Thne Switzerland is a small country
situated in the heart of Central Europe and shares a lot
of it's history and of it's culture (four national
languages spoken in different regions) with it's
neighbours Germany, France, Italy and Austria.
In the year 1291 the 3 states Uri, Schwyz
and Unterwalden - the so called "Ur-Kantone" unite against
the surrounding aggressors. A citizen of each state swears
on august, 1st 1291 on a small mountain named "Rütli":
In the year 1332 Luzern joins the Swiss Federation.
In the year 1351 Zürich joins the Swiss Federation.
In the year 1352 Glarus and Zug join the Swiss Federation.
In the year 1353 Bern joins the Swiss Federation - 8
states form the acht alten Orte ("eight old states")
In the year 1460 Foundation of the university of Basel
which later became the first university of Switzerland.
In the year 1481 Fribourg and Solothurn join the Swiss
Federation.
In the year 1500 Beginning of a new area called
"Renaissance", people become interested in science.
In the year 1501 Basel and Schaffhausen join the Swiss
Federation.
In the year 1513 Appenzell joins the Swiss Federation.
In the year 1522 Beginning of the "Reformation".
In the year 1648 Declaration of Independence - Switzerland
becomes an independant Nation.
In the year 1803 Sankt Gallen, Graubünden, Thurgau, Ticino,
Aargau and Vaud join the Swiss Federation.
In the year 1812 The Swiss Federation declares its
neutrality.
In the year 1815 Valais, Neuchâtel and Genéve join the
Swiss Federation - Switzerland gets its final boundaries.
In the year 1848 The Swiss Federation changes from a Union
of States to a Confederation. Its first Federal
Constitution is set up.
In the year 1864 Foundation of the International Red Cross
(IKRK)
In the year 1872 Start of the construction of the railway
across the alps ("Gotthardbahn").
In the year 1882 Opening of the "Gotthardbahn".
In the year 1932 Swiss physician Auguste Piccard sets
record when he reaches a height of 16'940 m with his
balloon. This was the first ballon equipped with a
preassure cabin.
In the year 1-feb-1959 Vaud (VD) was the first canton to
give women the vote, followed by Neuchâtel (NE)
(27-sep-1959) and Genève (GE) (6-mar-1960).
In the year 1960 Jacques Piccard (son of Auguste Piccard
mentioned above) sets record when he dives together with
american Don Walsh in a Bathyscaphe (special type of
submarine) called "Trieste" as low as 10'916 m below sea
level.
In the year 1971 Swiss people vote for the women's
suffrage.
In the year 1978 Some villages leave the state Bern and
found the new state Jura.
2-oct-1984 The combined federal assembly ("Vereinigte
Bundesversammlung") elected Elisabeth Kopp as the first
woman as Bunderat (executive authority). Ms. Kopp had to
step back on 12.1.1989 due to some possible illegal
activities of her husband.
In the year 30-apr-1989 Appenzell Ausserrhoden (AR) was
the last canton to give women the vote; Appenzell
Innerrhoden (AI) had to be forced by the Swiss federal
court ("Bundesgericht") to give women the vote
(27-nov-1990).
In the year 1992 Swiss people vote against becoming a
member of the EEA (european economic area).
In the year 31-jul-1992 Claude Nicollier (born 2-sep-1944)
takes off on board of the space shuttle Atlantis (ST-46)
and becomes the first Swiss in space.
In the year 10-mar-1993 The combined federal assembly ("Vereinigte
Bundesversammlung") elected Ruth Dreifuss as the second
woman as Bunderat (executive authority).
In the year 2-dec-1993 Claude Nicollier's second journey
on board of a space shuttle. The mission of Endeavour
(STS-61) is seen as the most difficult one so far, the
repair of the Hubble space telescope. It is Claude
Nicollier's task to catch the telescope with the robotic
arm of the space shuttle.
In the year 1999 Ruth Dreifuss became the first female
president of the Bundesrat ("Bundesratspräsident").
In the year 11-mar-1999 The combined federal assembly ("Vereinigte
Bundesversammlung") elected Ruth Metzler as the third
woman as Bunderat (executive authority). Ruth Metzler is
34 years young !
In the year 20-mar-1999 Swiss Scientist Bertrand Piccard
(son of Jacques Piccard mentioned above) and british
co-pilot Brian Jones have become the first balloonists to
circumnavigate the globe with a non-stop, non-refuelled
flight. It has taken the team 19 days, 21 hour and 55
minutes to travel the 46'759 km on board of Breitling-Orbiter
3.
In the year 18-apr-1999 Swiss people accept a new Federal
Constitution ("Bundesverfassung") on a vote.
In the year 21-may-2000 The Swiss people accept the
bilateral contracts with the European Union, see
www.europa.admin.ch for further information.
In the year 3-mar-2002 Finally, Switzerland is to join the
United Nations. Today, both the people and cantons have
accepted the popular initiative on Swiss membership of the
United Nations.
In the year 10-sep-2002 Switzerland was declared a full
member of the United Nations as recommended by UN's
Security Council.
In the year 2-mar-2003 Team Alinghi - lead by the Swiss
Ernesto Bertarelli - wins the 31st America's Cup in
Auckland, New Zealand after a 5:0 victory over Team New
Zealand. Team Alinghi makes history by bringing the
America's Cup to Europe for the first time in 152 years.
