Grauholz memorial, War memorial in Moosseedorf, Switzerland.
The Grauholz memorial is a limestone column standing about 40 feet (12 m) tall in Moosseedorf, in the canton of Bern, marking the site of an 18th-century military clash. It stands along Sandstrasse, close to the A1 motorway, and is clearly visible from passing vehicles.
The monument was erected in 1886 to mark the Battle of Grauholz, fought on March 5, 1798, when Swiss forces faced a French invasion army. Their defeat at Grauholz hastened the fall of the Old Confederation and the establishment of the French-backed Helvetic Republic.
The monument's base carries the inscription "Seid einig" ("Be united"), a motto taken up in 1886 by the Bernese officers' association that commissioned it. An information plaque added in 2011 became illegible and was supplemented by a new panel in 2024. The column is a broken one topped by a crown.
The site is freely accessible and sits right along Sandstrasse, making it easy to stop briefly on a drive. Those arriving on foot should stay alert to traffic, as the road beside the monument carries a steady flow of vehicles.
The monument is a broken column topped by a crown, a detail easy to miss from the motorway. Its base carries the appeal "Seid einig" ("Be united"). An information plaque added in 2011 became illegible and was supplemented by a new panel in 2024.
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