Henri Guisan (; 21 October 1874 – 7 April 1960) was a
Swiss
Swiss may refer to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
*Swiss people
Places
* Swiss, Missouri
*Swiss, North Carolina
* Swiss, West Virginia
*Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
* Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports
* Swiss Internation ...
army officer who held the office of the
General
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...
of the
Swiss Armed Forces during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
. He was the fourth and the most recent man 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 Armed Forces and Swiss people in order to prepare resistance against a
possible invasion by
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
in 1940. Guisan was voted the fourth-greatest Swiss figure of all time in 2010.
Family and career
Henri Guisan was born in 1874 in
Mézières, in the canton of
Vaud, a
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
part of French-speaking
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. The son of Charles Ernest Guisan, a doctor from
Avenches, and Louise-Jeanne Guisan, he attended school in
Lausanne
, neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...
and
Fribourg, and initially studied
agricultural medicine. Upon completing his studies, in 1897, he moved to and became a
gentleman farmer in the
Broye Valley. That same year, he married Mary Doelker, with whom he had two children, Henry and Myriam. Soon after marrying Mary, he moved to Verte-Rive on
Lake Geneva
, image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg
, caption = Satellite image
, image_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry =
, location = Switzerland, France
, coords =
, lake_type = Glacial lak ...
.
Early military service
Upon entering the Swiss military in 1894, he was assigned to a horse-drawn artillery unit in Bière as a lieutenant. He was promoted several times, reaching the rank of captain in 1904, colonel in 1920,
brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. ...
in 1927, and
corps commander in 1932.
General
On 28 August 1939, a
Federal Assembly called a
United Federal Assembly to elect a
general
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...
: a unique rank chosen only in time of war or national emergency. On 30 August 1939, Guisan was elected as general, by 204 votes to 21 for
Jules Borel. He was given the directive to safeguard the independence of the country and to maintain the integrity of Swiss territory. 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. However, Swiss military equipment was not on a par with that of the German military.
Guisan's appointment came despite his membership in the ''
Fédération patriotique suisse'', an organization supportive of cordial relations with Nazi Germany. However, his command was dominated by conflict with the government, and with the politicians continually airing German and French sentiments.
[Willi Gautschi, General Henri Guisan: Commander-In-Chief of the Swiss Army in World War II] Whereas the government preferred an understated and politically riskless neutrality, Guisan, charged with actually preventing invasion, opted to call for determined resistance. After the
Battle of France
The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France during the Second Wor ...
, Germany found documents proving that Guisan had been secretly making military preparations with France, despite Swiss neutrality.
The Swiss military would have been remiss in not pursuing contacts with the French based on their perception of a German threat.
Nonetheless, this was politically very risky, and represented a very typical example to be seized upon by Germany to justify aggression,
such as occurred prior to the German invasion of the Netherlands in World War II.
On 25 July 1940, Guisan delivered a historic address to the entire Swiss Officer Corps assembled on the
Rütli
Rütli () or Grütli (; ) is a mountain meadow on Lake Lucerne, in the Seelisberg municipality of the Swiss canton of Uri.
It is the site of the Rütlischwur in traditional Swiss historiography, the oath marking the foundation of the orig ...
, a location charged with symbolism in Swiss Romantic nationalism by virtue of being identified as the site of the ''
Rütlischwur'' of 1291. Guisan became a symbol of resistance to Nazism that was widespread amongst the Swiss public.
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.
The Swiss government had a decentralised structure, so even the
Federal President was, and still is, a relatively powerless official with no authority to surrender the country. Indeed, Swiss citizens had been instructed to regard any surrender broadcast as enemy propaganda and resist to the end.
As a consequence, Guisan developed his famous ''
Réduit National'' concept in summer 1940, according to which the Swiss Army would have retreated into the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
relatively soon if attacked, but would have kept up resistance based on some sort of
guerrilla and
stay-behind tactics from there. The Swiss paramilitary organization ''
Aktion 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.
