The descendants of Reding visit Malaga for the first time

In 1802, a Swiss man arrived in Málaga, leaving a lasting imprint forever. This was Theodor Reding, who had enlisted in the Spanish army at the age of fourteen and bore several war scars. He entered the city as a general and the head of the third Spanish regiment of Swiss, appointed by the king to protect what is now known as the Costa del Sol. At that time, he could not have imagined that in 1803 and 1804, he would experience a terrible yellow fever epidemic that would claim the lives of 186 of his soldiers in the effort to contain it; that in 1806, he would be entrusted with the governance of the Malaga region, from which he planned and undertook multiple actions to improve the lives of the people of Malaga; and that in 1808, on the military front, he would become the first to defeat a corps of Napoleon's army in open battle.

Last Saturday, September 20, the Historical-Cultural Association "Teodoro Reding", which will soon celebrate its 20th anniversary, organized its seventeenth tribute to the illustrious governor. Over these two decades, it has had the honor of involving members from different branches of the Reding family in its activities, but this occasion was even more special because for the first time, some of his direct descendants were present. Specifically from his brother Aloys, who also served in Spain but returned to Switzerland, where, as leader of the Canton of Schwyz, he also fought against Napoleon's troops and ambitions, briefly becoming the leader of the country. This is the same family that contributed one-third of the cost of the statue by Malaga sculptor Juan Vega Ortega, which the association promoted and was inaugurated in 2019 at Plaza de La Malagueta.

Gregory Niclas von Reding

The family representation, led by Gregory Niclas von Reding - Biberegg, joined the group at the Reding Fountain and then during the parade of the Historical Recreation group "Swiss Regiment of Reding No. 3" to the monument, where they were received by the Mayor of the city, Francisco de la Torre, and the new Honorary Consul of Switzerland in Málaga, María Sonsoles Díaz Hernández. At the tribute, on behalf of his grandfather Nikolaus von Reding - Biberegg, Gregory Reding expressed, "today, here in Málaga, I feel that Teodoro Reding not only belongs to our family but also to this city. As a descendant of our family in Switzerland, I thank Málaga for preserving his memory not only in stone and bronze but also in the hearts of its citizens. For Spain, he was a general, but for Málaga, he became almost a son of this city." In addition to the well-known Walk in his honor, outside the event, there was also curiosity about seeing pharmacies, bakeries, cafeterias, and other establishments bearing his name.

For his part, Jon Valera Muñoz de Toro, founder and president of the Teodoro Reding Association, explained to the attendees that Reding, "born in Switzerland, but Malagan by adoption and Spanish at heart, gave everything for our land, was a hero, sought the welfare of the people of Malaga in the short period that the tumultuous circumstances of the time allowed him, and outlined the paths that this city should follow to progress... But above all, he proved to be a good person. An example to look up to and learn from, and to be proud of. That's why we owed him the statue he deserved then. Although he would say that he was really just an ordinary person who only did what he had to."

Regarding the sculpture, the association took the opportunity to present the family with the model that Juan Vega made in 2014, which was presented in 2015 at the Malaga City Hall when the public subscription was initiated. With the intention that it be displayed in the Ital Reding Haus museum in Schwyz, Reding's birthplace, where the baton and saber that Málaga presented to the general in 1808 after the victory in the Battle of Bailén are preserved.

First Biography of Reding

For her part, Catherine von Reding, representing the family and in appreciation of their work, presented Jon Valera with an original of the first biography of Reding published in Lucerne in 1817. For his part, Valera expressed his hope that in the not-too-distant future, the association could have a space in Málaga where both its heritage and such pieces could be permanently displayed for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

The rest of the weekend, this collective, made up of cultural volunteers who share a passion for history and its dissemination, took the family members to visit various points in Málaga, highlighting those particularly linked to Reding, as well as to the workshop of the imagemaker where the statue of their ancestor was made. A sculpture that united Malagans and Spaniards in general, with thousands of donations, with Switzerland, through the family but also institutions such as the Embassy in Spain, the government of the Canton of Schwyz, or the Museum of the Swiss Abroad in Geneva; and even individuals and groups from Ireland, Portugal, and Mexico.