The Schweizerische Ausstellung für Frauenarbeit (SAFFA, English: Swiss Exhibition for Women's Work) was an exhibition that took place in Bern in 1928 and in Zürich in 1958. SAFFA was organized by the Bund Schweizerischer Frauenvereine (BFS, the Federation of Swiss Women's Associations), the Swiss Catholic Women's League (SKF), and 28 other Swiss women's associations, to highlight the precarious situation of working women in the postwar years.
Saffa 1928
The predecessor of Saffa was the first exhibition on women's work, organized by Rosa Neuenschwander in Bern in 1923.
In the '"Viererfeld" area (today Länggasse-Felsenau) in Bern, the first Saffa was held from 26 August until 30 September 1928. Louise (Lux) Guyer, the first Swiss women architect, was the chief organizator, and she completed the buildings in only three months using prefabricated elements made of wood. When the fair opened, her reputation was firmly established. Focus of the exhibition were the services of women in family, working life, science and art; the representation of women's work and their importance for the Swiss economy and society. Saffa also promoted the female self-confidence and campaigned –for the so far not related – political rights to the Swiss women and the right to a gainful employment, as well as for their recognition as Swiss citizens with all political rights, until the Women's suffrage in Switzerland was realized in the last cantons in 1990.
Saffa 1958
From 17 July until 15 September 1958, the BSF led the second Saffa in Zürich, with over a hundred national and cantonal women's organisations on the Landiwiese in Zürich-Wollishofen. The Saffa-Insel, an artificial island, was created before the event, being still today a popular meeting place also used as lido in the summer and for events.
Annemarie Hubacher-Constam was chief architect of the exhibition, which stood under the motto "Life circle of women in family, occupation, and country". SAFFA presented women, who were wanted in the booming economy merely as consumers and workers, with possibilities in the areas of education, employment, shopping and leisure. In accordance with the economic and sociopolitical needs, SAFFA promoted the then radical three-phase model as an 'ideal female curriculum': employment prior to the marriage, motherhood, and return to the labour market. In addition, the women had to absorb negative impacts of the rapidly changing world, nevertheless, by spreading harmony inside and outside of their families. The men should be made aware of 'women services' in the service of the general public on the indispensability and so motivated to fix the social discrimination against women. With the profits from the two exhibitions, solidarity works were established for women.
The exhibition was organized and designed exclusively by women, including ETH Zurich alumnae Berta Rahm and Claire Rufer-Eckmann. An innovation and particularly startling were the rotundas, which were planned as manifestation of the solidarity of women. Topics such as "my home – my world", "needle and thread" and "in the realm of the kitchen" attracted the then housewives. The Saffa 1958 was marked by the upcoming vote to women's suffrage, thus the promoters did not practice an overly combative appearance and even created a "men paradise" (Männerparadies) department. On occasion of the Saffatheater Jörg Schneider played in the cabaret comedy Lysistrata.
For that time, the women excelled with innovative ideas, among the Saffa Women's Orchestra at the opening concert, of course, exclusively from women musicians, and directed by the first women conductor who graduated in Switzerland, Hedi Salquin, who conducted the concerto for orchestra Intrada by Fernande Peyrot (1888–1978) in the Wasserkirche auditorium.
The exhibition was a great success, with 1.9 million visitors, and generated a substantial financial surplus that was used for solidarity associations for women. The Saffa island was dedicated to women, and is part of the water lot owned by the canton of Zürich.