Strange Swiss Keys

Accomodation, House and Garden
1
I was surprised when I got to Switzerland that you cannot unlock an apartment door from the inside without the key. This seems potentially dangerous in case of a fire or other emergency. I've been leaving my keys in the lock on the inside of the door while I'm home, but this doesn't seem to be a workable solution if more than one person lives in an apartment. Am I missing something? Do people here get trapped in their apartments sometimes?

2
There are some doors with a knob on the inside which is used to lock and unlock the door so not all Swiss doors need a key to open them from the inside.

Having said that this is not a phenomenon unique to Switzerland. The majority of properties I have lived in all over Europe have required the use if a key to lock/unlock the door from the inside.

3
I quite often don't lock my door until I go to bed, as only 4 families have access to my apartment block. That said, I often do and just leave the key in the lock. I live alone (well, with small child) so it's not a big deal that no-one can unlock from the outside, but if I have visitors, someone is in and left the key in the lock, it's not a huge deal to knock for them to open it.

I also have put a little hook on the back of my door to hang my keys up mostly to stop small one unlocking the door, so the key is handy but not in the lock.

4
It's a very silly system in place, but it's not unique to Switzerland but rather Europe in general. Yes folk do get trapped in their apartments if they can't find their keys to get themselves out (I know both Swiss and Ausländer who've suffered this fate).

5
The front door of my house in the UK needed a key to unlock it from inside, too. It's not a Swiss thing by any means. Just keep your key on a hook near the door.

6
Strange indeed. I suppose in my case it's an advantage as long as I leave the keys in the door, since I can't lock myself out!

7
The other stupid (imo) thing, both here and in Germany is that the main door to the block usually has the same system (of course, people don't leave their keys in the door) and is double-locked so the handle doesn't work at night.

So in a fire, the first person would need to actually unlock the front door to get out. And there are no regulations on smoke detectors here, unlike say the UK in rented properties.

However, maybe people are just less likely to burn down their apartments here as I don't see any news/issues with the above being reported.

8
Yes, leave your key in the lock, when inside, but pull it out just a small amount, so it can't turn.

That way a second person can unlock the door from the outside, and your key is still in position, for emergencies, and with a small push is ready to turn and unlock.

...... and shouldn't the thread title be 'Strange Swiss Locks '

9
TiMow posted a second before me)

Please note carefully.... it seems that nobody has told you...

You take your key inside your apartment and lock the door on the inside.

Then you pull the key out a few millimeters, so the key is not out of the lock.

Anyone can now enter your apartment with a correct key.

If you need to leave the apartment, push the key into the lock and turn the key.

10
When you have that situation you should complain to the owner or the fire department. It is not allowed in Fribourg as our front door house lock was recently changed, to comply.

11
DouglasBreakfast Mode

It was Bunderat Gnäggi which made this system mandatory in all newly built houses since 1966. It was he very first decree as a new Bundesrat. He second decree was to introduce his wifes invetion, the zippered turtelneck, to the Swiss army. To this date the zippered turtelneck is known in Switzerland as a Miss Gnägi. 1987 the then newly appointed Minister of Defence Adolf Ogi made the Swiss locking mechanism mendatory for all houses which were not converted yet. Knowbody knew exactly why.

But the whole truth and reason became evident during 1989 Fichenaffair. There was a secret meeting during the 1972 Winter olympics in Sapporo. Adolf Ogi, officialy head of the Swiss Ski team, was the Swiss delegative. The people addenting the secret meeting are wiedely known as the "Jiangshi-Circle", or in Swiss, as the "Totemügerli-Group".

The "Totemügerlis", you may know in English as "Zombie". Are very deep in the Swiss culture. Most houses built before 1966 had a Herrgottswinkel which could succefully prevent any Zombie outbreak in the house. Houses built after 1966 were carelessly built by immigrant construction workers which did not know the Swiss rules and customs. They simply forgot to built one. Many Swiss did not know that they lived in houses without a Herrgottswinkel. A new method had to be found to stop a Zombie outbreak. The solution was the lock that cannot be opened from the inside without the key. But it was highly secret to not scare the population, specially the growing expat community.

Now you know and hopefully you will remember during the upcoming Zombie apocalypse.