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The 1920s in cosmopolitan Zurich - A time of new paths in art, science, architecture and society

During this period, Zurich became a hub for innovative political ideas and artistic and scientific upheaval. The city attracted researchers, artists, thinkers and activists from around the globe, making a significant contribution to the development of modern art, philosophy and science.

zurich 2020
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Röschlibachstrasse 1920, Stadtarchiv Zürich
 
Zurich 1920
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Zürcher Bahnhofplatz, 1930, Bildarchiv der ETH Zürich
 

 

 

Dadaism

The Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich played a central role in the birth and evolution of Dadaism. This artistic and literary movement originated in Zurich before spreading to many other European cities and New York.

Alberto Giacometti and Paul Klee

Alberto Giacometti studied in Zurich in the 1920s, a period that was central for his artistic development.
Meanwhile, Paul Klee worked in Zurich in the early 1920s, being influenced by the works of the Dadaists and the avant-garde movement.

James Joyce

Zurich was one of the many places where the writer lived and worked, and it played an important role in the completion of his greatest work, Ulysses. The novel was written in Trieste, Zurich and Paris between 1914 and 1921, and was first published on 2 February 1922.