Rental Cars Switzerland - History of Switzerland
The history of Switzerland is different from that of its European neighbours, mainly because no ruler since the 14th century was able to control the foreign policy of this group of cantons that comprise the contry. The territory was originally united under the Holy Roman Empire in 1032 but central control was never very tight. That was all changed when the Germanic Habsburg family, the most powerful dynasty in central Europe, expanded – spearheaded by Rudolph I. When Rudolph died in 1291 local leaders saw their chance to gain independence.
The Reformation in the 16th century caused upheaval throughout Europe, however, while the rest of Europe was fighting it out in the Thirty Years' War, the Swiss kept themselves closed and out of trouble. Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was one of the results of the Peace of Westphalia (1648) which concluded the Thirty Years’ War, in which Switzerland had suffered badly. They were now recognised for the first time as a neutral state.
The French Republic invaded Switzerland in 1798 and established the Helvetic Republic. Napoleon was finally sent packing following his defeat by the British and Prussians at Waterloo. Independence and permanent neutrality was restored by the Congress of Vienna in 1815. In 1848 a new federal constitution was agreed and it is largely still in place today.
The Swiss have maintained their neutrality during the 20th century. Their only WWI involvement lay in the organising of Red Cross units. In WW II, however, things changed as they laundered money for Nazi Germany and shut borders to Jewish refugees, as well as repatriating many people trying to escape Nazi occupied Europe. Their image abroad undoubtedly suffered after this, however in 1998 the Swiss government did agreed to pay US$1.2 billion compensation to relatives of holocaust victims whose funds were deposited in Swiss banks.
After the war, unlike most countries, Switzerland was able to expand from an already powerful commercial, financial and industrial base. Zürich developed as an international banking and insurance centre, and many international bodies, such as the World Health Organisation, based their headquarters in Geneva.
Switzerland declined to become a member of the United Nations or NATO. It did, however, join EFTA (the European Free Trade Association). Switzerland finally made its own application in 1992. In 2001 the Swiss people voted to enhance links with the EU while endorsing a promise by the major parties that they would never countenance actually joining the EU. This appears to put an end to the debate for the time being; in the meantime the government has been laying groundwork for closer integration with the rest of Europe.
