Switzerland and the Nazis, why

[Mahatma Bag]

was Switzerland not invaded? I mean, ze Germans invaded most of Europe, so why did they leave little Switzerland alone?

[Sheets Tabuer]

They were neutral

[biglepton]

Have you met anyone Swiss?

I know the krauts aren't exactly known for their sparkling personalities, but the Swiss? Sheesh!

[King Herald]

Mahatma Bag said:

was Switzerland not invaded? I mean, ze Germans invaded most of Europe, so why did they leave little Switzerland alone?

May be something to do with the high passes and poor roads that needed crossing to get there, and there's not a lot there to gain when they do crash their way in. Not until after the war anyway, when most nazis had stashed their ill gotten millions in banks there for the future.

[drybeer]

Switzerland declared neutrality, therefore letting the Wermacht pass through the country.

Sadly the collaboration also extended to most Swiss banks investing Nazi Reichsmark in the market, and of course keeping the legitemately saved moneys of the Jews after the "Final Solution".

So I have always thought the financial wing of the Third Reich stayed untouched as a result.

That being said Ireland also declared neutrality - and was also not invaded...

I would be interested to know from a true expert on this if there is more to know...

[Mahatma Bag]

Sheets Tabuer said:

They were neutral

But since when has been neutral stopped a Panzer? I think Poland would have been neutral too if it had the chance. The USA was neutral too, until it was attacked.

[Sheets Tabuer]

drybeer said:

Switzerland declared neutrality, therefore letting the Wermacht pass through the country.

Sadly the collaboration also extended to most Swiss banks investing Nazi Reichsmark in the market, and of course keeping the legitemately saved moneys of the Jews after the "Final Solution".

So I have always thought the financial wing of the Third Reich stayed untouched as a result.

That being said Ireland also declared neutrality - and was also not invaded...

I would be interested to know from a true expert on this if there is more to know...

The swiss were neutral due to some agreement way back when boney was stomping that is not to say it was respected, I don't think anyone cared if they went through Switzerland or its airspace during the war, the biggest mistake they made was not allowing fleeing refugees enter.

Ireland too was neutral but were within a cats whisker of being invaded due to allowing german boats into port.

[biglepton]

drybeer said:

That being said Ireland also declared neutrality - and was also not invaded...

Do you not think that the fact that Britain was between Ireland and the Germans may have had a tiny bit to do with that? Mind you, De Valera was practically a Nazi anyway, so why invade?

[Sheets Tabuer]

biglepton said:

drybeer said:

That being said Ireland also declared neutrality - and was also not invaded...

Do you not think that the fact that Britain was between Ireland and the Germans may have had a tiny bit to do with that? Mind you, De Valera was practically a Nazi anyway, so why invade?

It was the British who were going to invade Ireland, came very close too

[Strawman]

Swiss neutrality was a bit of a joke, they provided much of the arms and ammunition that kept the German army going, they were also involved in supplying Germany with raw materials and money laundering (hence the high Mercury content in Swiss Gold, much of this Gold was extracted from interns teeth in Concentration camps). They also allowed trains carrying prisoners to concentration camps to travel unopened through Switzerland.

[tinman0]

Mahatma Bag said:

Sheets Tabuer said:

They were neutral

But since when has been neutral stopped a Panzer? I think Poland would have been neutral too if it had the chance. The USA was neutral too, until it was attacked.

my theory is that germany felt it was easier to let switzerland remain neutral in the short term as there was nothing to gain by taking it down. its surrounded by italy, france, germany and austria, so its not exactly going anywhere.

once they had the rest of europe, they could turn on switzerland. much easier to invade flat countries at the end of the day.

[Sheets Tabuer]

tinman0 said:

my theory is that germany felt it was easier to let switzerland remain neutral in the short term as there was nothing to gain by taking it down. its surrounded by italy, france, germany and austria, so its not exactly going anywhere.

once they had the rest of europe, they could turn on switzerland. much easier to invade flat countries at the end of the day.

Plus they were germanic brothers

[DAVE-W]

No matter anyway.....we still won the war

Dave

[biglepton]

Sheets Tabuer said:

It was the British who were going to invade Ireland, came very close too

I know, but I don't think that's what Drybeer meant.

[slow_poke]

biglepton said:

drybeer said:

That being said Ireland also declared neutrality - and was also not invaded...

Do you not think that the fact that Britain was between Ireland and the Germans may have had a tiny bit to do with that? Mind you, De Valera was practically a Nazi anyway, so why invade?

Whose side would you have been on, the one that supplied you with arms when you were rebelling, or the on that put you on death row for rebelling?

Anyhoo, sleeping dogs and all that.

[5.0%]

The Swiss were pretty much third world before WW2.
Then when the Nazis came along all the Jews put their money there. And the Jews got killed and the Swiss kept the money. This is all proven fact. After the war some Jewish families sued to get their money back. Then there was a general compensation. But the Swiss won 97 cents in the dollar.
Then the Nazis realised it wouldn't be a thousand year Reich so all the loot from Eastern Europe went to the Swiss. Then all the Nazis died and the Swiss kept the loot.

So the Swiss went in to WW2 poor and came out very rich. Just like the Americans did.

[celticpilgrim]

That being said Ireland also declared neutrality - let us not forget that many volunteersin Both world wars came from Ireland - bizzarre under the circumstances. My uncle Paddy weas in the RAF captured and tortured by the japs, for what it is worth.
As for DeVelera being 'practically a nazi' would you like to quantify that, or failing that, would you like to look at any unbiassed history - it might explain a lot.

[biglepton]

slow_poke said:

Whose side would you have been on, the one that supplied you with arms when you were rebelling, or the on that put you on death row for rebelling?

Preferably on the side that didn't actively help the nazis and then send a condolence card upon hearing of Hitlers death. . . . .

[kiwisr]

Isn't it blaringly obvious or have I missed the point? Most German-Swiss I've ever seen or met are the same as Austrians and Germans. May be officially neutral but they are still of the same ilk and no doubt the majority of them certainly didn't mind Hitler.

[Sheets Tabuer]

That's what I said up there ^^ you ever been to Germany and watched German TV, they have weather reports on then it goes to Austria then Switzerland, they don't see a country they see a race hence why Swiss neutrality was probably a fencing operation