Author: Maarten Koning

The Olympic Village St. Moritz

The first Winter Olympics in St Moritz (canton of Graubünden) began on 11 February 1928. Four hundred sixty-four athletes (including twenty-seven women) from 25 countries participated in six sports and 14 disciplines until 19 February, comprising speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey, bobsleigh and skeleton, skiing, ski jumping, cross-country skiing, and Nordic combination.

Poster and the path to the  Olympic stadium

The choice of St Moritz at 1,856 metres was no accident. The village had been a winter sports resort for decades, and numerous facilities were already in place. Therefore, the organisation’s investments were ‘only’ CHF 700,000, including CHF 250,000 for a new ski jump hill.

The Olympic stadium was very modest. There was no village for athletes. They stayed, mostly at their own expense, in hotels. The atmosphere in and outside the games was Olympic in the true sense of the word. The athletes were amateurs. About 40,000 spectators and 330 press representatives attended the event. Radio was also present.

Opening ceremony 1928

Also, or even in 1928, the weather did not always cooperate: it was 25 degrees on 14 February and 10 degrees with rain the day after. Consequently, the 10,000-metre skating event did not take place.

Speed skating, 5,000 meters

The second Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz took place from January 30 to February 8, 1948. The Olympic stadium was again used; however, a village for athletes was still not in place, and the Olympic idea that participation is more important than winning remained the norm.

Poster 1948 and the opening ceremony 

In 1948, the weather was, again, unstable, around freezing point and thawing some days. Six hundred sixty-nine athletes, including seventy-seven women, from 28 countries, participated. Germany, Japan and the Soviet Union were not represented.

Fifty-nine thousand spectators and 570 press representatives followed the fifth Winter Olympics. The number of sports was still six, but with more disciplines in skiing. Television was introduced, featuring the BBC and three US channels.

As well as being an Olympic village, St Moritz was also a hub of sports pioneers in bobsleigh and skeleton, the first curling club outside the UK, professional ski instructors,  polo on ice ( the Snow-Polo World Cup), the ‘White Turf’ horse races (skiers pulled by horses on Lake St Moritz) and several new ski events.

St. Moritz shares the characteristics of most fashionable Swiss towns. The grandeur of the hotels and other tourist facilities complements the village-like and convivial atmosphere, as well as various high-class cultural events and organisations, and the magnificent natural surroundings.

(Source and further information: www.st.moritz.com)

The Municipalities

Definition

Each canton is subdivided into municipalities. The area of a canton is the sum of these municipalities, just as Switzerland is the sum of the twenty-six cantons.

The cantons are also subdivided into districts that cover several municipalities. Unlike municipalities, districts are not derived from the Federal Constitution but rather from the cantons’ constitutions.

Municipalities have a modest role in the Constitution. Only Art. 50 recognises their existence. The cantons have complete autonomy in setting up municipalities (Art. 50 (1).

The Confederation considers municipalities’ autonomy when legislating and making decisions (Art. 50 (2). Cities and mountain areas have a special place in this respect (Art. 50 (3).

Organisation and powers

The organisation of municipalities differs from canton to canton. Switzerland has around 2,200 communes. The largest is Zürich (c. 400,000 inhabitants), and the smallest is Corripo (canton of Tessin,) with 20 inhabitants. Scuol (canton of Graubünden) is the largest municipality, and Rivaz (Vaud) is the smallest.

The municipalities perform the tasks that cantons do not perform, following the principle of subsidiarity by which the three layers of Swiss constitutional law function: federal, cantonal, and municipal (Art. 3 and Art. 50 Federal Constitution).

In their constitutions, the cantons define their legal personality, government, administration, democratic representation and election system. These are the creations of the cantons; as such, they enjoy the autonomy each canton grants them.

Cantonal courts of law exist for disputes between municipalities and cantons. The Supreme Court (Bundesgericht) in Lausanne is the highest body of appeal.

Local authorities may sometimes refer cases directly to this supreme federal court.In two instances, cantonal courts adjudicate disputes between citizens and municipalities.

