** war and social upheaval: World War II Europen Theater -- Switzerland








World War II: Switzerland


Figure 1.--The Swiss had only a small professional army. They were, however, well armed. They were also organized to very rapidly mobilize if the Germans invaded. Strong points were set up in villages througout the country. The defense plan entailed defending a national redoubt in the Alps.

Switzerland like the Netherlands was committed to neutrality. Unlike the Netherlands they were able to maintain their neutrality. Axis forces surounded Switzerland after the fall ofvFrance (1940). There was for a time a danger of a NAZI invasion, but Switzerland was not invaded. Historians have asked why Switzeland suceeded. The central reason is probably that they had a creditable military force. The Swiss were prepared to fight and by withdrawing into their Alpine national redoubt could have put up a substantial resistance. The Panzers would have been less effective than on the flat terraine of Poland France, and Russia. There is no doubt that the NAZIs would have succeeded, but it would have been at considerable cost. And atvany rate, a neutral Switzerland proved valuable to the NAZIs. There is also no doubt that if the NAZIs had prevailed in the War that Switzerland would have disappeared. Switzerland has a large German population, part of which was pro-NAZI. NAZI forbarance also reflected the fact that Switzerland was useful to the NAZI war effort. Swiss raw materials and industrial production could be imported. In addition, the Swiss played a role in finanzing the German war effort. Gold looted from the occupied countries could be used in Switzerland. Swiss acquiesence to NAZI demands were understandable after the fall of France (1940), but many observers believe that it continued long after the fortunes of war changed and the danger of NAZI invasion passed. Unlike Sweden, the Swiss returned Jewish refugees who managed to reach Switzeland to the Germans. This continued even after D-Day.

Swiss Neutrality

Switzerland like the Netherlands was committed to neutrality. Unlike the Netherlands they were able to maintain their neutrality. Swiss neutrality emerged fromthe bloody religious fighting that occurred as a result of the Reformation. This almost destroyed the Swiss Federation as it was coposed of Germans and French with different religious convictions (16th century). The Peace of Westphalia endied the 30 Years War (1648). The Swiss opted for neutrality and a measure of religious toleraion. Swiss neutrality was reconfirmed after the Napoleonic Wars at the Congress of Vienna (1815). Swiss neutrality became accepted by other counties even through major wars such as the Franco Prussian War (1870-71). The Hague Conventions codified Switzerland's neutrality that had become widely accepted in Europe (1907). More significantly witzerland remained neutral throughout World War I (1914-18).

Military Capability

Historians have asked why the Germans did not invade and occupy Switzeland. It is part of Switzerlan's natiinal mythology that it was Switzerland's military strength. A typical view is, "Switzerland has the most militarily defensible territory in Europe, and probably the world. And every entrance into the country is rigged to blow. And every male over the age of 18 has a weapon and military service under his belt. In fact, in the days leading up to World War I, a certain German general once made a veiled threat to a Swiss statesman: 'You have an army of 200,000. What if I came over your border with 400,000 men?' To his eternal credit, the Swiss man replied 'Shoot twice and go home.' No one messes with the Swiss. It just can't be done." [Te Tricht] The major problem with this mythology is that Switerland did not have a creditable air force. And look at the map. Every Swiss city is clse to Germany, nit to mention Axis ally Italy ad occupied France. The Luftwffe could have leved Swiss cities within a very shirt period and the =Swiis ne it. Agin look at the map, notice how major cities are close to the German or occupied French borders. They are not deep within a mountain redoubt. They could have been easily occipied by the Wehrmacht. The Swiss had a small professional army. They were, however, well armed. They were also organized to very rapidly mobilize if the Germans invaded. Strong points were set up in villages througout the country. And they had a small airfirce,, but so small that it could not have defebded Swiss air space, especily as they did not have radar. The idea that they could have effectively defended their country is pure fantasy. It is used to bolster the idea of the value of neutrality. What actually saved the Swiss was the blood of young Americans and Britons whobstood up to the NAZIs.

