A very civil war: the Swiss Sonderbund War of 1847
A Very Civil War is the dramatic but little-known story of Switzerland's civil war of 1847, the Sonderbundskrieg. This conflict, as much as any other single event, inspired the revolutionaries of 1848 to action. As the German poet Ferdinand Freiligrath wrote at the time: "In the highlands was the first shot fired. / What now, we still are waiting. / But I know that there will be / A new burst of liberty". Remak's is the first complete account of an important but much neglected turning point in Swiss and in European history. What will be most striking to American readers of Remak's lucid account are the similarities to and the contrasts with our own Civil War. Each war was crucial to its nation's subsequent history, and both in essence were fought over the same issues - federal power versus states' rights, the preservation of the Union, and the defense of certain ways of life. Yet Switzerland's was a war that, unlike its American counterpart, was fought with a minimum of violence. The war that might have destroyed Swiss union instead contributed to a sense of cohesion and established a firm foundation for modern Swiss society. The Swiss Civil War settled the great issues of nationhood at a cost of fewer than a hundred dead and lasted less than three weeks. There was no implacable Swiss Sherman, bent on the utter destruction of the enemy. Instead, General Guillaume Henri Dufour, commander in chief of the Federal Forces, chose to outmaneuver his opponents rather than outfight them. The Sonderbund War was also notable for the constant regard by the armies on both sides for the rights of noncombatants (General Dufour went on to help found the International Red Cross), and the conflict wasfollowed by quick, genuine, and lasting reconciliation. This lavishly illustrated book, the first account in English of this "very civil war", is based on Professor Remak's extensive, original research in Swiss archives.
21 pages matching Guillaume Henri Dufour in this book
Results 1-3 of 21
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
The Causes of Conflict
20 other sections not shown
Aargau ab-Yberg Albert Heer Anton von Segesser army attack Basel Basel-City battle Bericht Bern Bernhard Meyer campaign Catholic Cited in Bucher Civil Colonel commander in chief Council decision delegates Diet envoy Diet's Division enemy Erlebnisse Erwin Bucher Federal Treaty federal troops fight followed forces forest cantons Franz von Elgger French Fribourg Gall Geneva Gisikon Glarus Gottlieb Binder guerre Guillaume Henri Dufour Heer and Binder Heer and Gottlieb Helvetic Republic Jahre Jakob Amiet Jesuitismus Jesuits Johann Jonas Furrer Kampf der Eidgenossen Kantons Luzern later Liberal Lucerne Lucerne's Maillardoz majority Meierskappel military mood Nidwalden November November 23 officers partisan raid Philipp Anton Photo by Urs political prisoners Radical remained Reverdin Rilliet Rilliet-de Constant Salis Schweiz Schwyz siegreiche Kampf Siegwart Siegwart-Miiller soldiers Sonderbund Sonderbund cantons Sonderbundskrieges Steiger strategy surrender Swiss Switzerland Tagsatzung Ticino Tillier Ulrich Ochsenbein Unterwalden Valais victory vote wounded wrote Ziegler Zurich