Language:
German
Year of publication:
1998
Titel der Quelle:
Völkermord und Verdrängung
Angaben zur Quelle:
(1998) 163-168
Keywords:
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Influence
;
Jews History 1939-1945
;
Jewish refugees
;
Switzerland Politics and government 20th century
Abstract:
Asserts that Switzerland sees its role in the history of the Nazi period, the Second World War, and the Holocaust in terms of its neutrality, a neutrality not only according to international law but also in some deeper metaphorical sense. In recent years, the Swiss have nevertheless been called upon to defend their country’s cooperation with the Nazis, and its refusal to admit Jewish refugees despite the knowledge that they faced certain death. Swiss elites today use two main arguments: a sort of bookkeeping, which balances negative Swiss actions against positive ones (Switzerland did admit some refugees, and is about to pay reparations), or points to negative actions of other countries; and minimization of guilt by showing that Switzerland had no choice, that it was itself a potential victim. Also falling under this heading is the focus of Switzerland on the war period, whereas the persecution of the Jews in Germany began already in 1933. Argues that the obligations of neutrality (i.e. evenhanded relations with both Germany and the Allies) applied to the war, but not to the Holocaust; and that Switzerland must examine how far its behavior was determined by antisemitic traditions.
URL:
Locate this publication in Israeli libraries
Permalink