History History

First regular habitat.

Celtic tribes settled on the territory (the La Tène age).

The Helvetii tried to invade Gaul and were repulsed by Caesar at Bibracte.

The territories inhabited by the Celts, including the Helvetian tribe, gradually became provinces of the Roman Empire.

Christianization of the future Swiss territories.

Establishment of the linguistic frontier: the Burgundians in the west become Romanized, the Alamanni in the east retain the German language. Progress of Christianization: first bishoprics and monasteries.

The territory of present-day Switzerland was under Frankish rule. In 843, the Treaty of Verdun divided the Carolingian Empire and cut Switzerland in two.

The country regained its unity by becoming part of the Holy Roman Empire.

The St. Gotthard route is opened, Switzerland becomes a crossroads for European trade.

A handful of mountain dwellers rebelled against Habsburg domination. These representatives of the early cantons of Schwyz, Uri and Unterwalden met on the Grütli, a sort of mountain meadow. Enriched by trade, they agreed on a desire for independence, joined forces and swore mutual defense in the event of an attack on their respective cantons. This story represents the first alliance as cantons, and the first collective decisions. At the time, Switzerland did not yet exist, but the Grütli oath is widely accepted as the country's founding myth. This is the founding act of the Swiss Confederation, or the "Grütli Pact" (also known as the "Oath of the Three Swiss"): the Swiss government (Federal Council) is made up of a college of seven members elected by Parliament. There is no president. The Parliament (Federal Assembly) has 246 members, elected by the people. It comprises two chambers: the National Council (200 members) and the Council of States (46 members). CH is an abbreviation of the Latin Confoederatio Helvetica, or Helvetic Confederation in French, originally in Latin as this was the only way to have the same sign for French, German and Italian speakers.

The alliance of 1291 was confirmed by Emperor Ludwig of Bavaria.

At that time, the spirit of confederation was making headway: the "Swiss leagues", i.e. eight cantons, were associated.

With the Peace of Basel, Switzerland was finally freed from Habsburg rule and was no longer dependent on the Holy Roman Empire. The cantons became independent in 1499 following the Swabian War.

After Marignan, Switzerland signs a pact of perpetual peace with France (a pact that includes the provision of mercenaries, the beginning of the Swiss Guard tradition). This is the country's first step towards neutrality.

From the ^16th century onwards, the Reformation split the country in two, at the end of a sometimes violent conflict, and this religious division led to a political paralysis that lasted for three centuries. The parliament (the Diet), split in two, took almost no important decisions, and the federal link was minimal. However, if the country was torn apart internally over religious issues, it refused to do the same with the rest of Europe: it opted for neutrality during the Thirty Years' War, a neutrality enshrined in 1647 by the Wil Defensional, which reduced the Swiss army to a contingent of 36,000 men, deemed sufficient to protect the territory in case of need. Despite its non-involvement, Switzerland benefited from the war, gaining official recognition of its independence under the Treaties of Westphalia in 1648.

The trend began in Zurich in 1522 with Ulrich Zwingli. The cities of Bern, St. Gallen, Basel and Schaffhausen were soon convinced by the ideas of the Reformation. In 1528, Bern adopted the Reformation, and Swiss and German merchants introduced Lutheran ideas to some of the people of Geneva. Guillaume Farel sought to convert French-speaking Bernese territories to the Reformation.

From 1529 to 1531, the Kappel Wars illustrate the opposition between Catholics and Protestants. Zwingli (a leading Protestant figure) was killed on the battlefield on October 11, 1531. In 1536, Bern, with the help of Fribourg, conquered the Savoyard-ruled and therefore Catholic Pays de Vaud.

In 1536, Jean Calvin introduced the Reformation to Geneva. The Musée International de la Réforme (MIR) in Geneva shows you all the details of the Protestant Reformation: stroll through the 400 m of the ^18th-century Maison Mallet. A film retraces the history of Luther and Calvin, including the Wars of Religion that tore France apart.

Protestants valued rationalism and hard work, and saw financial wealth as a reward from God, an ethic that laid the foundations for modern Swiss prosperity.