Military Situation

Switzerland shared a border with Germany and as Hitler began amassive rearmament campign, the Swiss begn to have security concerns (1933). Large areas of Switzeland had German ethnic populations. As Italy began to move toward an alliance with Germany, Swiss securityconcerns grew (1935). Italy like Germany had irrendist policies and Switzerland was a target. The Swiss were shocked by the NAZI Anschluss in Austria (1938). These areas were once part of Germany under the Holy Roman Empire. German dismemberment of Czechoslovakia was in large measure justified on irrenditsm (1938). And when the NAZIS turned on Poland (1939). Again irrendentism was an issue. As war approached in Europe, the Swiss Army mobilized. This represented over ?? percent of the population. After launching World War II, the Germans next struck first at neutral Denmark and Norway. Finally the Germans launched their Western offensive (1940). First the neutral Low Countriesand han France. The gall of France shocked the Swiss. This left Switzerland surrounded by NAZI Germany, NAZI occupied France, and Fascist Italy. Many Swiss for good reason assumed that their country would be another NAZI target. Hitler had shown that he in no way way respcted the rights of neutral nations.

NAZI Plans

NAZI plans after they won the War was to greater a vastly expanded Greater Reich. They planned to incorporated occupied countries like Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands into the Reich as well as areas of Northern France. They also planned to kill or deport a large part of the population of the East as part of Generalplan Ost. German colonists would settle the areas cleared. Some of the local popultion would be spared for slave labor. Sweden and Switzerland would have also been annexed. Here a major population change would have not ben necesary as a substantial majority of the Swiss population was ethnic Germans. Given the extent of German military power, invasions probably would not have been necessary, but the Germans had already prepred an invasion plan for Switzerland if it was necessary--Operation Tannenbaum" (Operation Pine Tree).

Opertion Tannenbaum (1940)

The fact that the NAZIs did not invade Switzerland during the war should not be taken a an indication that Hitler was prepared to hnor the permanent indepedence indeoende and neutrality of its neighbor. The German calculation was complex. Was a ountry more valuable as a neutral and would an invasion dispupt the economy and thus the value to the NAZI war economy. Actually, the NAZIs drew up a very real invasion plan--Operation Tannenbaum, at first called Operation Grün (Green). And the SS prepared a plan for NAZI rule in Switzerlnd. Hitler made all sort of promises to neigboring countries that he had no designs on them. And most famously to British Prime Minister Chamberlain at Munich, that the Sudetenland washis last terrutorial demand in Europe. These assiurances proved to have no value and often mean to disguise the fact that his intentions were the exact opposite. Switzerland was among the countries that Hitler sought to decive. He made several assurances to the swiss before the war that Germany would respect Swiss neutrality even if war broke out in Europe. [Leitz, p. 14.] Hitler assured Swiss Federal Councillor Edmund Schulthess that "at all times, whatever happens, we will respect the inviolability and neutrality of Switzerland" (February 1937). He repeated this promise shortly before invading Poland. Assurance of course cost nothing. Hitler did not want to shake Switerland's relaince on neutrality as a defense strategy. One author insists that Hitler definitely planned to seized Switerland, it was all a matter of time. [Halbrook, p. 110.] Hitler did not verbally attack Switerland in his speeches or turn Goebbels propaganda machine lose on Switzerland as he did his other targets. It was unimportant not to drive neutrals (Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and Belgium) into Allied hands. Operation Tannenbaum was postponed once Hitler decided to invade the Soviet Union. Hitler wanted nothing that would disrupt or divert resources fro mOpertion Brbarossa which he correctly saw as the decisive campaign of World War II. Tannenbaum wss not critical. It was something he could order at any time. And because the Swiss decided to cooperate with the Germans, time was of no importance. Hitler made it very clear in his private conversations what his view of the Swiss was and his plans for dealing with them. He discussed his plans with his Axis ally Italy, knowing that Mssolini would insist on the Italian-speaking area of the country. We know that Hitler and Mussolini discussed the issue just before the fall of France. German and Itlian diplomats in Bern discussed the partioning of Switzerland (June 17). Hitler and Mussoline met the next day and discussed Switzerlnd among other issues (June 18) [Halbrook, p. 110.] Hitler was apt to make long-winded speeches and told Mussolini, "Switzerland possessed the most disgusting and miserable people and political system. The Swiss were the mortal enemies of the new Germany." [Leitz, p. 14.] Count Ciano, the Otalian Foreign Miister waa present as was Roibbebtrop, but Ciano does not mention switzrland in his diary. Ribbentrop later discussed carving up Switzerland between the two Axis powers. "On the Duce's query whether Switzerland, as a true anachronism, had any future, the Reich Foreign Minister smiled and told the Duce that he would have to discuss this with the Führer." [Leitz, p. 14.] There are numerous references to Switzerland in Hitler's table talk. Hitler was noted to make comments desribing Switzerland as 'a pimple on the face of Europe' and as a country that no longer had a right to exist. He described the Swiss as 'a misbegotten branch of our Volk' (August 1943). [Hitler] While Hitler postponed Tannenbaum, Himmlerand the SS prepared lists of Swiss citizens to be arrested. They included politicians, journalists, Jews, army officers, and others considered potentially dangerous. They were divided into three groups, thoseto be sumarily shot, intened in concentration camps, akept under surveillamce. [Halbrook, p. 110.]

