Useful data for tourists about Switzerland, cities and resorts of the country. As well as information about the population, currency of Switzerland, cuisine, features of visa and customs restrictions in Switzerland.
Geography of Switzerland
The Swiss Confederation is a state in central Europe bordering Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein.
Almost all of Switzerland lies in the mountains of the Alps and Jura. The highest peak is Dufour Peak (4634 m) in the south of the country.
State
State structure
Federal republic (confederation), consisting of 23 cantons, each of which has its own constitution, parliament and government. The head of state is the president. The legislature is the bicameral Federal Assembly (National Council and Council of Cantons). Executive power is exercised by the Federal Council (Government) of 7 Federal Councilors (Ministers).
Language
Official language: German, French, Italian
In the northeast of the country, they speak Retroman. Most Swiss speak English.
Religion
About 48% are Catholics, 46% are Protestants, and 6% are other religions.
Currency
International name: CHF
The Swiss franc is equal to 100 centimes (rappen in German Switzerland). In circulation there are denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 francs, as well as coins of 5, 2, 1 franc, 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes.
Many stores accept convertible currency and accept all major credit cards and traveler's checks. You can change money at any bank branch, in the evening - at the exchange offices of large department stores, airports and some travel agencies. It is better to change money abroad, since in Switzerland itself the exchange rate of the national currency is too high.
History of Switzerland
The history of Switzerland dates back to the 12th millennium BC. It was then that the territory covered with eternal snows, under the onslaught of global warming, began to free itself from ice. Gradually, the white cover changed into green, and the "revived" earth found its first inhabitants from the human race.
In ancient times, Switzerland was inhabited by the Celtic tribes of the Helvetii, hence its ancient name - Helvetia. Around the 1st century BC, after the campaigns of Julius Caesar, the country was conquered by the Romans and gained worldwide fame. In the 5th century AD, during the era of the Great Migration of Peoples, it was captured by the Alemanni, Burgundians and Ostrogoths; in the VI century - the Franks. In the 11th century, Switzerland became part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.
Initially, the Swiss were not a single nation, while Switzerland itself was a union of communities (cantons) that aspired to self-government. At the beginning of August 1291, the peasants of the forested cantons of Schwyz, Uri and Unterwalden, who lived on the shores of Lake Firwaldstet, entered into an alliance and swore an oath to help each other in the struggle against the rule of the Habsburg dynasty; in a stubborn struggle they defended their independence. The Swiss celebrate this joyful event to this day: August 1 - the National Day of Switzerland - salutes and fireworks illuminate the Swiss sky in memory of the events of more than seven centuries ago.
For two centuries, Swiss troops have been victorious over the feudal armies of dukes, kings and kaisers. Provinces and cities began to join the original union. The united allies sought to expel the Habsburgs, gradually expanding their borders. In 1499, after the victory over Kaiser Maximilian I of Habsburg, Switzerland freed itself from the domination of the empire. In 1513, there were already 13 cantons in the union. Each canton was absolutely sovereign - there was no common army, no common constitution, no capital, no central government.
In the 16th century, a severe crisis began in Switzerland. The reason for this was a split in the Christian church. Geneva and Zurich became centers of activity for the Protestant reformers Calvin and Zwingli. In 1529, a religious war broke out in Switzerland. Only a serious danger emanating from outside prevented the complete disintegration of the state. In 1798, the French invaded Switzerland and transformed it into a unitary Helvetic Republic. For fifteen years the country was under their rule. The situation changed only in 1815, when the Swiss introduced their own constitution with equal rights for 22 sovereign cantons. In the same year, the Peace Congress of Vienna recognized the "permanent neutrality" of Switzerland and determined its borders, which are still inviolable. However, the unity of the union of cantons was not reliably ensured by the organization of a sufficiently strong central authority. Only under the constitution of 1948, the fragile union turned into a single state - federal Switzerland.
The history of Switzerland dates back to the 12th millennium BC. It was then that the territory covered with eternal snows, under the onslaught of global warming, began to free itself from ice. Gradually changed the white cover turned into green, and the "revived" earth found its first inhabitants from the human race....
Popular Attractions
Tourism in Switzerland
Where to stay
Switzerland is a country with a high standard of living, which has not bypassed such an area as the tourism business. All hotels in this country have their own classification and are characterized by a high level of service.
The highest category - Swiss Deluxe - includes hotels located in old historical buildings, completely renovated and adapted to the needs of guests. The windows of such a room will offer a beautiful view, the interior will delight the eye with sophistication. The hotels of this category operate not only first-class restaurants, but also golf courses, SPA centers and much more.
The SWISS Quality standard includes five classes of hotels (similar to stars), which are located in large or resort cities. Five stars, or SWISS Quality Excellence, is given to hotels with a high level of service, meticulous interior design, upscale restaurants, etc.
Four stars, or SWISS Quality Superior, are hotels in which, in addition to special comfort, guests will be offered to use a restaurant, a modern conference room, a gym or spa services. Hotels that are awarded three stars also please with good service and are suitable for both tourist groups and businessmen.
The campsites in Switzerland, which are located in the picturesque corners of the country, also have a gradation from 1 to 5 stars. Please note that unauthorized placement outside the campsite is fraught with a police visit and a fine.
In small towns, you can rent a room in private hotels or live in a real peasant house. For those who prefer some extreme sports, there is an opportunity to spend the night in a real hayloft.
In winter, mountain chalets are very popular. However, keep in mind that they must be ordered in advance.
Office Hours
Banks are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (some until 6 p.m.) on weekdays, with a break from 12 a.m. to 2 p.m. Once a week, banks are open longer than usual. Currency exchange offices at airports and railway stations are open daily from 8 am to 10 pm, often around the clock.
Shops are open on weekdays from 8.30 to 18.30, some are open until 22. On Saturday, all shops are open from 8 to 12 and from 14 to 16. In large cities, some shops are open without a lunch break, but are closed on Monday morning .
Purchases
Value Added Tax (VAT) in Switzerland is 7.5%. In hotels and restaurants, all taxes are included in the bill. When buying in one store for more than 500 francs, you can get a VAT refund. To do this, you need to get a "Tax-free Shopping Check" check at the store (a passport is required), according to which, when leaving the country, you must pay VAT at the bank at the airport or stamp it. In this case, upon returning home, the stamped form must be mailed in order to receive a receipt with a VAT refund. In large stores, VAT is refunded on the spot upon presentation of a passport.
