Revival: Swiss Neutrality (1946) Its History and Meaning

Up to a generation ago, the Swiss citizen lived with a feeling of security in foreign relations which we can hardly credit today. Neutrality has come to be taken so much for granted as the fundamental principle of the Federal constitution, and had been so generally recognized in Europe, that it seemed unthreatened and even inviolable. It blended with the republican and democratic ideal to form a national myth of almost religious sanctity. As the axiom of Swiss foreign policy, it had certainly suffered attack both in theory and in fact, but since such crises had always been successfully overcome, Switzerland’s faith in the inviolability of her neutrality had merely been confirmed. It was as if the country were girdled with high, protecting ramparts, behind which its people could go about their lawful occasions unmolested. It was in this period of calm in Switzerland’s foreign relations that international law assiduously sought a formula for the theory of neutrality.

Introduction 1. Origin and Growth of Swiss Neutrality 2. Scope of Swiss Neutrality 3. Means for the Preservation of Neutrality 4. Swiss Neutrality in the Fluctuations of the European Balance of Power in the Eighteenth Century 5. Attacks on Swiss Neutrality by Revolutionary France 6. Fictitious Neutrality at the time of the Helvetic Republic and the Mediation 7. Breach of Neutrality in 1813 8. Recognition of the Permanent Neutrality of Switzerland 9. Limitation of Neutrality under the Control of the Great Powers 10. Internal Threats to Swiss Neutrality 11. Defence of Neutrality in the Struggle for Federal Reform 12. Preservation of Neutrality at the Time of the National Wars of Liberation 13. The Effect of Foreign Wars on the Differentiation of Neutrality 14. Meaning of Neutrality in the Age of Imperialism 15. Armed Neutrality in the First World War 16. Return from Differential to Integral Neutrality 17. Hostile Criticisms of Neutrality 18. Supernational Significance of Swiss Neutrality 19. What is a Neutral Outlook? 20. Appendix

In 1935, Edgar Bonjour was appointed Full Professor of Swiss history and modern general history of the University of Basel. In 1946 he became rector of this university and held this position until his retirement in 1968 and even after that – in 1980 he was back to the lectures. Bonjour also read his lectures at the Adult high school and the University for Seniors, which were attended by many people. Bonjour worked till the last days of his life: his last lecture was held two weeks before his death in 1991.