“I helped out my great aunt for four months in 1958 in the Aescher Guesthouse. From October, as things became more calm, the builders came with Professor Schmid to excavate in the Wildkirchli. Even Heinz Baechler, Emil Baechler’s son, often visited the excavation site. I had to work in the kitchens in Aescher washing bones by the boxful and laying them out on lattices to dry. I would wash bones and teeth all day long, using cold water of course. This was really tough in the cool October weather.

Ms. Schmid lived in the Ebenalp above, the laborers stayed with us at Aescher. Ms. Schmid needed light for her studies in the evening; we were yet to receive electricity in Aescher.

When there was an especially good find, Ms. Schmid was always ecstatic and the workers would be given a glass of wine with their supper.”

Marie-Louise Fuchs, Meistersruete, Appenzell, great niece of Aescher’s  then-landlady

A pile of bear bones. There were an exceptional number of bones found. To this day, in the museums in Appenzell and St. Gallen there are boxes full of cave bear bones from the Wildkirchli.