TOGETHER ON THE FAIRWAY

“I knew it the first time we met: It’s Monika* or it’s no one! We just hit it off straight away. And when she told me she also played golf – that’s it, I was hooked. She’s four years younger than me, and widowed. She’s been waiting for her prince for three years now, and I’m so happy that she chose me. Of course, the fact that we share a love of the same hobby is just the icing on the cake. We’re already planning our third golfing holiday and we’re both bursting with energy.”
(Helmut* (71), Zurich)

*Name has been changed

CONFLICTS ARE A PART OF ANY RELATIONSHIP

“I liked Anita* (63) the first moment I saw her. I had already had two other dates through freiherzen.ch, but with her I knew: This is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. She had the same feeling; I’m a good-looking guy, right? After three months, however, we had our first issues and it gave us a real jolt. Thankfully, because in the long run even pure bliss can get boring. We’ve now clarified our positions, and we’re looking to build our future together.”
(Konrad* 75, Lucerne)

*Name has been changed

A LOVE WITH 12 LEGS

We are both mad about dogs. Quite separately, Stefan* (32) and I had each acquired a young dog – before we knew one another. So on our first date we talked about little except our four-legged friends. The first time our dogs met was very exciting. It was love at first sight – just as it had been for us! Now the four of us go walking through the woods near Zurich or Lucerne.
(Sophia* from Lucerne, 32)

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GOING TO THE OPERA TOGETHER

All my life, I have loved going to concerts and the opera. I would never in my wildest dreams have thought that, at 81, I would find a partner who shares my passion. With Urs* (79), I have someone else with whom to indulge in my passion. Even our very first meetings involved going to music events. I am looking forward to many more wonderful shared experiences.
(Maja*, the Zurich area, 81)

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Everything is twice as much fun when there are two of you

It took us two months, during which we met often. Then we knew: it’s going to work. I liked Marion’s* (31) openness and also her clear ideas, right from the start. We found we had a lot in common, and also that everything is twice as much fun when there are two of you – for example, our new hobby, mountain biking. This year we plan to move in together. We already have our eye on a flat to share.
(Matthias* from Winterthur, 36)

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1 + 1 = 4

Due to a stroke of fate, I was widowed at the age of 31. That was very hard, not least for my two children. So, in looking for a new partner, I didn’t want to play any kind of game of “trial and error”. I was on the books of freieherzen.ch for over a year, but I didn’t find any of the dates 100% convincing – until suddenly Ronny* (41) was standing in front of me. A tall, good-looking mathematician. When I later introduced him to my children, they took him to their hearts immediately – and now we could no longer imagine our family without him.
(Susanne* from St. Gallen, 36)

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LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. AND AT THIRD…

I was crazy about Lorenz* (60) from the very first time we met. He was really charming and radiated so much zest for life… we had great fun and laughed a lot. I couldn’t sleep all night long, and I just knew: he’s the one! On our third date, he felt the same spark and we agreed that from now on we wanted to go on our journey through life together.
(Michelle* from Hochdorf, 61)

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WALGING INTO HAPPINESS

An architect and a natural scientist with a doctorate… can it ever work when two people are so committed to their careers? My initial reservations were quickly overcome by Claudia’s (59) charm. We went for lots of walks, since we were not allowed to do much else in lockdown. On our walks, we found we had so much in common that we could no longer imagine a future without each other.
(Reinhard* from Basel, 58)

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WE ARE A FAMILY

We met twice with just the two of us, and then the third time my three children were present as well. For me as a father there was no doubt about it: I was only available as a complete package. Sonja* (37) fell for the complete package straightaway. She thought my bunch of rascals was delightful and we swore eternal love for one another. We are already planning to have a fourth child, this time together.
(Marc* from Zurich, 45)