John Calvin is the leading figure of the Reformation. He was born on July 10, 1509, in Noyon in Picardy. He was educated in Paris and studied law in Orleans and Bourges, where he became interested in evangelical ideologies that he found closer to Christianity. Calvin did not share the cult of the saints, the veneration of relics and the belief in the supernatural healing powers of the king, etc. He distanced himself from the Catholicism of Rome and questioned the supremacy of the pope. The Reformation took hold of him and he went into exile in Basel where the thoughts of Luther and Zwingli echoed. John Calvin settled in Geneva for the first time on September 5, 1536, at the invitation of Guillaume Farel, a preacher. On 25 May 1536, the General Council of Geneva committed itself to living "according to the Gospel" and adopted the Reformation. The motto of Geneva "Post tenebras lux": after the darkness, the light, suggests the era in a new man. The Wall of the Reformers in the Parc des Bastions in Geneva immortalizes in stone the Calvinist doctrine and highlights the four great preachers Guillaume Farel, John Calvin, Theodore de Bèze and John Knox. Through his actions and thoughts, Calvin made Geneva the "nursery of the Reformation". He built the Academy, the forerunner of the university, and translated the Bible into several languages, which propelled the Calvinist doctrine throughout Europe. Calvin died at the age of fifty-five, just as he wanted. His burial is simple and humble. His grave is in the Plainpalais cemetery in Geneva.

Despite the Catholic and Protestant cantons, the Swiss were wise enough not to participate in the Thirty Years' War. The Treaties of Westphalia (1648) recognised their independence.

Did you know that the expression "being homesick" originated in Switzerland? It was in 1688 that the Alsatian doctor Hofer first named and diagnosed this melancholic condition, which affects both mind and body with symptoms of fever and irregular cough. The Zurich-based naturalist Johann Jakob Scheuchzer later asserted that this illness could be explained by the variations in atmospheric pressure experienced by mountaineers accustomed to low pressure in the mountains. This melancholic state is not insignificant in Swiss history, as many valiant mercenaries saw deserting their expeditions as a last resort, so powerful was the emotional ache. The popular song Le Ranz des vaches was often hummed by mercenaries to give them courage far from home. But it also seemed to condition the tough soldiers to run away from the ranks, so much so that France forbade its mercenaries from Switzerland to sing this tune.

In his Dictionnaire de la musique, the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau describes the song as "a tune so dear to the Swiss that it was forbidden, on pain of death, to play it in their troops, because it made those who heard it burst into tears, desert or die, so ardent was their desire to see their country again".

Birth of a national feeling called "Helvetism" which will be widely developed in the texts of Voltaire and J.-J. Rousseau. We are in the new era of the Age of Enlightenment, which is teeming with new ideas and concepts, particularly in the field of politics

Musician, philosopher and writer, author of the Confessions,Émile ou De l'éducation, the Social Contract and Julie ou la Nouvelle Héloïse, it was in Geneva that he spent the first sixteen years of his life. Rousseau's house in Geneva illustrates his life and works. Rousseau's political writings, notably Le Contrat social (The Social Contract), were deemed too modern, forcing him to flee Geneva in 1728. You can admire the statue of the Genevan writer on the Ile Rousseau in Geneva. Near Vevey, Mme de Warens' house is a reminder of his attachment to this woman.

With the Act of Mediation, Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul, re-established the Confederation of Swiss cantons, abolishing the Helvetic Republic created by the French revolutionaries of the Directory in 1798.

The Treaty of the Congress of Vienna recognises Switzerland's neutral status. The borders of present-day Switzerland are thus drawn - or almost drawn. Geneva, Valais and Neuchâtel join the Swiss Confederation.

Industrial revolution, especially developed in Protestant cities.

Attempted secession of the more rural Catholic cantons (Sonderbund), leading to civil war.

Construction of the Swiss railway between Zurich and Baden begins, the "Spanish roll train" in reference to the bakery speciality enjoyed by the people of Zurich.

Constitution of a structured federal state with the enactment of a Basic Law. Bern becomes the federal capital. In 1851, the country adopts the Swiss franc.

The Swiss flag was officially adopted in its present form in 1848. However, its origins are much older, as they go back directly to the history of the Confederation. The white cross, a Christian symbol already used on the currency, is said to have appeared in 1339 as a national rallying sign at the Battle of Laupen: although each canton retained its own coat of arms, the white cross initially distinguished the Swiss from other soldiers on the battlefield. It was in 1814 that the white cross was first inlaid on a red background, before becoming the official standard of Swiss unity in 1848. It should be noted that, like the Vatican flag, the Swiss flag has the particularity of being square. When Switzerland joined the UN in 2002, an exception had to be made to the obligation for the flags of member countries to be rectangular in shape: the surface of the Swiss flag was not to exceed that of the others.