Safety
The crime rate in Switzerland is very low. However, beware of pickpockets and bag snatchers.
Emergency Phones
Police - 117
Fire services - 118
Ambulance - 14
Questions and opinions about Switzerland
Question answer
The area of Switzerland is quite small even by European standards. Nevertheless, this small country plays a rather significant role in world processes. and the foreign policy of this state, which for more than one hundred and fifty years have ensured unprecedented stability, can be considered unique. Let's briefly study the history, find out the area and some other nuances associated with this country.
Geographic location of Switzerland
Before considering the area of Switzerland, as well as some other issues, let's find out where this state is located.
Switzerland is located in the heart of Western Europe, on the territory of a mountain range called the Alps. In the east it borders with Austria and Liechtenstein, in the south with Italy, in the west with France, and in the north it touches Germany.
The nature of most of Switzerland is mountainous. In the west of the country there is a rather large Lake Geneva.
The capital of Switzerland is the city of Bern.
History before the formation of an independent state
Now let's take a quick look at the history of Switzerland. Settlements in these places have been known since Paleolithic times. During the Neolithic period, there was a cultural community that built their houses on stilts.
In ancient times, the mountainous part of the country in the east was inhabited by the Retes tribes, who were considered related to the Italian Etruscans. It was from the Romanized representatives of this tribe that one of the modern ethnic groups of Switzerland, the Romansh, originated.
Also from the XIII century BC. e., Celtic peoples began to penetrate here. Before the Roman conquest, the west of modern Switzerland was inhabited by the Celtic-speaking tribes of the Helvetii and Allobroges, and the east by the Vindeliki.
In 58 BC. e. the Helvetii and Allobroges were conquered by the great Roman commander Julius Caesar, and after his death under Octavian Augustus in 15-13 BC. e. rheta and vindeliki were conquered.
The occupied territories are thus incorporated into the Roman Empire. The territory of modern Switzerland was divided between the provinces - Rezia and Germania Superior, and a small area near Geneva was part of Narbonne Gaul. Later, another province, Vindelicia, was separated from Rezia in the north. The region began to gradually romanize, significant Roman buildings, roads, cities were built here, when the power of the empire was declining, Christianity began to penetrate here.
Already in 264 AD, the Germanic tribe of the Alemans invaded the territory of modern western Switzerland. At the beginning of the 5th century, they finally captured the east of the country. In 470, the west of Switzerland became part of the kingdom of another Germanic tribe - the Burgundians, who, however, were Christians. If the Alemans completely destroyed the traces of Romanization on their territory, exterminating, expelling and assimilating the local population, the Burgundians, on the contrary, treated the locals quite loyally, which contributed to the predominance of the Romanesque population in the lands subject to them. This division was even reflected in modern times: the western French-speaking population of Switzerland is mainly the descendants of the inhabitants of the country of the Roman period, and the eastern German-speaking population is the descendants of the Alemans.
In addition, already after in 478, the south of Switzerland fell successively under the rule of the Germanic kingdoms of the Ostrogoths and Lombards, whose center was in Italy. But the Ostrogoths also did not forcibly Germanize the population, therefore Romansh and Italians currently live in this part of the country.
It should be noted that the prevention of mixing of the above ethnic groups and military incursions was hindered by the natural division of Switzerland by the Alps into relatively isolated areas.
In the VIII century, the total area of Switzerland was again united within the framework of the Frankish state. But already in the 9th century it fell apart. Switzerland was again divided between several states: Upper Burgundy, Italy and Germany. But in the XI century, the German king managed to create one that included the entire area of Switzerland. However, soon the imperial power weakened, and in reality these lands began to be controlled by local feudal lords from the families of the Tserengens, Cyburgs, Habsburgs and others who exploited the local population. The Habsburgs became especially strong after the possession of the title of Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire passed into their hands at the end of the 13th century.
Fight for independence
It was the struggle against these lords, mainly the Habsburgs, that served as the beginning of the unification of the scattered Swiss regions into a single independent state. In 1291, a military alliance "for all time" was concluded between representatives of the three cantons (regions) of Switzerland - Schwyz, Uri and Unterwalden. From this date it is customary to keep a record of Swiss statehood. From that moment began an active struggle of the people against the Habsburgs, representatives of the imperial administration and feudal lords. The famous legend of William Tell belongs to the initial stage of this struggle.
In 1315, the first major clash between the Swiss and the Habsburg army took place. It was called the Battle of Morgarten. Then the Swiss managed to win, numerically exceeding them by several times the enemy army, moreover, consisting of knights. It is with this event that the first mention of the name "Switzerland" is connected. This was due to the erroneous extension of the name of the canton of Schwyz to the territory of the entire union. Immediately after the victory, the alliance treaty was renewed.
In the future, the Union continued to successfully operate against the Habsburgs. This attracted the desire of other regions to join it. By 1353, the Union already consisted of eight cantons, since Zurich, Bern, Zug, Lucerne and Glarus were added to the original three.
In 1386 and 1388, the Swiss inflicted two more significant defeats on the Habsburgs at the battles of Sempach and Nefels. This led to the fact that in 1389 peace was concluded for 5 years. Then it was extended for 20 and 50 years. The Habsburgs actually renounced the rights of the lords regarding the eight allied cantons, although they continued to be part of the Holy Roman Empire. This state of affairs continued until 1481, that is, almost 100 years.
In 1474-1477, Switzerland was drawn into the Burgundian War in alliance with France and Austria. In 1477, in the decisive battle of Nancy, the Swiss defeated the troops of the Duke of Burgundy, and he himself died in this battle. This victory significantly increased the international prestige of Switzerland. Its warriors began to be valued as excellent mercenaries, which had a positive effect on the country's economy. In this capacity, they serve the French king, the Duke of Milan, the Pope and other sovereigns. In the Vatican, the guards of the Holy See are still made up of Swiss. More and more lands are becoming willing to join the Union, but the old cantons are not too eager to expand their borders.
In the end, in 1481, a renewed treaty was concluded. Two more cantons, Solothurn and Friborg, were accepted as members of the Union. The area of Switzerland expanded, and the number of cantons was increased to ten. In 1499, a victory was won in the war with the Swabian League, supported by the emperor. After that, a treaty was concluded, which actually marked the withdrawal of Switzerland from the Holy Roman Empire. But legally the emperor has not yet abandoned his claims. In 1501, Basel and Schaffhausen were admitted as cantons to the Union, and in 1513, Appennzell. The number of lands reached thirteen.
