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.
Christoph Kummer22.10.2026When Switzerland realigned its defence strategy during the Cold War, it produced a camouflage pattern that refused to blend into the background. The Alpenflage became the most visible attempt at reinventing invisibility.
Franziska Zaugg13.10.2026During the interwar years, Switzerland was a place of refuge for people fleeing persecution by authoritarian governments. The Swiss then changed their refugee policy in 1936, thereby inadvertently providing a boost to the republican forces in the Spanish Civil War.
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.
Jürg Flückiger29.09.2026During the Second World War, 166 stricken US bombers landed in Swiss fields and meadows. The story of the more than 1,500 airmen who were subsequently interned in the mountains has been largely forgotten today.
Moisés Prieto22.09.2026In 1976, members of the association for Swiss veterans of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) unveiled a commemorative plaque in Zurich for the fallen fighters. This was the first small step towards official recognition.
Maël Roumois01.09.2026Swiss mercenaries in foreign service, known by names such as Reisläufer (ones who go to war) or Cent-Suisse (‘Hundred Swiss’; soldiers who guarded the French king), were feared throughout Europe. They began bearing regimental flags with flame-like designs from the 17th century while in the service of France. These flags became synonymous with Switzerland’s illustrious military tradition.
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.
