Switzerland in the Franco-German War
The Switzerland remained in the Franco-German War 1870-71 its role of traditional, 1815 of the great powers in writing guaranteed neutrality faithful and was largely spared by the war.
For General was Hans Herzog selected. When the war broke out in 1870, it turned out that a larger border occupation by the Swiss army was necessary. As a result, the warfare shifted away from the French-Swiss border, which, from the general's point of view, allowed larger troops to be released.
Towards the end of the war, 85,000 men from the defeated Bourbaki army crossed the border to avoid being captured by Germany as a stress test . In addition, you had at least theoretically expected that the Bourbaki nachsetzenden German units under their commander Edwin von Manteuffel could use the opportunity to the up to Neuchâtel Crisis in 1856 to Prussia belonging Neuchâtel "retrieve". Shortly before, General Herzog had mobilized units again, strategically too late, and relocated the General Staff to Neuchâtel / Neuchâtel . Switzerland had a written guarantee from the former King of Prussia, Friedrich Wilhelm III. that he and his descendants would definitely renounce the Principality of Neuchâtel , which alone, however, may not represent security in a time without mandatory international law . It is believed that the German renunciation of such an attack was also based on concerns about a relatively unnecessary provocation of England after the hitherto glorious defeat of France .
Desire for expansion
On November 9, 1870, during the war, it became known that the Federal Council was playing with the intention of simultaneously occupying Northern Savoy with military force. Switzerland was granted such a right under international law, but only defensively in the event of a violation of neutrality , as National Councilor Alfred Escher emphasized in parliament, which denied the Federal Council the project.
Army centralization as a result
The deficiencies found during the war in the army, which was still strongly organized in the cantons , were subsequently remedied by a centralization of the military organization made possible by the Federal Constitution, which was revised in 1874.
Commemoration
literature
- Handbook of Swiss History. 1972/1977.
- Fritz Schaffer: Outline of Swiss History. 1972.
- Ulrich Im Hof : History of Switzerland. 1974/1981.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Robin Schwarzenbach: Federal Councilor against General: In the middle of the Franco-German War, a dangerous power struggle breaks out in Switzerland In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung of January 27, 2020
- ^ Ernst Gagliardi : History of Switzerland. 1927, volume 3, p. 92 ff.