A Heart for UZH: “Giving Back” Donor Martin Eckert

For Martin Eckert, Zurich is more than just his hometown. Having graduated from UZH, joined a student singing organization and got involved in “Hottingen” guild, he has deep roots in the city. We met with the commercial lawyer to talk about his personal experiences and his commitment to UZH.

 

Interview: Laura Furlanetto

If you could have dinner with a famous person, who would it be?

I would have loved to have a conversation with the Swiss author Gerhard Meier. I’ve read his books multiple times, and I’m a great admirer of his. Meier described himself as provincial. He led a modest life in the small town of Niederbipp in northwestern Switzerland and created a masterful literary oeuvre from his simple life there. His books have very little plot but contain a wealth of careful, detailed observations that conjure up a very special atmosphere. He described his humdrum hometown with such beauty that I decided to go there once myself. It’s fascinating how you can shape the world with language.

 

And yet you studied law rather than linguistics at UZH. How come?

Language plays a key role in law, as language is used to exert power. Whether it’s written law, contracts or legal debates, they all use words to shape the world. That impressed me from a very young age, and that’s why I knew early on that I wanted to study law.  I looked into different areas of law during my studies, but I knew all along that I wanted to go into commercial law – and that’s exactly what I did.

 

Is there any one experience from your student days that you still like to think back to today?

My memories are strongly shaped by life outside the lecture halls. I had a very romantic attitude to studying that I fully embraced. I joined a student singing club and also lived in the “Kantorei”, the house that belonged to my student association. Interacting and exchanging ideas with students from other faculties was particularly valuable for me. It was interesting to observe the different mindsets whenever conflicts would arise: humanities and arts students always looked for the underlying causes of a problem, while ETH students took a more pragmatic approach. Medical students thought they already knew the best solution (laughs), and law students wanted to solve the problem immediately and for all eternity. All these different perspectives made for an exciting environment.

 

You’re sometimes jokingly referred to as “Mr. Sechseläuten”, after the local festival that marks the end of winter. How did you get this nickname?

I was exposed to the world of guilds when I was a boy. My father was a well-known speaker, and he was responsible for establishing the tradition of the so-called “Saubanner” speech, which was held at the “Schmiden” guild after the official festivities had concluded. Sometimes we gave the speech together, until at some point I took over the tradition. That’s how I ended up becoming a well-known figure in the Sechseläuten community. I enjoy speaking in public. And so I became “Zunftmeister”, or guildmaster, at the age of 41, which was fairly uncommon for someone that young.

 

What motivated you to join the Giving Back community and support research and teaching?

I’m a curious man. The various events organized by the University of Zurich have always allowed me to gain exciting insights into different research topics – which I find extremely fascinating, and which quenches my thirst for knowledge. I’ve also greatly benefited from the University of Zurich in my life, and I’m happy to give something back. 

 

What do you want to achieve with your commitment?

I’m a Zurich local and I owe a lot to this city. It’s very important to me that Zurich stays an attractive place – and this includes a strong, open university. Unlike closed private communities such as student associations or guilds, it is precisely this openness that makes Zurich stand out. The city has its own dynamic, and there’s always a certain sense of competition. The University of Zurich is an excellent example of this openness, as it draws researchers from all over the world. This openness, this free-wheeling thinking and open-minded environment, is worth fighting for.

 

How would you convince someone to make a financial commitment to science and research?

You can make a valuable contribution to research. Research is often unpredictable, the outcome always open. But this uncertainty is precisely what fascinates people, as this is where new things are created. My heart beats for a university that helps us advance as a society, and this isn’t possible without resources and financial support.

 

Do you have a dream you wish to fulfill?

I enjoy the little things in life. I’m no longer that interested in traveling round the world, but instead in having a sense of who you are and what you’ve got. And this of course is connected to knowledge, because the more you know about something, the more interesting it gets.  When you walk through the city and know its history, its economic developments and political milestones, you get a different perspective on it. My goal is to fully embrace the moment and to consciously experience everything around me.

Which in a way means you’re following in the footsteps of Gerhard Meier. Martin Eckert, thank you very much for your time.