Simply, it is a village near (now a suburb of) Zurich in Switzerland where my father, Peter Stehrenberger, came from. He was an amazing figure – from national 1500m running champion, to emigrating to the UK (on a moped, no cash for return petrol!) and Australia, to becoming Finance Director of one of the world’s leading media companies (and director of dozens more) despite having left school at 15.
Zollikon was once famous as the site of the world’s first ‘free’ or protestant church in the heady days of the reformation – a place capable of revolutionary, honest and brave thinking, belief and action. These days it perhaps more prosaically notable as one of the most exclusive districts in one of the richest countries in the world, with absurdly expensive property to match, it being on the favoured sunnier northern edge of Lake Zurich.
Although my Dad left to pursue his dreams (and to escape the flipside of Switzerland’s curated perfection – its endless rules), his old home was always a magical holiday destination for me as a child, with a warm family welcome after many hours of driving, night and day, from England.
So, roots, history, sense of self, honouring my Dad – deep memories never to forget. But also somehow an idealised aspiration – a destination worth always working towards.
That’s why. Tschüss!