Switzerland Parliament Simultaneous Translation, 1946 (b/w photo)

In October 1946, simultaneous translation into the four national languages German, French, Italian and Romansh was used for the first time in the National Council Hall in Berne - for the time being only as a trial. The members of the national parliamentary group presidents' conference are testing the newly installed facility for the first time. The trials will show whether the Council will decide on the final installation. Rene Robert, National Councillor of Neuchâtel, speaks French on the microphone, while Chancellor Oskar Leimgruber listens to the German translation in the background with headphones. Right in the foreground editor Boeschenstein, who also works as a translator. Professor Antoine Velleman, head of the interpreting school at the University of Geneva, can be seen in the back left.