Murielle Schlup08.05.2025Jegenstorf Castle was used as a command post by General Henri Guisan during the last months of the Second World War. Performances by the local all-female choir provided him with some welcome relief from his military duties.
Günther Meier29.04.2025Towards the end of the Second World War there was a growing influx of displaced people crossing into Switzerland and Liechtenstein, where aid was provided by volunteers. Among those helping out was Princess Gina. This experience would inspire her to found the Liechtenstein Red Cross.
James Blake Wiener24.04.2025The Battle of Bicocca marked a turning point during the long Italian Wars (1494-1559). The inability of the French to control their Swiss mercenaries contributed to their loss, while the success of Spanish arquebusiers signaled the rise of Spain as a major European power. The battle additionally heralds the end of the era in which Swiss pikemen were the scourge of the medieval European battlefield.
Noëmi Crain Merz17.04.2025In the early 20th century, Benito Mussolini caused a stir in Switzerland as a rebellious socialist. Some decades later, he became a threat to the country as a fascist dictator.
Géraldine Lysser17.12.2024Marshal Carl Gustaf Mannerheim led tiny Finland’s stand in several wars against the Goliath that was the Soviet Union, earning him considerable admiration among the Swiss.
Juri Jaquemet10.12.2024The Murten fortifications were set up in the First World War to defend Switzerland against an attack from the west by France. Trenches and bunkers were dug in the Bernese Seeland and the area around Murten. Many of these structures actually mark the border between the French and German-speaking parts of the country.
Kurt Messmer28.11.2024Located half-way between Freiburg and Colmar, the German town of Breisach (in the state of Baden-Württemberg) looms high above the Rhine, dominating the skyline. The town’s strategic location is inextricably linked to the chequered history of this key region of Europe.
Noëmi Crain Merz07.11.2024He wrote scandalous novels, masqueraded as an anti-fascist activist and spied for Mussolini. After fleeing to Switzerland, Pitigrilli’s true colours were revealed.
