General Bourbaki
The surrender of Emperor Napoleon III at Sedan on 2 September 1870 led to the collapse of the Second Empire. A few days later, Paris was besieged by Prussian troops. But the national government formed in Paris, which proclaimed a republic, wanted to continue the struggle. A provincial army led by General Bourbaki was hastily raised to repel the invaders and liberate Paris. A final counter-offensive was launched through Franche-Comté with the intention of destroying the German positions. But despite some partial victories, the Bourbaki army suffered a heavy defeat near Héricourt in January 1871.
When the French Eastern Army was pinned down at the foot of the Jura, the troops, cut off from supplies, retreated to Pontarlier near the Swiss border with no means of escape. But the approach of the military operations caused the French army great concern: Will thecountry's neutrality be respected? Will the decisive battle even take place on Helvetic soil? Will the conscripted conscripts defend their country at the border with weapons?
In the end, the soldiers' fear of a confrontation passed thanks to the good and peaceful outcome: the Bourbaki soldiers were accepted into Switzerland after handing in their weapons at the border. The conditions of admission were laid down in the internment agreement signed in the middle of the night of 1 February in the Neuchâtel village of Les Verrières. It also stipulated (Article 2) that the return of the weapons, equipment and ammunition to France was subject to the reimbursement of "expenses incurred by the French troops during their stay in Switzerland".
The people of Neuchâtel and Vaud, who were directly affected, provided emergency aid for the soldiers who had fled, battered by cold, hunger and thirst. Food, clothes, blankets, shoes and firewood were hastily organised and distributed. Of the numerous seriously injured and sick, around 5,000 men were immediately transported to various hospitals. Theremaining conscripts were brought inland and housed for six to eight weeks in a total of 188 locations in all parts of Switzerland - with the exception of Ticino.
"The military administration could only distribute bread - and sometimes wine - to the streams of soldiers arriving on foot or departing by train. The rest was provided by private individuals through their charitable efforts. A call from the public crier at any hour sufficed and masses of soup and aid of every kind were provided."
The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) played an important role in welcoming the Bourbaki army to Switzerland. Thanks to its close cooperation with the authorities, it formed the backbone of the relief operation and became the symbol par excellence of active neutrality and solidarity.
... to a humanitarian act
The people of Neuchâtel and Vaud, who were directly affected, provided emergency aid for the soldiers who had fled, battered by cold, hunger and thirst. Food, clothes, blankets, shoes and firewood were hastily organised and distributed. Of the numerous seriously injured and sick, around 5,000 men were immediately transported to various hospitals. Theremaining conscripts were brought inland and housed for six to eight weeks in a total of 188 locations in all parts of Switzerland - with the exception of Ticino.
"The military administration could only distribute bread - and sometimes wine - to the streams of soldiers arriving on foot or departing by train. The rest was provided by private individuals through their charitable efforts. A call from the public crier at any hour sufficed and masses of soup and aid of every kind were provided."
The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) played an important role in welcoming the Bourbaki army to Switzerland. Thanks to its close cooperation with the authorities, it formed the backbone of the relief operation and became the symbol par excellence of active neutrality and solidarity.
Test for the SRC
Founded on 17 July 1866, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) is based on the federalist model. It was initially composed of a national committee with 44 members - two representatives per canton - and a five-member executive commission. However, it lacked support in the cantons. Initially, only a few local sections emerged: Geneva in 1864; Basel-Stadt, Herisau, Zurich, Teufen and Thurgau in 1866; Altdorf and Solothurn in 1867 and Winterthur in 1868.
In view of the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, the SRC launched an appeal "to the entire Swiss population, to patriotic institutions, to all those who have the common good at heart". With this, it called for the founding of cantonal relief societies, of which there were only a few until then. As a result, around 20 local sections were established in 1870. In accordance with their mandate, these first had to fulfil their national task and look after the needs of the conscripted Swiss conscripts and their families.
Red Cross solidarity
Together with 11 other Red Cross societies from neutral countries or countries not involved in the conflict, the SRC supported its French and German sister societies and was thus part of the large international solidarity movement in favour of the war wounded. It sent medical personnel and relief supplies to the battlefields: Swiss doctors, paramedics and nuns cared for the wounded soldiers in the military hospitals of the two belligerent armies. At the same time, the cantonal delegates organised public collection campaigns.The donations of money and goods were distributed to the wounded soldiers of both parties to the conflict; to the Swiss colony in Paris and to the civilians evacuated from the city of Strasbourg.
Neutrality and humanity
In its letter to the Federal Assembly of 17 December 1870, the Federal Council recognised the advantages of active neutrality and solidarity:
"Switzerland, through its [...] other contributions to the wounded of the two belligerent nations, as well as through the two counterpart acts of feeding the expelled Germans and providing aid to Strasbourg, has also sought to document its active participation in the sufferings of its neighbouring peoples and has gained the testimony that it has fulfilled its neutrality obligations not only loyally but also in a humane manner".
This official declaration can be seen as the birth of "humanitarian Switzerland". Less than two months before the Bourbaki soldiers were interned, the Confederation took on this honourable task of international significance. However, it is clear that it did not do so without political ulterior motives: by praising its charitable mission, Switzerland underpinned its principle of neutrality, which would now be useful and beneficial. The strong rhetoric surrounding the reception of the Bourbaki soldiers in Switzerland can be understood from this perspective. The Bourbaki panorama on display in Lucerne is an impressive reflection of this rhetoric.
