Warfare has been a defining element of Switzerland’s history. The exhibition brings together a variety of perspectives, showing how ‒ from the late Middle Ages to the present day ‒ wars have influenced the nation’s political structures, economic interests and social order.

From identity-building myths like the Rütli Oath, to internal conflicts like the Peasant War of 1653 and the Sonderbund War of 1847, or the latent threat posed by the Second World War: warfare has had a lasting impact on the way Switzerland sees itself. Whether fought on the territory of modern-day Switzerland or elsewhere, wars can be seen to have given rise to new power relationships and social tensions – for example, as a result of large profits generated from the trade in arms and mercenaries, heightened class conflict and changed gender roles.

Switzerland’s image of itself as a neutral state that promotes peace continues to shape its foreign policy to this day. In the dynamic space between threat and solidarity, neutrality has also created a certain amount of leeway in safeguarding security and fostering peace. The objects, video installations and documents presented in the exhibition invite visitors to question popular ideas of Switzerland’s relationship with war ‒ even when that war often seems distant, but is etched deeply in the collective memory.