Walking in Arolla and Zinal

The Swiss maps keep changing names

I have known about Swiss name changes for a good while now, but I was slightly horrified when I went to check a height and found that the Blümlisalphütte had become the Blüemlisalphütte in the last few weeks. Right after the Trekking in the Bernese Oberland has been published.

I know it was about using local names, but it prompted me to dig more deeply into what is going on and why. So here goes:

Since 2008, swisstopo the national mapping agency) has taken local/minor place names Flurnamen, hut names, alp names) directly from the "amtlicheVermessung" — the official cadastral survey run by each canton. Bernese Oberland, where the Blüemlisalp massif sits, has been going through a re-survey Neuvermessung) in which the canton's Nomenklaturkommission re-records these names in their dialect form, per the federal guideline from 1948, updated 2011) that local names should be written "wie man spricht" — as spoken, in dialect — rather than in a High-German-ized spelling. Once the canton adopts a name, swisstopo carries it onto the Landeskarte.

"Blüemlisalp" reflects Bernese dialect: the diphthong "üe" from Blueme = Flower) replacing the standard-German-style "ü" in "Blümlisalp." So the hut's name simply followed the alp/massif's name being re-recorded in correct Bernese spelling.

One caveat: peaks over roughly 3500 m are generally kept in their traditional spelling which is why Blüemlisalphorn, at 3664 m, is a case some sources flag as inconsistent with the hut name) — but the hut and alp themselves aren't exempt, so they picked up the dialect form.

Another useful site is the Swiss Alpine Club's ‘Write how you speak’ article www.sac-cas.ch/de/die-alpen/schreibe-wie-man-spricht-1-38915/ and for anyone who wants to get really geeky about Swiss naming conventions www.giswiki.ch/Mundart_in_Lokalnamen

Anyhow, in summary, after a general move towards a standard ‘high’ German in the 19th century, there was a movement to support the local Swiss German spelling approach – ‘spiritual national defence’. This was formulated into a law in 1948, since updated, and as Cantons decree that a place name should follow the traditional local spelling, the national maps pick it up.

There we go. But who are we to speak as Snowdon becomes Yr Wyddfa in the Eyro National Park. And the survival of Gaelic names throughout the highlands of Scotland seems assured.

By and large these differences are small and won’t lead to any confusion. I hardly think you will climb the wrong mountain or reach the wrong hut just because it's gained an extra ‘e’. But be aware that things change! We will keep up as best we can with the changes but, in the meantime, if you do see anything that causes confusion, please let us know right away.

Alongside this, the Swiss mappers keep re-measuring the country and map heights evolve almost annually. It's great that they are on top of things, even if a little vexing for a guidebook author and publisher. Again, it shouldn’t be confusing, it's only a metre here or there but it does lead to books diverging from official maps. We will keep an eye on things.

Jonathan Williams