"Colon is not written in the feminine," Lolvé Tillmanns' ambitious Helvetic-colonial fresco

The novel "Colon ne s’écrit pas au féminin" by Lolvé Tillmanns delves into Switzerland's often overlooked colonial endeavors. The book draws on extensive research into the Swiss Company of Settlers in Sétif, an Algerian colony established in the 1850s by Swiss financiers and notables. This historical society aimed to "develop businesses in Algeria, make lands flourish through the work of good Swiss peasants" alongside "generous missionaries to evangelize the natives." The narrative centers on Anne-Laure, a peasant woman facing destitution, who is unwillingly drawn into this Mediterranean exile by her husband. The story highlights the societal constraints and patriarchal attitudes of the era, questioning what power a woman held against the will of men and the prevailing paternalism.

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develop businesses in Algeria, make lands flourish through the work of good Swiss peasants

The novel's genesis is rooted in the author's 15-year-old research as an economic history student. The book's publication follows a recent exhibition, "Memories – Geneva in the Colonial World," and precedes another exhibition, "Colonialism – An Involved Switzerland," at the Prangins Castle. These cultural events reflect a growing engagement with Switzerland's role in colonial history, contrasting with past statements like Doris Leuthard's in 2016, who expressed satisfaction that Switzerland was not involved in slavery or colonization.

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generous missionaries to evangelize the natives