Jump to content

Henri Guisan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Henri Guisan
Guisan inVisp,1942
Born(1874-10-21)21 October 1874
Mézières,Vaud,Switzerland
Died7 April 1960(1960-04-07)(aged 85)
Pully,Vaud, Switzerland
AllegianceSwitzerland
Years of service1894–1945
RankGeneral
Commands heldSwiss Armed Forces

Henri Guisan(French pronunciation:[ɑ̃ʁiɡizɑ̃];21 October 1874 – 7 April 1960) was aSwissmilitary officer who held the office ofGeneralof theSwiss Armed Forcesduring theSecond World War.He was the fourth and the most recent person to be appointed to the rarely used Swiss rank of general, and was possibly Switzerland's most famous soldier. He is best remembered for effectively mobilizing the Swiss military and population in order to prepare resistance against apossible invasionbyNazi Germanyin 1940. Guisan was voted the fourth-greatest Swiss figure of all time in 2010.[1]

Early life[edit]

Henri Guisan was born on 21 October 1874 inMézières,in the canton ofVaud,aProtestantpart ofFrench-speaking Switzerland.[2]He was the son of Louise-Jeanne (née Bérengier) and Charles Ernest Guisan, a doctor fromAvenches.[2]He attended school inLausanne,graduating in 1893, and later studied at the agricultural schools ofÉcully,France, andHohenheim,Germany.[2]Upon completing his studies, in 1897, he moved to and became agentleman farmerin theBroye Valley.That same year, Guisan married Mary Doelker,[2]with whom he had two children, Henry and Myriam. In 1903 he moved to Verte-Rive inPully,onLake Geneva.[3]

Early military career[edit]

Upon entering the Swiss military in 1894, Guisan was assigned to thefield artilleryas a lieutenant.[2]He was promoted to captain in 1904 and became captain of theGeneral Staffin 1908.[2]In 1911, Guisan was promoted to major and was transferred to the infantry on the order of the Chief of the General Staff,Theophil Sprecher von Bernegg.[2]In 1916, he was made lieutenant-colonel of the General Staff in the "Operations" section inBern,and in 1919 was simultaneously made chief of staff of the 2nd Division and commander of the 9th Infantry Regiment.[2]

Guisan reached the ranks of brigadier in 1921, divisional commander in 1927, and was made corps commander in 1932, the highest Swiss rank achievable during peacetime.[4][5]His appointment as corps commander was supported by Federal CouncillorRudolf Minger,head of theFederal Military Department.[2]Guisan was first at the head of the Field Army Corps 2 then of theField Army Corps 1.[2]

General[edit]

See also:Switzerland during the World Wars § World War II,National Redoubt (Switzerland) § Guisan plan,andOperation Tannenbaum
Henri Guisan being sworn in as general before the Federal Assembly, in the chamber of theNational Councilat theFederal Palace,in Bern, 30 August 1939
Guisan inspecting troops inBrunnen,Schwyz

On 28 August 1939, shortly before the outbreak of World War II, theSwiss Federal Assemblycalled aUnited Federal Assemblyto elect ageneral,a unique rank used only in time of war or national emergency. On 30 August 1939, Guisan was elected general by 204 votes out of 231 members of the Assembly, against 21 votes for divisional commander Jules Borel, who was mostly supported by the socialists.[2][6]He was given the directive to safeguard the independence of the country and to maintain the integrity of Swiss territory. During theInterwar period,Guisan had belonged to theconservative,federalistandanti-socialistpolitical tendency,[2]and was a member of the right-wingSwiss Patriotic Federation.[7][8]Nevertheless, he maintained good relations with theSocialist Partyfor the entire duration of World War II.[2]

In 1939 the Swiss military were able to muster 430,000 men, approximately 20% of the work force. At one point, up to 850,000 Swiss soldiers were mobilized.[9]However, Swiss military equipment was not on a par with that of the German military.[10]Guisan's command was dominated by conflict with the government.[11]Whereas the government preferred an understated and politically riskless neutrality, Guisan, charged with actually preventing invasion, opted to call for determined resistance. In May 1940 he ordered an investigation against 124 army officers suspected of Nazi sympathies.[2]After theBattle of France,Germany found documents inLa Charité-sur-Loireproving that Guisan had been secretly making military preparations with France, despite Swiss neutrality.[2][12]The Swiss military would have been remiss in not pursuing contacts with the French based on their perception of a German threat.[11]Nonetheless, this was politically very risky, and represented a very typical example to be seized upon by Germany to justify aggression,such as occurredprior to the German invasion of the Netherlands in World War II.[citation needed]

In 1940, Guisan delivered an address to the entire Swiss Officer Corps at this field inRütli,calling for the Swiss to defend themselves to the death against invasion

