Napoleon und die Schweiz

Between 1798 and 1815, it was touch and go whether Switzerland, like Venice, Poland and hundreds of German countries, would disappear irretrievably from the map of Europe. Napoleon played a major role in France's attack on and conquest of Switzerland in 1798. The subsequent phases of Helveticism, mediation and the Congress of Vienna left a lasting mark on Switzerland. In particular, when Napoleon instituted mediation in 1803 and ended the civil war-like conditions by founding six new cantons, he created an important foundation for modern Switzerland. Napoleon and Switzerland is the first comprehensive account of Napoleon Bonaparte's work in Switzerland. Historian and Napoleon expert Thomas Schuler vividly explains the causes and consequences of the "French period" for Switzerland and its position in Europe. He opens up a new perspective on Napoleon by drawing on archival and literature research and visits to relevant sites - not only in Switzerland and Germany, but also on the Beresina River in Belarus, where Swiss soldiers fought for Napoleon. In this way, Schuler links the exciting account of the events between 1789 and 1815 with our present day and makes clear how important Napoleon was for Switzerland and how much of this period is still effective today.