Types of municipalities.

The political municipality (Einwohnergemeinde or politische Gemeinde) encompasses all individuals residing within the municipality. The territorial element determines the status of the inhabitants. This municipality plays the most crucial role in state law. All voters exercise their political rights in their municipality’s federal, cantonal, and communal affairs (Federal Constitution, Article 39-2/4). Citizenship of the municipality is the basis and condition for acquiring cantonal citizenship and, thus, Swiss citizenship (Federal Constitution, Article 37-1).

Half of the cantons are citizens’ municipalities (Bürgergemeinde). It comprises all persons holding citizenship of the municipality. It is a community of persons.

All cantons have a church community (Kirchgemeinde) for every member of a specific church.

A Spezialgemeinde is responsible for carrying out specific tasks in certain cantons.

The representation of the citizens

The essential democratic pillars of each municipality are direct democracy and the parliament elected by the citizens or the assembly of citizens.

Each cantonal Constitution is based on the principle of subsidiarity and the citizens’ final say (direct democracy).

The assembly of citizens

Most municipalities do not have a parliament, but rather a citizens’ assembly, which serves as their legislative and supreme body. Assembly meetings are held several times a year or at the request of citizens or the municipal government. At these meetings, an agenda is put to the vote. Decisions are made based on a majority vote by raising hands or (if requested) by a secret ballot vote.

Hand-raising originates from the medieval tradition of direct democracy in the communes, known as Landsgemeinde. It is still the only method in the cantons of Glarus and Appenzell Innerrhoden.

Larger municipalities cannot hold meetings for all citizens, but instead have a representative system in place. Everyone has the right to vote, but in practice, as in any association, foundation, or political organisation, only a few citizens actively participate.

Moreover, municipal law typically stipulates a secret ballot vote for essential decisions.

In most small(er) municipalities of German-speaking Switzerland and some French-speaking cantons, the citizens also elect the municipal government and the praesidium.

Parliament

Nearly all larger towns and municipalities have a directly elected parliament or municipal council (Gemeindeparlament, Grosser Gemeinderat, Conseil général, Einwohnerrat, Consiglio comunale, Conseil communal, Generalrat, Conseil municipal).

In Neuchâtel and Geneva, this is compulsory for all municipalities; in Vaud, it applies to municipalities with 1,000 inhabitants or more, and in Ticino, it applies to municipalities with 5,000 inhabitants or more.

The largest Swiss municipalities without a parliament are Solothurn and Rapperswil-Jona (in the canton of St. Gall).

The municipal government

The citizens also directly elect the municipal government (the executive). Its name varies from canton to canton: Stadtrat, Gemeinderat, administratiever Rat, Bezirksrat, Rat, Gemeindevorstand, Gemeindebehörde, Municipio, Municipalité, Conseil communal, Conseil adminitratif.

Smaller municipalities often delegate governmental powers to one elected citizen (Stadtpräsident, Gemeindepräsident, Gemeindeammam, Syndic, Maire, Sindaco).

The administration is as large as the municipality needs, and the canton permits (Art. 50 (1).

The system of militia (Milizsystem) also applies to elected officials or politicians at the municipal level.

Only some functions receive a salary, such as the mayor in the larger municipalities or the capacity of Stadtpräsident, Gemeindepräsident, Gemeindeammam, Syndic, Maire, and Sindaco.

(Source: A. Auer, Staatsrecht der schweizerischen Kantone, Bern 2016).

Regional Nature Park Val Calanca

Parco Val Calanca (canton of Graubünden) is Switzerland’s smallest nature park. The area borders the Hinterrhein Valley to the north, the Mesolcina (Misox) to the east, the canton of Ticino (Tessin) to the west, and the municipalities of Castaneda and Sta. Maria, San Vittore and Roveredo to the south. The current area includes the three municipalities of Buseno, Calanca and Rossa.

