Schwingen is Switzerland’s national sport of wrestling — and it’s been part of Swiss culture since the 13th century. Wrestlers in Edelweiss shirts battle it out in sawdust-filled rings, grappling to flip their opponents onto their backs. It’s as Swiss as it gets, and once you understand the basics, you’ll be hooked.
Over the past twenty years, thanks to my Swiss nephews, I’ve become a proper armchair Schwingen fan. Here’s everything you need to know to follow along — whether you’re watching your first Schwingfest or gearing up for the ESAF.
Schwingen Terms You Need to Know
Sägemehl (Sawdust)
In the Sägemehl or the sawdust, is where all the action happens. Matches happen within the 14-meter diameter saw dust filled ring, of which there are seven rings placed around the arena. As a ritual of respect, the winner will end a match by brushing the sawdust off the losers back.
Schwinghosen (Wrestling Shorts)
Each competitor wears a pair of Schwinghosen (shorts) that the organisers provide, made of either dark or light thick brown material and secured with a leather belt. Competitors must with at least one hand, always hold onto the Schwinghosen of his opponent. Letting go will reset the match.
Sennenschwinger (Rural Wrestlers)
The (mostly) edelweiss-shirt wearing athletes called Sennenschwinger, traditionally came from more rural and mountain regions of Switzerland, and today make up the majority of the field. However, an Edelweiss-shirt is not compulsory, with the rules stipulating for the Schwinger’s only a subtly coloured durable shirt.
The type and colour of the shirt become the Schwinger’s trademark, like Reichmut Pimin and his light blue shirt and Wicki Jöel’s dark-coloured Edelweiss shirt.
For the award ceremony, Sennenschwingers wear a traditional Sennenkutteli over a white shirt with black pants.
Turnschwinger (City Wrestlers)
The athletes dressed all in white, Turnschwinger, are traditionally from the cities’ Turnverein or sports groups and also participate in Nationalturnen (National sports). The Schwingfest is just part of disciplines including wrestling (Ringen), weightlifting and throwing stones and jumping high as long (Hochweitsprung).
Last Name First
When referring to a competitor, the Last Name is used before the First. Hopp Reichmutt, Pirmin!
Hosenlupf
Hosenlupf is a nickname for Schwingen – literally translated to Short/Pant (Hosen) lifting (Lupf)
Einteilung (Match Allocation)
Einteilung is the german word for allocation and is when the competition judges divide the wrestlers into matches before each round. Unlike other sports, the judges determine the first round before the competition begins. After the first round has taken place the judges then allocate new match pairings based on results of that first round.
Gang (Rounds)
A gang, of which there usually are six (but an Eidgenössischer has 8), is one round of wrestling. The first two rounds are called Anschwingen, the third and fourth Ausschwingen each allocated 6 minutes. The final two rounds in a regular competition are called Ausstich and are like the playoffs (time allocated 7 minutes).
However, at the Eidgenössische, there are two additional rounds called Kranz-Ausstich. These 8-minute rounds determine who wins a Kranz (see below) including the Schlussgang (see below) and eventually the title of Schwingerkönig.
Schwünge (Wrestling Techniques)
There are numerous techniques that a Schwinger learns to help win over his opponent with the most popular being the Kurz.
Check out the following links to videos for each of these techniques:
Gestellt (A Draw)
Gestellt is the term used when neither Schwinger is successful in grounding those two shoulder blades, but will still result in points.
Noten (Scoring)
Both winners and losers are awarded points, as are those matches that go undecided. The quality and effort of the wrestling also make a difference in the score allocated.
Winners who ground their opponent in one movement earn 10.00 points. Otherwise, a winning score of 9.75 is standard or a rare 9.50 if the winner is given a behavioural warning.
Losers also receive points between 8.25 and 8.75 as well as matches that end with no result 8.50 – 9.00.
Schlussgang (The Final RounSchlussgang (The Final Round)
The pinnacle of competition at any Schwingfest is the Schlussgang, the final round, where the two athletes with the highest points compete. This match if resulting in a win, will usually decide the winner of the competition. In the case of the Eidgenössische Schwingfest, the winner earns the title of Schwingerkönig.