Meanwhile, in the 15th century, the Reformation, a group of Christian religious teachings that denied the primacy of the Pope in the spiritual world, was sweeping across Europe. In the city of Geneva, the founder of one of the leading currents of the Reformation, John Calvin, lived and died for a long time. Another prominent reformer, Ulrich Zwingli, was a native of St. Gallen. The reform was accepted by many European sovereigns and princes. But the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire opposed her. For this reason, in 1618, a pan-European broke out. In 1648, the Peace of Westphalia was signed, in which the emperor recognized his defeat and the right of the princes to choose their own religion for their land, and the exit of Switzerland from the Holy Roman Empire was also legally secured. Now it has become an absolutely independent state.
Independent Switzerland
However, Switzerland of that time could only relatively be considered a single state. Each canton had its own legislation, territorial division, the right to conclude international agreements. It was more like a military-political union than a full-fledged state.
In 1795, a revolution began in Switzerland, supported from the outside by Napoleonic France. The French occupied the country, and in 1798 a unitary state was created here - the Helvetic Republic. After the victory of the allies over Napoleon in 1815, the former structure returned to Switzerland with minor changes, although the number of cantons was increased to 22, and later to 26. But a movement for the centralization of power began to rise in the country. In 1848 a new constitution was adopted. According to her, Switzerland, although it continued to be called the Confederation, actually turned into a full-fledged government. The neutral status of the camp was immediately fixed. This was the key to the fact that since then Switzerland has become one of the most peaceful and tranquil corners of the world. Located in the heart of Europe, destroyed by the First and Second World Wars, this state is almost the only one that did not suffer during the tragic events. Indeed, only Sweden and the territory of Switzerland turned out to be free from war in Europe. The area of the country was not damaged by enemy bombs or invasions of foreign armies.
The industry and the banking sector were actively developing in the country. This made it possible to make Switzerland a world leader in the provision of financial services, and the standard of living of the citizens of the Alpine state became one of the highest on the planet.
switzerland square
Now let's find out what is the area of Switzerland. This indicator is the basic criterion for further analysis. At the moment, the area of Switzerland is 41.3 thousand square meters. km. This is the 133rd indicator among all countries of the world.
For comparison, the area of the Volgograd region alone is 112.9 thousand square meters. km.
Administrative divisions of Switzerland
In administrative-territorial terms, Switzerland is divided into 20 cantons and 6 half-cantons, which, in general, is equal to 26 subjects of the confederation.
The largest in area are the cantons of Graubünden (7.1 thousand sq. km), Bern (6.0 thousand sq. km.) and Valais (5.2 thousand sq. km.).
Population
The total population of the country is about 8 million people. This is the 95th figure in the world.
But what population density does Switzerland have? The area of the country and the population that we have established above make it easy to calculate this indicator. It is equal to 188 people/sq. km.
Ethnic composition
On the territory of the country, 94% of the inhabitants consider themselves ethnic Swiss. This does not prevent them from speaking different languages. Thus, 65% of the population are German-speaking, 18% French-speaking and 10% Italian-speaking.
In addition, about 1% of the population are Romansh.
Religion
During the Middle Ages and the New Age, Switzerland became a real arena of struggle between Protestants and Catholics. Now the passions have subsided and there is no religious confrontation in the country. About 50% of the population are Protestants - Catholics.
In addition, there are small Jewish and Muslim communities in Switzerland.
general characteristics
We learned the area of Switzerland in sq. km, population and history of this country. As you can see, she had a long way from a disunited union of cantons to a single state. The history of Switzerland can serve as an example of how culturally, religiously, ethnically and linguistically disparate communities can be united into a single nation.
The success of the Swiss development model is confirmed by its economic performance and more than 150 years of peace in the country.
used Wikipedia materialsPaleolithic (c. 12 millennium BC) - the first traces of human settlements in the lowlands of Switzerland.
Neolithic - people lived in settlements on stilts along the shores of lakes, were engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding.
10th-1st centuries BC. Switzerland was occupied mainly by the Celtic tribes. From the 1st century BC. the territory was occupied by the Helvetians, a large Celtic tribe, so the Romans called it Helvetia. The Helvetians already had literacy, brought from Greece, they minted coins. At that time, cities already existed: the capital Aventicum (Aventicum, now Avenche), Geneva, Lausonium (Lausonium, Lausanne), Salodurum (Salodurum, Solothurn), Turicum (Turicum, Zurich), Vitudurum (Vitudurum, Winterthur).
FROM 3 in. BC. the gradual seizure of the territory by the Romans begins. In 121 BC The territory around Geneva was taken over by Rome.
AT 58 BC about 300 thousand Helvetians set off towards the Atlantic Ocean, as they were forced out by the Germanic tribes. However, Caesar did not allow them to move further than Lake Geneva and forced them to return to Helvetia. Caesar recognized the Helvetii as allies and retained their independence.
AT 15 BC the Roman army crossed the Alps and the Rhine and established control over eastern and central Switzerland. The Romans built settlements, roads, trade developed. Already during the reign of the Romans, Christianity began to penetrate into Helvetia, monasteries arose.
264- Alemanni invaded Helvetia, the lands on the right bank of the Rhine were lost, Aventicum was destroyed.
406-407 The Alemanni conquered eastern Switzerland. They destroyed almost all traces of Roman influence, including Christianity.
470- Western Switzerland fell under the rule of the Burgundians (also a Germanic tribe).
Already in the 5th c. Switzerland was divided linguistically into groups: in the territory subject to the Alemanni - German, in the southeast (Canton of Graubünden), formerly under the Ostrogoths - Romansh was preserved, in Ticino (later under the rule of the Lombards) - Italian, the western part (Burgundians) - French.
496- the Alemanni were conquered by Clovis (the Franks), in 534 his sons conquered the Burgundians, in 536 the Ostrogoths ceded Rhaetia.
569- Ticino was conquered by the Lombards and only in 774 passed into the power of the Franks.
6th-7th centuries- under the Franks, the monasteries received large land plots.
843- Under the Verdun Treaty, Switzerland was divided: the western (together with Burgundy) and the southern (together with Italy) were given to Emperor Lothair, the eastern (together with Alemannia) - to King Louis the German.
888- Duke Rudolph of the House of Welf founded the Upper Burgundian Kingdom (included western Switzerland with Wallis).
10th c.- attacks of the Hungarians and Saracens.
