The Swiss TV show “SRF bi de Lüt” will feature scenes from the historic Gstaad fire of 1898. To bring this pivotal event to life, an SRF film crew recently staged reenactments in Saanen, where its charming old houses served as a stand-in for Gstaad’s past.

Thick smoke swirled through Saanen’s Mittelgässchen as actors portraying panicked townsfolk ran through the streets in soot-covered costumes. Behind the scenes, a dedicated team of camera operators, sound technicians, and fog machine operators meticulously crafted the atmosphere. Senior producer Martin Boner explained the choice of location: “The old houses in Gstaad burned down in July 1898, so we used Saanen’s historic buildings for the exterior shots, while interior scenes were filmed at the Saanen Museum.”

The reenactments are based on historical accounts from the book “Madame Gstaad” by Gottfried and Andrea von Siebenthal. The film crew even enlisted local talent, including actors from the Alpekomedi group, to play villagers. Each actor was equipped with a carefully curated costume kit with periodappropriate accessories like suspenders and false beards.

The footage will air on February 1 during the live broadcast of “SRF bi de Lüt” from Gstaad’s ice rink. Edited to include six minutes of reconstructed scenes, archival photographs, and AI animations, the segment will be interwoven with an interview featuring Gottfried von Siebenthal, who recounts the devastating fire that destroyed half of Gstaad and displaced 74 residents.

In addition to the fire reenactment, the SRF crew captured a range of stories celebrating Gstaad’s heritage. These include a rescue mission by Air-Glaciers, traditional cooking with Elisabeth Raaflaub, and a skiing adventure with Mike von Grünigen. Over ten featurettes from Gstaad and its surroundings will accompany the live show, showcasing the region’s rich culture and history.

The story behind the fire
“Madame Gstaad” tells the true story of Emilie von Siebenthal, a resilient woman who played an unwitting role in the 1898 tragedy. After her husband’s death, Emilie managed the village bakery alone. One fateful night, a rejected baker’s apprentice set a pile of firewood ablaze, inadvertently igniting the wooden roofs of nearby houses. Emilie and her children narrowly escaped, but the fire reshaped Gstaad forever, leading to the rebuilding of the village in stone.

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