Creation of the Red Cross by Henri Dunant. In 1864, signed the Geneva Convention on the Wounded in War. The Red Cross Museum in Geneva tells you all about the history and current responsibilities of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

Henri Dunant, a citizen of Geneva, went to the battlefield of Solferino in June 1859 to trade with Napoleon III. Faced with the shock and horror of the war, the 6,000 dead and 40,000 wounded, he decided to help the families of the victims. On his return to Geneva, he wrote about this tragedy in his book Un souvenir de Solférino, which he published in 1862. From his humanitarian ideas and neutrality in times of war, a committee of sixteen governments was born. The first Geneva Convention was signed on 22 August 1864. The main foundations and common values of commitment are: to care for the wounded without distinction of nationality, the neutrality (inviolability) of medical personnel and medical establishments and to display the distinctive sign of the Red Cross on a white background as a protective emblem. In Geneva, you will find its bust at the foot of the Montée de la Treille, Place Neuve, and in the old town the places where the convention was signed.

Revision of the Constitution and introduction of the right to referendum.

Architect Hans Wilhelm Auer, born in 1847 in Wädenswil (Zurich), oversaw the construction of the Federal Palace, respecting the symbolic values of unity between the cantons. Inaugurated in 1902, the building housed the two chambers of parliament and the entire federal administration. At 300 m long, the building stands out at the top of the city, forming a rectangle. In keeping with this desire for unity, 95% of the building's materials were sourced in Switzerland. The architect used thirty different types of stone from thirty different cantons. The dome is highlighted by stained-glass windows symbolizing the cantonal coats of arms, joined by the Swiss cross and the motto "One for all, all for one". Throughout the palace, you'll find emblems of this federal unity. There's nothing like a guided tour of the Confederation Palace to appreciate its architecture and understand the birth of Switzerland. If you'd like to attend one of the voting sessions, that's also possible! To echo the twenty-six cantons, the Place Fédérale (Bundesplatz) features twenty-six water jets up to 7 m high.

The Constitution of 1848, creating the Swiss federal state as we know it, was conceived by Protestant radicals who believed that greater centralization was essential to the development of the industrialized economy. The federal state minted a single currency to replace the various cantonal currencies, and removed barriers to internal trade. The Historical Museum of Berne takes you back in time to the history of Switzerland, to help you understand the details.

The Treaty of Versailles, at the end of the war, recognised Switzerland's perpetual neutrality in exchange for giving up the right to occupy Savoy in the event of conflict. The First World War created a rift between the German-speaking Swiss, who favoured a German victory, and the French-speaking Swiss, who wanted France and its allies to win.

Geneva was chosen as the headquarters of the League of Nations (League) and the International Labour Office (ILO).

Switzerland did not take part in the two world wars and is home to many international organisations. It joined the Council of Europe in 1963 and the United Nations in 2002.

Originally, it was a hymn. Written by a journalist in Zurich in the mid-19th century and set to music by a priest, this liturgical song was adopted as a patriotic song in 1961, then made official in 1981. It replaced O independent mountains , which sounded too much like the English God Save the Queen .

"On our mounts, when the sun/Announces a brilliant awakening,/And predicts a more beautiful day's return,/The beauties of the fatherland/Speak to the tender soul;/To the sky rise more joyful/The accents of a pious heart,/The moved accents of a pious heart./When a soft evening ray /Still plays in the black wood,/The heart feels happier near God./Far from the vain noises of the plain,/The soul in peace is more serene,/To heaven rise more joyful/The accents of a pious heart,/The moved accents of a pious heart."

The Confederation grants women the right to vote in national, and therefore federal, elections (it's about time!). The decision was taken by 66%, with a 58% turnout. Why give women the vote? This was the question the Swiss had been asking themselves for a long time. On the basis of the most preposterous arguments, the Swiss male majority refused the requests expressed in favor of women's right to vote. It didn't matter that New Zealand women had obtained it in 1893, and that the majority of European women had done so by the end of the First World War. When the question was put to the people - i.e. the male half of the population - in 1959, as required by the Swiss Constitution, two-thirds rejected Parliament's recommendation. It was not until February 5, 1971, under the initiative of the "Yes to Women" action committee, that Swiss women were legally authorized to take part in political life... and the inhabitants of the canton of Appenzell-Innerrhoden had to wait until November 1990!

