|
The
Transit of People by Rail through Switzerland during the Second World
War
Gilles Forster
This study examines, on the one hand, the
question of whether or not Jewish deportees passed through Switzerland,
and delves into the topic of Italian workers transiting through Switzerland
on their way to Germany, on the other.
As to the first point, the study concludes
that no deportation train coming from France made use of the Swiss railway
network. With respect to the train convoys coming from Italy and representing
a total number of 43, the itineraries taken by 40 of them have been reconstructed,
and none of them pass through Switzerland. We have every reason to believe
that the three remaining convoys also transited the Alps via the eastern
passes which, by way of Austria, provide a more direct route between Italy
and Poland. This hypothesis is based on the fact that the Brenner rail
line remained in function. Indeed, during the period in which these transports
took place, it suffered no damage from bombing. And furthermore, the political
context of the time was far from conducive: in the critical period of
late 19431944, the Swiss authorities were becoming more strict and
as of the summer of 1943, refused to allow the transit of Italian workers.
The supposition that deportees transited through Switzerland is founded
on rumors which till recently have often been echoed.
As for Italian workers, more than 180,000
of them crossed Switzerland on their way to Germany between 1941 and the
summer of 1943. As citizens of an Axis state, they cannot be considered
as forced labor. Their status can be compared neither to that of workers
from Eastern Europe, nor to that of those Frenchmen who were assumed as
workers within the framework of Mandatory Work Service (STO). The Italians
in question were attracted to Germany primarily because of the better
salary conditions. Just the same, their situation was not to be envied
as they were victims of discrimination and bad treatment.
The study examines the requests made for
transit authorization. The Axis powers emphasized the political aspects
of this migration. The Swiss authorities reacted with caution, fearing
that these convoys might possibly be of a military nature. With the overthrow
of Mussolini and the German invasion of the northern and central portions
of the Italian peninsula, the situation changed in the period from July
to September 1943. From then on, workers in Italy were recruited by force.
Nonetheless, our research has not uncovered any transit of this kind through
Switzerland following the events of the summer of 1943.
|
|
|