Kaiseraugst besetzt!

The subject of this study is the dispute over the construction of the nuclear power plant in Kaiseraugst, located on the outskirts of the city of Basel, which is considered one of the most significant events in Swiss environmental history in recent decades. The protest against the planned energy infrastructure project culminated in the occupation of the construction site by the Nonviolent Action Kaiseraugst (GAK) between April and June 1975. This occupation allowed the opponents of nuclear power, after years of back-and-forth with proponents of nuclear energy, to mobilize large parts of the population in Northwestern Switzerland against the construction project and to increase political pressure on the federal authorities and the construction consortium. The seizure of the nuclear power plant site prevented the commencement of construction work and turned the site into a starting point for discussions about nuclear energy, democracy, the rule of law, and federalism.