The Swiss Willensnation

What is it about?

Switzerland struggled with major domestic political conflicts during the First World War due to the two cultures of the French-speaking and German-speaking parts of the country. Teachers felt the need to react and to promote unity from the beginning of the war. Teachers considered themselves called to educate their students to be national citizens rather than to be members of a language group.

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Why is it important?

Teachers have promoted unity and constituted national citizenship for themselves and for their students in a nation united by free will. The national (teacher-) citizen was required due to the "Röstigraben" between the two main cultures. Additionally, the grand task of teachers was seen as the unification of the nation despite linguistic and cultural differences. After the first severe internal political conflicts from 1914 to 1915 interest in the investigated subjects decreased.