Cluster: Swiss Identity

Swiss IOC veteran quietly savours reforms

This content was published on Dec 12, 1999 One year ago, he was a virtual outcast of the International Olympic Committee: castigated for blowing the whistle on corruption in the world’s most powerful sporting movement. As the IOC acted to prevent future scandals with the most sweeping reforms in its history Sunday, Marc Hodler (picture, right) savoured the moment with modest satisfaction and…

Demographics

Switzerland, Macedonia boost fight against organised crime

This content was published on Dec 10, 1999 Switzerland and Macedonia have agreed to boost police cooperation and signed a declaration to join forces in the fight against organised crime. The accord was signed in the Macedonian capital Skopje on Friday, as part of Swiss Justice Minister Ruth Metzlers’ two-day visit to the Balkan nation. Following talks with Interior Minister Pavel Trajanov and…

Demographics

Bergier report: Thousands of Jews turned back, “widespread anti-semitism”

This content was published on Dec 10, 1999 An international report on Switzerland’s role during World War II finds that the broad guidelines of Switzerland’s refugee policy did not contradict the international law of the day. But anti-semitism played a key role in Switzerland’s turning back thousands of refugees, many of them Jews. The findings are part of the much-awaited Bergier report, which…

History

Swiss Jewish community wants government to act

This content was published on Dec 10, 1999 Switzerland’s Jewish community has welcomed the Bergier report on the country’s refugee policy during the war, saying the Swiss government should now take measures to fight a resurgence of anti-semitism. Rolf Bloch, president of the Swiss Jewish Community, praised the report as an important independent historic study, saying he hoped it would foster a dialogue…

Culture

Architect presents plans for new Paul Klee Centre

This content was published on Dec 10, 1999 Plans have been unveiled for one of the most prestigious architectural projects in the Swiss capital Berne in recent years: The Paul Klee Centre, which will be home to the world’s biggest collection of the Swiss-born artist’s works.The centre will be on the outskirts of the city where he was born in 1879. The originality…

History

Just how many refugees were there in Switzerland?

This content was published on Dec 10, 1999 Following are some of the main refugee figures as listed by the Bergier commission in its report on Switzerland’s wartime record. – Between 19933 and 1945, Switzerland recognised and accepted 644 people as political refugees. – The authorities allowed 51,129 civilian refugees into the country during the war years (19,495 of them were Jews and…

Demographics

Switzerland forced to reassess its World War II past

This content was published on Dec 10, 1999 The Bergier report is a highly controversial document, not least because it forces Swiss historians and the public to reassess Switzerland’s role during World War II. As the report criticises the Swiss government’s refugee policy at the time, as well as the often dubious gold dealings with Nazi Germany, the Bergier commission in many ways…

Demographics

Report tells human story of Jewish refugees

This content was published on Dec 10, 1999 The international panel on the Swiss refugee policy during World War II details the human suffering of Jews turned back at the border. The Bergier panel says in its report that the stories of individual refugees are important for an evaluation of the impact of Switzerland’s official refugee policy at the time. In the following…

Demographics

Why a commission to probe Swiss refugee policy?

This content was published on Dec 9, 1999 The Bergier commission of experts, set up by the Swiss authorities, has been investigating Switzerland’s wartime history since 1996. After initial quibbling about its composition, the government set up the nine-member historians’ commission under the leadership of Professor Jean-Francois Bergier (picture). Four of the members came from the United States, Britain, Israel and Poland and…

Demographics

Switzerland awaits verdict on World War II refugee policy

This content was published on Dec 9, 1999

Cluster: Swiss Identity

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Cluster: Swiss Identity

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Swiss IOC veteran quietly savours reforms

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Switzerland, Macedonia boost fight against organised crime

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Bergier report: Thousands of Jews turned back, “widespread anti-semitism”

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Swiss Jewish community wants government to act

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Architect presents plans for new Paul Klee Centre

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Just how many refugees were there in Switzerland?

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Switzerland forced to reassess its World War II past

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Report tells human story of Jewish refugees

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Why a commission to probe Swiss refugee policy?

More

Switzerland awaits verdict on World War II refugee policy

Popular Stories

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