Military postcard collection
How did the Swiss population experience the First and Second World Wars? What tasks were soldiers in the Swiss armed forces required to perform? What stories did they tell in their letters home? The military postcard collection at the Library am Guisanplatz (BiG) is one of the most significant collections of its kind in the country and offers insights into how the military, society, national defence and war were perceived at the time.
Assault helmet test model, 1917
L’Eplattenier‘ test model of assault helmet, 1917. Infantry officer
Fortress artillery
Two senior fortress artillery officers during their descent on skis in the general 1914 field uniform.
1386 - Sempach
On the left federal troops with Winkelried (yellow cape), who throws himself into enemy lances, thus enabling an advance and breaching the line of Habsburg forces.
1798 - Neuenegg
Battle scene: outnumbered Bernese forces fight against French army. To the fore: a Bernese infantryman.
Farmers wife distributes apples to a group of soldiers marching by
Soldiers (infantrymen in 1898 military uniform, orange pompons) take apples from the basket of a civilian.
Artillery, 1890
Artillery officer in 1888 military uniform presents a lady with a bouquet of flowers.
PZ-68 battle tank
Close up front view of a Panzer 68 battle tank.
General G. H. Dufour
Portrait of General Dufour.
Fortress machine gunner
Fortress machine gunner with weapon and complete kit.
Mountain artillery
Framed picture is located in the top half of the map. It shows an artillery fire unit in the mountains in position. To the left under the frame, you will find the title, the remaining lower half of the map is empty. Colour of map face is yellow-brown.
The military postcard collection consists of almost 2,200 postcards written by military personnel during the two world wars, most of which were sent to relatives by military mail.
There are tales of the everyday life of the soliders and how the men felt. From the descriptions it is also possible to trace the development in arms and armaments up to the Cold War.
This collection is fully digitised and recorded. It is possible to search for persons, branches of service, period designations etc.