The change in the landscape due to the decline of traditional agriculture is unmistakable. However, many elements of this centuries-old landscape are still visible, the farms and settlements, arable terraces with dry stone walls, chestnut pastures, meadows and larch forests.

A unique cultural feature is the well-maintained network of mule tracks (Säumerwege). A well-developed network of paths was necessary for the steep Calanca valley with its scattered farms and hamlets.

While the rest of Graubünden invested in constructing motorways around 1900 (Although the use of cars was forbidden until 1925!), the steep valley remained dependent on mule tracks for longer.

Even at the beginning of the 20th century, a mule track was built instead of a motorway to Landarenca and Braggio! The ViaCalanca (www.viacalanca.ch) from Grono to Rossa goes along these traditional mule tracks.

The citizens of Buseno, Calanca, Rossa, and Santa Maria i.C. voted in a referendum to adopt the “Regional Nature Park” label on January 29, 2023. The federal authorities will formally recognise the park by the end of this summer.

(Source and further information: Parco Val Calanca)

The Cantons

Switzerland or the Swiss Confederation (Eidgenossenschaft) consists of twenty-six cantons (Article 1 Federal Constitution). This article also defines the territory of Switzerland: it consists of the areas of the cantons.

The cantons 

In alphabetical order (with their license plate indications in brackets), these are: Aargau (AG), Appenzell Ausserrhoden (AR), Appenzell Innerrhoden (AI), Bern (BE), Basel-Landschaft (BL), Basel-Stadt (BS), Fribourg (FR), Geneva (GE), Glarus (GL), Grisons/Graubünden (GR), Jura (JU), Lucerne (LU), Neuchâtel (NE), Nidwalden (NW), Obwalden (OW), Schaffhausen (SH), Schwyz (SZ), Solothurn (SO), St. Gall (SG), Thurgau (TG), Ticino (TI), Uri (UR), Valais (VS), Vaud (VD), Zug (ZG), Zurich (ZH).

There are immense differences between the cantons in terms of surface area, population, urban and rural character, language, religion, and geological characteristics. Just as essential as this constitutional construction is the linguistic, cultural and political identity of the inhabitants of these sometimes centuries-old republics.

History

The creation of today’s cantons has been an ongoing process for centuries. As such, it is not fully covered in this contribution. These cantons already existed in 1848, although in 1979, Jura split off from the canton of Bern to form a new canton in its own right.

The system of cantons as constitutional constructions and democratic sovereign republics in a sovereign country is unique in Europe and possibly in the world.

Powers

The cantons and the (male) population created the Constitution, the Eidgenossenschaft, and the federal government in 1848 by referendum (Article 3 Constitution). Thus, the federal government is a creation of the cantons (and the people) and has no less, but never more, powers than those indicated in Article 3.

In all other fields, the cantons are sovereign. Each has its own Constitution, Parliament, government, healthcare system, education system, taxation, civil service, and jurisdiction (subject to the Federal Constitution and international treaties).

Article 50 of the Constitution confirms the national hierarchy: the Federal government, the Cantons and the Municipalities (the lowest level of constitutional entities).

In short, the cantons are democratic republics and sovereign states insofar as Article 3 does not delegate powers to the federal government.

The cantons are also represented at the federal level in the Standerät (Council of States) in the national Parliament.

In 1848, defence, foreign policy, and relations, as well as customs and currency, were the leading powers of the federal government. Since then, but especially after 1945, powers have been increasingly transferred to the federal government by the cantons (with the consent of the Council of States and the people, by a binding referendum). The transfer of power from cantons to the federal government is mentioned in Article 87 of the Constitution, which comprises 195 Articles.

The cantons are no longer sovereign in these areas but implement federal laws and decisions (Article 49(1) of the Constitution). The cantons are sovereign in this implementation process (Article 46(1) of the Constitution).

This also explains why the federal government has a relatively small number of civil servants: approximately 38,000. The Supreme Court in Lausanne (Bundesgericht) ultimately decides on questions concerning the implementation of federal law.

Cantonal and international treaties

Hundreds of treaties exist between two or more cantons: inter-cantonal law (Art. 48 Constitution) thus takes precedence over cantonal law.

International treaties, including those with the European Union, take precedence over cantonal law.

Foreign policy is an exclusive domain of the federal government (Art. 54). The government informs the cantons at an early stage about foreign policy that is also relevant for the cantons (Art. 55). The Conference of the Cantonal governments (Konferenz der Kantonsregierungen, located in the House of the Cantons in Bern) plays an essential role in this process. The relationship with the European Union — nowadays mainly the new (institutional) treaty with the European Union (the so-called Rahmenabkommen or accord-cadre) — is particularly crucial.

The cantons can conclude treaties with other countries if they belong to the powers of the canton and do not harm the law and policy of the federal government.

The cantons must inform the government before concluding treaties (Art. 56). Treaties with lower authorities in other countries are permitted without prior notice (Art. 56).

Constitutions

The constitutions of the twenty-six cantons differ from one another. Still, all share the democratic principles of the Federal Constitution (Art. 51). The citizens of the cantons have various ways of influencing the legislation and Constitution of the cantons using referendums.

Moreover, through the Standesinitiative (Article 160 Constitution), cantons can ask the federal Parliament to initiate legislation.

At least eight cantons can also invoke the optional referendum against federal laws (the cantonal referendum, Article 141 of the Constitution).

The cantons were and remain one of Switzerland’s two pillars (together with the people), embodying the originating constituting power  (le pouvoir constituant originaire). They have created the nation. The cantons are also imbued with a derived constituent power (le pouvoir constituent dérivé).

This means that the cantons (and the people) can adapt and change the Constitution and laws at any time. The founders of the Confederation always have the last say.

(Source: Häfelin, W. Haller, H. Keller, D. Thurnherr, Schweizerisches Bundesstaatsrecht, Basel 2020; www.admin.ch)

Suchard, the First Chocolate Multinational

Suchard in the Serrières valley, near the city of Neuchâtel, is an industrial site featuring a 150-year-old chocolate factory with notable industrial architecture.

Philippe Suchard (1797-1884) was one of the pioneers of the chocolate industry in Switzerland. He initially worked in his brother’s coffee shop but left for America in 1824. There, he found inspiration for his career in the chocolate industry.

Philippe Suchard in Serrières.

In 1824, he opened his first chocolate shop, “Chocolat Suchard” in Neuchâtel. Shortly afterwards, he opened his first factory. Through his production and recipes, the company experienced rapid growth. He specialised in confectionery.

His big breakthrough came in 1842 when he received a large order from King Frederick William IV of Prussia (1795-1861). Although the canton of Neuchâtel had joined the Confederation in 1815, the King of Prussia remained Prince of Neuchâtel until 1857.

The Suchard Chocolate factory (Chocolat Suchard) in Serrières and the ancient Roman bathing complex, 1908 

Chocolate was still a luxury product at the time, and Suchard’s fame had reached the Court in Berlin. The King never showed up in his principality, but he was willing to buy his subjects’ chocolate.

As a royal purveyor, he established his international name, and in 1905, his successors opened businesses in France, Germany and Austria. The first Swiss chocolate multinational was born.

No chocolate has been produced at Serrières since 1989, and in 1996, Suchard left the site for good, leaving behind a name, a brand and a rich industrial heritage.

(Source and further information: Claire Piquet, Un parfum de chocolat, sur les traces de Suchard à Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, 2022; www.neuchatelville.ch).

Boudry. House of Birth of Suchard

Suchard’s beautiful and, for the time, remarkable advertising posters can be admired at the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire in Neuchâtel.

The Consitution of the Cantons

The 26 cantons have a powerful constitutional and political position in the Swiss state system. From a European perspective, they are unique structures dating back centuries. This article discusses the constitutions of the cantons.

The great politician and entrepreneur Alfred Escher (1819-1882) articulated in 1848 what is still the foundation of the federal and democratic system today:

“Der schöne Baum unseres neuen Bundes, der seine schützenden Zweige über das ganze Vaterland ausbreitet, hat zu seinen Wurzeln die Kantone. Würden wir diese Wurzeln verkümmern und absterben lassen, so wäre damit auch dem Baum der sichere Untergang bereitet. Die Kantone sind die Säulen, auf denen das ganze Bundesgebäude ruht” (J. Jung, Alfred Eschers Thronreden, Zürich 2021).

Introduction

The cantons and the citizens (das Schweizervolk, le peuple suisse) are the founders of the Confederation (Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft/ la Confédération) and the Federal Constitution (FC). This Constitution establishes the federal government (der Bund or la Fédération) and the cantons (and communes) in their respective roles.

The relationship between the federal government and the cantons is dealt with extensively in the FC. Article 3 F states the principles: the cantons are sovereign unless powers have been transferred or delegated to the federal government.

This sovereignty only refers to the relationship with the federal government. There is no sovereignty in the sense of public international law.

The FC contains many articles that deal with this relationship, including the supremacy of federal laws but their implementation by the cantons, cooperation between the federal government and cantons, and the cantons as bodies of the federal government (e.g,. the Council of States), the territorial inviolability of the canton,d the role of the Peopl,e and other issues.

Art. 51 FC. It requires each canton to have a democratic constitution that meets the standards and conditions of the FC (and international treaties).

The cantonal Constitution

All cantons have a constitution. Any amendment requires the approval of the Federal Parliament and the citizens of the cantons concerned who are entitled to vote (obligatorisches Referendum (obligatory referendum). The federal court (Bundesgericht/tribunal fédéral) can sometimes judge the cantonal constitution.

In addition to these conditions, the cantons can draw up their constitutions (Verfassungsautonomie), organise the government, the judiciary, legislative and executive powers, citizenship and voting rights, and create and organise municipalities, districts, and other public-law organisations. It is a central element of the Swiss federal system.

The cantons are sovereign in determining and financing their budgets (Finanzautonomie). The cantons levy direct and indirect taxes (except those transferred to the federal level) to fund their tasks and powers, which are essential aspects of federalism.

This sovereignty does not prevent the federal government from financially supporting the cantons, and some cantons are both net contributors and recipients.

Republic, State, Canton

The cantons’ particular constitutional and political character is also reflected in the first articles of their constitutions.

Most cantons explicitly mention the dual function of (sovereign) state and member, sovereign republic and canton of the Confederation.

The wording varies. However, the broad outlines are: ‘ein freiheitlicher, demokratischer und sozialer Rechtsstaat’, ‘ein Stand der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft’, ‘Une République et l’un des Etats de la Confédération suisse’, ‘ein souveräner Stand’, ‘ein souveränes Bundesmitglied’, ‘eine demokratische Republik’ or, for example, ‘un canton souverain de la Confédération suisse’.

The texts emphasise the multiple functions of the cantons: as autonomous or independent members of the Confederation, on the one hand, and as cooperating bodies (for example, the Ständerat/Conseil d’Etats) of the federal government, on the other hand.

The citizens

The citizens (das Volk, le Peuple) are the essential body of any constitution. Thanks to direct democracy, citizens always have the final say (through mandatory referendums) or the opportunity to initiate change (via various types of optional referendums).

Additionally, the Constitution can be amended at the cantonal level through a People’s Initiative (Volksinitiative). The cantons regulate the right to vote and citizenship by federal law.

Separation of powers

The institutions of a canton must comply with the Trias Politica or the separation of powers. This requirement is explicitly stated in most Constitutions and implicitly in others. The FC also (implicitly) stipulates this requirement.

Parliament

The legislature, the parliament, is directly elected by the citizens. The cantons are usually divided into constituencies.

There are two election systems: proportional representation (number of seats based on votes cast for a party (Proporzsystem)) and absolute majority per candidate (Majorzsystem).

The following article will discuss the electoral systems and the role of the Supreme Federal Court (Bundesgericht/Conseil fédéral).

