Switzerland
Evan Smith
2nd Period
AP European History
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Table of Contents
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Title Slide
Table of Contents
Cantons and Notable Cities
Language Distribution
Reformation in SUI
Intercantonal Religious Wars
30 Years’ War
Treaty of Westphalia
1653 Peasants’ Revolts
Aftermath of Revolts
Battles of Villmergen
Napoleonic Invasion and Results
Congress of Vienna
Liberal Takeover and Sonderbund
Federal Constitution
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World War I
World War I (continued)
Swiss Preparation (WWII)
Contemplated German Invasion
Swiss Relations with Nazi Germany
Property of Holocaust Victims
Council of Europe
Jura Secession
Jewish and Women’s Liberation
UN, Schengen Treaty, EU
Democracy, Conscription, Federalism
Economy
Citations
Citations
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Cantons and Notable Cities
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The capital of Switzerland is
Bern. However, the largest
city by population is Zurich,
followed by Geneva and
Basel. The east is
mountainous and tends to
be rural, with the rest of the
country rather urban.
Culture is highly influenced
by the nearest bordering
country (for example, the
south resembles Italy in
many ways).
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Language Distribution
The majority of Switzerland
speaks German as their
primary language. However,
Italian and French are largely
spoken in the areas close to
the language’s country of
origin. An interesting facet of
Swiss culture is the survival of
Romansh, a local language. It
is slowing dying out with the
incorporation of German, but
it lives on in isolated regions
of the east. All four of these
languages are official
languages of Switzerland.
Red: German
Green: Italian
Purple: French
Yellow: Romansh
Picture:
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and_Linguistic_EN.png/1280px-Switzerland_Linguistic_EN.png
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Protestant Reformation in SUI
Ulrich Zwingli
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Protestantism did not really catch on in Switzerland
until Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531). Zwingli studied the
classics in universities in Austria, and at Basel and Bern.
Strongly influenced by Martin Luther, Zwingli
denounced indulgences and pilgrimages, and supported
allowing clerics to marry. He was a product of the
humanism of his era, especially Desiderius Erasmus. He
died defending his religious “base”, Zurich, from a
Catholic attack. John Calvin (1509-1564) was the next
religious reformer to have an impact on Switzerland. He
forged a middle ground between Luther and Zwingli. He
also had a strong belief in predestination. Starting out in
France (with his converts called French Huguenots), he
was forced to flee to Switzerland. He established a
following in Geneva, and made Geneva a city run by the
Calvinist model.
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Intercantonal Religious Wars
Also known as the Wars of Kappel, these religious wars within Switzerland occurred in
1529 and 1531. As the Reformed Christian religions started gaining a following in some
Swiss cantons, the cantons started suppressing the opposing religion. The non-established
church’s followers were legally considered outlaws. This volatile situation led to two brief
conflicts over religion. The Second War of Kappel ended in Catholic victory. The peace
agreement allowed cantons already declared as Protestant to remain Protestant (with a
few strategic exceptions), but established Catholic dominance over Swiss life.
The Second War of Kappel
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kipedia/commons/8/80/Schlac
ht_bei_Kappel.jpg
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30 Years’ War
While much of Europe was waging war from 1618 to 1648, Switzerland was operating
under peaceful conditions. It never involved itself in this conflict. The chief reason for
the other nations allowing this neutrality was their need for Swiss mercenaries. Plus,
Switzerland was already gaining a reputation for non-involvement in European
conflicts. At the time, the Old Swiss Confederation was a loose association of cantons
with little political power, so there was no political advantage to be gained from
involving the confederation.
A painting depicting an event of the 30 Years
War
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p-content/uploads/2011/01/Wallenstein-AScene-of-the-Thirty-Years-War-xx-ErnestCrofts.jpg
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Treaty of Westphalia
While Switzerland was not intimately
involved in the Thirty Years War, it was
impacted the treaty that ended. In 1648,
a peace treaty was signed by the
belligerents, and this moment has been
referred to as the Peace of Westphalia.
