History of Migros Commitment

In the midst of a general time of crisis, with World War II raging in Europe, Gottlieb Duttweiler makes the bold decision to give Migros away. 

Together with his wife Adele, Duttweiler buys up all the shares in Migros AG and turns it into a cooperative. From now on, Migros is owned by the cooperative’s members – i.e. all Migros employees and customers. By taking this step, Duttweiler wants to show he is not just interested in making a profit, but is also committed to social and cultural issues.

Migros has a long tradition of film promotion, acquiring an interest in movie company Praesens Film AG as far back as 1943. At the time, this move is not only intended to promote Swiss film-making; it also seeks to boost the morale of the Swiss population during the difficult war years. One production from this era, «Marie-Louise» by Leopold Lindtberg, even wins an Oscar in 1946. Although Migros eventually withdrew from the company in 1965, the Migros Culture Percentage remains heavily involved in film promotion today. 

In December 1946, Adele and Gottlieb Duttweiler set up the «Im Grüene» Foundation. Their 45,000m2 estate in Rüschlikon is handed over to the foundation. The foundation’s main aim is to create an institute that will «promote social progress in Switzerland and beyond». Although the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute will not be inaugurated until 1963, the «Dutti Park» throws its gates open to visitors in 1947 – initially only for members of the cooperative, then later for the general public. 

Adele and Gottlieb Duttweiler’s 15 theses are published in the Migros magazine «Brückenbauer» at the end of 1950. Although not legally binding, they are intended to serve future generations as guidelines on how to carry on the work of Migros. The Duttweilers are clear about Migros’ social and cultural commitment: «The general interest must be placed higher than the interests of the Migros cooperatives […] Our growing material wherewithal must always go hand in hand with even greater social and cultural contributions. For all the social and political demands we face, we must always make funds available and free up the time of the best among us.» (Thesis 10) 

In 1957, 13 independent cooperatives form the Federation of Migros Cooperatives (MGB), which coordinates the activities of the Migros community. The Culture Percentage is defined for the first time in a new agreement between the MGB and the affiliated cooperatives, and incorporated into the articles of association. The Culture Percentage consists of 1% of the MGB’s wholesale revenue and 0.5% of the cooperatives’ retail revenue, and is levied even when the retail trade is not performing well. 

Gottlieb Duttweiler prepared the way for the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute (GDI) when he set up the «Im Grüene» Foundation in 1947. Shortly before his death in 1962, he lays the actual foundation stone for the «construction of an international educational and research institute», as is stated in the deed of foundation. Switzerland’s oldest think tank conducts research into economic and social issues, and promotes unorthodox and unconventional thinking – entirely in the spirit of its founder. 

The Relief Fund is created in 1979 following a members’ vote by the Federation of Migros Cooperatives. To complement the Migros Culture Percentage, one million francs per year are set aside for «targeted aid at home and abroad», initially for five years. Migros’ commitment to development aid is confirmed by another vote by the cooperatives’ members in 1984.  

The Relief Fund has been enshrined in the Federation of Migros Cooperatives’ articles of association since 2007. In 2016 the Relief Fund is modernised and renamed the Migros Aid Fund. By supporting trailblazing projects at home and abroad, the MGB seeks to help disadvantaged groups in society improve their living conditions and ultimately gain control of their everyday lives. 

The Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst opens on the site of the former Löwenbräu brewery in Zurich on 4 May 1996. The MGB art collection is exhibited over 1,300m2 of floor space. However, the Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst does not see itself as a traditional museum where new art is collected, but rather as a hub for contemporary art production. The museum’s exhibitions present art history as a dynamic process. 

The fairy tale of the «new» Gurten starts with several failed attempts to revitalise Bern’s very own mountain. Finally, along comes an orange prince who kisses the long-forgotten recreation area back to life, saving it from rack and ruin and restoring its fortunes. 

The Gurten has a colourful past: At various points in its past it has been a spa, a military base during World War I, the venue of Switzerland’s first ski race and of ski jumping competitions, as well as a golf course. None of these finds enduring success. The City of Bern eventually closes the run-down hotel in 1983.  

After an injection of 33 million francs the venue has finally been turned round. The Gurten reopens in 1999 with the motto «Gurten for all», proving that every fairy tale has a happy ending. 

The Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst in the Löwenbräu Art District reopens in 2012 after two years of renovation work with the first Swiss solo exhibition of Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson. The converted premises give the internationally renowned museum a cutting-edge framework for presenting artworks. One exhibition floor is used to present the collection, while the other is available for temporary solo and group exhibitions. 

Fiore di pietra, the new landmark on the summit of Monte Generoso, is an imposing structure in the signature style of world-renowned architect Mario Botta. With the design of a stone flower, it sits in splendour on a rocky at 1704 metres above sea level, offering a breathtaking 360-degree panorama. Its five floors include an exhibition hall, a conference room, a gourmet restaurant and a viewing terrace. The building is a popular location for all kinds of events.