The Swiss Consulate in Alexandria
Switzerland did not have any diplomatic mission in Turkey; therefore it could not establish consulates within the Ottoman Empire. After the end of the Ottoman rule over Egypt in 1914, Switzerland hosted a peace conference in Lausanne in 1923 where the Turkish Republic relinquished all its rights over Egypt. One year later, Switzerland recognized Egypt as an independent State on February 5th 1924.
Nevertheless, the first official Swiss representation in Egypt took place a few years earlier. It started in Alexandria where the Swiss Chamber of Commerce was established August 12th 1909 headed by Mr. Alfred Kaiser serving both Cairo and Alexandria.
This was replaced by a Trade Commission in 1917 with separate offices in Alexandria and Cairo acting under the Swiss Legation in London. In 1919, Ernest Trembley merged both offices under the name of Swiss Commercial Commission based in Cairo serving both cities.
With growing number of inquiries and requests, the Commission received a yearly grant of 10,000 Swiss Francs in 1922 to hire one staff member for each office and hence the name of the Swiss Commercial Commission appeared for the first time in the Swiss Official Consulates Directory with its duties extending to include various civic and juridicial duties. In 1925, Mr. Charles Kohler was appointed Secretary of Alexandria Commercial Commission.
In February 1934, the Swiss Minister in Ankara Mr. Henri Martin visited Egypt and together with Mr. Ernest Trembley signed a Treaty of Amity with the Egyptian Government on June 7th, 1934 which stipulated both parties intention to establish diplomatic relations by the formation of corresponding Legations in Cairo and Bern.
Paul Reinhart AG is a family business engaged in cotton trading established since 1788 and still operating today well into its seventh generation out of Winterthur. The family was present in Egypt since 1848 and established its own company Reinhart & Co in 1907. The company soon became the largest raw cotton exporter from Egypt.
Following the nationalization of Reinhart & Co. in 1961, Mr. Paul Reinhart and his wife Lilly left Egypt in 1963 ending the rich and fruitfull presence of four Rienhart family generations in Egypt. Before leaving Egypt, they donated their villa with its beautiful large garden in Saba Pasha district to the Swiss Confederation to serve as consulate for the remaining Swiss community of Alexandria.
The villa is 6300 square meters in total with one main villa (photo below), one smaller villa and two annexes. The main villa was the residance of the Reinhart family and later of the Swiss Consul (A1/A2). One annex is found behind the main villa (A3), the second annex (B2) is today housing the present caretakers and finally the second villa (B1) which used to serve as the Consulate.
The villa has a very beautifull large garden that is still very well kept, it includes a huge ficus tree with a big white trunk, many palm tress and some magnificent bambo trees reaching over 15 meters in height.
The garden had its highlights with the celebration on the 1st of August 1941 of the 650th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation and the performance of the play "Guillaume Tell" of Renet Morat. It was a big success as all the swiss colony participated in the event.
More photos are placed in the photo gallery.
Mr. Paul Reinhart maintained the right to use the appartments of the first annex (A3) while in Egypt, a right he exercised from 1963 untill 1973. Later on Mrs. Rosy Hilti, the famous dean of the swiss community in Alexandria, lived in the same annex from 1980 till 1996.
The Swiss Club in Alexandria 'Société Suisse d'Alexandrie' was looking for a new location after leaving their premises in 1982. The Club approached the Swiss Embassy to allocate the small villa (B1) for the Club use, but the terms offered at the time were not acceptable to the Club, one of which was complete renovation of both the main and the small villa at the Club expense.
Rennovation work started at the small villa (B1) over 20 years ago but for some reason was never completed.
Due to reduced activity, the consulate was later closed for public service with last working day December 31st 1978. With no further use for the villa for over 30 years and reduced number of Swiss nationales in Alexandria, the villa will unfortunately be eventually sold.
Finally on March 11th 1935, Minister Henri Martin presented his credentials to King Fouad I as an Extraordinary Envoy "Envoyé extraordinaire et Ministre plénipotentiaire de la Confédération Suisse en Egypte" (to be performed next to his duties in Ankara) and the the Swiss Legation was established in Cairo located in Baehler Plaza at Kasr El Nil Street with Mr. Alfred Brunner acting as Chargé d'Affaires The Commercial Commission was consequently discontinued.
Also in 1935, the Swiss Chancellery was established in Alexandria in an appartment at Sultan Hussein Street (Photo left). Mr. Charles Kohler assumed the post of Swiss Chancellor serving until 1951.
The Swiss Legation in Cairo became independent in 1937 and was upgraded to Embassy in 1957, the first Ambassador was Mr. Jean-Louis PAHUD (1909-1993), he served as Ambassador untill 1962.
The Swiss Chancellery in Alexandria was upgraded to Consulate in 1964, and moved to the Reinhart villa. The first Consule was Mr. Theodor HÄBERLIN.
More details can be found in link.
The google map photo above shows the villa surrounded today by appartment houses. The villa has two entrances, one on the western side and another at the north west corner.
The main villa (A1/A2) is the rectungular shaped building at the east side, behind it a small annex, the smaller villa (B1) is at the north side; the second annex is at the north east corner housing the present care takers.
The rest is a lovely rich garden.
The villa located at #6 Adrien Bey street (A) of 3,360 square meters was bought from the British previous owner Mr. Douglas Allen on march 26, 1938. In 1940, the villa was enlarged (A2) giving it its present symetrical front, and the same year an annex was added (A3) for a two cars garage with two small appartments on top to house the help.
The adjacent villa at #8 Adrien Bey street (B) of 2,949 square meters was bought from the Swiss Mr. Joseph Buhler on April 23, 1960 who was leaving the country. Mr Reinhart bought it to avoid having a building constructed next to his villa.
Before leaving Egypt, Mr. Paul Reinhart donated the whole property to the Swiss government to serve as a consulate. The Federal council accepted the donation March 1st, 1963 and the Act of Donation was notarized in Alexandria on July 1st, 1964.
The above text was enriched and edited by Mr. Caspar Reinhart the elder son of Mr. Paul Reinhart. Mr. Caspar was born in Winterthur 1931, and lived in the villa untill he left Egypt 1946.
Today, Mr. C. Reinhart lives in Zurich.
January 2016
