“Firstly: half a litre of milk every day. Secondly: never take the escalator.“
Gerhart Wagner was born in 1920 in Bollingen, the fifth of six children, in his parents’ house just a few kilometres from his current home. His father was a teacher, as was his mother until the birth of her children. As a boy, he spent a lot of time outdoors and was fascinated by nature: together with his friend, he observed animals and recorded his observations in a diary.
Gerhart Wagner’s youth came to an abrupt end with the outbreak of the Second World War. Although he now had to herd cows, he passed all but one of his remaining school-leaving exams with top marks. He began studying to become a teacher but was called up for military service in the autumn of 1940. After completing officer training, he was stationed on the Italian border.
After the war, he continued his studies and obtained a doctorate in zoology. He then taught mathematics, sports, and biology. He married Alice, and they had four children. Over time, his wife became increasingly unhappy, and after 31 years they separated, a low point in his life. It was then that he met Annie-Marie. “An unexpected, undeserved happiness,” he says. They remained together for the rest of their lives.
After many years as a teacher and later as a headmaster, Gerhart Wagner retires at the age of 63. He wants more time for his hobby, science. «My productive time» he says. In the mornings, he works for two or three hours, goes hiking with friends or writes letters. He spends the afternoons with his wife. They drink coffee, sing and chat.
For 14 years, he worked on the reference book Flora Helvetica, published in 1996; it is now in its 7th edition and available as an app. At age 94, he finished his last book, on medial moraines. Even over 100, he still writes in his diary and emails.
He continues to enjoy going to the mountains and admiring rare alpine flowers. Only in his nineties did he start experiencing increasing health problems and underwent three operations. But he recovered quickly and returned to his favourite local mountain, the Bantiger. Walking, however, became more difficult. At 101, he gave up his driving licence and car.
When asked about his secret, Gerhart Wagner first shrugs questioningly, then raises his index finger. Firstly: half a litre of milk every day. Secondly: never take the escalator. Thirdly: good genes – his parents lived long lives, and his sister reached 105. He is also curious, extroverted, and disciplined. Like many of his generation, he did not have an easy life, but he made the best of it.
Now, he feels it is time to slow down. He enjoys spending time with his wife and children, but he is tired and misses his friends.