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LOVE KNOWS NO AGE

“An age difference of more than eight years is out of the question,” I explained at my initial interview. But I had not reckoned on meeting Christian*. Despite my reservations, Kathrin suggested us to one another. For that, I am grateful to her to this day – and to my Christian* (67), too. All he said was: “Please allow me to meet the lady in person, so that I can persuade her that the difference in age is irrelevant.” And what can I say? I’m so TOTALLY persuaded. We make a simply wonderful match.
(Catherine* from Rüschlikon, 49)

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WHEN THE TIME WAS RIGHT

“I think I have the perfect woman for you,” Kathrin Grüneis told me over the phone. However, just the week before, I had fallen for someone I had met myself, so I terminated my contract. Unfortunately, that relationship didn’t turn into anything long-term, so two years later I signed up with freieherzen.ch again. By pure chance, “my perfect woman” was also back on their books. We were introduced to one another, and no further organised dates were required. We have now been a happy couple for over a year.
(Martin* from Winterthur, 70)

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HE CAME, HE SAW, HE CONQUERED

“It was March and I was just about to cancel my subscription with freieherzen.ch. Three dates, three nice men, but there just wasn’t a spark. ‘Wait a minute, I’ve got one more,’ said Kathrin. I should give Heinz (77) a chance, she said. Reluctantly, I gave in. But what can I say? He came, he saw, he conquered! Just after our first date the lockdown started. We met in private and spent a lot of time outdoors, we cooked together and laughed a lot. I was incredibly grateful to have someone by my side at that time, and I still am. We were made for one another and we give each other so much, every day. I’ve missed that feeling for such a long time.”
(Dolores*, 73, from Winterthur)

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SO CHEESED OFF

“Our shared pet hate sealed our fate for Isabel (48) and me: cheese. In all innocence, we had arranged to meet in a restaurant. She was there before me, waiting for me outside the door. ‘Sorry, but this won’t work. They’re doing cheese fondue today.’ I was taken aback: however did she know about my cheese phobia? But I soon learnt that she can’t stand cheese either. We laughed heartily, went for a walk through the town and found a great Thai restaurant. We got on from the very first moment and can no longer imagine life without one another. Since February we go to a Thai restaurant on the 5th of every month to celebrate the day we met – without cheese, of course.”
(Vincent*, 46, from Zurich)

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CAT AND DOG

“The fact that Martin (32) had a dog was actually a no-go for me. My Siamese cat would never accept his terrier. He reassured me and thought we ought to give it a try. Because of Covid we couldn’t go anywhere, so I invited him, with Oscar, to my house, but I shut Shiva in the spare bedroom. Once I had relaxed a bit myself, I let the cat out. The two of them sniffed each other carefully and found that they were OK – and they were in the same bed together before we were!” (Angela* from Lachen, 31)

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THE UNMATCHABLE MATCHED

“There won’t be a match for me. You’ll have to prove me wrong.” That’s what I told Kathrin the first time I met her. After all, she needed to know right from the start that I would be a tough nut to crack. My late wife simply set the bar too high, no other woman stood a chance. Until Monika (51) entered my life. She has two almost adult children and is a real whirlwind. For the first time since my wife died, I feel that life can be fun again. That experience alone makes it worth having been to see Kathrin.” (Jürgen* from Oberwil, 59)

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THE CLICHÉ REVERSED

“We both had to laugh when we told each other what we our jobs were. Kathrin had deliberately not told us. But for her to send a male nurse on a date with a female doctor, that was really something. And I have to give her this: it worked. Beatrice (37) and I get on like a house on fire – and not just because of our jobs. I like her openness and her sense of humour. We had our first date two months ago, but already we know each other as well as if we had been together for years. I enjoy every minute I spend with her.”
(Stephan* from Basel, 42)

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DOLCE VITA

“With my figure, I’ll never find a man, I thought. But then my sister persuaded me to sign up with Kathrin. Straight after that, the lockdown started and for a while there was radio silence. Fabrizio (47) was my first date after lockdown, and he soon won me over with his Italian charm. On the first evening we talked for no less than seven hours – in Italian, of course. And the following morning he visited me at work and brought me a brioche for breakfast. Since then, we’ve been in seventh heaven. And despite living the dolce vita, I’ve already lost 7 kg.” (Loretta* from Ascona, 52)

