First World War Waiting for a conflict in a neutral land
The House of Representatives' audit committee visits the border
An artillery observation post near Basel
Major Simon (left), and a signals soldier with telephone, Delémont, canton Jura
Sappers relax during the day ahead of a nighttime exercise, Bützberg, canton Bern
Border patrol in Thayngen, canton Schaffhausen
German and French dummies, Oberwil, canton Basel Country
Infantry surge forward, La Joux, canton Fribourg
Defence position on the Hauenstein, cantons Solothurn and Basel Country
Morning exercise up on the alp, Monte Gesero, canton Ticino
A crater left by a German mortar shell north of Beurnevésin, canton Jura
Fully-armed troops take up their positions in a trench
Soldiers taking a bath
Empty trenches (left), a guarded resting place for horses and men
A dragoon squadron dropping down a steep hill, Rheinfelden, canton Aargau
Clearing up after heavy snowfall, Monte Gesero, canton Ticino
The line of troops stretches out on the long march home, Monte Gesero
In the soldiers' mess, Courtételle, canton Jura
Colonel Chavannes, Bern (left), and a 42 cm mortar, Dornachbrugg, canton Basel Country
A group of convalescing soldiers during a singing lesson, St Beatenberg, canton Bern
A soldier with an amputated leg gets a prosthesis fitted at a rehabilitation centre
A captive balloon and the Henri Farlan biplane, Bern
Pile of packages at Bern's city high school waiting for distribution to foreign soldiers interned in Switzerland.
A biplane over the airfield in Dübendorf, canton Zurich
Field artillery during an exercise
At a post on the border with Italy at the Piz da las Trais Linguas in canton Graubünden
Switzerland mobilised its troops in August 1914 to protect its neutrality. During the First World War, soldiers kept guard at the country's borders. The Federal Archives has 5,000 photos providing a glimpse of life on active duty.
Troop numbers varied depending on the potential threats over the border. In August 1914, there were around 220,000 soldiers called up, but only 12,500 by the end of the war. Most men spent on average 500 days serving. The Swiss army didn't take part in any fighting, but approximately 3,000 men died because of accidents or illness, including 1,800 during the infamous Spanish flu epidemic in 1918.
One hundred years after the conflict began, the Federal Archives has brought out 5,000 photos illustrating life during the mobilisation. This collection provides a complete overview of the soldiers' activities, including marching, shooting, cycling patrols, trench digging, cleaning weapons and so forth.
(Photos: Swiss Federal Archives; photo editing: Christoph Balsiger, swissinfo.ch; text: Olivier Pauchard, swissinfo.ch)
The citizens' meeting
The citizens' meeting
