A Short History of Switzerland

Switzerland is a small country (41,285 km² = 15,940 square miles), but densely populated (7 million inhabitants, 170 per km² = 440 per sq.mi.), situated in the heart of western Europe. It shares much of its history and of its culture with its neighbours Germany, Austria, Italy and France. Some 60% of Switzerland are in the alpine region, with high mountains (12 peaks above 4,000 m = 13,000 ft above sea level and many more between 2,000 and 4,000 m) and narrow valleys. 30% are hills and relatively flat valleys carved out by glaciers called "Mittelland" [midlands] (400 to 900 m above sea level). 10% on a chain of older mountains called Jura (not exceeding 1,600 m above sea level). Most of the cities, towns and larger villages are located in Mittelland - this means that the actual density of population in this part of the country is somewhere near 500 inhabitants per km² (1300 per sq. mile)! Early Swiss History Stone Age   About 600,000 years ago, temperatures sank and Europe was covered by glaciers almost completely. In Lucerne, Central Switzerland, the thickness of the ice reached as much as about 1 km (3000 ft). Until about 30,000 years ago, several cold and warm periods followed, animals and men came to Europe and had to leave again. The focus of cultural development remained for thousands of years in the Middle East (Sumer, Babylon, Egypt), however. Traces of early hunters (weapons and tools made from stone splinters, bones of prey animals) can be found in several natural caves in Switzerland. Later, around 3000 B.C. lake-dwellers erected their houses made of wood and clay on posts at the shores of Switzerland's lakes. Bronze Age Metals, first copper, then bronze (an alloy of copper and tin) were introduced in Europe around 2000 B.C. Bronze age tools and weapons were first just copies of the most advanced late stone age products. Age of the Romans When the Helvetians attempted to move south to Southern France they were stopped by the Roman commander and subsequent emperor C. Julius Cesar in 58 B.C. They were forced to return to Switzerland. The Romans controlled Switzerland's territory until about to about A.D. 400. Roman military camps and forts were erected at the northern Rhine frontier towards Germany. Several major Swiss cities and towns were founded by the Romans, among others Basel, Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne and Chur. The Roman military command and bureaucracy was established at the Old Swiss Capital Aventicum (Avenches, western Switzerland), which is today but a small village, however   The total population of Switzerland at the time amounted to only about 100,000 to 200,000 inhabitans. They settled where the soil was easy to cultivate and the climate not to cold (especially in winter). - preferably in the Mittelland region and in a few major alpine valleys. Large areas remained a wilderness covered by forests.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Henri Dunant, a Swiss merchant, was shocked when he learned about the fate of wounded soldiers in the battle of Solferino (1859, Austrian-French war). In 1862 he wrote a book about it. and in 1864 the Swiss government organized an international conference on humanitarian aspects during war. 12 nations signed the Geneva conventions and established the International Committee of the Red Cross as a permanent, neutral institution to take care of military and civil persons wounded or imprisoned in war. 

Switzerland during the World Wars

Since the 1815 Vienna conference on international affairs after Napoleons defeat, Switzerland is obliged to be neutral in any conflicts between other nations. During World War I (1914-1918), it was relatively clear, what this obligation meant. In World War II (1939-1945), Switzerland was surrounded by troops of or loyal to the German Nazi regime disregarding any international rules. From today's point of view, it seems that Switzerland could and should have done more in favour of jewish refugees. It is also clear that accepting gold from the Nazis while knowing they stole it from murdered jews was a big mistake. Today's Swiss government has appointed an international Independent Commission of Experts (ICE) to conduct an inquiry on Switzerlands role in World War II.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was critized for not having intervened on behalf of the Jews in World War II. In fact, though the 4^th Geneva Convention protecting civilians during wartime was only established after the war in 1949, the ICRC has admitted that it did neglect a moral duty. Those who are criticizing the ICRC for its legalistic omissions in World War II are kindly invited to support it now, when it demands e.g. that El Qaida terrorists being detained on Guantanamo U.S. base are either treated as civilians (with full legal rights, including fair trial within reasonable time) or at least as prisoners of war.