The Treaty of Westphalia was partly an
attack on the deteriorating Holy Roman
Empire. The settlement formally
recognized what had been known for
quite some time: Switzerland was an
independent country. The Holy Roman
Empire had claimed that Switzerland was
a territory of the Empire. Now, the Swiss
Confederation was formally a legitimate
political power.
The delegates at the peace settlement, later known as the
Treaty (or Peace) of Westphalia
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rium/files/2009/10/Peace-of-Westphalia.jpg
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In 1653, Swiss peasants, mostly in the
regions in and around Bern, revolted.
The cause of the conflict was mostly
the devaluation of the Bernese
currency. The peasants demanded
reforms; however, these suggestions
were not followed. The peasants
decided to use force to achieve their
ends, and became a much broader
political entity. After forming an
official alliance, a large number of
peasants sieged Bern and Lucerne.
They negotiated a compromise deal.
The Swiss Confederacy authorities
soon made the deal null and void,
and put down remaining rebellion.
The leaders were captured and
executed.
1653 Peasants’
Revolts
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Aftermath
of Revolts
The revolt will rarely appear in mainstream historical discussion. However, it was vastly
important for many reasons. Although the leaders did brutally suppress the rebellious
sentiment, it established a precedent. Swiss political leaders now knew how important
the rural population was to their success. Peasants showed that they could organize and
change the political situation. This “consent of the governed” mindset greatly
contributed to the absence of absolutism in Swiss politics. Also, tax and currency reforms
were put in place in the next century, thus satisfying the rural population.
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Battles of
Villmergen
(1656 and
1712)
The Second Battle of Villmergen (1712)
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der_Innerschweizer_bei_Villmergen_1712.jpg
The Battles of Villmergen were mostly a result of cantonal disparities in religious policy.
The Confederation remained deeply divided over religion, with some cantons advocating
Catholicism and some advocating the Protestant faith. The canton of Schwyz stayed
Catholic. The authorities killed many Protestants, and confiscated the property of those
who fled to less hostile cantons. Bern and Zurich allied to fight oppression by the Catholic
cantons. There was also bitterness over the alleged underrepresentation in the national
legislature, since Catholic cantons outnumbered Protestant cantons but Protestant
cantons had more wealth and people. The Protestant side won after the second battle,
and these cantons were given more favorable status within the Confederation, in the
Peace of Aurau.
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Napoleonic
Invasion and
Results
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In 1798, revolutionary France, led
by Napoleon Bonaparte, invaded
Switzerland. It was named the
Helvetic Republic by the French.
As a satellite state, strong
centralization was imposed on the
Swiss people. A new constitution
was also forced on the Swiss. In
essence, the cantons served no
political purpose anymore. When
other European powers occupied
Switzerland to oppose Napoleonic
France in the first decade of the
nineteenth century, the Swiss
people refused to fight on the side
of France. Thereafter, the French
informally adopted a “hands-off”
approach to their newfound
Helvetic Republic.
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Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna deliberations
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The Congress of Vienna was a
recognition of the horrors of war and
of the value of stability. It brought the
boundaries of France back to its preNapoleonic days. This peace
settlement of 1815 also greatly
benefited Swiss sovereignty. It
reestablished the legal status of
Switzerland as an independent state.
However, it also reaffirmed the wellknown characteristic of Swiss
neutrality. Switzerland was now
formally given the recognition of legal
neutrality. Also, a few cantons were
given to the country, thus forming the
boundaries of Switzerland that exist
today.
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Liberal Takeover
and Sonderbund
In the late 1840’s, liberalminded people were
making up more and more
of the national legislature’s
representation. In
response, seven Catholic
cantons formed an alliance
known as the Sonderbund.
These seven cantons were
Uri, Schwyz, Hidwalden,
Zug, Luzern, Fribourg, and
Wallis, as shown by the
map. These conservative
cantons attempted
secession, and a civil war
erupted. Overall, the war
lasted less than a month
and less than a hundred
died. The liberal cantons’
alliance prevailed, and
secession was suppressed.