[The British Secret Service in Neutral Switzerland]
, Daniele Ganser, in ''Intelligence and National Security'', Vol.20, n°4, December 2005, pp.553-580
However, Guisan's and Switzerland's main strategy was deterrence rather than fighting, and Germany never risked invasion. On 20 August 1945, Guisan left his command, considering his mission to be fulfilled.
Having become a national hero by successfully avoiding war, Guisan died in
Pully on 7 April 1960. He was buried on 12 April 1960 in Pully cemetery, with 300,000 participating in his funeral march through Lausanne. His grave is a work by
Edouard-Marcel Sandoz.
Public image
In his life, Guisan heavily propagandized his public image, banning 5,600 images of himself from being printed from 1939 to 1945. Guisan also held several symbolic actions, such as the Rütli Report. In Switzerland, Guisan was an extremely popular figure. He has been criticized for admiring
Benito Mussolini and
Philippe Pétain as well as having a secret meeting with
Walter Schellenberg in March 1943.
Memorials
Guisan's former home ''Verte Rive'' in Pully is now used as ''Centre Général Guisan''. His office, living room and dining room are preserved as a museum.
Memorials are at:
*
Lausanne
, neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...
-Ouchy: equestrian statue by
Otto Bänninger, financed following a public fundraising in 1960, inaugurated on 27 May 1967 in the presence of 70,000 people
*
Avenches: a bust, inaugurated in 1969
*On the main deck of the steamship ''Stadt Luzern'': a memorial plaque with his relief by
Franco Annoni commemorating his speech on Rütli in 1940, inaugurated by
Georges-André Chevallaz in 1980, 40 years afterwards
*Library am Guisanplatz, Bern: equestrian sculpture by
Laurent Boillat, created in 1949 and installed in September 2008
*
Powązki Cemetery, Warsaw, Plaque: plaque inaugurated in 2010
*Schlossgarten,
Interlaken: monumental sculpture
*Allmend,
Zollikon: memorial with a relief
*
Lägern above
Regensberg
Regensberg is a municipality in the district of Dielsdorf in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland. It is located just to the west of Dielsdorf, on a ridge of the Lägern ().
History
Regensberg was founded as a hilltop fortified settlement ...
: memorial plaque
*Dentenbergstrasse,
Gümligen/Muri bei Bern: Memorial
*Victoria-Jungfrau,
Interlaken: plaque in the hotel
*General-Guisan Quai, Lucerne: plaque on the lakeshore
Numerous cities and towns in Switzerland have streets named for him:
''General Guisan-Strasse'' in
Aarau,
Arlesheim
Arlesheim is a town and a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. Its cathedral chapter seat, bishop's residence and cathedral (1681 / 1761) are listed as a heritage site of national significance. ...
,
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (B ...
,
Forch
Forch is a village and a mountain pass (el. ) located in the municipalities of Küsnacht and Maur in the canton of Zürich, Switzerland.
Geography
Forch is located approximately in the southeast of Zürich, nearby Zumikon and Maur. It incl ...
,
Nussbaumen,
Obersiggenthal,
Reinach,
Seltisberg,
Winterthur,
Zofingen,
Zug;
''General Guisanstrasse'' in
Interlaken,
Jegenstorf
Jegenstorf is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. On 1 January 2010 the former municipality of Ballmoos merged into Jegenstorf and on 1 January 2014 Münchringen and Scheunen merg ...
,
Leuggern;
''Guisanstrasse'' in
Burgdorf,
St. Gallen,
Weinfelden;
''avenue Général-Guisan'' in
Avenches,
Fribourg,
Pully,
Rolle,
Sierre,
Vevey,
Yverdon-les-Bains;
''rue du Général Guisan'' in
Courroux
Courroux (french: Courroux, ; fc, Corrou) is a municipality in the district of Delémont in the canton of Jura in Switzerland.
History
Courroux is first mentioned in 1146 under its German name as '' Lütoltesdorf''. The French name was firs ...
,
Mézières,
Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...