Militia system

Officially, the parliament has only (unpaid) part-time politicians (Milizsystem). Systems of remuneration and reimbursement do exist. However, the number of full-time and professional politicians has increased in recent decades.

The number of seats differs per canton. The Constitution regulates the functioning and powers.

 Government

The executive, the government, is also directly elected by the citizens. It is unique in Europe. The canton is a single constituency, and the absolute majority system prevails in all cantons except for Ticino (proportional system).

The government consists of between 5 and 7 members. Like the federal government, the cantonal government is based on the principle of collegiality (Kollegialprinzip).

The members speak with one voice to the outside world. The government always reflects the distribution of seats in the parliament.

The system of the absolute majority per candidate creates a direct link between voters and the government. Individuals, not their parties, have a prominent role.

This dichotomy between proportional representation (Proporzsystem) in parliament and the absolute majority (Majorzsystem) in government is sometimes referred to as the ‘Schweizer Wunderwaffe’, and rightly so.

Judiciary

The Constitution also stipulates the organisation of the judiciary, which must be independent (FC).

The cantons organise their criminal-, civil,- and administrative law courts in two instances (first and appeal). Municipalities do not have courts. The FC stipulates the procedures and conditions in detail.

The people elect the judges; sometimes, they are elected by parliament and appeal courts for a fixed term (4, 6 or 10 years).

The Supreme Federal Court (Bundesgericht, Tribunal fédéral), with seats in Lausanne, Bellinzona, Luzern, and St. Gallen, is the highest court of appeal.

Double Yes

In a mandatory referendum or Volksinitiative at the national level, a ‘double yes’ vote is required for a positive result: an absolute majority at the national level and a majority of the cantons (Ständemehr) based on the votes of citizens per canton. Six cantons have one vote, and the other two, for a total of 46, are required.

Historical development and conclusion

The vital role of the cantons’ constitutions is also evident in their historical development, particularly after 1815, in their influence on the federal Constitution in 1848, 1874, and 1891, and in the introduction of direct democracy.

This period encompasses a Restoration (Restauration) from 1815 to 1830, a return to the Ancien Régime, old constitutions, and cantons from before 1798, followed by modernisation (1830-1845), known as Regeneration, as well as the democratic movements for direct democracy in the cantons after 1848.

The cantons were the first to include systems of direct democracy in their constitutions. The FC followed in 1874 and 1891. The FC of 1848 had only introduced the obligatory referendum.

The cantonal Constitution lost significance after 1945 because more and more powers were transferred to the federal level.

The House of the Cantons (Haus der Kantone/Maison des Cantons) in Bern, as well as inter-cantonal consultation, inter-cantonal treaties, inter-cantonal law, and even international treaties of the cantons, demonstrate that the cantons remain alive. Civil society organisations and citizens are also (still)relatively heavily involved in cantonal and national referendums, for example.

Recent referendums, for example, had an absolute majority at the national level but were nonetheless rejected due to the absence of a majority of the cantons (Ständemehr).

(Source: A. Auer, Staatsrecht der Schweizerischen Kantone, Bern, 2016).

Photo: Les 26 Cantons Suisses (jeretiens.net)

Roman Roads and Bridges in Switzerland

Roman road and bridge builders were skilled and versatile. Their construction of roads and bridges was well thought out and optimally adapted to local conditions. Their technical capabilities and surveying skills remain impressive today. Many modern European bridges and roads are in worse condition after only 80 years!

Whenever possible, roads were built in a straight line and ran along slopes and riverbanks through valleys, mountains, and mountain passes. Moreover, lakes, rivers, and flat land made it possible to connect many roads. Solid bridges made crossing (wide) rivers possible. Several bridges are still standing after 2,000 years.

Crossing the Alps was no problem either. Switzerland and South Tyrol were not obstacles but indispensable axes—the most important and widely used traffic routes developed in this Alpine region from southern to northern Europe. The Via Claudia Augusta, which connected Italy to Augsburg (Augusta Vindelicum in the Provincia Raetia (secunda), is still used today.

