Why does Switzerland have so many bunkers?

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Swiss WWII Neutrality and Nazi Collaboration Debate

  • One line of discussion argues that deterrence-by-fortification was only part of why Switzerland wasn’t invaded; economic collaboration with Nazi Germany (gold purchases, arms exports, transit, and refugee policy) is described as at least as important.
  • Commenters cite official Swiss commissions and media reports about:
    • Large volumes of looted Nazi gold passing through Swiss banks.
    • A high share of munitions exports going to Axis countries.
    • Ruthless turning back or denial of entry to many Jewish refugees.
  • Others push back, stressing:
    • Switzerland’s encirclement by Axis powers, dependence on German-controlled supplies, and active air defense.
    • Significant numbers of accepted Jewish refugees and survival of Swiss Jews.
    • That similar trade and gold dealings occurred with other countries, and Switzerland is unfairly singled out.
  • There is further dispute over how long Swiss institutions resisted postwar reckoning, and over the treatment of individuals who saved Jews but were punished at the time.

Origins and Purpose of the Bunker System

  • Several comments note the WWII-era National Redoubt in the Alps as the strategic origin, but emphasize that:
    • The civil-defense policy guaranteeing shelter space for residents was codified in 1963.
    • Many residential bunkers and large shelters are Cold War–era constructions, built in multiple phases.
  • One commenter corrects AI-generated simplifications, stressing Switzerland “was not prepared” early in WWII and had to adapt.

Civil Defense Culture and Life in Bunkers

  • First-hand accounts describe:
    • Living or training in civil-defense bunkers (including near Geneva and in Zurich) with decontamination zones, filtered air, and massive doors.
    • Psychological effects: losing sense of time without daylight; technical proposals include LED lighting or fiber‑optic daylight systems.
    • Practical issues: humidity, drying clothes, mold risk, and reliance on powered ventilation and generators; some larger shelters have oxygen reserves for short full isolation.

Comparisons with Other Countries

  • Finland and Sweden also have extensive civil-defense shelter systems, with capacity for most or all of their urban populations; bunkers are commonly integrated into ordinary buildings.
  • Albania is mentioned as having extremely high bunker density, and Soviet/Eastern Bloc subway systems were often designed to double as bomb shelters.
  • Israel is cited as a case where modern building codes require a protected room in essentially every dwelling.

Swiss Banking, Mercenaries, and Neutrality

  • A side thread links Switzerland’s banking prominence to historical mercenary activity and the need to handle foreign pay.
  • Another explores Swiss mercenary tradition vs. modern neutrality (which now bans mercenary work, with an exception for the Vatican’s Swiss Guard).
  • Some characterize Switzerland as a “Schurkenstaat” benefiting from dictators and illicit money; others strongly reject this framing and emphasize Swiss freedoms and internal debate.

Broader Reflections on Collective Action and Defense

  • Several commenters contrast European-style collective measures (bunkers, social programs) with perceived US individualism and weaker civil defense.
  • Others counter that US defense spending underwrote Europe’s ability to fund social and civil-defense systems, and argue that US history shows extensive collective achievement as well.