The King of Brig used his power mercilessly. Illustration by Marco Heer
Neutrality as a business model

Amidst the turmoil of the Thirty Years’ War, Kaspar Stockalper held three trump cards: the Simplon pass, mercenaries and salt. From the seat of his trading empire in Brig, he developed the cunning yet lucrative strategy of international double dealing.

Goaltender Marti Riesen playing for Switzerland against the Soviet Union, circa 1950.
Ice hockey — a hard man’s sport?

Sport always reflects gender roles and images. Ice hockey being a rather extreme example. This is largely due to the way in which the sport has evolved.

Bobsleighing has thrilled participants and spectators alike for more than 130 years.
From snob sport to bob sport

Bobsleighing started out as an activity to keep well-to-do foreign tourists entertained. It wasn’t until much later that the sport became popular among the Swiss as well.

Latest posts

Biathlon in Switzerland: a tale of difficult beginnings and missed opportunities

Michael Jucker 19.02.2026 Biathlon sounds like a sport tailormade for Switzerland. Shooting at targets while on cross-country skis fits perfectly with the definition of the country’s self-image as a nation of skiers ready to rise in defence of their land. However, it has never really taken off in Switzerland, unlike in Germany or Scandinavia. Why is that?
Aita Gasparin from Graubünden has been on the Swiss national biathlon squad since 2011.

Two men on a mission to prevent the First World War

Lukas Vogel 17.02.2026 Heinrich Angst, the first director of the Swiss National Museum, and German socialist August Bebel worked together to prevent the outbreak of the First World War. They failed.
The Swiss Heinrich Angst wanted to prevent the First World War together with others.

Children’s trains in the service of neutrality

Carmen Bortolin 12.02.2026 During the Second World War, the Swiss Red Cross brought thousands of war-stricken children to Switzerland from France. Intended to provide humanitarian assistance, this initiative also served political purposes – and not all children were welcome.
French and Monegasque children arriving in Geneva on board an evacuee train, 16 June 1942.

The Zurich strangler

Patrik Süess 10.02.2026 In 1853 the hunt was on for a man who killed two women in the Zurich area. He had strangled them. The criminal investigation was a major test for Zurich’s fledgling police force, the "Zürcher Polizeikorps".
In 1853, a murderer of women spread fear and terror throughout the Zurich region. When he was caught, he strangled himself. Illustration by Marco Heer
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Popular posts

Sexuality in the Middle Ages

Valérie Lüthi 13.06.2024 If we hazard a look at the medieval era, we discover a history of sexuality that is far more multilayered than we might at first have imagined. While the Christian church sought to extend its influence into private bedchambers, ‘lascivious’ attitudes and practices stood in the way of its ambitions.
Detail from The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, 1490-1500.

Hammer and sickle on the Gotthard

Jakob Tanner 16.12.2025 Medievalist Marcel Beck kept a diary throughout his military service. It reveals a different, rarely seen side of active service during the Second World War.
Letter-writing was part of everyday life during the Second World War, as depicted in this photo from 1942. Some people, like Marcel Beck, also wrote diaries.

Switzerland’s most famous midwife

Christophe Vuilleumier 11.02.2025 Marie Colinet, a Geneva native and pioneer in the field of medicine, made history in the 16th century. She initiated a number of innovative procedures as a midwife and doctor – including Switzerland’s first successful caesarean section.
Marie Colinet was not only a skilful midwife, but also an inventive doctor. Illustration by Marco Heer.

The hotelier who saw the light

Helmut Stalder 27.01.2026 Johannes Badrutt sought to offer guests at the Kulm Hotel in St. Moritz a truly exclusive experience. He built Switzerland’s first hydroelectric plant and installed its first electric lighting system in the hotel dining room – and all before Edison had invented the light bulb. An historic event with unexpected results.

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