;
''Promenade Général Guisan'' in
Morges
Morges (; la, Morgiis, plural, probably ablative, else dative; frp, Môrges) is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud and the seat of the district of Morges. It is located on Lake Geneva.
History
Morges is first mentioned in 1288 as ...
;
''General Guisan-Promenade'' in
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (B ...
;
''via Henri Guisan'' in
Bellinzona
Bellinzona ( , , Ticinese ; french: Bellinzone ; german: Bellenz ; rm, Blizuna )is a municipality, a historic Swiss town, and the capital of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. The town is famous for its three castles (Castelgrande, Montebell ...
;
''via Generale Guisan'' in
Balerna,
Biasca
Biasca is a town of the district of Riviera in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.
History
Biasca is first mentioned in 830 as ''Aviasca'' in the ''Liber viventium'' of Pfäfers Abbey. In 1119 it was mentioned as ''Abiasca''.
Early history
I ...
,
Riva San Vitale,
Vacallo,
Lugano
Lugano (, , ; lmo, label= Ticinese, Lugan ) is a city and municipality in Switzerland, part of the Lugano District in the canton of Ticino. It is the largest city of both Ticino and the Italian-speaking southern Switzerland. Lugano has a populat ...
;
''via Generale Henri Guisan'' in
Chiasso;
''via Guisan'' in
Massagno
Massagno is a municipality in the district of Lugano in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.
History
An Upper Paleolithic Ax made out of serpentinite, and some cremation graves from the Iron Age are the only prehistoric traces discovered in ...
,
Paradiso;
''Via Enrico Guisan'' in
Mendrisio
Mendrisio (; lmo, label= Ticinese, Mendris ) is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.
Mendrisio is the seat of the Accademia di Architettura of the university of Italian-speaking Switzerland (U ...
.
Town squares and open spaces are named after him:
''Guisanplatz'' in
Arosa,
Bern
german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese
, neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen
, website ...
e,
Grenchen and
Thun;
''Guisanplatz/Place Guisan'' in
Biel/Bienne;
''place Général-Guisan'' in
Payerne and
Pleigne
Pleigne is a municipality in the district of Delémont in the canton of Jura in Switzerland.
History
Pleigne is first mentioned in 1179 as ''Plenna''. The municipality was formerly known by its German name ''Pleen'', however, that name is ...
;
''place du Général Henri-Guisan'' in
Lausanne
, neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...
.
There is a
''quai du Général-Guisan'' on
Lake Geneva
, image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg
, caption = Satellite image
, image_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry =
, location = Switzerland, France
, coords =
, lake_type = Glacial lak ...
in
Geneva
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situa ...
,
''General-Guisan-Quai'' on
Lake Lucerne in
Lucerne and
Stansstad
Stansstad is a municipality in the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.
Geography
Stansstad has an area, (as of the 2004/09 survey) of . Of this area, about 32.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 49.6% is forested. Of the rest of the la ...
, on
Lake Zurich
__NOTOC__
Lake Zurich ( Swiss German/ Alemannic: ''Zürisee''; German: ''Zürichsee''; rm, Lai da Turitg) is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zürich. Depending on the context, Lake Zurich or ''Zürichsee'' can be used t ...
in
Zurich.
A military
march titled "General-Guisan-Marsch" was composed in 1939 by
Stephan Jaeggi.
Asteroid
1960 Guisan has been named in Guisan's honour.
The manga ''
Alpen Rose
is a shōjo manga series created by Michiyo Akaishi. The story was adapted into an anime by Tatsunoko Productions in 1985, with character designs by Akemi Takada.
Summary
Lundi is a young boy who lives with his aunt and uncle in Switze ...
'' by
Michiyo Akaishi gives Guisan an important role in the story.
Bibliography
*
References
External links
*
Centre Général Guisan��Biography and bibliography, in French and German.
*
Complete genealogy of the Général Guisanon the Geneva Genealogy Society website
Swiss Armed Forces website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guisan, Henri
1874 births
1960 deaths
People from Lavaux-Oron District
Swiss Protestants
Swiss generals
Switzerland in World War II
International Olympic Committee members