However, if the match goes undecided, the winner will be the one with the highest points, which could be someone who didn’t participate in the Schlussgang.
Sieger (The Winner)
The athlete who has successfully grounded both shoulder blades of his opponent, all the while keeping at least one hand holding on to those Schwinghosen, wins the match The winner will then politely dust off the saw dust off his opponents back as a sign of respect.
Kranz (The Crown)
The best wrestlers will receive a Kranz (crown) which are given at our cantonal and national competitions throughout the regular season. However, like stars from the football world cup, the ultimate goal of any Schwinger is to collect an Eidgenössischer crown at the Eidgnössische Schwing and Älplerfest. None is as coveted. Win an Eidgnössischer Kranz, and you will be referred to as an Eidgenoss for the rest of your life.
How to Watch Schwingen
The easiest way to experience Schwingen is to find a small festival in your local area. These small-scale Schwingfests feature competitors from the nearby surrounds, are usually free to attend, and you’ll find basic food facilities — a grill for the standard Swiss sausage, a drink stand, and maybe something sweet like a cake stand or ice cream.
As festivals get bigger, at the cantonal level, ticketing comes into play. You’ll have a choice between standing, bench, or sometimes even stadium seating. These tickets often sell out, so arriving on the day doesn’t always guarantee availability. The biggest event of all, the Eidgenössisches Schwing- und Älplerfest (ESAF), is held every three years and tickets are notoriously difficult to get. The ESAF is a multi-day event — at the ESAF in Zug, our daughter marched in the opening parade with her Trachtentanz group alongside yodellers, alphorn players and flag throwers. You can read more in my complete guide to the ESAF.
You’ll find Schwingfests mostly in central Switzerland, Basel, eastern Switzerland, and Bern, although they’re dotted all around the country from April to September.
What to Expect at a Schwingfest
A Schwingfest is a whole-day event suitable for the whole family. The setup borders a central field with multiple sawdust rings running simultaneously. The peak of the day is the Schlussgang, where the two top competitors battle out their final round with everyone watching.
Expect to only hear the local language all day — this is not a tourist event, and it is taken seriously by the locals. You’ll want the glossary above to follow what’s happening.
If you are coming to Switzerland in summer, check out our what to wear in Summer in Switzerland post to help with your packing.
Watching Schwingen on TV
Major cantonal and inter-cantonal festivals are almost always televised on SRF, which is a great way to dip your toes in before attending a festival in person.
Finding a Schwingfest Near You
The best way to find a Schwingfest is to follow your local Schwingklub, which will share where their members are competing. The Eidgenössischer Schwingerverband (ESV), the national governing body, is also a great source — you can discover all the dates for upcoming festivals, follow results, and even see who’s participating.
FAQ
Schwingen is Switzerland’s traditional style of wrestling, dating back to the 13th century. Two competitors wrestle in a sawdust ring, each gripping the other’s Schwinghosen (shorts). The aim is to pin their opponent’s shoulders to the ground. It’s one of Switzerland’s three national sports alongside Hornussen and Steinstossen.
Wrestlers must keep at least one hand on their opponent’s Schwinghosen at all times. You win a match by grounding both of your opponent’s shoulder blades in the sawdust in a single movement. If neither wrestler succeeds within the time limit, the judges score it as a draw (Gestellt) and both competitors receive partial points.
Yes! Regional Schwingfests run throughout the summer across Switzerland and are either free or cheap to attend. The atmosphere is family-friendly — think food stalls, alphorns, and sawdust flying. However, tickets to the ESAF (the big national event held every three years) are almost impossible to find.
The Schwingen season runs roughly from April to September, with regional and cantonal festivals building up through the summer. The season peaks with the major autumn festivals. The biggest event, the Eidgenössisches Schwing- und Älplerfest (ESAF), takes place every three years — check the ESV website for the next date.
Want to know when Schwingen season kicks off each year? Sign up for the z’Nüni newsletter and I’ll keep you posted on upcoming festivals and all things Swiss.