FROM 1032 power over Burgundy passed to the German emperor Conrad 2.
AT late 11th - early 12th century. count and ducal families rose, especially the Zähringens, who founded several new cities (Freiburg in 1178, Bern at the end of the 12th century, Thun in the 13th century, etc.). In the 13th century the Tseringen family died out and their possessions passed to the empire and other counts, especially large possessions went to the end of the 13th century. Counts of the Habsburgs. In the 13th century Switzerland consisted of many petty political entities, some of which were directly imperial, others belonged to counts, dukes, or were ecclesiastical possessions.
AT 1231 Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II bought Uri from the Habsburgs, and in 1240 granted Schwyz a special Liberty Charter, making it imperial. The Habsburgs did not recognize this charter and undertook the conquest of Schwyz in 1245-1252. Uri and Unterwalden, still subject to the Habsburgs, came to the aid of Schwyz; during the war, they concluded the first allied treaty, the text of which has not been preserved. After some time, Schwyz and Unterwalden were forced to recognize the power of the Habsburgs, and their alliance broke up.
1 August 1291 the treaty was renewed "in perpetuity". The act of the treaty, drawn up much later in Latin, has been preserved in the archives of the city of Schwyz. The allies undertook to help each other with advice and deed, personally and with property, on their lands and outside them, against anyone and everyone who wants to inflict offense or violence on all of them or any of them. The treaty confirms the rights of local lords, but rejects attempts to establish power from outside (ie, the Habsburgs). The beginning of Switzerland as a state is counted from this treaty. Until the 19th century people believed in the legend of the formation of the Swiss Union, associated with William Tell and the mythical agreement on the Rütli meadow in 1307.
AT 1315 an attempt was made to subjugate Uri, Schwyz and Unterwald to Austria. The inhabitants ambushed the Habsburg army at Morgarten, over Lake Egeri, and put it to flight. A new treaty was concluded at Brunnen, confirming the union of the three cantons. Formally, they depended on the empire, but its power was minimal.
AT 1332 Lucerne entered into an alliance with the three cantons, which had been under the rule of the Habsburgs since 1291. The war of 1336 did not help the Habsburgs. In 1351 Zurich joined the union. In the ensuing war, Glarus and Zug joined the alliance, and in 1353, Bern. Education ended by 1389 "Union 8 old lands”(Eidgenossenschaft or Bund von acht alten Orten), which remained in this form until 1481. Internal relations between the allied lands were and remained until 1798 completely free and voluntary. General issues were decided at Diets (Tagsatzung), which met with representatives of the lands.
During 15th c. the Allies expanded their holdings in Switzerland. At the same time, they did not accept the conquered lands into their union, they ruled them precisely as conquered. The lands were divided between the cantons or remained in common use. The internal organization of the lands was varied. The original cantons have long been democratic, and after the liberation from the power of the Habsburgs - democratic republics. They were governed by a nationwide gathering, at which all the most important issues were decided, foremen, judges and other officials were elected. The entire free male population, and sometimes the unfree or semi-free, could converge on gatherings. In other cantons, more urban in nature, there was a sharp contrast between the city and the lands subject to it. In the cities themselves, there was a struggle between the old patrician families, burghers (mainly merchants, bankers) and the lower class of the population - artisans organized in workshops. Depending on the greater or lesser strength of one or another of these classes, power was organized in one way or another. In general, during this period, Switzerland was the most free and comfortable country.
1460 - Switzerland's first university in Basel.
Military victories of the Swiss Union in the 15th century. created glory for his troops, so foreign rulers began to look for mercenaries in them, and neighboring lands began to seek to enter into an alliance. At the end of the 15th century in Stans a new treaty was concluded, which included two new lands - Solothurn and Friborg (Stan agreement). From this period, the connection with the empire was finally terminated, although this was formally recognized only by the Peace of Westphalia (1648). At the beginning of the 16th century as a result of participation in the Italian wars, the union received the ownership of Ticino.
In 1501 Basel and Schaffhausen were admitted to the Union, in 1513 Appenzell was converted from an “assigned land” into an equal member of the Union. Thus formed Union of thirteen lands. In addition to them, Switzerland included quite a few assigned lands or lands friendly with one or another (or several) of the members of the Union (Eidgenossenschaft). Neuchâtel (Neuenburg) occupied a very special position for a long time: it was an independent principality, which had its own princes, but it was under the patronage of Switzerland. Later, the princely power went to the king of Prussia, thus it was a Prussian principality in the Swiss Union. Friendly lands were also the Bishopric of Basel, the Abbey of St. Gallen and the city of St. Gallen (which, at the same time as Appenzell, asked for admission to the Union, but were refused), Biel, Grisons, Valais, somewhat later (since 1526) Geneva. Thus, the geographical boundaries of Switzerland, if we count both assigned and subject lands, were almost the same as now.
AT 16th century The Reformation movement began, leading to religious wars, as a result of which Switzerland was divided into Catholic and Protestant. In 1586, seven Catholic cantons (4 forest, Zug, Freiburg, Solothurn) concluded the so-called "Golden", obliging its members to defend Catholicism within each canton, if necessary - by force of arms. As a result, the Swiss Union, as it were, fell apart. The Catholic cantons had their diets in Lucerne, the Protestant ones in Aarau, although the former general ones remained nearby, having lost a large share of their already modest significance. To religious strife in the 16th century. plague epidemics and famine were added, only in the 17th century. industry again began to develop rapidly, which was facilitated by the fact that Switzerland was on the sidelines of the Thirty Years' War. During this period, the desire to maintain neutrality in European clashes manifested itself and took a conscious form in Switzerland.
AT 18th century religious conflicts continued and there was a continuous struggle between different classes of the population, which more than once reached open clashes and peasant uprisings. 18th century is also the era of intellectual development and flourishing of Switzerland (Albrecht Haller, Bernoulli, Euler, Bodmer, Breitinger, Solomon Gessner, Lavater, Pestalozzi, J. von Müller, Bonnet, de Saussure, Rousseau, etc.).
During the French Revolution, unrest also began in Switzerland, which the French took advantage of - in 1798 they brought their troops into Switzerland. Representatives of 10 cantons adopted a constitution (approved by the French Directory) of a single Helvetic Republic, replacing the former Union of thirteen lands. The new constitution proclaimed the equality of all before the law, freedom of conscience, press, trade and crafts. The supreme power was declared to belong to all citizens. Legislative power is vested in the Senate and the Grand Council, while executive power is vested in the directory, which consists of 5 members. The latter elected ministers and commanders of troops and appointed prefects for each canton. Meanwhile, the course of action of the French, who imposed a significant military indemnity on some cantons, annexed Geneva to France (in April 1798) and demanded immediate accession to the Helvetic Republic and the rest of the cantons, caused great excitement in the latter. However, they were forced to give in and join the republic.