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Federal Constitution
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The civil war may have been short, but the Swiss people learned many lessons from
the intra-national fighting. They learned that Switzerland would be better off
economically and politically with more unity on the federal level. In 1848, a
constitution calling for a federal system of governance was forged. A number of liberal
reforms were addressed, as detailed in assurances of the continuance of civil liberties
and a more centralized government. Inspired by the American model, the constitution
divided powers between the federal government and the cantons, while giving the
federal government more power. The representative democracy would have an upper
and lower house as well. Also, modifications to the constitution had to come from
referenda. A solid tradition of direct democracy was indeed strengthened on this
occasion. The new constitution helped assure that the civil war would be the last
armed conflict in Swiss territory. In 1874, a new constitution was adopted, furthering
the cause.
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World War I
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From 1914 to 1918, the major
countries of Europe once again
entered into major armed conflict with
one another. Due to historical
precedent and cultural pride,
Switzerland did not join the conflict at
any point in its four-year duration.
Strict neutrality was uphold. This was a
remarkable feat, considering the
geographical positioning of the
country. As shown in the map to the
left, Switzerland was surrounded by
belligerent nations. This is an eerie
situation of what was to come in the
next thirty years.
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World War I
(continued)
Trench warfare during World War I, known as the Great War at
the time.
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In fact, trench warfare existed on the
western front up until the border of
Switzerland.
However, there was a close call with
the Grimm-Hoffmann Affair. Robert
Grimm, a socialist Swiss politician,
went to Russia right after their
revolution to negotiate a peace treaty
between Russia and the Central
Powers. He did this to help the new
socialist system survive from infancy.
He was forced to go back to
Switzerland by the Allies when they
found out, and a high-level advocate
of Grimm’s actions, Arthur Hoffmann,
had to resign.
435,000 Swiss citizens were mobilized for defensive warfare, starting in 1939.
Switzerland was perhaps the most capable neutral country, when it came to defense
from surrounding aggressors. The Swiss developed a wide network of defensive
structures, known as reduit suisse, which helped ward off a possible German invasion.
Also, bridges into major cities were equipped with bombs under them, in order to
impede Axis invasion. Citizens were instructed to fight against the invaders, even if an
official surrender had been issued. These actions were coordinated largely by General
Henri Guisan.
A relic of Swiss reduit (defensive structures
deep in the Alps)
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ons/c/c7/Forte_Airolo_Schweiz.jpg
Swiss
Preparation
(WWII) 18
Contemplated German Invasion (WWII)
Nazi Germany made serious plans to invade Switzerland, mostly for tactical reasons.
However, these plans were not followed through because an invasion would have
been so costly, especially where German soldiers’ lives were concerned. Under
Operation Tannenbaum, theoretical plans to invade Switzerland were made. The
National Socialist (Nazi) Party in Germany only had negative comments regarding
Switzerland, attributing its political system to French sources.
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vasion-plan-4-10-1940.jpg
Operation Tannenbaum
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Swiss Relations with Nazi Germany
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As it was in World War I, Switzerland was
surrounded by warring nations in World
War II. However, in World War II, it was
surrounded by fascist countries. How did it
stay neutral, especially with such a large
German population? Again, history and
culture are the largest influences. For
survival, Switzerland had to make
economic concessions to Nazi Germany,
but in the end that contribution was only
0.5% of the German war effort. In general,
the Swiss people resented the threat of
German invasion and did not favor
unification with any of the aggressor
nations. Switzerland gave asylum to
hundreds of thousands of refugees, but
did send back at least tens of thousands
due to its stringent laws regarding
immigration.
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Due to Swiss efforts to stay neutral, much of
the property stolen from the victims of the
Holocaust by the Germans was deposited in
Swiss banks. Since Swiss banks have a
history of strict secrecy, returning the stolen
property to the victims and their families
has been difficult. In a recent settlement,
$1.3 billion dollars has been returned to
victims’ families by Swiss banks. It can
rightly be said that this kind of behavior can
be a negative consequence of neutrality in
regional and world affairs, especially when
the country is under threat of attack, as
Switzerland was.
Property of
Holocaust
Victims
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mages/header.jpg
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Council of Europe
In 1963, Switzerland joined the Council of Europe.
