Dutti’s Underwater Supplies

In the fall of 1938, Gottlieb Duttweiler appealed to Swiss women: “Dear housewives, buy wherever you want – also in the cooperative! – but build up your own emergency supplies if possible…” The fact that so much more effort was put into arming war material than increasing food, which he considered essential, brought the combative founder of the Migros in anger. And this despite the fact that on April 1, 1938, the federal law came into effect to ensure the state supply of essential goods.

In July 1938, Duttweiler presented his plan to the state government to store grain, as well as fuel and oil in our lakes. The advantage of this form of storage was clear to him. Warehouses were always at risk from possible bombing raids and also caused high storage costs. the former Federal Department of Economic Affairs FDEA (Today WBF) commissioned a corresponding investigation. This was agreed with Gottlieb Duttweiler.

And so, in the summer of 1939, something unusual happened in Lake Thun near Därligen (BE). In a 250 cubic meter and about seven meter high steel tank, which was covered with tar on the inside, 230 tons of grain disappeared tightly into the lake. This should be kept in cold water of about ten degrees for the next four and a half months. The attempt was successful. The temperature kept the grain from germinating and prevented fermentation or pests.

Nevertheless, the Federal Council rejected participation in the project and its continuation. The reasons given were the short duration of the trial and the quota system still in force. Above all, Federal Councilor Hermann Obrecht, who was responsible for this policy, repeatedly got into trouble with Gottlieb Duttweiler. The last one was before the “land ring” in the National Council and also in the council chambers under considerable pressure. Finally, Obrecht made it clear to the founder of Migros that he had no interest in organizing the war economy.

Nevertheless, a few months later, Duttweiler sank a 15 cubic meter underwater tank of wheat in the Alpnachsee. He had bought this at his own expense. The wheat remained in the water for six years and was checked regularly. Result: The grain was also absolutely flawless afterwards. Due to the tar layer, the outer protective film of mud and sand, and the low oxygen content in the depths of the lake, water did not penetrate and the tanks did not rust.

“Dutti” probably wouldn’t have been “Dutti” if he’d let an idea dissuade him once he’d come up with it. In 1949, again at his own expense, he sank 100 barrels of raw coconut and peanut oil in Lake Alpnach, which were checked regularly in subsequent years. It should not be his last successful attempt to store food, but also other materials that become important in times of crisis, bombproof and cheaply. From 1955, more than 2000 barrels disappeared in the Alpnachersee.

Today, there are no more Dutti food vessels at the bottom of Swiss lakes. The experiment was finally discontinued in the early 1960s. Among other things because, for example, construction work for the widening of the Brünigstrasse would have endangered the barrels with stone rubble or rubble. In the lake at Alpnach, a total of 2765 oversized “cans” were lifted all intact again.