Meanwhile, Austrian troops entered Switzerland, occupied its eastern part and established a provisional government in Zurich. All this caused a popular uprising, suppressed by the French. Before 1803 power was constantly changing in the country and people's discontent grew, until in 1803 the Helvetic Republic ceased to exist. Napoleon made up mediation act- the federal constitution of Switzerland, which on February 19, 1803 was solemnly handed over by Bonaparte to the Swiss commissioners. Switzerland formed a union state of 19 cantons. The cantons were supposed to assist each other in case of external or internal danger, did not have the right to fight with each other, and also to conclude agreements between themselves or with other states. In internal affairs, the cantons enjoyed self-government. In addition to the 13 old cantons, the Union included Graubünden, Aargau, Thurgau, St. Gallen, Vaud and Ticino. Valais, Geneva and Neuchâtel were not included in the Union. Each canton with a population of more than 100,000 had two votes in the Sejm, the rest - one each. At the head of the Union was the Landammann, who was elected annually in turn by the cantons of Friborg, Bern, Solothurn, Basel, Zurich and Lucerne. Switzerland concluded a defensive and offensive alliance treaty with France, under which she undertook to deliver to France an army of 16,000 people. This obligation fell upon Switzerland as a heavy burden, but in general Switzerland suffered less from Napoleon's warlike enterprises than all other vassal states. After the Battle of Leipzig (1813), the Allied Sejm decided to maintain strict neutrality, which was reported to the warring countries.
Declaration signed on March 20 1815, the powers recognized the eternal neutrality of the Swiss Union and guaranteed the integrity and inviolability of its borders. Valais, Geneva and Neuchâtel were annexed to the Union, which thus included 22 cantons. The union treaty of August 7, 1815 again turned Switzerland into a number of independent states, loosely linked by common interests. The supreme power, although it belonged to the Sejm, but its activity was very weak. The Polish revolution that broke out in 1830 gave a strong impetus to the liberal movement. A whole series of popular demonstrations began, demanding democracy, equality of rights, separation of powers, freedom of the press, etc.
The struggle, which went as far as armed clashes and the formation of a union (Sonderbund) by several cantons, led to the creation in 1848 constitution, in general terms similar to the modern constitution of Switzerland. Bern was chosen as the federal capital. A permanent body of executive power was established - a federal council of seven members elected by a legislative body from two chambers - the national council and the council of cantons. The federal government was empowered to issue money, regulate customs regulations, and determine foreign policy. Now Switzerland could devote time not to wars, but to economic and social issues. Production, established in the cities of Switzerland, began to be based mainly on highly skilled labor. New railways and roads made it possible to penetrate into previously inaccessible regions of the Alps and promoted the development of tourism. In 1863, the International Red Cross was established in the Swiss city of Geneva. Compulsory free education appeared.
AT 1874 A constitution was adopted that introduced the institution of a referendum.
During World War I Switzerland remained neutral.
At the beginning Second World War, after a series of armed clashes, mainly in the air, Germany and Switzerland concluded an agreement. Switzerland remained neutral, provided banking services to Germany, allowed the free transit of German goods through Switzerland. The military of other countries who entered the territory of Switzerland were kept in internment camps. Civil refugees, especially Jews, were denied entry in most cases. In the 90s of the 20th century. a scandal arose over the fact that Swiss banks store Nazi gold and valuables taken from victims of the genocide, and also prevent heirs from accessing accounts. As a result, the Swiss banking group agreed in 1998 to pay $1.25 billion in compensation to the victims of the genocide and their heirs.
After the Second World War, Europe slowly and painfully recovered from the destruction. Switzerland has used these years to improve its intact commercial, financial and economic system. Over time, the Swiss city of Zurich became an international banking center, the headquarters of major international organizations (for example, WHO) settled in Geneva, and the International Olympic Committee settled in Lausanne. Fearing for its neutrality, Switzerland refused to join the UN (it currently has observer status) and NATO. But she joined the European Free Trade Association. In 1992, the Swiss government announced its desire to join the EU. But for this, the country needed to join the European Economic Area, which citizens opposed in a referendum in 1992. Switzerland's application for EU membership is still on hold.
The Legend of William Tell
According to legend, the peasant Wilhelm Tell from Bürglen, a famous archer, went with his son to the town of Altdorf to the fair. Gessler, the newly appointed governor of the Habsburgs, hung his hat on a pole in the square, to which everyone was supposed to bow. Tell did not do this. For this, Gessler ordered his son to be taken and suggested that Tell shoot down an apple from the boy's head with an arrow. Tell took one arrow, put the second in his bosom. His shot was successful. Gessler asked why the second arrow was needed. Tell replied that if his son had died, the second arrow would have been for Gessler. Tell was arrested and taken on Gessler's ship to be taken to his castle in Küssnacht. At this time, a storm broke out on the lake, Tell was unleashed to help save the boat. Tell jumped out of the boat at the place now known as Tellsplatte and went to Küssnacht. When Gessler arrived there, Tell shot him on a narrow road. Tell's act inspired people to revolt against the Austrians, in which Tell played the role of one of the leaders. Representatives of the three cantons (Uri, Schwyz and Unterwald) took the legendary oath of mutual assistance on the Rütli meadow in 1307. According to legend, Tell died in 1354 trying to save a drowning child.The first written sources documenting the legend of William Tell date back to the 15th century. (White Book of Sarnen, 1475). For a long time, the legend was considered a historical event, later, in the 19th-20th century, it was confirmed that the formation of the Swiss Union dates back to 1291.
The legend of Tell inspired Goethe during his travels in Switzerland. He wanted to write a play about it, but then passed the idea on to Friedrich Schiller, who in 1804 wrote the play William Tell. Rossini used Schiller's play as the basis for his opera William Tell.
Creation of the Swiss Confederation.
Among the Celtic tribes that inhabited the territory of Switzerland in prehistoric times, the Helvetians stood out, who became allies of the Romans after they were defeated by Julius Caesar at the Battle of Bibractus in 58 BC. e. In 15 BC Rets were also conquered by Rome. In the next three centuries, Roman influence contributed to the development of the culture of the population and its Romanization.
