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Many stories – some verified, others fabled – surround the emergence of Switzerland as a nation. Documents from the period prior to the first centralised state of 1798 can also be found in the Swiss Federal Archives.

The inauguration of Switzerland's first central government in 1798 was an important milestone on the road to the Confederation of today. Founded in that year as the Central Archives of the Helvetic Republic, the Swiss Federal Archives contain an abundance of sources on the history of modern Switzerland.

At the end of the 19th century, Switzerland changed from a land of emigrants to one of immigrants. Many migrants have left traces that today can be found in the Swiss Federal Archives.

The history of Swiss foreign policy since 1848 was often written away from the limelight. This applies as much to its humanitarian involvement and participation in international organisations as it does to the representation of its own interests. There are, however, a few exceptions that remain firmly anchored in the collective public memory.

Switzerland's neutrality did not spare the country from the effects of economic warfare during the First World War. The Federal Council struggled to manage the crisis.

The history of Switzerland during the Second World War is to this day the subject of debates and research. Historical sources in the Swiss Federal Archives provide a basis for both.

Historical sources in the Swiss Federal Archives on the problematic handling of a transient population by the state and society.

Cared for, placed, taken away from their parents, locked up: the welfare measures enforced by the authorities are a dark chapter in the history of Swiss social welfare. Records documenting the reasons behind the measures are held mainly by municipalities and cantons, although some can be found in the Federal Archives.

Intelligence services and state security have different tasks within the federal state. The texts in this chapter provide an overview of their historical development. The chapter also addresses the “Secret Files Scandal”, one of the largest political affairs in recent Swiss history.

The origins of the Swiss Army date back to the late Middle Ages. The militia army founded on general national conscription is relatively young by comparison.

Companies in Switzerland have traditionally enjoyed far-reaching liberties. The state has, however, always set politico-economic guide rails.

An overview of transport development in Switzerland: from shipping to railway construction to the dawn of aviation.

Official documents of the old Confederation and authorities of the Helvetic Republic and the modern federal state can be found in many archives. Many of them are also accessible online.

The Swiss Federal Archives mainly hold paper-based documents. However, the fonds also contain numerous audio-visual records and digital data carriers that have only recently found their way into the archives. The Federal Archives hold photos, films, videos, sound material and plans in both analogue and digital format.

On 7 February 1971, Switzerland’s all-male electorate granted the vote to the nation’s female citizens. Did this event bring an end to more than a century of struggle and Swiss exceptionalism, or did it signal the start of the real battle for gender equality?

A number of fonds held by the Swiss Federal Archives contain information on looted art. Some can be retrieved from general business dossiers, others from dossiers classified according to the names of people.