A bloody slaying in Bärschwil in Solothurn laid bare the global scars left by colonial violence in the late 19th century.

Between 1815 and 1914 around 7,600 Swiss mercenaries served in the Dutch colonial army. In search of work and adventure, they aided the violent expansion of the Dutch colonial empire in what is now Indonesia.

The Foreign Legion was established in 1831. Since then the French elite troop has lured thousands of Swiss, including figures from the arenas of culture and politics.

From hero of the old West to racist colonialist: Opinion on Swiss pioneer John Sutter has changed in recent decades.

Up to the early modern era, the coconut was considered an exotic rarity from the New World. It was believed not only to protect against poisoning, but also to show sophistication.

Lina Bögli, or the transformation from peasant girl to globe-trotting writer. The story of a remarkable 19th-century woman.

The photographs of the Mahatma taken by Swiss photographer Walter Bosshard were seen around the globe.

African fashion design is flourishing, and has been making waves on the world’s catwalks in recent years. ‘Connecting Afro Futures – Fashion x Hair x Design’ at Berlin’s Museum of Decorative Arts, the Kunstgewerbemuseum, provides current insights and examines the background to this upswing.