The city of Zurich made money with links to the slave trade in previous centuries, new research has revealed. The city authorities invested in a British slave trading company while a prominent family of industrialists and the textiles industry also benefited from the trade in Africans.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
Español
es
Los lazos históricos de Zúrich con la trata de esclavos
As a result, the city’s authorities are examining several statues to see if they are suitable monuments and are looking into ways to highlight its murky past.
The University of Zurich study highlights several investments, direct holdings and trade links between the Swiss city and slavery, mainly in the 18th century.
The city itself bought shares in the British South Sea Company that enslaved an estimated 36,000 Africans during the lifetime of the investment. The Swiss capital, Bern, also made such investments in C18th.
More
Debate
Hosted by:
Andrea Tognina
Does Switzerland have a moral duty to confront its links to colonialism? How should it do this?
Switzerland had no colonies of its own, but it was able to profit from colonialism and the slave trade. It remains a commodities trading powerhouse.
The purchase of Danish government bonds also helped to finance slaving operations in the Danish Antilles.
One of Zurich’s most famous industrial families, the Eschers, also have direct links to the slave trade. While there is no evidence of the involvement of its most famous son, Alfred Escher, other members of the family ran a coffee plantation in Cuba that held around 90 slaves.
This was not the only case of Zurich residents profiting directly from slavery, the university researchers said.
Several Zurich-based textiles factories produced goods that were routinely exchanged for slaves in Africa. Furthermore, the favoured cotton suppliers of these companies moved from the Ottoman empire to the United States, which notoriously used slave labour to harvest the crop.
“We must not turn a blind eye to the colonial past of the city of Zurich. The city now wants to examine how the topic can be made visible and memorable in a public space in a contemporary way,” said current Zurich mayor Corine Mauch.
The first results of this review should be made public in 2023.
More
More
Colonialism: How Swiss multinationals set their sights on the world
This content was published on
Is there a relationship between the rise of great Swiss corporate names and European colonial expansion?
Has your continent reached its peak or is there still potential for economic growth?
Some regions of the world are on an upward trajectory with the promise of a steadily improving future. Where do you live? And in which direction is your region or continent developing?
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
US tariffs: Pharma firms not planning job cuts in Switzerland
This content was published on
The additional investments in the US will not lead to a reduction in jobs in Switzerland. This is according to pharmaceutical giant Roche, which expects the number of employees to remain stable in the current year. The position of Novartis is similar.
Switzerland is closely monitoring three livestock diseases
This content was published on
The spread of Lumpy skin disease, Bluetongue and African swine fever are keeping Swiss veterinary authorities on the alert.
Swiss writer wins European Prize for Political Culture
This content was published on
On Saturday, the Hans Ringier Foundation awarded the 91-year-old Zurich writer Adolf Muschg the European Prize for Political Culture.
Swiss government working with firms to overcome high US tariffs
This content was published on
The Swiss delegation that travelled to Washington has returned from talks on tariffs in the United States. The negotiations are now being conducted under the aegis of the government and the federal administration, according to Seco.
WTO improves its world trade forecast thanks to Trump’s tariffs
This content was published on
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) expects world trade to grow by 0.9% this year, better than expected in April. US imports surged in the first quarter as a result of Donald Trump's tariff announcements.
Swiss gold exports might not face US tariffs after all
This content was published on
Gold exports to the United States may not be taxed after all. The White House plans to "issue an executive order in the near future to clarify misinformation regarding the taxation of gold bullion," among other things.
Switzerland needs to acknowledge colonial past to be real friends
This content was published on
There was a colonial history behind the India-Switzerland Friendship Treaty that the Swiss public is not aware or doesn't want to talk about.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.