SWISS AND THE NAZIS: How the Alpine Republic Survived in the Shadow of the Third Reich [Hardcover]

Stephen Halbrook (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2006

While surrounded by the Axis powers in World War II, Switzerland remained democratic and, unlike most of Europe, never succumbed to the siren songs and threats of the Nazi goliath.

This book tells the story with emphasis on two voices rarely heard. One voice is that of scores of Swiss who lived in those dark years, told through oral history. They mobilized to defend the country, labored on the farms, and helped refugees. The other voice is that of Nazi Intelligence, those who spied on the Swiss and planned subversion and invasion. Exhaustive documents from the German military archives reveals a chilling rendition of attack plans which would be dissuaded in part by Switzerland's armed populace and Alpine defenses. Laced with unique maps and photos, the book is organized into four units. The first, A War of Words and Nerves, depicts how the Swiss mobilized an active "spiritual defense" of their country. Chapters describe jokes and slurs the Swiss devised to characterize the "Nazi pigs," the use of the press and cabaret as weapons against totalitarianism, and the role of Swiss newsreels in building the spirit of resistance. German prewar subversion plans are also revealed. The second unit, To Resist to the Death, concerns military preparations. Swiss soldiers recall an epoch when every day could have been "the day" when all hell would break lose and they would meet the enemy. Blitzkrieg plans against Switzerland devised by the German Wehrmacht in 1940 are described in detail. Switzerland was an armed camp with countless fortifications, against which the Axis could have attempted access with extreme costs in blood. In Switzerland, Jews -- like all other citizens -- were in arms, and Jewish officers served in the highest levels of the Swiss army. Struggle for Survival: Food, Fuel and Fear, the third unit, presents oral histories of daily life during the war with its shortages, alarms, and rumors. The role of women in the military and the economy are probed. A chapter on the refugee crisis investigates whether Swiss officials played a role in Germany's adoption of the "J" stamp on Jewish passports, how Switzerland became a lifeboat for refugees, and how asylum policies were liberalized as the persecution of Jews escalated. Espionage and Subversion, the fourth and final unit, covers strategic issues and intelligence activities. German attack plans and bickering in the Gestapo about who would rule a conquered Switzerland persisted. One chapter focuses on Davos, where the Swiss struggled against a Fifth Column and which became a safe haven for American airmen whose crippled bombers made it to Swiss territory. The last chapter profiles Switzerland as America's window on the Reich -- how Allen Dulles and his OSS spied on the Nazis, at times with help from Swiss Intelligence. Halbrook's other books include the award-winning Target Switzerland: Swiss Armed Neutrality in World War II, which was published in five languages.

REVIEWS

"Through his careful analysis and by giving voice to ordinary people in and out of uniform, Stephen Halbrook succeeds not only in achieving a thorough analysis of Switzerland's armed neutrality, but also in revealing through their own voices the willingness of ordinary citizens to accept total war in order to preserve their freedom."Swiss American Historical Society Review, Vol 43, No. 3 11/2007

"...Halbrook has used original Swiss Documents, interviews and a wide breadth of research to attempt to answer why Switzerland escaped the Nazi onslaught."Daly History Blog, 02/16/2011

"The Swiss have gotten well-deserved bad press about wartime financial tricks, ongoing opacity and so on. Halbrook presents the sympathetic parts of the complex picture."World War II Magazine, July/ August 2011

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Casemate (May 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932033424
• ISBN-13: 978-1932033427
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #434,566 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #35 in Books > History > Europe > Switzerland

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best review of WWII Switzerland wartime behaviour, August 17, 2008

By 

Haubrechts Patrick (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: SWISS AND THE NAZIS: How the Alpine Republic Survived in the Shadow of the Third Reich (Hardcover)

Swiss citizen born in 1944, I was too young for direct witness, but I rely on my father testimony of the time. I can certify that all the facts and descriptions are correct to the last detail. Many of the accounts of day-to-day life were told by my father in the fifties, when I was a curious child. I was a soldier too, when I was 18 years old, until I was 50 years old. I was stationned in a military airfield where all but the landing strip was underground, with all supplies and ammunition for one year. The sprit of resistance was still there all along the cold war time. Thanks for the author to restore a more accurate view of Switzerland away from ideologies and politics.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A look at how Switzerland remained neutral during World War II, August 19, 2011

By 

E. Jaksetic (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: SWISS AND THE NAZIS: How the Alpine Republic Survived in the Shadow of the Third Reich (Paperback)

Switzerland's long history of being a neutral country was no guarantee of its security during World War II because Nazi Germany had demonstrated its willingness to invade and occupy neutral countries such as Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg, and Norway. This book takes a look at how Switzerland dealt with the threat that Nazi Germany posed to its neutrality and independence, prior to and during World War II.

The author provides insight into, and perspective about, the different facets of Switzerland's difficult situation with respect to Nazi Germany, including: Swiss foreign relations with Nazi Germany and the Allies; Swiss efforts to convince Nazi Germany that its armed neutrality was real and would inflict heavy losses on the German military if it invaded; how extensive Swiss military service and repeated mobilizations affected Swiss society; how the Swiss took steps to neutralize Nazi subversion; and Swiss intelligence activities against Nazi Germany.

In addition to documentary sources, historical works, and published memoirs, the author draws upon personal interviews of numerous Swiss citizens who lived through the events covered in the book. The oral history aspects of the book have a mixed quality: They provide some vivid descriptions and interesting insights about the difficult times that Swiss citizens faced in dealing with Nazi Germany while trying to maintain the independence and neutrality of their country. But, the oral history occasionally drifts into tangents and distractions that do not help advance the book's narrative in any obvious way. Tighter editing would have improved the contribution that the interviews could make in presenting the book's narrative.

This book could be worthwhile reading for persons interested in modern Swiss history, a different look at World War II, or how a small nation struggled with the various dilemmas posed by being a neighbor of Nazi Germany.

14 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Switzerland's role in WWII, January 28, 2008

By 

Juan Diego Soler Díaz (Montevideo, Uruguay) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: SWISS AND THE NAZIS: How the Alpine Republic Survived in the Shadow of the Third Reich (Hardcover)

I made an extended research concerning Switzerland's role in the WWII, reading more than 10 books, and this one was very useful. I liked the fact that the author explains a lot of the Swiss culture and traditions, and its repercussions in the role of the country in the war.
It is very well written, and the book is definitely not a boring history book, but rather like a novel about true facts.
Anyway, I dind't rate this book with 5 stars because I found it to be excessively biased. It is crucial to understand that when one reads about history, especially about controversial issues in history, any source (in this case, book) will be biased because humans are biased by nature. Unfortunately, this author seems to be blind at certain facts that took place in those years, and assumes a defensive position towards the role of Switzerland, without even trying to leave his personal bias aside not even a moment.

Conclusion: this is a very interesting book to read and to get informed about the role of Switzerland in the WWII and their relationship with the Nazis, written in an understandable manner, good for beginners in the subject. Still, anyone who wishes to really know about this subject should later read other books by other authors.