Books

  • 1. Hausfrau (Jill Alexander Essbaum)

    Despite the German title, this only novel by the American poet Jill Alexander Essbaum, is originally in English and follows Anna Benz, an American in her late thirties. Anna lives with her Swiss husband, Bruno—a banker—and their three young children in a postcard-perfect suburb of Zurich. Though she leads a comfortable, well-appointed life, Anna is falling apart inside.

  • 2. The Einstein Girl (Philip Sington)

    This riveting historical thriller, set in the early 1930s and inspired by correspondence between Einstein and his first wife, the Serbian mathematician Mileva Maric, takes place in Berlin, Zurich (where Einstein both studied and worked as a professor), and Serbia.

  • 3. Travesties (Tom Stoppard)

    In 1917 three of the twentieth century's most crucial revolutionaries - James Joyce, the Dadaist founder Tristan Tzara, and Lenin - were all living in Zurich. Also living in Zurich at this time was a British consular official called Henry Carr, who is the main protagonist of this short but exquisite Stoppard’s comedy.

Movies

  • 1. The Swissmakers (German: Die Schweizermacher)

    Directed by Rolf Lyssy, this Swiss comedy film is set in Zurich and portrays the humorous aspects of Swiss naturalization processes and bureaucracy.

  • 2. Zurich

    Directed by Sacha Polak, this film tells the story of a young woman who travels to Zurich to fulfill her late husband's last wish. Her journey of self-discovery takes place against the backdrop of the city.

  • 3. The Boat Is Full (German: Das Boot ist voll)

    This Swiss film, directed by Markus Imhoof, is set during World War II and tells the story of a group of refugees seeking asylum in Switzerland. The movie is not set in Zurich, but tells a powerful story about immigration in Switzerland.