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DEAR KATHRIN, THE FLOWERS ARE FOR YOU

“We have been happily together for six months. And Kathrin has certainly earned this bunch of flowers. For me it was my third date, for Doris (71) the first. I was really bowled over by this lady. She looks at least ten years younger and is simply a treasure. I would never have thought that this would happen to me again, at my age. My children say I have really blossomed again. That’s why I had the idea of the flowers. I’m so grateful to have found such great happiness.”

(Karlheinz* from Altstätten, 72)

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JUST THE RIGHT TIME

“It was shortly before the pandemic started. I had been on Kathrin’s books for almost a year, but until then I had perhaps been too choosy and had rejected all her suggestions. Or maybe it was just cowardice? Whatever. ‘Now Maria, this one you really must meet,’ said Kathrin. So I agreed. And then suddenly all the bars closed. I had to invite Reinhard (75) to come to dinner at my house, there and then. I would never have done that otherwise on an online date. But what can I say: it was the perfect date, he was the perfect man. And it was just the right time. Otherwise the lockdown would have been really boring.” (Maria* from Thalwil, 66)

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THE LAST PIZZA SLICE

“I flirted for a long time with my single life, and I said to my friends: ‘I’m like the last slice of pizza; everyone wants it, but nobody dares take it.’ When my best friend also found a partner and I spent lots of evenings alone, I decided to do something about it. I’ve always mistrusted Tinder and dating websites, so I contacted Kathrin. I’ve already had two dates with very likeable young men. Although I haven’t found that spark yet, I find dating exciting and exhilarating.
I’m very happy that somebody is careful about first choosing a suitable match for me. That gives me the sense of security I need.” (Julia* from Rüschlikon, 27)

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WINNING HIS TRUST AND HIS HEART

“With Reto (72), I immediately sensed that he doesn’t give his heart away lightly. Perhaps that was exactly what attracted me to him, as well as his good heart that I instantly noticed. It took a long time to win his trust – after all, he’d already been through a lot in life. We both gave ourselves time, it was a real odyssey – and sometimes it was even stormy. But the long journey was necessary to find out that it’s still worthwhile to embrace something new, even at our age.” (Ruth* from Lucerne, 70)

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HITTING THE BULLSEYE

“I came to Zurich for my postgraduate studies. Actually, my membership was only intended for making friends with a few local people. But then I met Adrian (41) from Aarau. He was a complete lucky find for me. He is a keen amateur hunter and his passion is going on hunting trips to my homeland, Hungary. You could say he also hit the target with me – we’ve often laughed about that. We welcome our baby in spring. We’ve also got a puppy, so nothing can stand in the way of a happy family life.”
(Judit* from Hungary, now in Zurich, 32)

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BETTER TOGETHER

“At my age, you don’t rush into adventures any more. I needed a whole year to decide to join freieherzen.ch. The first few dates were really tough, to be honest. Either I found something I didn’t like about the lady concerned, or she did about me. But then I met Gudrun (66) from Thalwil. After we’d met a few times, we agreed: we’re better together! But we’re keeping our own homes because sometimes it’s good to relax in your own personal space.”
(Andreas* from Wädenswil, 68)

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SECOND TIME AROUND

“I was one of the first clients with freieherzen.ch. Kathrin also found a partner for me back in 2012 and I was happy when I was with her. Unfortunately, our lives took us in different directions, so the relationship ended. I also confided in Kathrin about this. At the end of last year, she contacted me to say that Edith (46) would make the perfect partner for me. I hesitated at first, but I eventually agreed. We had our first date in spring; we moved in together in October – and our wedding will be in February. When you find the right match, it’s just perfect!” (Thomas* rom Affoltern am Albis, 45)

