It’s hard to miss the red flag with a white cross, perched on the building of the Swiss embassy in Berlin’s government district. Thanks to good luck, the historic Stadtpalais acquired by Switzerland in 1919 hasn’t burned down, been demolished or sold on in the last 100 years. Its story is full of twists and turns.
Especially in times of scarcity, smuggling has been an important activity for people in the tri-border area. The complicated lines of the border separating Germany, France and Switzerland made the illegal transport of goods easier.
