61340 Vorabseiten_e - Unabhängige Expertenkommission Schweiz

2 The International Context and National
Development
When National Socialist Germany overran the Western democracies in a series
of lightning victories in a few short weeks in spring 1940, occupying Paris and
seizing control of virtually the entire European continent, Switzerland – now
surrounded by a ruthless and single-minded group of powers – faced an unprecedented
situation. Economically and culturally, Switzerland had always
maintained a strongly international focus, and with its intensive links in the
industrial sector and highly developed cross-border financial relations, its
economy was heavily dependent on European and international markets. In its
international relations, however, Switzerland’s neutrality policy had fostered the
illusion that by radically restricting its foreign policy, not only could it remain
outside the «game of powers», but also remain aloft from the social and political
developments of the day. The events of 1940 shattered conventional wisdom
about Switzerland’s status in Europe and the world; suddenly, it found itself in a
unique and extremely one-sided situation of dependency. The challenges arising
from the ominous proximity of Nazi Germany after 1933 culminated in an acute
crisis which lasted for many years, continuing even after the fortunes of war
changed in 1942/1943 and Germany’s defeat appeared increasingly inevitable.
The impact of this situation and how it was mastered are central themes in this
study. In this context, the issue of Switzerland’s involvement in the events which
occurred after 1933 are presented as part of a broader and more complex process
which includes the domestic policy debate about the social order and the
shaping of international policy in line with the country’s own specific priorities.
Foreign and domestic policy had always been strongly interlinked, so that it
would be accurate to speak about the «primacy of interdependence». This
interplay was particularly intense during the inter-war years. For simplicity’s
sake, we will begin by examining the two dimensions – the national and the
international – separately in this introductory chapter. 1
2.1 The International Context
The first half of the 20 th century – but especially the years between 1914 and
1945 – was an era of military, political, economic, social and cultural conflict.
49