Rütli Meadow (July 25, 1940)

The Swiss were not unaware of the dangers they faced. There was a real danger of a NAZI invasion. There was not just the German military threat. The Swiss population hd a large majority German ethnic population. And an unknown number were moved by Hitler's ideas, just as the Reich Germans. Chief General Guisan in Parliament delivered a speech suggesting a colaboration with the Germans. It was controversial at the time and continues to be so today. Colaboration on the scale eventually pursued by Switzerland was a violation of Swiss neutrality. Guisan assembled the Swiss officer corps at the Rütli meadow on Lake Luzern. This is believed to be where the Swiss Federation was founded in 1291. Guisan pledged Swiss commitment to independence and neutrality. The Swiss officer corps en masse repeated that pledge.

Swiss War Plan

The Swiss were prepared to fight and by withdrawing into their Alpine national redoubt could have put up a substantial resistance. Guisan withdrew Switzerlan's principal defenses to the high Alps--the réduit national (National Redoubt/Fortress Switzerland'). The Swiss feverishly worked on the redoubt, establishing strong points and preparing artillery emplacements. Fortress Switzerland would have been a network snowbound bunkers in the high Alps. The Panzers would have been less effective than on the flat terraine of Poland France, and Russia. The Swiss defense plan entailed withdrawing from the northern lowlands (including Basel, Zürich, Bern, and Geneva). This was where the great bulk of the Swiss people lived. The Swiss cities were located on or near the German or (occupied) French border. Bern was the furthest away, but not anywhre near the country's rugged Alpine spine. Hitler could have seized most of Switerland with only minimal fighting. The Swiss plan was essentially to abandon the Swiss people to the NAIZs. There was no way to evacuate the civilian population to the National Redoubt, or feed them once they were there. With their wives, children, and parents in NAZI hands, it is hard to believe that resistnce would have lasted very long. Potential Swiss military resistance to the Germans is an endearing national fable, but it is pure fantasy.

Switzerland in a NAZI Europe

Before World War I there was a great deal of commercial, educational, and personal exchanges accross the German border. This declined somewhat after the NAZIs seized power. After the ealy NAZI victories, especially the fall of France (June 1940, Switzeland was largely cut off from its major trading parners, both import sources and export markets. A major problem was energy. Before the war, Switerland got oil from America. We see Esso (predecessor of Exxon) service stations all over the country. Coal came from Britain. Without energy the economy simply could not function. Switzerland was, as a result, largely incorporated within the NAZI Großraum. Some of this was simple geography. German pressure was also involved, but there was also domestic Swiss interest in realigning their country with Hitler's new order. [Tootze, p. 382.] As it worked out, the terms of trade as well as the availability of critical imports like coal and oil were less advantageous than before the war. This meant that the Swiss althouhgh not invaded, were adversely affected by the War. Germny did not have sufficent coal, let along oil to adequately supply Swiss needs. Another major issue was race. Switzerland like Austria was a largely ethnic German country. The NAZIs were very concened about Germany's relatively small population (compared to the countries it wished to conquer) and declining birth rate. Thus the NAZIs were highly motivated with acquiring what Himmler called, 'valuable racial material'. There is no doubt that if the NAZIs had prevailed in the War that Switzerland would have disappeared. A long-term NAZI goal was to gather in all Germans as well as Teutons into an expanded greater Reich. What would have happen to the non-German Swiss is an open question, but Generalplan Ost provides some frightening clues.

