Not even the Order of Saint John was immune to quarrelling and intrigues. In 1528, the Zurich authorities succeeded in imposing the new Protestant faith through an intentionally wrongful arrest at the Bubikon Commandery.
Which is better: getting an income and supplying energy for a distant city, or keeping your home and living in poverty? In the Graubünden village of Marmorera the verdict, reached democratically, was clear. Zurich needed electricity, and many of the villagers needed money. And so, in the middle of the 20th century, the town disappeared under the waters of a reservoir.
The Old Swiss Confederation won a stunning military victory over France at the Battle of Novara in June 1513. Following up on their successes in Italy, the Swiss and their Swabian allies successfully besieged the city of Dijon in September 1513, which marks the apex of Swiss power across Western Europe.
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.
In the 1940s, Jews in Europe found themselves in increasing danger. This situation benefited a number of individuals who issued false passports for exotic countries such as Honduras and Paraguay.
In 1909 the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph visited Switzerland. It could have been an official state visit with the mighty Emperor, but it turned out just a “courtesy call”. The Emperor didn’t set foot on Swiss soil, and was gone again after just a quarter of an hour. A strange episode in Swiss foreign affairs.
The Stadtcasino Basel was the key location on the road to a Jewish state. The World Zionist Congress met ten times in the city at the elbow of the Rhine. 2022 marks the 125th anniversary of the founding Congress.
Gilberte Montavon continued to be a unifying force in Switzerland during World War II. No longer in person now, but on the theatre stage, in bookshops and on the cinema screen.
