Keeper of the history in the Peace Castle
Interview with Markus Jerger
By Evelina Rioukhina
In one of our recent of the UN Special[i] we described about an extraordinary discovery of the Peace Column in the Château d’Allaman. Today Markus Jerger, the owner of the Château d’Allaman and the person who discovered this Column, is our guest :
UN Special : You are living in one of the most significant historical Castles (maybe in the whole of Europe, the heart of the Peace movement, initiated and inspired by Count JJ de Sellon. It is in « your Castle » that the first Congrès of Peace took place in 1832. So, you are, if I may say, and keeper of the Peace history. What does it represent for you to be the owner of the Peace Castle ?
Markus Jerger : The honour, privilege and pleasure to own and live in a medieval estate is not comparable to any other form of 'home' or 'life' experience. You are inspired daily by a new historic discovery when surrounded by a rich past, like in Allaman Castle. This place emerges you into the evolution of the societies of the region in the 10th, 12th, 14th, 18th Century and the past owners life and contribution to our history. Sellon is such an exceptional example, but also Cavour or the Countess Margarite de Langallerie were outstanding contributors to the Castle's unique evolution.
UNS : Tell us about yourself, are your historian or architect, or both ?
MJ : I grew up in the Black Forest, the southwest part of Germany, near the Swiss border. My parents are Swiss–German. My ancestors produced Alarm clock and for a long time the family was very successful in selling some of the finest clocks in the world.
Around 1985 the business and competition put a lot of pressure on the family business and it became clear that new directions had to be taken.
As a new strategy Real Estate became of interest and from 1990 it was clear that I would take care of land and real estate activities. I worked in the days of the fall of the East-German borders in Berlin and financed-bought-restored and traded many of the most important historic properties. A passion was born and I fell in relationship with old properties, estates and castles. For me these Masterpieces of History and Architecture and Treasures of past times are preserving memories ... like fine paintings. Also they cannot be reproduced, rare, often unique and full of elegance, style, grace and grandeur. Build centuries ago and bringing these old Treasures to modern contemporary living standards, became my passion, obsession and profession.
Historic properties leave a trail over the centuries and I am very proud to add the preservation of monuments so that future generations can enjoy their existence.Today I am in investor in the preservation of historic properties. I am not an architect, but Economist and I have trained my eyes over the past 30 years (beyond an architect’s vision) to see, unveil and develop the hidden and intrinsic values of a property in the most efficient ways to strengthen the economic aspects of the asset and ensure its autofinancing and self-preservation abilities.
UNS : Your life was linkedwithour organisation through UNESCO, please tell us about your experience.
MJ : My mother Dr. Ute Henriette Ohoven is a seriously dedicated humanitarian worker. She served UNESCO as Special Ambassador for the past 27 years and established foundations to support the education of children in need. From early on I have assisted my mother (like all my family) in bringing projects to reality and assisting underdeveloped regions and less privileged communities in learning and living in suitable housing communities. At present my mother and my sister are redeveloping an entire district in Dakar / Senegal (La Baraka) with her YOU Foundation.
UNITED NATIONS GENEVA
UNS : To rebuild historical monuments – what does it represent for you – is it your passion, or do you want to preserve history, actually, to keep time ?
Preserving the only still existing book, a script, a piece of art or historic architecture must be one of humanity's priorities. These past relicts become the inspiration for all we have today and what we leave to our children's children will tell them their story of the past. How would the world be without Venice, Rome, Athen's Acropolis or the historic districts of London, Paris or St Peterburg... ? A world without churches, temples, mosques, castles and past architectural treasures and masterpieces of their time - how would this be ?
I cannot imagine to let old building treasures die. A doctor has to rescue a patient with medicine and his skills. So, over the past 30 years I have dedicated a big part of my life to learn and to become a good doctor for 'buildings in pain'.
My aim is to heal the structures and substance - often caused by the past owner's negligence or lack of funds, love or care. Once historic properties are adapted to today's safety, security, ecology and quality standards, these buildings become usable and valuable again. Many very valuable historic 'pearls' are still crumbling and rotten in prime locations of capitals of the world because of either lack of funding or complicated permitting procedures. It is sad to see buildings 'slowly dying' or becoming a 'no-repair-possible' skeleton, because authorities cannot agree for decades on scope of works and budgets. A patient has to be saved, so does a historic masterpiece of architecture. They represent in stone the evolution of our cultures, they showcases our ancestor's skills and have preserved forever their innovations and ideas.
Old buildings are books in stone - with the architecture as the language. Like this and perhaps similar to Shakespeare or old paintings preserve the values and stories of the past for our future generations inspiration.So in some ways I see a finished restored and redeveloped property as a now healed and healthy real estate that can survive now another 1000 years and continue to serve as a timestamp of our human evolution,... and one day allow a look back of 20 centuries or more... when studying e.g. the Chateau d'Allaman.
UNS : In this connection, what does time represent for you. You might be connected to keeping time somehow. What is the connection between you, time, time-keeping and history?
MJ : My ancestors business was Time. We invented the majority of the alarm clocks produced over the past 150 years. Time and precision was of highest importance for my family. My father never came late to a meeting - ever and his father was of the same standard. I could go backwards for 5 generations.
My ancestors improved with every step and every new series of clocks the mechanical movement's, durability, precision and power reserve as well as sound quality of the ringing bells. The previous product always served as the basis for the next innovation and in the 20th Century Jerger Clocks[iv] were a benchmark in mechanical alarm clock precision and my family's factories produced for the world markets.For me, the family's traditions and rituals have evolved into applying the same to buildings.
Over the past 30 years I have re-developed historic properties and with every property I have learned something new that served me in the next projects. This allows me today to re-fit very complicated properties with construction waves spanning over multiple centuries, with paint-repairs after wars and severe structural problems... Most of the problems can be resolved today if the TIME and WILL is there, if authorities assist investors and developers, if we shorten procedures and ensure the survival of historic buildings NOW that later cannot be saved anymore .... (my grandfather used to say, our alarm clocks are only efficient if 2 things are ensured: that the clock is in TIME and that the person has the WILL to get out of bed when the clock's bell rings.)
UNS : The Peace Column you discovered in your Peace Castle is one of the three important monuments, erected by Count de Sellon, with whom we, United Nations Office in Geneva, are also connected. Being in a way your « Peace » cousins, what do you know about Peace Temple and could it be one of your project ?
MJ : Yes of course, in honour of Jean Jacques de Sellon, a great man who gave the Castle of Allaman the true meaning of a peaceful castle, I will support all efforts around the peace temple. The selection of a perfect position for its erection is of essence as only then it is ensured that as many people can see and embrace the message the temple should proclaim: PEACE, as it will resolve all our current problems in the world.
I am open to welcome the Temple in the Park of the Castle of Allaman and it would be a very suitable place and here JJ de Sellon refueled energy and collected and manifested many of his ideas. Allaman has the right access with public infrastructure and could be very suitable as also the rest of the castle could reflect the scenery well.
Perhaps a project to further explore and evaluate.Also Geneva and the center of town could offer ideal effects. It would become a photo opportunity for all visitors and the message of JJ de Sellon could spread the world, similar to the flower watch. I would think of a few locations the temple could be very well placed.
UNS: Thank you for this interview !
_________________________________________________________
[i] https://www.unspecial.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/UNSpecial_Avril2015.pdf (UNS 748).