In the 4th–5th centuries AD The territory of present-day Switzerland was captured by the Germanic tribes of the Alemanni and Burgundians. In the 6th–7th centuries it became part of the kingdom of the Franks and in the 8th-9th centuries. was ruled by Charlemagne and his successors. The subsequent fate of these lands is closely connected with the history of the Holy Roman Empire. After the collapse of the Carolingian empire, they were captured by the Swabian dukes in the 10th century, but they could not keep them under their rule, and the region broke up into separate fiefs. In the 12th-13th centuries. attempts were made to unite them under the rule of large feudal lords, such as the Zähringens, the founders of Bern and Friborg, and the Habsburgs. In 1264 the Habsburgs won a dominant position in eastern Switzerland. The Counts of Savoy were entrenched in the west.
The Habsburgs encountered strong opposition when they tried to consolidate their holdings by abolishing the privileges of some local communities. At the center of this resistance were the peasants who lived in the mountain valleys of Schwyz (hence the name of the country Switzerland), Uri and Unterwalden. These forested cantons, located along the strategically important road through the St. Gotthard Pass, benefited from the struggle between the Hohenstaufen emperors and the papacy. In 1231 Uri and in 1240 Schwyz received the rights of the imperial territories of the Holy Roman Empire, freeing themselves from dependence on petty feudal lords. After the death of Emperor Frederick II in 1250, the empire entered a period of decline, marked by civil war during the Great Interregnum of 1250–1273. The Habsburgs, who did not recognize the rights of Uri and Schwyz, tried to conquer Schwyz in 1245-1252. Uri and Unterwalden, who entered into a temporary alliance, came to his aid. In August 1291, the Swiss communities entered into a permanent defensive alliance among themselves and signed a treaty known as the "Eternal Alliance", the first documented evidence of cooperation between the forest cantons. This year begins the official history of the Swiss state. Part of the traditional legend about these events, associated with the name of William Tell, is not confirmed in historical documents.
Growth and expansion of the confederation.
The first proof of the strength of the confederation was given in 1315, when the highlanders of the forested cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden faced the superior forces of the Habsburgs and their allies. At the Battle of Morgarten they won what is considered one of the most important victories in Swiss history. This victory encouraged other communities to join the confederation as well. In 1332-1353 the cities of Lucerne, Zurich and Bern, the rural communities of Glarus and Zug entered into separate agreements with the three united cantons, forming a number of confederations. Although these agreements did not have a common basis, they were able to ensure the main thing - the independence of each of the participants. Having been defeated in the battles of Sempach in 1386 and Nefels in 1388, the Habsburgs were finally forced to recognize the independence of the cantons, united in a confederation.
At the beginning of the 15th century the members of the confederation felt strong enough to go on the offensive. In the course of numerous wars and campaigns against the Austrian Habsburgs and the Holy Roman Empire, the Dukes of Savoy, Burgundy and Milan, and the French King Francis I, the Swiss gained a reputation as magnificent warriors. They were feared by enemies and respected by allies. During the "heroic age" of Swiss history (1415-1513), the territory of the confederation expanded by adding new lands in Aargau, Thurgau, Vaud, and also south of the Alps. 5 new cantons were created. In 1513-1798 Switzerland became a confederation of 13 cantons. In addition to them, the confederation included lands that entered into an alliance with one or more cantons. There was no permanent central body: All-Union Diets were periodically convened, where only full-fledged cantons had the right to vote. There was no all-union administration, army and finance, and this situation remained until the French Revolution.
From the Reformation to the French Revolution.
In 1523 Huldrych Zwingli openly challenged the Roman Catholic Church and led a religious reform movement in Zurich. He was supported by the inhabitants of a number of other cities in northern Switzerland, but in rural areas he met with resistance. In addition, there were differences with the radical Anabaptist wing of his followers in Zurich itself. The Zwinglian current of Protestantism subsequently merged with the current of John Calvin from Geneva into the Swiss Reformed Church. Since the cantons of central Switzerland remained Catholic, a split along religious lines was inevitable. After short religious clashes, an approximate balance was established between the two religions. In 1648 Switzerland's independence from the Holy Roman Empire was officially recognized by the Treaty of Westphalia.
Political life of Switzerland in the 18th century. was calm. The Bernese naturalist and poet Albrecht von Haller (1708–1777), the historian J. von Müller, as well as the Genevan-born philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau and the great educator and humanist from Zurich I.G. Pestalozzi became famous in the “age of Enlightenment”. At this time, a stream of foreign guests rushed to Switzerland, among them Voltaire, Gibbon and Goethe.
Revolution and restoration of the Confederation.
The French Revolution had a profound effect on Switzerland, both politically and philosophically. In 1798 French troops invaded the country and occupied it. The French granted the conquered cantons a constitution that replaced the loose federation with the "one and indivisible Helvetic Republic". The revolutionary ideas of democracy, civil liberties and centralized power led to the creation of a strong central government for the first time in Swiss history. The constitution of 1798, created on the basis of the constitution of the first French Republic, granted all Swiss equal rights before the law and a code of civil liberties. However, it encroached on traditional federalism, and many Swiss did not want to recognize it. The struggle between the federalists, who opposed the new system, and the centralists, who supported it, subsided temporarily when Napoleon Bonaparte granted the Republic a constitution in 1802, known as the Mediation Act. It restored many of the former privileges of the cantons and expanded the number of cantons from 13 to 19.
After the defeat of Napoleon, the cantons dissociated themselves from the regime imposed by the French and tried to revive the former confederation. After lengthy negotiations, a Union Treaty was drawn up, signed in September 1814. It proclaimed the union of 22 sovereign cantons, but did not indicate that they constituted one state. In the Declaration of the Congress of Vienna (March 1815) and the Treaty of Paris (November 1815), the Great Powers recognized the perpetual neutrality of Switzerland.
Civil war and new constitution.
Over the next three decades, liberal sentiment grew in Switzerland. In response to the actions of the radicals in the Union Sejm and in some cantons (the closing of the monasteries in Aargau, the expulsion of the Jesuits), seven conservative Catholic cantons formed the defensive alliance of the Sonderbund. In 1847, the Sejm by a small majority announced the dissolution of this association. The federal army under the leadership of General Guillaume Dufour won the civil war before the European powers could intervene in the conflict.