A new canton is formed: the (French-speaking) Jura was previously integrated into the German-speaking canton of Bern.

In a referendum, the Swiss people refuse to join Europe (50.3% "no" vote, but the EU has abolished customs duties since 1972). Accession to the IMF and the World Bank.

Following Switzerland's refusal to ratify the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) by referendum in 1992, the Swiss Federal Council began a series of bilateral negotiations with the European Union. These led to the signing of the bilateral agreements in 1999. These agreements essentially concern the reciprocal opening up of markets. They cover seven specific areas: free movement of persons, technical barriers to trade, public procurement, agriculture, air and land transport, and Swiss participation in EU research programs. All these agreements, approved by 67.2% of Swiss voters in 2000, came into force in 2002. In 2001, Switzerland and the European Union decided to open new bilateral negotiations on ten topics. Switzerland, for its part, proposed to take into account the Schengen and Dublin conventions, while the EU sought to introduce regulations on the taxation of savings and the fight against fraud. Bilateral II agreements were signed in 2004. Generally speaking, the vast majority of Swiss people prefer current cooperation in the form of bilateral agreements with the EU to full membership, mainly for economic reasons.

What's more, in the vote of February 9, 2014 ("No to mass immigration"), the Swiss people came out in favor of better decided control of their immigration. The text that was voted on includes provisions that are probably not compatible with the free movement of people and bilateral agreements, such as the introduction of quotas for cross-border commuters. The Federal Council must propose a new immigration law and implement it. Finally, at the end of December 2016, a "eurocompatible" law is approved that does not call into question relations with the European Union.

Bilateral agreements and the free movement of people thus remain in force in Switzerland, with employment agencies and unemployment funds just needing to be aware of vacancy announcements for new hires.

Switzerland's position towards the Jews during the Second World War is questioned. Threatened with an embargo by the United States, Switzerland agrees to compensate those who were looted.

The new Federal Constitution came into force on January 1, 2000. It is a revised version of the two previous ones, dating from 1848 and 1874. It codifies fundamental rights. It defines Switzerland as a pluralist federal parliamentary democratic state.

The constitution defines the powers and duties of the three branches of government. Legislative power is exercised by the two chambers of the Federal Assembly, the Council of States and the National Council. Executive power is vested in the Federal Council. Judicial power is vested in the cantonal and federal courts.

Although the UN has its second headquarters in Geneva after New York, Switzerland did not become a full member of the United Nations until 10 September 2002. This late accession has not prevented Switzerland from working for a long time in the specialized agencies of the United Nations. It has also contributed to various UN peacekeeping activities, both logistically and financially.

Entry into force of the Schengen/Dublin agreement, which promotes close cooperation between EU member states and associated states in the fields of borders, justice, police, visas and asylum. Within the framework of Schengen cooperation, participating states have abolished checks on persons at internal borders, and adopted compensatory measures to strengthen internal security. Since December 12, 2008, Switzerland, like 26 other signatory states, has been part of the Schengen area. Although not a member of the EU, Switzerland is one of the Schengen states. This is also the case for Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

The new Swiss Constitution comes into force.

Berne signed the OECD convention on mutual assistance in tax matters, which should put an end to banking secrecy, an important step in the fight against tax evasion that concerns Swiss bankers. In 2015, the Transparency Act on banking secrecy was implemented.

The 57.1 km long Gotthard Base Tunnel, the longest railway tunnel in the world, goes into operation.

The health crisis has largely affected tourism in Switzerland, but the Swiss economy has held up relatively well overall. It should be noted that at least one in three workers experienced short-time working. The Confederation provided financial support to companies through an allowance for reduced working hours (RHT).

Putin-Biden Summit. Once again, Switzerland is orchestrating meetings between world powers to contribute to the balance of the world's major countries.

Marriage for all is accepted by 64% in the federal vote. From now on, the right to adoption for any homosexual couple is also authorized.

UBS, the banking industry's number one, completes the takeover of its historic rival Crédit Suisse. The new entity weighs in at 1.5 billion Swiss francs, becoming a de facto colossus in the small Alpine country. It will have an impact in a number of areas, including social issues: in the long term, almost 35,000 jobs could be lost.

The federal elections saw a large victory for the UDC, the Swiss People's Party, with 28% of the vote after a campaign based on opposition to immigration and Europe. The Socialist Party rose very slightly to 18.3%. By contrast, the Greens, who had made a significant surge in the 2019 elections, tumbled with 9.8% of the vote.