Adriano Bazzocco29.10.2026Border guard Ovidio Maggi was shot dead by Italian smugglers in late October 1945. After the Second World War, the spiral of violence at Switzerland’s southern border escalated. With fatal consequences.
Thomas Bürgisser27.10.2026In 1996, a Swiss foreign minister was Chairman-in-Office of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) for the first time. Switzerland, which was not a member of the UN, NATO or the EU, was therefore able to make its presence felt on the international stage.
Christophe Vuilleumier08.10.2026A dancer, a Geneva cabaret and secret weapon plans – under the name ‘Nina’, Italian Virginie Rota moved between the stage and the worlds of diplomacy and intelligence. Her story took place in Geneva at the time of the League of Nations – in a city in which international politics and espionage rubbed shoulders.
Jelica Popović06.10.2026The Swiss public seem to have forgotten the war that broke out in Yugoslavia in 1991. Nonetheless, it did (and still does) affect people living in Switzerland who came from the war zone. They were stigmatised during and after the war, while the influx of people from ex-Yugoslavia has left a mark on Swiss culture and everyday life.
Barbara Basting10.09.2026The Great St Bernard Pass has always been known as a major alpine crossing point. Napoleon Bonaparte made skilful use of it for propaganda purposes.
Sébastien Farré25.08.2026In early December 1936, the Spanish anarchist Ramón Mateo was laid to rest in Geneva. His funeral procession also became a public demonstration in support of the Spanish Republic.
Noëmi Crain Merz20.08.2026In 1936, Stefan Lux shot himself during a plenary session of the League of Nations. He had wanted to jolt the international community into taking a stand against the politics of the Nazi regime.
