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provided by Switzerland to the Axis powers, the electricity supplies – at least
until 1944 – provoked very little interest among the Allies. Even towards the
end of the war, there were no immediate attempts made to apply pressure in this
area. It was not until the Currie negotiations of February 1945 that the prohibition
of electricity exports was included in the Allies’ catalogue of demands.
The profitable electricity exports had already fallen off as a result of the
increasing problems associated with the clearing system after autumn 1944 and
Germany’s growing inability to pay for supplies.
The supplies of Swiss electricity undoubtedly helped Germany’s war economy.
However, the representatives of Swiss interests skilfully avoided an electricity-
«Anschluss» and retained their independent decision-making powers. A
favourable balance was achieved in energy use and energy compensation
between Alpine hydroelectric power and the German coal industry. After the
war, Federal Councillor Enrico Celio underlined that Germany had supplied
three times more coal to Switzerland than it saved through the Swiss electricity
deliveries; conversely, if Switzerland had used the exported electricity itself, it
would only have been able to compensate 8% of German coal deliveries. 6 What
Switzerland exported was surplus electricity at the usual prices and without
additional war-related profits.
1 If not noted differently, this section is based on Kleisl, Electricité, 2001 (Publications of the ICE).
2 PA/AA, R 108046, Speer’s report to the Foreign Ministry of 28 August 1944. See also the wellknown
assessment put forward in the Clodius Memorandum of 3 June 1943, ADAP, vol. 6, p. 132.
3 For a history of the Swiss electricity industry prior to 1939, see Paquier, Histoire, 1998; Gugerli,
Redeströme, 1996.
4 FA, E 8190 (A) -/3, vol. 36, Transfer negotiations with Germany 1934–1945.
5 FA, E 2001 (D) -/3, vol. 444, Lusser to Federal Political Department, 22 January 1943.
6 FA, E 8190 (A) 1981/11, vol 37, minutes of the 72 nd meeting of the Federal Commission for the
Export of Electricity on 27 June 1945, p. 5.
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