Opening of the “1515 Marignano” exhibition at the National Museum

At the opening of the National Museum’s exhibition, in the midst of the controversy over the memory of the battle, Alain Berset refuses to treat it simply as the birth certificate of neutrality. Marignano was followed in 1516 by the “Perpetual Peace” with France, which bound Switzerland to its neighbour for more than 250 years and supplied it with mercenaries.

He recalls that the Marignano myth was constructed in the 1890s, to give the whole country a common narrative and to reintegrate the losers of the Sonderbund. His conclusion: the country needs “nationale Selbstgespräche”.

Speeches on this site

• Wir brauchen nationale Selbstgespräche (in German, French-language page)

Sources

• FDHA, speech of 27.03.2015