The Brenner Pass and the Reschen Pass in South Tyrol, the Great St Bernard Pass and Little St Bernard Pass in Valais, and the Julier Pass, Septimer Pass, Maloja Pass and Ofen Pass in Raetia (prima) in present-day Graubünden were the most important mountain passes in this region in Roman times.

The Von Wattenwyl Talks

This year’s first “Von Wattenwyl Talks” between the leaders of the Federal Council parties and the national government will take place on Friday, 3 February 2023, in the Beatrice von Wattenwyl House in Bern.

The “Von Wattenwyl Talks” with the heads of the government parties in the run-up to each session of the Federal Assembly have been well known since 1970. The talks will focus this time on foreign and security issues, the economic situation, energy policy, European policy, migration and federal finances.

The “Von Wattenwyl Talks” take place four times a year to discuss current issues. These talks were launched to facilitate the search for consensus solutions in the concordance system (Konkordanzsystem/ système de concordance).

The aim is to devise viable consensus solutions with the four parties of the federal government. Since 1959 the “magic formula” (Zauberformel/ formule magique) has been established in the composition of the national government. Due to the direct democracy, a compromise is always a prerequisite for the formation and promulgation of decisions at the federal level.

Situated in the historic centre of Bern, the Beatrice von Wattenwyl House has its origins dating back to 1446. Emanuel von Wattenwyl (1863-1934) bequeathed this patrician’s residence to the Swiss Confederation in 1934 on behalf of his wife, Beatrice, who had passed away five years prior.

(Source and further information: www.admin.ch)

Bourbaki in Verrières and Lucerne

On 1 February 1871, the French general Justin Clinchard (1820-1881) and the Swiss general Hans Herzog (1819-1894) agreed in Les Verrières (canton of Neuchâtel) to allow the exhausted and defeated French army of 87,000 men and their horses and equipment to cross the border.

The Bourbaki Panorama in Luzern, a European cultural monument, portrays this event. Visiting the Bourbaki Panorama is like immersing yourself in the Val-de-Travers valley (canton of Neuchâtel) at the end of the 19th century, when Switzerland laid the foundations of its humanitarian and neutral tradition.

The crossing was depicted on the 10 x 112 m (originally 14 x 112 m) circular panorama painting by Edouard Castres in 1881. Panorama paintings, as a form of mass media, are considered the precursor of cinema and a source of inspiration for contemporary media trends and digital narratives.

Neutral Switzerland accommodated the army on the condition of disarmament and repatriation to France. The French military capitulated on 28 January 1871. The French Emperor Napoleon III (1808-1873) was captured at Sedan on 2 September 1870 after he declared war on Prussia on 19 June 1870.

Bourbaki Panorama Lucerne

However, the army of General Charles-Denis Bourbaki (1816-1897) was not part of the capitulation agreement; instead, it fled to Switzerland through the Jura Passes in the cold and snow.

The Swiss banker Henry Dunant (1827-1910) founded the Red Cross in Geneva in 1863. The reception of the French army was his first significant action. The Red Cross is depicted for the first time in the Bourbaki Panorama by Edouard Castres (1838-1902) in Lucerne. Henri Dunant was also there, in Lucerne and Les Verrières.

There was enormous solidarity in Switzerland. Almost all cantons accommodated the tens of thousands of soldiers and officers. The logistical venture (food, medical care, shelter) was a smooth and efficient operation, and within a few months, repatriation began.

Information about the parcours in Les Verrières.

For a small border village and the young Swiss Confederation (1848), it was the first humanitarian action on behalf of their French neighbour. The three generals, Bourbaki, Clinchard, and Herzog, are depicted on a wall in Les Verrières.

The symbols of the Red Cross, the articles of the Geneva Convention and the Swiss ‘virtues’ — neutralité, humanité and hospitalité — are depicted as well.

The Bourbaki trail in Les Verrières shows the route of the French army and the aftermath of this event.

(Further information: www.bourbaki-verrieres.ch; www.bourbakipanorama.ch).