Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
No More Stinging Defeats: Swiss
Neutrality
Swiss neutrality was essentially born out of the stinging defeat the rampaging Swiss, hav-
ing made it as far as Milan, suffered against a combined French and Venetian force at
Marignano, 16km southeast of Milan, in 1515. After the bloody battle, the Swiss gave up
their expansionist dream, withdrew from the international scene and declared neutrality
for the first time. For centuries since, the country's warrior spirit has been channelled
solely into mercenary activity - a tradition still echoed in the Swiss Guard that protects
today's pope at the Vatican.
When the religious Thirty Years War (1618-48) broke out in Europe, Switzerland's
neutrality and diversity combined to give it some protection. The Protestant Reformation,
led by preachers Huldrych Zwingli and Jean Calvin, made some inroads in Zürich and
Geneva, while Central Switzerland (Zentralschweiz) remained Catholic. Such was the in-
ternal division that the Swiss, unable to agree even among themselves which side to take
in the Thirty Years War, stuck to neutrality.
The French invaded Switzerland in 1798 and established the brief Helvetic Republic,
but they were no more welcome than the Austrians before them and internal fighting
prompted Napoleon (then in power in France) to restore the former Confederation of Can-
tons in 1803 - the cantons of Aargau, St Gallen, Graubünden, Ticino, Thurgau and Vaud
joined the Confederation at this time.
Swiss neutrality as we know it today was
formally established by the Congress of Vienna
peace treaty in 1815 that, following Napoleon's
defeat by the British and Prussians at Waterloo,
formally guaranteed Switzerland's independen-
ce and neutrality for the first time. (The same
treaty also added the cantons of Valais, Geneva
and Neuchâtel to the Swiss confederation.)
Despite some citizens' pro-German sympath-
ies, Switzerland's only involvement in WWI lay
in organising Red Cross units. After the war,
Switzerland joined the League of Nations, but
on a strictly financial and economic basis
(which included providing its headquarters in
Geneva) - no military involvement.
Old Towns
1 ST GALLEN
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