On 25 July 1940, Guisan delivered a historic address to the entire Swiss Officer Corps assembled on theRütli,a location charged with symbolism in Swiss Romantic nationalism by virtue of being identified as the site of the legendaryRütli Oath.He made it very clear that Switzerland would resist any Nazi invasion. If they ran out of bullets they were to resort to the bayonet. He said that Switzerland would defend itself against any invader and would never surrender.[11]Guisan became a symbol of resistance to Nazism that was widespread amongst the Swiss public.[12]At a time when military commanders remained distant, he rejected formalities and maintained contact with civilians and soldiers.[2]

Guisan during a visit toLiestal,Basel-Landschaft

In summer 1940, after the Battle of France, Guisan developed his famousNational Redoubtconcept, according to which the Swiss Army would have retreated into theAlpsrelatively soon if attacked, but would have kept up resistance based on some sort ofguerrillaandstay-behindtactics from there. The Swiss paramilitary organizationAktion Nationaler Widerstand(Resistant National Action), formed from contacts between selected army figures and conservative civilian circles, had the explicit task of persuading the civilian population to resist invaders.[13][14]

However, Guisan's and Switzerland's main strategy was deterrence rather than fighting, and Germany never risked invasion. Its 1940 planned invasion of Switzerland, codenamedOperation Tannenbaum,was soon abandoned as theBattle of Britainand laterOperation Barbarossabecame priorities.[15]On 20 August 1945,[16]Guisan left his command, considering his mission to be fulfilled.

Later life[edit]

Crowds at Lausanne'sPlace de la Riponneduring Guisan's funeral procession, 12 April 1960

Having become a national hero by successfully avoiding war,[17]Guisan died inPullyon 7 April 1960, aged 85.[2]He was buried on 12 April in Pully, with 300,000 participating in his funeral procession through Lausanne, the biggest attendance at a funeral in Swiss history.[18]His grave is a work byEdouard-Marcel Sandoz.

Public image[edit]

In his life, Guisan heavily propagandized his public image, banning 5,600 images of himself from being printed from 1939 to 1945. Unlike GeneralUlrich Willeduring theFirst World War,[2]Guisan was an extremely popular figure in Switzerland.[19]He has been criticized for admiringBenito MussoliniandPhilippe Pétainas well as having a meeting withWalter Schellenbergin March 1943.[20]

Memorials[edit]

Guisan's former homeVerte Rivein Pully is now used asCentre Général Guisan.[21]His office, living room and dining room are preserved as a museum.[22]

Memorial on Allmend, Zollikon
Memorial in Schlossgarten, Interlaken

Memorials are at:

Numerous cities and towns in Switzerland have streets named for him: General Guisan-StrasseinAarau,Arlesheim,Basel,Forch,Nussbaumen,Obersiggenthal,Reinach,Seltisberg,Winterthur,Zofingen,Zug; General GuisanstrasseinInterlaken,Jegenstorf,Leuggern; GuisanstrasseinBurgdorf,St. Gallen,Weinfelden; avenue Général-GuisaninAvenches,Fribourg,Pully,Rolle,Sierre,Vevey,Yverdon-les-Bains; rue du Général GuisaninCourroux,Mézières,Montana; Promenade Général GuisaninMorges; General Guisan-PromenadeinBasel; via Henri GuisaninBellinzona; via Generale GuisaninBalerna,Biasca,Riva San Vitale,Vacallo,Lugano; via Generale Henri GuisaninChiasso; via GuisaninMassagno,Paradiso; Via Enrico GuisaninMendrisio.

Town squares and open spaces are named after him: GuisanplatzinArosa,Berne,GrenchenandThun; Guisanplatz/Place GuisaninBiel/Bienne; place Général-GuisaninPayerneandPleigne; place du Général Henri-GuisaninLausanne.

There is a quai du Général-GuisanonLake GenevainGeneva, General-Guisan-QuaionLake LucerneinLucerneandStansstad,onLake ZurichinZurich.[17]

A militarymarchtitled "General-Guisan-Marsch" was composed in 1939 byStephan Jaeggi.

Asteroid1960 Guisanhas been named in Guisan's honour.[30]

The mangaAlpen RosebyMichiyo Akaishigives Guisan an important role in the story.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Bonjour, Edgar (1978). "Swiss Neutrality During Two World Wars". In Luck, James Murray; Burckhardt, Lukas F.; Haug, Hans (eds.).Modern Switzerland.The Society for the Promotion of Science and Scholarship Inc. pp.419–438.ISBN0-930664-01-9.

