Imagined Borders, Constructed Communities: Swiss Refugee Camps during the Second World War

Terms like ‚Ueberfremdung‘ or ‚Weiterwanderung‘ were central to Swiss refugee policy during the Second World War and hence also the organisation of the refugee camps established from 1940 onwards: The aim of these camps was to keep the (mostly Jewish) refugees occupied and controlled, so that they would not integrate but leave Switzerland as soon as possible. The camps were organised by a new formed branch of the federal police, the ‘Zentralleitung’ (ZL), which means that they were under civilian rather than military control.

In the first two years, the ZL established mainly labor camps for men who were fit for physical work. These camps consisted of newly built barracks. From 1942 onwards, so called homes for woman, children and men who were unfit for work were established. They were accommodated in unused hotels. Both homes and labor camps were usually not fenced or guarded – but they were places where clear borders between refugees and Swiss population existed. Personal contacts between the two groups were usually limited to interactions in the camp and home itself, as the staff consisted of Swiss men and women.

In my presentation I will point out the influence the Swiss personnel of the camps and homes had on the refugees. Due to their position as primary link between refugees and authorities (and also the Swiss population) and the abundance of power they held, they had an enormous influence on the daily experiences of the refugees. However, they received little attention in previous research. Using archival sources which have not been used before, I will give insights into how personnel and refugees negotiated the different borders in the daily camp/home-life.