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I LOVE PEOPLE FROM HAMBURG

“I was always a big fan of Hamburg and people from the north of Germany. But it never occurred to me that I would meet a genuine Hamburger in Basel. Werner (62) came to Switzerland for professional reasons and wanted to settle here. Kathrin knew nothing about my love of the Hanseatic cities, it was purely chance that she brought us together, I simply knew that my date was with a German man. The moment handsome Werner greeted me with “Moin, Moin” [N. German greeting], that was it. We often visit his family on the North Sea coast and can hardly believe our luck.” (Magdalena* from Basel, 59)

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ACADEMICS IN LOVE

“It’s a mystery to me why Annette (35) and I had never come across each other before. We live in the same town, studied at the same university and work in the same profession. But still Kathrin had to play Cupid and bring us together. We are both very pleased and grateful that we went to see her. She could hardly believe that we had never had anything to do with one another professionally. Now we have a great deal to do with one another in our private lives…”
(Markus* from Zurich, 38)

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LOVE AT SECOND SIGHT

“I’m not even 30 yet, I can’t go to a dating agency, I thought. But I was simply longing for a real relationship. I was also really stressed at work and didn’t want to waste time on online platforms. From the very first time I set eyes on Olga* (31), I was bowled over. She was new to the town and had simply registered with Kathrin to get to know new people. So at first she regarded me as just another agreeable acquaintance. But then on the third date, something sparked for her as well and we are very happy together.” (Christian* from Bern, 29)

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FIT AND IN LOVE

“I enjoy doing a lot of sport, but approaching someone at the gym is not my thing. Even so, going skiing or on a diving holiday together is simply more fun. In Adrian* (55), I have found my dream man. He is just as keen on sport as me and also likes to get up early at the weekend and spend his free time getting some exercise. We make a great team.” (Babette* from Lucerne, 52)

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WHY NOT TRY AGAIN?

“I’m what you could call a repeat offender. Over three years ago, I met a nice lady through freienherzen.ch. However, after three years we decided that our interests were too different. Because I didn’t want to remain alone, I decided to call Kathrin again. And now Cupid’s arrow has struck me at the second attempt. Bea* (68) is a charming woman and we are very happy together.” (Peter* from Volketswil, 72)

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THREE IN ONE GO

“I never expected to end up with three ladies by my side! But, joking aside: I liked Elsa* (43) straightaway. She told me that she had two young teenage daughters, which is not always easy. But when I visited them at home for the first time, the chemistry worked immediately. I was warmly welcomed into the family, and the four of us do lots of things together.” (Thomas* from Kölliken, 52)

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SHALL I PUT MYSELF THROUGT IT AGAIN?

“Should I really put myself through it again, I asked myself. But the evenings and weekends were too long and lonely by myself. My friend gave me Ms Grüneis’ phone number. It took an effort to make the call, but after that it was all plain sailing. And I was really lucky: it clicked on the very first date. Ramon* (70), on the other hand, had had to have five attempts. Even during our first date, we sent Kathrin a message asking her to remove us from her database.” (Erika* from Uerikon am See, 71)

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4-1

“It was a bit unfair really. Hanspeter* (64) got to date 4 ladies whereas I only had one date. Joking aside, I’m delighted to have met him and to have hit it off with him from the very start. And since our first date, he’s had no need to meet any other ladies. For almost a year now, we’ve been very happy together.” (Elisabeth* from Zurich, 59)

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THE PERFECT MATCH

“Eleven years had passed since my divorce. I had really got used to being on my own. But at the same time I was taking my retirement, and something had to change. It took a lot of effort for me to ring Ms Grüneis, but at the same time, it was the best decision I’ve ever made. We talked about my doubts and then about what I really wanted out of life. Then, when I met Veronika* (58), we both just knew: We were the perfect match.” (Franz* from Schwyz, 66)

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ALL IT TOOK WAS “THE ONE”