As a result of the victory over the Sonderbund, a new constitution was adopted (1848). A balance was struck between the aspirations of the radical centralists and the conservative federalists. From a fragile union of canton states, Switzerland has become a single union state. A permanent executive body was created in the form of a federal council of seven members, elected by a legislative body from two chambers - the national council and the council of cantons. The federal government was empowered to issue money, regulate customs regulations and, most importantly, determine foreign policy. Bern was chosen as the federal capital. The revised constitution of 1874, with subsequent amendments, further strengthened the power of the federal government without jeopardizing the federal foundation of the Swiss state.
In the last decades of the 19th century Swiss industry developed, and the construction of railways began. Imported raw materials were processed into high-quality products, which then entered the world market.
Switzerland in World Wars.
With the outbreak of the First World War, a threat to the national unity of Switzerland arose: the French-speaking Swiss were mainly sympathetic to France, and the German-speaking - to Germany. The four-year mobilization laid a heavy burden on the country's economy, there was a shortage of industrial raw materials, unemployment was growing, and there was not enough food. General discontent resulted in mass strikes in November 1918.
In 1919 Geneva was chosen as the headquarters of the League of Nations. Switzerland became a member of this organization only after heated internal debates and after receiving guarantees of respect for its neutrality. The outbreak of World War II found the population of the country more united: few people in Switzerland welcomed Nazism. However, strategically, the position of the confederation was much more vulnerable, since it was surrounded by totalitarian powers.
Foreign policy.
With the end of World War II, the League of Nations ceased to exist. Switzerland decided not to join the newly created United Nations (UN) and acquired observer status, which allowed the European headquarters and several UN specialized organizations, including the International Labor Organization and the World Health Organization, to be located in Geneva. Switzerland felt that not joining the UN was the best way to maintain its independent position as a neutral country in the ever-changing balance of power on the world stage. This decision strengthened the position of Switzerland in international politics. This country is a member of several UN organizations: the International Court of Justice, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Switzerland provides significant assistance to developing countries.
Following a traditional policy of neutrality, Switzerland in the 1950s and early 1960s faced great difficulty in participating in various European integration plans. In 1948, she joined the Organization for European Economic Cooperation, but refrained from joining the European Economic Community (later the European Union, EU). The obvious political aims of this organization were unacceptable to Switzerland. However, it became one of the founding members of the European Free Trade Association in 1959, and in 1963 joined the Council of Europe, again demonstrating its interest in European cooperation. In 1972, a national referendum ratified a free trade agreement with the EU, according to which, by 1977, duties on all industrial products were gradually removed. In 1983, Switzerland became a full member of the Group of Ten, an association of the largest contributors to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Political and social changes.
In the 1960s, Switzerland faced a severe internal problem. Several French-speaking districts located in the Jura mountains in the canton of Bern demanded the formation of a new canton. This met with resistance from the German-speaking population of the region. Federal troops were sent there to prevent clashes. In the early 1970s, voters in the canton of Bern approved a referendum in the French-speaking districts on secession. As a result of a series of plebiscites held over a number of years, three of the seven districts and several border communities voted in favor of the creation of a new canton. This new canton was named Jura. The decision was then approved in a national referendum in 1978 and the new canton entered the confederation in 1979.
In the 1960s, there was marked tension over the issue of the large number of workers from southern European countries who came to work in Switzerland. Despite the traditional international character of the country and the need for foreigners to participate in its economic life, many Swiss showed a hostile attitude towards migrants from southern Europe and considered them responsible for the country's internal problems, such as a lack of housing. Accordingly, the government introduced restrictions that drastically reduced the proportion of foreigners in the workforce. The political movement, which demanded a further reduction in the number of foreign workers, did not gain much support in the elections, but was able to organize referenda in 1970, 1974 and 1977 on constitutional amendments to limit the proportion of foreigners in the Swiss population. These proposals were not approved, but attempts to limit the presence of foreigners in Switzerland did not stop in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1982 voters rejected the government's proposal to liberalize the rules governing the stay of foreign workers and their families, and in 1987 immigration was even more restricted. In 1994, referendum participants approved a tightening of the law on the stay of foreigners. Nevertheless, the contingent of foreign workers remains large - 25% of the total number of employees. At the same time, the number of foreign nationals living in Switzerland has risen to around 1.4 million. Many of them are refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina and developing countries.
In the mid-1980s, the Swiss government attempted to end the country's isolation and conclude a series of bilateral and multilateral agreements with EU countries. In a referendum in 1986, Swiss voters overwhelmingly rejected the government's proposal to join the UN, but six years later they voted for Switzerland's participation in the IMF and the World Bank. In December 1992, seven months after the government announced its intention to join the EU, the population rejected the proposal to join the European Economic Area, which since January 1994 included the countries of the European Free Trade Association with the EU in a single free trade area.
Switzerland's attitude towards the gradually strengthening EU remained a stumbling block for the country's foreign policy in the late 1990s. The 1995 elections revealed a growing polarization of voters on this issue. The greatest success was achieved, on the one hand, by the Social Democrats, who actively support integration, and on the other, by the right-wing Swiss People's Party, which opposes not only EU accession, but also participation in the European Economic Area and Switzerland's cooperation with other trading and political alliances. The decision in 1996 to allow the Swiss military to participate in the maneuvers and technological programs of the Partnership for Peace organization provoked violent protests in the country.
The controversy over the monetary contributions of the victims of the Nazi genocide.
In the late 1990s, the Swiss government was involved in an international dispute over the return by private Swiss banks of gold and other valuable property confiscated by Nazi Germany during World War II from genocide victims. Also discussed were the deposits and valuables placed by European Jews in Swiss banks before and during the war to keep them from being captured by the Nazis.
Immediately after the war, Switzerland agreed to return the stolen deposits to the victims and their heirs. However, in court cases that received much public attention in the mid-1990s, private plaintiffs and Jewish lawyer groups claimed that Switzerland had defaulted on its obligations and accused Swiss banks of preventing heirs from accessing "frozen" accounts. deceased contributors.
Since 1996, American local and federal politicians and organizations have launched a campaign for the return of the so-called. Nazi gold, and many US municipalities, including New York City, threatened to impose economic sanctions on Swiss banks if the latter refused to bail out the plaintiffs. In August 1998, the Schweizerische Creditanstalt banking group and the SBF agreed to pay $1.25 billion in compensation to the victims of the genocide and their heirs. After that, the threats of sanctions were stopped.
