History

They were exhausted, hungry and many were wounded. Switzerland took them in. After being disarmed, the soldiers were provided with food and medical care by the military, aid organisations and the civilian population. 188 municipalities across the country gave them shelter, food and care. In many places, strangers became friends.

The Bourbaki Panorama, painted in 1881 by Red Cross volunteer Edouard Castres, captures this moment. It commemorates the end of the Franco-Prussian War, the Red Cross’s first major operation and the humanitarian commitment of the young Swiss Confederation.