A Brief History of Switzerland -

Earliest Developments in the Region -

   As mentioned on an other page, there are remains of camps used by hunters during
the Old Stone age (before the last ice age) in caves in the area. No paintings or cult
objects such as found in Spain or France have ever been discovered here though.
Certainly all other traces were destroyed by the extensive glaciers. These Neanderthal
people existed until about 20,000 years ago and then disappeared throughout Europe.
Why all traces of their culture vanished so suddenly is not known with certainty. The
present explanation for a very old and a new human species here at the same time is
that the Neanderthal race developed in Africa several hundred thousand years ago as
a simple hunter-gatherer race and gradually moved up and into the empty European
continent where they survived several ice ages. In the meantime, a new race of humans -
our Homo sapiens type - rapidly developed, also in Africa, and quickly spread up through
the Near East region and into Europe.
   Whether they simply destroyed the Neanderthal neighbors by force when their living
areas came into contact, whether they "intermarried" and so disappeared (some new
genetic evidence says no), or whether the Homo sapiens were better organized and
drove them from the better hunting area and into a desperate condition will never be
known. In any case, there is a sudden wealth of carved objects, cult burials etc. of Homo sapiens to be found in the area from about 5000 B.C. It is know that settlements with
farming activities and livestock existed and hunting was no longer the exclusive basis
for survival .
   The evolution from this Middle Stone age, through the Copper and Bronze age to the
appearance of iron has been well documented in the settlements here along the lake
shore. Excavations over the last one hundred years show that this was one of the regions
of the Lake Dwellers from 3000 to 1000 B.C.  A famous excavation at the eastern end
of Lake Neuchatel is known in the scientific world as the La Tene culture and where there
was continuous habitation into the Helvetic times.

   This peaceful period of slow development suddenly was disturbed by events which
began about 300 B.C. There was a rapid expansion and series of movements among
the Celtic tribes of central Europe. The Germanic tribes began a movement southward
and forcefully displaced a Celtic tribe - the Helvetier and their neighbors the Rauriker -
southward across the Rhine into the sparcely populated central plain of the present
Switzerland where further movement was stopped by  the Alps. They established a
number of fortified settlements and hilltop forts which can be seen to this day.
    This entrance of the Helvetier with their Celtic civilization into this area can be
considered  the beginning of the Swiss people - an event similar to the landing of the
Pilgrims in America.  An important fortified settlement (on Mount Vully) was built at this
time on a morain hill here at the eastern end of Lake Neuchatel and was witness to the
dramatic developments there and throughout Switzerland in 58 B.C.

The Roman Period -

  The unrest and warfare between the Celtic and Germanic tribes eventually forced a
further movement of the Helvetier and Rauriker. This time in the direction of southern
France where there was a suitable region available. This coordinated immigration
involved an estimated 50,000 people with livestock and all belongings. It is written also
that the settlements were burned on departure. Unfortunately for the treck, there were
political problems and open warfare taking place between the various Celtic tribes
and the Roman army, throughout what is now France, during this period. When an
ambitious young army commander named Julius Caesar learned that a large Celtic
force was passing into conquered Roman territory he marched to meet them.
   The three day battle at Biberacte in 58 B.C. (near present day Autun France) ended in
defeat for the Helvetier and the survivors were forced to return to their ruined homeland.
These events are clearly documented by the Roman historiens and the wars against the
Celts in Gaul (now France) are told in detail by J. Caesar himself - as many students
painfully remember from their latin classes. The Roman army continued its advance into
Europe over the following years and up into Germany. Soon the homeland of the Helvetier-
Swiss was well behind the lines of fortifications and the Roman culture and customs were quickly accepted by the new Roman converts.
   Under Roman guidance, in this area, the population left the fortification on Mt. Vully for
a last time and built the city of Avenche (Aventicum Helvetiorum) - the Roman capital of Switzerland - several km. away on an open plain near the south shore of Lake Neuchatel. 
   The present day remains of this city of two thousand years ago - the remains of the
temples, theaters, streets, houses and baths all in limestone and marble are an impressive
sight. Especially, when one reflects on how such a city, flourishing for two hundred years,
could simply disappear and be almost forgotten until the present times where some efforts
are finally being made to excavate and open it for visitors.

   The story of Avenche and other Roman cities in the region such as Lausanne and Nyon
are testimony to the skills and organization of the Roman civilization. In only two generations
the originally wooden constructions were rebuilt in stone in the classic Roman architecture
and style. The huge amount of stone was brought  from a quarry on the northern shore of the
lake and after shaping into blocks and columns, was shipped on barges through a channel
into Lake Murten (the lower lake seen above in the illustration above) to the port near the
city walls. This quarry for limestone (marble) at La Lance was covered by rubble and forest
until the last century. Today one can see some of the unfinished blocks and columns, some
still attached and clearly showing the chisel marks from the day when the workers departed
for the last time.
   Peace and prosperity reigned throughout the region for some two hundred years. There
was an effecient road network, running water in the cities, an effecient administration and
justice system, etc. - all things which would soon disappear. Also the many colonists from
the Roman homeland helped to give Avenche a truly Roman culture. From inscriptions
found during excavations it appears that the emperor Vespasian spent his childhood here.
   At the beginning of the 3rd century A.D. Roman was in the midst of an economic and
political crisis and militay problems began once again along the European borders. The Germanic tribes began to launch invasions southward once again - just as Rome began
pulling troops back for use in the Italien homeland.
    In 259 A.D. the fighting reached the now defenceless Avenche and the other Roman
cities throughout Switzerland. It is known that the region was completely pillaged and the
city burned. All those who could fleed and the economy and lifestyle collapsed - never to
recover for the next 1500 years. There were several more raids but these stopped when
there was finally nothing left worth taking. The survivors established a small farming village
on a hill within the city walls and this was gradually expanded to become the village of
Avenche seen today. A look at the walls of the old buildings there shows what happened
to the temples and the stones of the Roman houses - they are being used once again.
Too bad they cannot tell what they have seen over the last two thousand years.

