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Spiritual Defense
The independence of Switzerland scares Hitler. German refugees come to Switzerland. Socialists and trade unions look for assistance with liberal employers to fight fascist threat. -
League of Nations
Japan officially leaves the League of Nations. Nazi controlled Germany left early 1933. -
the "New Plan"
This plan was made by Reichsbank President Hjalmar Schacht in 1934. This plan centralized economic policy which gave the Reich govenment control over Switzerlands imports and exports as well as precious foreign currency. -
Hitler Proclaimed Fuhrer
Adolf HitlerHitler himself is proclaimed Leader and Reich Chancellor. This meant the armed forces must swear allegiance to him. -
Switzerland Relieved
Switzerland was relieved by the League of Nations Council from their obligation to participate in economic sanctions. -
Jews Restricted Immigration
Swiss authorities asked the Germans to mark Jewish passports with a capital "J" to disallow any Jews from immigrating to Switzerland. -
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Swiss Mobilization
Switzerland mobilized for a possible invasion. They were completely mobilized in 3 days. The strength of the army and militia was well over 500 000.This mobilization was held under General Henri Guisan. -
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WW2
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Switzerland Surrounded
Neutral Switzerland was surrurounded by Axis Powers for the majority of war. This meant they had to remain neutral and continue trade with Germany and Italy to survive as a country. -
Swiss shoot down German Planes
Using fighters bought from Germany, Switzerland shot down 11 Luftwaffe planes. This is a result of Germany violating Swiss airspace no fewer than 197 times during the invasion of France. -
German Protest
The Germans protested attacks performed by the Swiss in a diplomatic way. -
Second German Protest
The second note from the Germans contained threats. Hitler himself was outraged that his own planes were shot down by his own equipment. Hitler said that they would respond in "a different manner." -
Swiss Banks
A report from the British Embassy in Washington to the US Treasury Department stated that "every leading member of the governing groups in all the Axis countries have funds in Switzerland. Some even have fortunes." Some of these German funds were from looted assests of Jews and other conquered European countries. -
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Jews Denied Entry
The Swiss turned down 30 000 Jews seeking refuge in this year alone. -
Jews forced over borders
The Swiss forced Jews who were mostly French, over the borders of the safety of Switzerland. Switzerland would take back 10 000 Jews as long as they were "political" and not "racial" refugees. -
Gerhart Riegner
Riegner, representative of the World Jewish Congress in Switzerland tells a member of Parliment in Great Britain and Stephen Wise, a Rabbi in the US that Jews are being systematically exterminated and there are still Jews in trouble. -
State Department Reports
The State Department receives information from Switzerland that reveals 6000 Jews are being killed each day in Poland. -
State Department Reports Discontinued
The State Department asks the Swiss Legislation to stop its reports that have been sent to private persons in the United States. -
Clodius Memorandum
Germany's Clodius Memorandum shows that war material delivered from Switzerland to Germany was made up of only 0.5% of German Production. -
The Treasury Department
A license is to be issued my the Treasury Department to transfer funds from the United States to Switzerland. The money collected will help to rescue Jews from Rumania and France. -
Ernst Nobs
He was elected to the Swiss Federal Council as a memeber of the Social Democratic Party. He held the department of finance and was the president of of Confederation in 1949. -
Bombing of Schaffhausen
American Ally planes accidentally bombed Schaffhausen. This town was mistaken for a German town. There were 40 casualties and 50 buildings were destroyed. The Swiss became more strict toward Allied airspace violations. -
Bombing of Deportation Routes
Switzerland recieves appeals form Jewish underground in Slovakia to bomb deportation routes that lead to Auschwitz. -
Mussolini Killed
Mussolini was shot by Italian partisans while fleeing to Switzerland. This was following his liberation from German Command while he was incarcerated by the Allies. -
Hitler Commits Suicide
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V-E Day
Germany surrenders bringing an end to the Third Reich. -
WW2 Ends
Japan surrenders and the war is officially over.