References[edit]

  1. ^"General Guisan – Did he save Switzerland in the war?"(PDF).The Swiss Review.3:5. August 2010.Albert Einsteinwas voted the most outstanding Swiss citizen in history. In second place cameHenri Dunant,the founder of the Red Cross, third wasHeinrich Pestalozzi,and General Henri Guisan, whose service as commander-in-chief of the Swiss army in the Second World War has never been forgotten, finished in fourth position. In order of votes, they were followed byLe Corbusier,Jean-Jacques RousseauandAlberto Giacometti.
  2. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrHervé de Weck:Henri GuisaninGerman,FrenchandItalianin the onlineHistorical Dictionary of Switzerland,10 February 2020.
  3. ^"General Guisan – Did he save Switzerland in the war?"(PDF). The Swiss Review.3:8. August 2010.
  4. ^Dacey, Olivier Pauchard, Jessica."Swiss national hero seen in a new light".SWI swissinfo.ch.Retrieved21 October2017.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^Tucker, Spencer C. (6 September 2016).World War II: The Definitive Encyclopedia and Document Collection [5 volumes]: The Definitive Encyclopedia and Document Collection.ABC-CLIO.ISBN9781851099696.
  6. ^"Resultate der Wahlen des Bundesrats, der Bundeskanzler und des Generals"(PDF).Federal Assembly of Switzerland.Retrieved4 April2010.
  7. ^Schom, Alan (1998).A Survey of Nazi and Pro-Nazi Groups in Switzerland: 1930-1945.Simon Wiesenthal Center.
  8. ^"Guisan 1918, 1934, 1940: les constantes d'une mission – A l'encontre".
  9. ^Bonjour 1978,p. 431.
  10. ^Edgar Bonjour, Neutralität, Bd. IV, 1970, p. 379 quoted after Independent Commission of Experts Switzerland – World War II, final report, German edition, p. 92.
  11. ^abcWilli Gautschi, General Henri Guisan: Commander-In-Chief of the Swiss Army in World War II
  12. ^abHaltiner, Karl W. (2002)."The Swiss Security Sector: Structure, Control, Reforms"(PDF).Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces.{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help)[permanent dead link]
  13. ^The British Secret Service in Neutral SwitzerlandArchived30 April 2007 at theWayback Machine,Daniele Ganser, inIntelligence and National Security,Vol.20, n°4, December 2005, pp.553-580
  14. ^Ganser, p.559
  15. ^Walter Wolf:Adolf HitlerinGerman,FrenchandItalianin the onlineHistorical Dictionary of Switzerland,12 February 2008.
  16. ^Pauchard, Olivier; Dacey, Jessica (7 April 2010)."Swiss National Hero Seen in a New Light".Swissinfo.Retrieved15 February2017.
  17. ^abMcPhee, John (31 October 1983)."La Place de la Concorde Suisse-I".The New Yorker.p. 50.Retrieved22 July2013.
  18. ^Dacey, Olivier Pauchard, Jessica."Swiss national hero seen in a new light".SWI swissinfo.ch.Retrieved17 March2018.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^SFA, Swiss Federal Archives."Memories of active service and réduit".bar.admin.ch.Retrieved21 October2017.
  20. ^Haver, Gianni; Middleton, Robert (15 April 2015).Swissness in a Nutshell.Schwabe AG.ISBN9783905252644.
  21. ^"Centre Général Guisan – accueil".Generalguisan.ch.Retrieved12 January2017.
  22. ^"Centre Général Guisan – Official site of the City of Lausanne".Lausanne.ch.Retrieved12 January2017.
  23. ^"Aufruf An Das Schweizervolk"(PDF).Stiftungschweizerjugend.ch.Retrieved12 January2017.
  24. ^Christoph, Hurni (28 September 2012)."Rütlirapport Gedenktafel während dem Aktivdienst im zweite…".Secure.flickr.com.Retrieved12 January2017.
  25. ^"Il generale Guisan torna alla Guisanplatz di Berna".News.admin.ch.23 September 2008.Retrieved12 January2017.
  26. ^"Hommage polonais à Guisan"[Polish tribute to Guisan].Tribune de Genève [Geneva Tribune](in French). Archived fromthe originalon 20 October 2013.Retrieved20 October2013.
  27. ^"Ehrung General Henri Guisan und General Bronislaw Prugar-Ketling in Warschau"(in German). Archived fromthe originalon 20 October 2013.Retrieved20 October2013.
  28. ^"Photo of General Guisan Gedenkstein, Lägern oberhalb Regensberg".Panoramio.com.24 April 2010.Retrieved12 January2017.
  29. ^"General Henri Guisan Historical Marker".Hmdb.org.Retrieved12 January2017.
  30. ^Schmadel, Lutz (5 August 2003).Dictionary of Minor Planet Names.Springer Science & Business Media. p. 158.ISBN9783540002383.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toHenri Guisan.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henri_Guisan&oldid=1180829304"