German-speaking Swiss

Switzerland is a multi-lingual country. The two largest groups are French and German speakers. French speakers are the largest group, but German speakers predominate in many cantons. Cultural patterns mirror the laguage patterns. Thus French culture is important among the French speakers. German culture dominates among the German speakers. There is a strong loyalty to Switzerland that cuts accross the language divide. Some of the German-speaking population was loyal or a least sympathetic to the NAZIs. We are jnot sure at this time how to quantify this. Nor am I sure how this affected Swiss policies during the War. It had to be a factor that Swiss officials considered. TheGerman ethnic population was the most important attracyion that Switerlamd held for the NAZIs. A major policy impertive was uniting the German ethnic poulation within the bounaries of the Reich.

Usefulness to the NAZIs

NAZI forbarance also reflected the fact that Switzerland was useful to the NAZI war effort. Basically, the NAZIs got what they wanted without a costly invasion. And an invasion would have actually reduced the usefulness of Switerland to the NAZI war effort. The German had access to Swiss raw materials and industrial production. The Swiss exported guns, ammunition and heavy artillery to Germany. The NAZIs after U.S. bombers began targetting German domestic manufacture could source Swiss production. Ironically for the Germans, their victories had the impact of reducing the potential value of their conquests. The Germans were unable to maintain the economic activity of their Großraum at pre-War levels. This was the case in Switerland as well as the other countries. In part it was the result of NAZI policies, but a major problem in Switerland and other coutries was energy shortages, boyj coal and oil. A shrinking economy meant there was less for the NAZIs to exploit. In addition, the Swiss played a role in finanzing the German war effort. Gold looted from the occupied countries could be used in Switzerland. The Swiss National Bank accepted gold from Germany as payment for exports and to purchase Swiss Francs that could be used to buy war materials. This was not only in Switzerlandm but neutral countries as well. The Grmans just seized what ever they wanted in occupied countries or even in NAZI-allied countries like Romania. They needed gold or hard currency, however, to buy critical raw materials from other neutral countries (Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey). Swiss banks were useful in these transfers. The Swiss were also aware that the gold had been looted from occupied countries and the seized possessions of Jews and others. The Swiss continued to accept NAZI gold until Berlin fell to the Soviets (April 1945). Switzerland's geographic position was also important to the NAZIs. Major rail links between Italy and Germany ran through Switzerland, including tunnels that could have easily been closed or damaged had the Germans invaded.

Assessment

Swiss acquiesence to NAZI demands were understandable after the fall of France (1940), but many observers believe that it continued long after the fortunes of war changed and the danger of NAZI invasion passed.

The Holocaust

witzerland was another country not conquered by the NAZIs. After the fall of France, however, the Swiss were certainly vulknerable to the NAZIs and possible German invasion. The Swiss never turned over their Jews to the NAZIs. The Swiss did participate in the Holocaust in a number of ways. Unlike the Swedes, the Swiss returned Jewish refugees who managed to reach Switzeland to the Germans. This continued even adter D-Day. They did turn over thousands of Jews fleeing the NAZIs. They also accepted about $5 billion (2002 value) in NAZI gold which as early a 1942 they knew to be looted or victim gold. This continued into 1945, even after the Swiss were provided information from the Allies. These fund were used by the NAZIs to purchase critical war materials from other neutral countries. Swiss banks and insurance companies in particular profited. Swiss banks kept Jewish accounts out of the hands of the NAZIs, they refused to provide the assetts to survivors after the War. [Gumble] Americans will be cnfused because in America banks after to turn inactive accounts over tostate governments. Inactive bank accounts in Europe, however, generally become the property of the banks. This there was a major vested interested on the part of the Swis banks to make it difficult for survivors and their descendents to access these accounts. Swiss companies in Germany used slave laborers. [Eizenstat] Many Swiss took advantage of the Jews during the War. Some Swiss turned Jewsish reffugees into virtual slaves because the Jews faced deportment if they were reported. The Swiss also allowed the NAZIs to deport Italian Jews over Swiss rail lines.

