The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291. At that time it was an agreement for mutual self-defence between 4 small mountain cantons (states) within the German Empire who wanted to defend themselves from takeover by more powerful states and feudal rulers within the empire.
Over the next few centuries Switzerland grew as new territories joined. It gradually became effectively a group of independent countries, but legally they were all parts of the German Empire.
In 1648, at a peace treaty after the 30 years war, the German Empire finally recognised that the members of the Swiss Confederation were not part of the empire.
This continued until Napoleon invaded. He annexed parts of Switzerland and turned the rest into a client state.
The previous state (many independent cantons) was re-instated in 1815.
It was only in 1848 that the members of the Swiss confederation agreed to form a federal state and have a permanent federal government. This is when Switzerland became one country.
Switzerland :)
visnand then whisenhunt original country was switzerland
Switzerland
The German surname of Stiegler originates in Switzerland.
Switzerland - official name: CH, confoederatio helvetica
There are hundreds. They come from Italy, France, Switzerland, UK and many more.
My Meda line comes from Northern Italy, near Switzerland.
This surname Helbling is of Swiss German origin, mostly found in Switzerland. The name derived from Middle High German "helbling" meaning "halfpenny". For more information, see related links below.
It has its origin Cottian Alps, Italy and mouth at the Adriatic Sea with basin countries of Italy and Switzerland.
Switzerland is a country that is considered NEUTRAL towards all the other countries, especially the ones that surround Switzerland, such as Germany, France, Ellsace, Italy, Poland, Austria, Lichtenstein, etc. Switzerland makes the best chocolate in the world, or the origin for the OMEGA watches, and makes delicious cheese such as Emmenthaler, Gruyere, Tillsit, Mountain cheese (Bergkaese), etc. It's a beautiful country!
German in origin, but common also in Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark and Germanic enclaves of other countries. A cognate of the British name William
Bern is the capital of Switzerland, though not the biggest city