“I was actually considering ending my contract. I had dated like mad and I just couldn’t find my dream woman. Where were all the pretty ladies with a sense of humour? And then along came Manuela* (49) from Schaffhausen. From then on I only had eyes for her. I didn’t need anyone else. We’ve now been together for 5 months and are blissfully happy.” (René* from Aarau, 51)

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MORE THAN HAPPY

“For both of us, all it took was one date and that was it. From the very first time I set eyes on Pierre* (53), I was bowled over. Not only because of how he looked but more so because of the way he touched my soul. He works in different countries as a doctor and is therefore very worldly-wise, and that fascinated me. I also love it when he speaks French. It’s so much more romantic.” (Sandra* from Lausanne, 50, Banker)

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LET’S SEE HOW WE COPE WITH EVERYDAY LIFE
“Waltraud* and I have been a couple for five months now. We had already spent time together during the holidays and enjoyed some exciting and romantic moments together. We want to wait and see how we get on with each other on a daily basis first before we move in together. After all, you shouldn’t rush things, especially at our stage in life. Despite that, I’m sure that we can build a future together.” (Rolf* from Schaffhausen, 71)

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LOVE AT SECOND SIGHT
“Where looks were concerned, I knew exactly what I wanted. That’s why I was almost a little annoyed on my first date because Christian* wasn’t my type at all. Luckily, he wasn’t as shallow as me, and was more persistent. After my four-month trip to Australia, we met each other again. We had a good chat and got on really well. And suddenly, it all just fell into place for me. I’ve now got a new job, a partner who I feel comfortable with, and in two weeks’ time, we’re moving in together.” (Petra* from Bern, 33)

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A NEW START AFTER A BREAK
“After our second date, it was clear: There was more between us. We met up another three times but we were both under a massive amount of stress at work and neither of us could spare the time to work on a budding relationship. That’s why we decided to have a break. We met up with each other again at Christmas and both realized that we had feelings for each other. Since then, we’ve been an item.” (Reto* from Basel, 46)

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WE’RE A PATCHWORK FAMILY
“I have an 11-year-old son with my wife from whom I’m separated. At first, I had trouble even thinking about a new relationship. I was haunted by the thought of the evil stepmother in fairytales. On my third date, I met Angela* and knew that she was the one. We got married two years ago and Maximilian spends every other weekend with us. It works really well for us all. And now, all three of us are looking forward to the arrival of our new daughter in two months’ time.” (Roman* from Romanshorn, 55)

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CHEMISTRY ON THE VERY FIRST DATE
“Ms Grüneis, please don’t be annoyed with me but you can remove me from your database again. Last week I had my first date with Jürgen*. There was chemistry between us right from the start. I won’t be needing any further suggestions for dates. Jürgen* sends his best regards too. We will both happily recommend you to others! Best wishes.” (Marina* from Zurich, 34)

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THE JOY OF TWINS
“Dear Kathrin, you haven’t heard from us for a while. I just wanted to send you a note to let you know the latest on our relationship. Andreas* and I got married in September and in December our twins were born. It was our best Christmas ever. We’ve had to swap the convertible for a pushchair. Thank you for all your help. Best wishes.” (Priska* from Olten, 41)

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A FREE HEART
“After my husband left me for another woman, I wanted to get even with him and immediately also show off to him with a new relationship. During my consultation with Kathrin Grüneis I quickly realized that this wouldn’t be right for me – and nor for a potential new partner. First, I have to find out what I really want and to concentrate on my needs – until my heart is really free. But then I will be glad to come back again.” (Priska* from Horgen, 32)

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WITH THE THIRD DATE, IT CLICKED
“As a single parent with two children I had so much on my plate that I wasn’t interested in meeting a new man. My best friend then secretly arranged a consultation with Kathrin Grüneis. I was so bewildered at the meeting that I agreed to the discussion. And what can I say? It was the best decision of my life. I was so nervous before my first date that I bought a completely new outfit. Although nothing came of this, things clicked with my third date. With Bernhard*, I’m on the same wavelength and my children really like him. Even if I’m still cautious, I can imagine that our relationship has a future.” (Caroline* from Rapperswil, 38)