Swiss Banks

Switzerland has a long reputation for granting aslyum to refugees of political and relgious repression. And Swiss Banks posed as neutral safe-haven for those oppressed by Fascist regimes during the 1930s. This included large numbers of Jews as the NAZIS ramped up predatory laws and other forms of persecution, deposited assetts with Swiss banks. Jews in Germany as well as Central and East Europe attempted to protect some of their assets by depositing money in Swiss accounts and valuables in Swiss bank safe deposit boxes. And the Swiss Government encouraged this. The Swiss Government aftr the NAZIS seized power in Germany, strengthened thespecial banking secrecy laws which guaranteed anonymity to depositors (1934). Swiss Banks also assisted the NAZIs in laundering assetts stolen from Jews before they were murdered, not only in Germany, but as the war progressed, in countries occupied by the Germans. Thus is, however, not entirely a Holocausr issue. The NAZIs used Swiss banks to launder the gold seized from the central banks of occupied countries. The Swiss Government made no effort to intervene to stop these unsavory and illegal practices. The reputation of these banks were severly tarnished by revelations about these banks and their transactions with NAZI Germany during the war. The extent of these interactions is increasingly coming to light. This examination began as part of an investigation into 'dormant' bank accounts of Holocaust victims. We are now learning about extensive financial dealings by Swiss banks, both with the NAZI Government and NAZIs acting independently of the NAZI Govrnment and agencies. One study refers to this as 'the sinister side of Swiss neutrality'. [Institute] Here NAZI officials and individuals had various motives. Late in the War, some NAZIs realizing that Hitler could not win the War, begn thinking about a Fourth Reich. Such thinking, however, was dangerous. Expressing doubt about eventual victory could get you arrested for defeatism. And other NAZIs wre concerned about safeguarding assetts for their pot-War lives or to escape Allied justice.

Left-Wing Assessments

One of the fascinating benefits of the internet is the ability to exchange ideas and information with people all over the world. This has resulted in adung importabt information and insights for our web pages. It alo has served to reveal attitudes and mis conceptions. And in this regard we have noted a string propensity among Russind and left-wing voices in the est to diminih the role of the Western Allies in defeating the Axis. Now we do not man to disniss in any was the enormity of the Soviet contrinution to smashing the Whermacht ad NAZI regime. What we note, however, is a tendncy to not only to dismiss the Allied role, but to actually claim that the Western Allies wre in keague with the NAZIs. This was a part of Soviet propaganda during the Cold War, but we note it continues in modern Russia and among left-wing commentators in the West. One blogger, for example tells us, "Have you made some research into Western financing of Nazis? Switzerland wasn't occupied primarily because it was source of laundering such money from Western financiers. Do some research into that." [Pazzo] Actually we have looked into both issues, pre-War activities of American companies in Germany (mostly investments made before the NAZIs seuzed power) as well Swiss money laundering. The Swiss were certainly involved, but we have found no evidence of a wuder conspiracy among Western financeers. While individuls like Pazzo are quick to raise charges about America and Britain, they do not want to talk about the Soviet alliance with NAZI-Germany and the enormous Soviet support for the NAZI war effort.

Personal Experiences

We do not yet many individual war-time experiences from Switzerland. A HBC reader, Tom, recalls some boyhood experiences during the War.

Sources

Eizenstat, Stuart. Imperfect Justice.

Gumble, Peter.

Halbrook, Stephen P.Target Switzerland: Swiss Armed Neutrality in World War II (Da Capo Press: 2009), 336 p.

Hitler, Adolf. Martin Bormann, ed., Norman Cameron, trans. Hitler's Table Talk, 1941–1944 (London: Enigma Books, 2000), 800p.

Leitz, Christian. Nazi Germany and Neutral Europe during the Second World War (Manchester University Press: 2000).

Te Tricht, Sophia. Blog post. Accessed April 20, 2015.

Tooze, Adam. The Wages if Destruction: The Making and Breaking of th Nai Economy (Penguin Group: New York, 2007), 800p.

Institute of the World Jewish Congress. "The Sinister Face of 'Neutrality': the Role of Swiss Financial Institutions in the Plunder of European Jewry, (Jerusalem: 1996).

Pazzo, Mathias. Blog exchange (April 11, 2015).






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Created: 4:26 AM 2/9/2005
Last updated: 7:32 PM 8/23/2016