Post #1759448

@dansimati I'd say he's a largely or entirely fictional national hero, like they exist in many different countries, often with similar stories and alleged deeds. He appears to have been popularized by Schillers play, which was written during a time when the idea of nation states began to take hold throughout Europe, as did various founding myths. But yes, he, together with Helvetia, is an important (at least for some people) national symbol, like Columbia and Uncle Sam in the US.