The Dark and Middle Ages -

   The central European position and the presence of the Alpine passes gave Switzerland
an importance in the politics and developments all through the Middle ages, even if it itself
played no role.  Except for a small independence effort in 1291, ( the William Tell saga)
the formation of the cantons and selfgovernment did not really begin until about 1500.
   After the Roman civilization drew back into itself there was a fragmentation of power
into innumerable kingdoms and dynasties throughout Europe. As these expanded and
then receded, the now small agrarian communities on the Swiss plateau were invariably
affected. The expansion of the East Gothic empire in the Balkans brought their line of
defense and influence into this area during the 5-7th centuries They were in turn replaced
by the expanding might of the Franken kingdom and by 800 they were in control of the
region. The kingdoms of the Merowinger and the Carolinger were followed in the 11-12th centuries by the Staufer and Zahringer dynasties which originated in southern Germany
and eventually controlled all lands down to the Alps. They founded several of the present
Swiss cities, such as Bern. The history of this period and the appearance and disappear-
ance of the many noble families, kings and dynasties fills many books and is much too
involved to recite here.

   There is one social class however, that persisted and flourished over the whole period regardless of the misfortunes of kings or people - the Roman Catholic Church. The church
was the continuing source of art and knowledge and commanded the thoughts and souls -
not to mention the land and taxes of the people. There were some 300 monasteries
throughout the present territory of Switzerland.

Neuchatel Castle

   The first mention of Neuchatel (engl. New Castle) in 1011 is in regard to a castle and monastery-church on a fortified ridge.The site of the present castle. The presence of
very large stone blocks in the foundation raises the question, if perhaps from Roman
and even Celtic times there may have been a settlement on this strategic position
across from Mt. Vully. At that time the region here was part of the kingdom of Burgundy
which was situated in eastern France between the Francs and the Allemands. As the
name suggests wine growing was already established, probably by the Romans and
continues to this day to be a major occupation in this region.

   The Counts and Princes of Neuchatel had close ties with the various kings of France
and Burgundy until the time of Louis XIV. The canton-in-making  rapidly converted to the
Protestant  faith (1530) soon after Reformation began in Europe. It was spared the
troubles and fighting that this change caused in several of the other cantons. The region
within the present cantonal borders was confederated with the young Swiss state in
1815 and finally achieved independence as a republic after a short uprising in 1848.
It is interesting that the last noble house claiming power over the now canton Neuchatel
was the Prussian King Friedrich-Wilhelm III of Prussia. This shows how complicated the
landscape of influence and families had become throughout Europe when a king far off
in Berlin could claim lands in the French part of Switzerland. The complex history of the
area around Neuchatel is discussed in detail on the page Neuchatel -.

Beginnings of the Swiss Nation-

  In general, it can be stated that the formation of the present nation-state did not occur,
as was usual and as happened in the surrounding states, as the result of a war which
fixed territorial boundaries or through alliances and revolutions. It occurred as a gradual
take over of powers in numerous small areas which  were slowly expanded and
integrated. The folklore around Wilhelm Tell is based on these events which began in
1291 as three small communities, isolated in valleys in the central Alps were able to
separate themselves from the Habsburgs. This Swiss dynasty, the Habsburg, went on
eventually to rule over what is now Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, etc. and was deposed
only as a result of World War One.
   It must be remembered that the ideals of democracy and self rule which we take for
granted today were bitterly fought over even two hundred years ago - not to mention the
conditions prevailing earlier in Europe when any rebellion by farmer-peasants or activities
by liberal minded political reformers was normally silenced by prison or exile. Only a
favorable constellation of political forces allowed the first germ of independence to exist
for some five hundred years until reform could begin in Europe. It was only two hundred
years ago that American (and French) Declaration of Independence expressed these ideals
so effectively and became the model for democratic and republican revolutions throughout
the world.

    However,outside of this small area in the Alps, the old order of landed gentry and the
closed shop professions (guilds) in the towns continued to impose their will on the majority.
  Things began to change rapidly in Europe as a result of the French Revolution and the
fifty years between 1798 and 1848 is the period of Swiss revolution. Resistance by the old conservative order ended with the invasion of a French army under Napoleon Bonaparte
and the imposition of a strong central government. The internal battles between the
privileged classes and the liberal forces continued up to the civil war of 1848 and the first Constitution which detailed the rights and duties of the cantons This was the first effort at  establishing a closely knit union of the cantons. Continuing political battles for the old
privileges finally lead to another constitution in 1878 which finally set the stage for the
unusual type of direct democracy which is in use to this day.

   This important period is also discussed in some detail in the sections on Government -
and on Napoleon - .