Switzerland's 1847 Sonderbund War: The Last Step to Unity

In 1847, Switzerland stood on the brink of civil war. The Sonderbund, a league of seven Catholic cantons, seceded from the confederation, rejecting the growing centralization of power. This episode of The Story of Switzerland explores the Sonderbund War, a short but decisive conflict that ended with the defeat of the secessionist cantons and paved the way for the 1848 Federal Constitution. Lucas and Luna discuss the political tensions that led to the war, the key figure of General Guillaume-Henri Dufour—who led federal troops with a strategy of minimal bloodshed—and the surrender of Lucerne, the Sonderbund's stronghold. They examine the peace terms that balanced punishment with reconciliation, and how the war's outcome solidified Swiss federalism, creating the modern nation-state. The episode also touches on the larger European context, with the conservative powers of the Holy Alliance watching nervously, and contrasts the swift Swiss resolution with the broader revolutions of 1848 in Europe. Discover how a brief conflict of less than one month set the stage for the Switzerland we know today. #SonderbundWar #Switzerland #History #1847 #GuillaumeHenriDufour #SwissHistory #Federalism #Tagsatzung #Lucerne #CivilWar #SwissArmy #Neutrality #1848Constitution #Fribourg #Valais #Schwyz #EuropeanHistory #FexingoHistory #RTlischwur #Morgarten Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo