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History of Switzerland
Journey back in time to Switzerland
Visit Switzerland. Discover its history. Learn about the people who lived there through stories, old newspaper articles, pictures, postcards and genealogy.
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In 1565, Conrad Gesner, of Switzerland, invented the pencil.
Christmas in Switzerland: The name Santa Claus comes from Sankt Nikolaus or Saint Nicolas (an early Christian bishop from Myra in present-day Turkey, the protector of children). This friendly figure does not play a role at Christmas, but appears on December 6, the Patron Saint's Day. In the Swiss German part, he is known as "Samichlaus" and he visits homes and schools, distributing sweets, fruits and nuts to well-behaved children and giving good advice to the less well-behaved. In Switzerland, he is not accompanied by a reindeer, but very often by a donkey and a dark-clad assistant. The children assume that they come from the snowy mountains. worldholidaytraditions.com
There is MUCH more to discover about Switzerland. Read on!
Old Photos, Pictures, Advertisements and Postcards from Switzerland
History, News and Stories of Switzerland

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1565 - The pencil is invented (Conrad Gesner, Switzerland)
"In 1565 the German-Swiss naturalist Conrad Gesner first described a writing instrument in which graphite, then thought to be a type of lead, was... Read MORE...
1718 - January 17 - Avalanche destroys every building in Leukerbad, Switzerland; kills 53
onthisday.com
January 17, 1718
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1784 - The oil lamp is invented (Aimé Argand, Switzerland)
"Argand burner, first scientifically constructed oil lamp, patented in 1784 in England by a Swiss, Aimé Argand. The first basic change in lamps in... Read MORE...
1870 - The number of emigrants that left Switzerland for over sea in 1868 numbered 9,752, of whom 4,755 came to America.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
January 29, 1870
1870 - The practice of torturing prisoners in order to make them confess, which has been abolished by most civilized nations, still exists in Switzerland.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
January 29, 1870
1878 - The ancient tower of Aspermont, in Switzerland, which crowned a mass of high rocks, and which had withstood the tempest of ages, fell lately with a tremendous crash.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
July 13, 1878
1884 - In Switzerland, you can send almost anything through the mails. Trunk, gripsack, hat-box, bag of potatoes - it is all one to the postal authorities, as long as you pay the postage.
And it is a very rare thing for anything to be tampered with or miscarry. St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
November 29, 1884
1887 - Switzerland has recently adopted by popular vote a new law placing the the entire control of the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors in the hands of the government...
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
September 24, 1887
1888 - An avalanche descended into the valley of Morrobia, Switzerland, on the 28th ult., killing ten persons and a large number of horses and cattle.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
March 3, 1888
1888 - At Montreux, on the lake of Geneva, in Switzerland, a reservoir used to work and electric railway burst on the 6th, destroying numerous houses and drowning many persons.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
November 10, 1888
1888 - President of Switzerland Dead.
BERNE, Nov. 28. - M. Hertenstein, President of Switzerland, who underwent the amputation of his right leg last week because of disease of the... Read MORE...
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1895 - Switzerland
Switzerland, a federal republic of Central Europe, situated between lat. 45° 50' and 47° 50' N. and lon.6° and 10°25' E., bounded on the N. by Baden, ... Read MORE...
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1900 - Population of Switzerland - 3,315,400
1904 - May 21 – The International Federation of Association Football, FIFA, is established.
www.wikipedia.org
May 21, 1904
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1948 - Velcro is invented (George de Mestral, Switzerland)
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1989 - The World Wide Web is invented at CERN (Tim Berners-Lee, UK)
Switzerland Genealogy
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Updated: 6/25/2020 12:59:36 PM
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