Swiss American Historical Society Review
Keywords
Switzerland, Swiss history, European history
Abstract
For the first time, this study presents biographical data on l 06 men who were of Swiss nationality or descent, and who participated in the American Civil War. Most of these men were officers. The American Civil War froml861 to 1865 has largely been forgotten in Switzerland. The significance of the war is often overlooked including its sociopolitical impact as well as its military strategic, operational, and tactical importance. This study presents data relating to important Swiss military personnel. At the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the conflict in 2011, a few newspaper articles in Switzerland appeared discussing the war's outbreak, and the reasons for the war, including a discussion of the Swiss participants in the conflict. The newspaper Aargauer Zeitung of 9 April 2011 or the Bund of 13 November 2011 carried interesting articles on these topics. Many Swiss know little about the United States and the three major wars fought on its own soil, including the American Civil War--also known as the War of Secession and the War Between the States--and its context.
Recommended Citation
Wirz, Heinrich L.
(2015)
"A Personal Introduction,"
Swiss American Historical Society Review: Vol. 51:
No.
2, Article 4.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/sahs_review/vol51/iss2/4