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Blatten – Farewell to Paradise (Swiss Press Local 2026, by Patrick Gasser) - Swiss Press Award

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Blatten – Farewell to Paradise

Walliser Bote/pomona.ch, Walliser Bote/pomona.ch, Walliser Bote/pomona.ch, Walliser Bote/pomona.ch, Walliser Bote/pomona.ch

Local
2026

Patrick Gasser

On May 28, 2025, the Birch Glacier collapsed under the weight of millions of tons of debris. The village of Blatten in the Lötschental valley in Valais was destroyed. People who thought they would only have to leave their homes for a few days were left facing the ruins of their lives. What remained in the hours, days, and weeks after the catastrophe? And was a return truly possible?

Author
Patrick Gasser / Swiss Press Award

Patrick Gasser

Journalist, Saas-Fee, 1989

I wrote my first text about the private zoo in my home village in the Lower Emmental Valley. Soon, I only wanted one thing: to tell stories and ski. I moved to the mountains, completed internships, and completed my diploma at the MAZ in Lucerne. During this time, I wrote for the Jungfrau Zeitung, the Berner Oberländer, and as a freelancer for the NZZ, among others. Since fall 2021, my professional home has been the Walliser Bote. I research and write on topics related to business, society, climate, and occasionally sports.

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