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GETTING TO KNOW MYSELF AGAIN
“I never had any problems meeting women and making friends. But I simply always ended up with the wrong person. When I registered with freieherzen.ch, it first took me a while to consciously focus on myself and my needs. Kathrin Grüneis certainly challenged me. Suddenly, I felt like I was getting to know myself again. Now, it’s time for the second step which means the first date is just around the corner. I’m already very excited.” (Wolfgang*, 42, Zurich)

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THREE WISHES AT ONCE
“I really never wanted to commit, as far as relationships are concerned, and I couldn’t imagine having a life partner. My friends were always teasing me: Italian, university educated, with a house by the sea. We often laughed about it. And what can I say – through freieherzen.ch I’ve actually found my true love: with Ernesto*, all three wishes have come true. The house in Calabria actually belongs to his parents, but I’m already looking forward to our next holiday together.” (Brigitte*, 46)

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I’M MARRYING A NEW FAMILY

“I liked Silvia* (46) as soon as I saw her. And I thought her two-year old daughter Celine* was sweet. But did I really want to start with the whole family thing again at the age of 49? I asked Kathrin Grüneis to suggest someone else. What can I say? I simply couldn’t stop thinking about Silvia*, so after two months I enquired about her again. And there you are: she was still single. But not for the last three years. We have become a happy little family. Silvia* and Celine* have won my heart.” (Robert*, 49)

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THE MYSTERIOUS WAYS OF FATE

“When I met Thomas* (37) for the first time, I thought he was very nice. But no more than that. It was quite different with his friend Philipp*, whom he introduced to me on our second date. There was a spark between us from the very first moment we saw each other. Thomas didn’t hold it against us – on the contrary, he was delighted for us. And Thomas didn’t have to wait long to strike it lucky himself. He tried freieherzen.ch for a second time, and he has been crazy about his Michaela* (33) ever since. At New Year, the four of us celebrated together, and how we laughed about the mysterious twists of fate.” (Petra*, 31)

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DIFFICULT TO PLACE

“After six dates with six different women, I was sure that it wasn’t going to happen again for me. I felt sorry for Frau Grüneis because she had gone to such a lot of trouble and spent so much of her time trying to help me. It’s as though it was a process that I needed to go through: the many conversations, the different experiences with the women that I met. Over that time, I had chance to think a lot about myself and I came to terms with what it was that I was really looking for. And finally, after four months, there was a spark. It was a classic meeting in the vegetable department in the Co-op. I couldn’t be happier with Alina* (37). And even though I met her in a different way, I’m sure that my time at freieherzen.ch was needed in order to find out what I really wanted.” (Rainer*, 41)

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LATE BLOSSOMING OF HAPPINESS

“I’d long ago stopped believing there was a new love out there for me. And I would never have imagined that I would go to a marriage bureau. My best friend Irma talked me into it. And she came with me to my first encounter. Walter* (76) was an extremely attentive gentleman and we struck up a conversation immediately. I never even noticed that Irma had discreetly taken her leave to go “to the toilet”, we were getting on so well. Not only do we have the same interests, such as walking and travelling, but we have also both experienced similar strokes of fate. After a few meetings, we decided that we weren’t too old for love just yet. But we’re taking it slowly, and we’ll see what happens.” (Erna*, 73)

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THE BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE

“Once I hit 30, I started to really worry about being left on the shelf. I always knew I wanted children – but I couldn’t find the right man. After a few internet disasters, I decided to put the matter in the hands of the professionals. It took me a lot of effort to get past that, because if you’re reasonably presentable and otherwise have no obvious quirks, you really have no need for a dating service. But it was the best decision of my life. I would probably never have met Marc* (38) by chance. We’ve been happy together for four years now, married for two, and our second baby arrives in a month. My dream has come true.” (Christina* from Biel, 36)

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