As a traditionally isolationist people, this move
was a big step towards integration into the
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European community. The Council of
Europe sought (and still seeks)
to promote homogeneity
in its members when it comes
to human rights, the rule of law,
and democracy. Since
Switzerland met all of the
requirements for membership,
it was allowed entry into the
organization devoted to these
modern political ideals.
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Jura Secession
Jura seceded from the canton of Bern in 1979,
to form a new canton within Switzerland. The
Swiss people approved of the measure in a
referendum, after the canton of Bern gave them
the right to self-determination. This is an
interesting development, considering recent
trends towards national and even slight
European unity. The region is French-speaking
and feels linguistically isolated from the
German-speaking Bernese. However, some
southern parts of the Jura region opted to stay
with Bern, probably for financial reasons. This is
a test-case for modern European devolution, as
also witnessed in Scotland and Catalonia, Spain.
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Emblem of Jura
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Jewish and Women’s Liberation
Jews were given full rights in Switzerland in 1879.
Although the Swiss tend to have a splendid reputation
for respecting rights, the country was very late
(comparatively) in adopting women’s suffrage.
Women’s suffrage was first legalized by individual
cantons in 1959. It wasn’t until the last decade of the
twentieth century that women’s suffrage was
instituted nationwide. This was achieved at the
national level to change the policy of the last canton,
Appenzell.
Despite this piece of information, the Swiss were the
first to offer women admission to medical universities
in Europe.
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0081020_9870632_0.jpg
UN, Schengen Treaty, EU
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w_low.jpg
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-content/uploads/2012/12/un.png
In 2002, Switzerland joined the United Nations (UN) by
popular vote (the only nation to enter the UN by
popular vote). This very late entry is due to classic
Swiss isolationist sentiment.
In 2005, a popular vote entered Switzerland into the
Schengen Treaty. This European agreement obliges
easy transportation across borders between signatories
of the treaty, and eliminates some barriers to trade.
However, Switzerland has voted many times to stay out
of the European Union (EU). It maintains its own
currency (the Swiss franc), and a majority of Swiss
citizens believe that membership in the EU would
interfere too much with Swiss sovereignty and
independence.
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Democracy,
Conscription,
Federalism
Since the Swiss Constitution of 1848, Switzerland has operated under many aspects of direct
democracy. Referenda are extremely important facets of Swiss political life.
Switzerland has a conscription service. All Swiss males aged 18-21 must apply for military
service, but it is optional for women. The Swiss have affirmed the practice in many nationwide
votes, and they see it as a way to keep Switzerland neutral yet well-armed.
Switzerland also has a strong tradition of letting cantons have a lot of power. Most issues are
decided at the local level.
The Swiss economy is highly
industrialized; therefore, it specializes
highly in industry and services. Famous
products which are uniquely Swiss
include watches, pocket knifes, cheese,
and chocolate, just to name a few. Its
per capita income is $46,000 (15th best
in the world), and its economy is very
stable compared to other major
economic powers. The banks in
Switzerland are both famous and
infamous. They offer, essentially, a vault
system, where one can store money and
other valuables. However, they have
been accused of helping tax evasion and
criminal activity, especially for the
wealthy in the world. The Swiss love
scenic venues, though, so they highly
subsidize agriculture in the rural locales.
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Economy
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Citations
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World. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
Blackwell, Amy. "Reformation." World Geography: Understanding a Changing
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"Switzerland: History." World Geography: Understanding a Changing World. ABCCLIO, 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
Niklaus Flüeler and Roland Gfeller-Corthésy, ed. (1975), Die Schweiz vom Bau der
Alpen bis zur Frage nach der Zukunft, Luzern: C. J. Bucher AG, pp. 67–71
"Swiss Constitution (1874)." World Geography: Understanding a Changing World. ABCCLIO, 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
"Holocaust Victims Paid Back by Swiss Banks." - The Local. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar.
2014.
"World Economic Forum – Global Competitiveness Report". Weforum.org.
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Citations
"World Economic Forum – Global Competitiveness Report". Weforum.org.
"Switzerland: Contemporary Issues." World Geography: Understanding a Changing
World. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
"CIA World Factbook - The Best Country Factbook Available Online." Switzerland. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.
"History of Switzerland." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Mar. 2014. Web. 22
Mar. 2014.