, which works with air pressure, dates back to 1819 and helped to measure sound frequencies. With his invention, the Frenchman investigated the propagation of sound in liquids. Cagniard de la Tour took his name from Greek mythology. In Greek mythology, sirens are usually female mythical creatures who lure sailors into dangerous waters with their beguiling songs in order to kill them. What remains open is what the inventor found attractive about the wailing of his siren.