Google-Fu Challenge

[jyl]

It is "back to school" season, and kids are getting new backpacks and clothes for the new school year.

This BTS has been rather mediocre for many retailers, especially the traditional "teen clothing" stores. I am not unproud to say that my high school daughter has not helped the likes of Abercrombie, Aeropostale and American Eagle at all.

She asked to go to the surplus store, where she bought an old Swiss army rucksack for her school backpack. It is old-school European military, with stiff grayish green waterproof fabric, cotton drawstrings, and lots of thick riveted leather straps with galvanized buckles. Looks utterly ancient and quaint compared to modern military gear, or even compared to old American surplus (ALICE packs etc). Jeez, by the late 1960s at least we had stuff made from nylon duck and webbing.

If you want to see a picture, here is an identical pack, from an eBay auction. The auction describes it as "Swiss/Swedish WW2", which I'm going to take with a tablespoon of salt because other eBay auctions describe the same bag as being from the 1960s or various other dates - gee, I think they are making this crap up.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-WW2-SWISS-SWEDISH-ARMY-MILITARY-SALT-PEPPER-LEATHER-BACKPACK-RUCKSACK-/251334802818?_trksid=p3284.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA% 252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D21%26pmod%3D221273 013664%26ps%3D54

The rucksack also came with some tags and labels from its previous user/owner. Hmm. The internet is incredible, no? 1 minute of Googling showed that

Jager Hansruedi
70 Haldenstrasse
9202 Gossau

is a person who once may have sold used motorcycles and cars from the above address in a small town by Lake Untersee in Switzerland. Makes sense, as the tag also says he was a Mechaniker.

But as my Google-fu is limited to 1 minute searches, that is all I (think I) know.

So, here is your assignment, if you wish to accept it. Find out more. About the person who was issued my daughter's school bag, however many decades ago and across the ocean. When would he have used the rucksack ('70s? '80s?)? Was he a mechanic in the Swiss Army? What then happened to him? Does he sell motorbikes in Gossau today? How old is this rucksack, anyway? How does an old Swiss military rucksack end up in a Portland Oregon store? How many decades did it collect dust in some warehouse?

This is purely for fun. I have no intention of stalking some Swiss guy who may or may not still be alive. Maybe if my daughter is in Switzerland on some post-school junket, she might walk by his shop and wave.

[id10t]

From what I can tell, there is a motorcycle dealer/repair place with that name

Hansruedi Jäger 2 Rad Werkstatt, 9200 Gossau - MotoScout24

[RWebb]

If your daughter gets very interested in her Swiss School bag, you will wind up paying for her to go to a VERY expensive Swiss private school...