The controversy damaged the international prestige of Switzerland and caused a wave of indignation in that country. The US and European media often presented Swiss bankers and diplomats as extremely unsympathetic people who showed indifference to the claims of genocide victims. Public attention was also drawn to the aid that came to Nazi Germany from Switzerland. Despite the neutrality of the country, Swiss industrialists supplied raw materials and industrial products to Nazi Germany. Many Swiss politicians felt they were being portrayed as villains by US officials; the Swiss were of the opinion that the agreement reached was a capitulation to outside pressure, humiliating for the nation as a whole.
Fight for women's rights.
The women's suffrage movement, first successful in the French-speaking cantons in the late 1950s, reached its main goal only in 1971, when women won the right to vote and be elected in federal elections. However, in a number of cantons, women were prevented for a long time from exercising their voting rights in local elections. In 1991, in the German-speaking semi-canton of Appenzell-Innerrhoden, the last territory in Switzerland to oppose the emancipation of women, they received the right to participate in the annual meetings of voters.
The next step was the adoption in 1981 of a constitutional amendment guaranteeing equal rights for women. In 1984, Elisabeth Kopp became the first woman to be elected to the federal council. In 1985, women were given equal rights in the family (before that, the husband was considered the head of the family, which allowed him to unilaterally manage family finances and not allow his wife to work). In 1991, the council of the city of Bern decided that its composition should not be more than 60% of the same sex.
Measures to protect the environment.
The transit position of Switzerland in the system of meridional European transportation carried out by heavy vehicles has complicated the environmental situation on the country's mountain roads. In addition, exhaust fumes contributed to the destruction of forests that protect the mountain villages of Switzerland from avalanches and mudflows. To reduce exhaust emissions from motor vehicles, the Swiss government introduced road tolls in 1985, a weight limit for cars (28 tons) was set, and traffic was limited at night and on weekends. In a referendum in 1994 voters approved the decision that by 2004 foreign commercial goods would have to be transported through Switzerland only by rail.
Economic development.
Until the end of the 1980s, Switzerland had a positive budget balance. Its economy was characterized by low inflation, low unemployment and low interest rates. In 1988 and 1989 the budgets were reduced with an excess of the revenue side of 900 million and 300 million dollars, respectively, unemployment in 1987 reached a record low of 0.7%. However, rising inflation (6% in 1991) prompted the Swiss National Bank to raise interest rates and limit the issue of money. In the early 1990s, there was a recession in the country's economy. Although gross domestic product declined by less than 1% between 1991 and 1993, the unemployment rate reached 3.6% in 1992 and 4.5% at the end of 1993, mainly due to a decline in construction and engineering jobs. In 1994, there were signs of an economic recovery, especially in international financial services, but unemployment in manufacturing and other industries continued to rise. In 1997, the situation improved due to increased exports, demand revived, investment increased, but investment in construction continued to decline.
The first settlers in Switzerland were representatives of the Celtic tribe of the Helvetii. Romance tribes in Switzerland appeared in 107 BC, but due to the difficult terrain of Switzerland, they were never able to complete their conquest. They were gradually driven back by the German Alteman tribe, who established themselves in the region in the 5th century. The territory was annexed to the Roman Empire in 1032, but the centralized power in the country was not very strong. Everything changed with the coming to power of the Habsburg family, which became the most powerful dynasty in Central Europe. The conquests of the Habsburgs were carried out by Rudolf I, who gradually conquered all the warring rulers.
After Rudolph's death in 1291, members of the local aristocracy saw an opportunity for independence. Their pact of mutual support can be seen as a prototype of the Swiss Confederation, and their fight against the Habsburgs is idealized in the well-known legend of William Tell. Encouraged by rapid success, the Swiss soon developed a taste for territorial expansion, and in 1499 achieved independence from the Roman Empire, which was then headed by Emperor Maximilian I. After a series of military victories, the Swiss eventually outdid themselves by defeating the combined forces. France and Venice in 1515. Realizing that they were no longer able to compete with the outnumbered and outgunned armies of the major powers, they abandoned their expansionist policies and declared neutrality.
The Reformation, which took place in the 16th century, stirred up the whole of Europe. The Protestant teachings of Luther, Zwingli and Calvin quickly spread throughout the country, although the central part of Switzerland remained Catholic. While the rest of Europe was taking part in the Thirty Years' War, Switzerland closed its borders and tried to stay out of trouble. At the end of the war, in 1648, she was recognized in the Treaty of Westphalia as a neutral party. However, in 1798 the French Republic took over Switzerland and established the Helvetic Republic there. The Swiss were reluctant to accept such centralized control. Defeated by the British and Prussians at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon was also expelled from Switzerland. At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Switzerland was guaranteed independence and permanent neutrality.
In 1848, a new federal constitution was adopted, which is still in effect today. Bern became the capital of the country, and a federal assembly began to be convened to resolve national issues. Switzerland was given the opportunity to deal with its economic and social problems. The country began to develop an economy based on highly skilled labor. Railways and roads were built, which opened access to the Alpine regions and promoted the development of tourism. In 1863, the Red Cross Society was founded in Geneva and compulsory free education was introduced.
In the 20th century, Switzerland carefully guarded its neutrality. Her role in the First World War was solely to organize the Red Cross detachments. Nevertheless, in World War II, Switzerland played a not very plausible role, laundering money for Nazi Germany. Silent Swiss anti-Semitism consisted of closing the borders to Jewish refugees and forcibly repatriating those who left Nazi-occupied Europe, all knowing what fate awaited them. While the rest of Europe was going through the agonizing process of rebuilding itself from the devastation of war, Switzerland was able to develop an already powerful commercial, financial and industrial base. Zurich has developed as an international banking and international insurance center, and many international organizations, including the World Health Organization, have their headquarters in Geneva.
Fearing that its neutrality might be compromised, Switzerland has turned down offers to become a member of the United Nations (although it currently has "observer" status with the UN) or to join NATO. She joined the European Free Trade Association. Looking at the rest of the EFTA members who applied for membership in the EU (European Union), Switzerland also applied for membership in this organization in 1992. Before becoming a full member of the EU, Switzerland was supposed to join the European Economic Area, but the government's strategy was shattered after Swiss citizens voted against membership in a referendum in December 1992. Switzerland's application for EU membership has been frozen; the government is now trying to lay the groundwork for further closer relations with the rest of the European countries. In 1998, the Swiss government agreed to pay $1.2 billion in compensation to Holocaust victims whose deposits were held in Swiss banks.
