Alois Schilliger was a renowned Swiss composer, pianist, and folk musician. He composed more than 500 musical pieces but the most widely known was “Heirassa-Polka” that he composed in 1957.
“Heirassa-Polka” was so popular that in 1959 Alois Schilliger (Piano) formed a folk group and called it “Kapelle Heirassa” together with Walter Grob (Accordion), Kaspar Muther (Saxophone and Clarinet) and Kari Keiser (Double Bass).
“Kapelle Heirassa” also became well-known all over Switzerland.
Alois Schilliger was born on December 24, 1924 in Weggis, Switzerland. He died on January 17, 2004 at the age of 80.
In honor and memory of Alois “Heirassa” Schilliger being one of the famous people from Weggis and who also spent most of his time in Weggis, Heirassa Festival was organized. Heirassa Festival is being celebrated in Weggis every year, most of the time on the second weekend of June.
Aside from the Heirassa festival, a bronze relief memorial tablet of Alois Schilliger was mounted on a wall along Seestrasse (street) in Weggis at the back of Weggis Lakeside Pavilion or “Pavillon am See”.
The bronze relief memorial tablet of Alois “Heirassa” Schilliger was unveiled on August 15, 2004.
The Alois “Heirassa” Schilliger bronze relief memorial tablet was created by Marco D’Angelo, a local artist from Weggis.
Photos were taken by Sofie Hofmann (www.sofiehofmann.com) along Seestrasse (street) in Weggis, Switzerland on November 07, 2009.
