Mini-TL: Ein Verschieden Sonderbundkrieg

OOC: Just to show even one little change can affect the entire outcome of history; and to get in some practice with this sort of thing ;)

Switzerland
1840-47

During the 1840 parliamentary elections the radial-liberal Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei) obtains a majority in the Swiss Federal Diet. Among its several controversial acts is the appointment of the German theologian David Friedrich Strauss to the Zürich university, who had inspired a wave of critical Bible research with his book "Das Leben Jesu, Kritisch Betrachtet" in 1835 (1). Immediately a "faith committee" was formed and forced Strauss into retirement. The cantonal government resigned after armed countrymen marched to Zurich and demanded a new government; new elections brought victory for the conservatives. In response, later that same year liberals in Ticino were defeated in the elections, but seized power by force of arms. The people of canton Lucerne revised their constitution in 1841, keeping up democratic elections and the division of power between government, parliament and courts, but cancelled the Diet’s secularization in education, which had attempted to abolish church-run schools.

In February 1845 radical-liberal partisans known as Freischarenzüge overthrow the government of Vaud in response to that canton’s conservative government’s appointment of the Jesuits to teach in schools. They further attempt to march on the Canton of Lucerne but are defeated in battle by government forces from Lurerne. In response the Catholic-majority, mostly southern, and stll conservative-ruled cantons of Lucerne, Fribourg, Valais, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden and Zug sign a secret alliance forming a Sonderbund (separate alliance). The treaty is illegal under Swiss law, as the Federal Treaty of 1815 explicitly forbade such separate alliances in order to remove Switzerland from foreign affairs (2).

The alliance is uncovered in June 1846, causing quite an affair in Swiss politics. The radicals are incensed and condemn the Sonderbund in the Tagsatzung (3). The Sonderbund cantons, with the exceptions of Lucerne and Fribourg, seek and obtain permission from their respective Landsgemeindes (cantonal assemblies) for general conscription between the end of September and the opening of October; troop mobilization is complete by October 19. Two days later, the radical majority in the Tagsatzung votes to dissolve the Sonderbund. The same day, the Diet elects General (4) Guillaume-Henri Dufour of Geneva (5) as commander in chief of the federal army, despite his reluctance and the efforts of the Bernese government to appoint Ulrich Ochsenbein (6) to this post. In his letter of acceptance to the Diet of October 22, Dufour emphasized that he would "do everything in order to alleviate the inevitable evils of war (7)."

On October 24, immediately prior to taking the oath of office, Dufour requested explanations concerning his orders (which were written in German) and, after an impolitic remark by the representative of Vaud, Jules Eytel, declined the office and left the meeting of the Diet (8). After two days, Ochsenbein was sworn in as the Swiss General in his stead on October 26th. Two days later he appointed his division commanders; four representing the Radicals, and three for the conservatives (9). By the 30th the Diet orders general mobilization of the army, and on the second of November issues its official military command to dissolve the Sonderbund (10).

Three cantons, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Stadt (11), and Neuchâtel, which had a strong Catholic minority population, officially declared their neutrality in the conflict and refused to provide troops for the Diet. The government of Vaud strongly suspected that of Neuchâtel of secretly supporting the Sonderbund. Several incidents ensued, notably the capture of a lake steamship of Neuchâtel by troops from Vaud. On 29 October, Colonel Rillet-Constant of Vaud asked Ochsenbein's permission to march on Neuchâtel. While Ochsenbein was still contemplating this decision, Neuchâtel formally refused the Diet’s request to supply its contingent of troops, once again declaring its neutrality in the rapidly growing quarrel. Infuriated, Ochsenbein orders Rillet-Constant to march on Neuchâtel on November 1st (12). Unfortunately, two days later Ochsenbein received word from outside of Switzerland; Prussian King Frederick William IV, as Prince of Neuchâtel, attempted to settle the issue by declaring the Principality "neutral and inviolate" during the hostilities. By the time Ochsenbein was able to recall Rillet-Constant, the Colonel had already lead his brigade into Neuchâtel, and after a quick siege captured the Château de Neuchâtel, effectively conquering the canton.

(1) “The Life of Jesus, Critically Examined.” Quite controversial in its time; Strauss characterizes the miraculous elements in the gospels as being "mythical" in character.

(2) Article 6.

(3) The executive council of the Federal Treaty. The council was a meeting of delegates of the individual cantons. Generally its power was very limited, since the cantons were essentially sovereign during this time.

(4) Generals are appointed during times of war in Switzerland, and only by the Federal Diet, to which the General is responsible to.

(5) Genevese army officer, bridge engineer and topographer, Dufour had served under Napoleon and was awarded the Croix de la Légion d'Honneur for his work repairing fortifications at Lyons in 1814. In 1817 he returned to Geneva to become commander of that canton’s military engineers, as well as a professor of mathematics at the University of Geneva. IOTL after the war he was the President of the Swiss Federal Office of Topography which he helped found until 1865. One of his most able officers at this time was Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, then in exile from France.

(6) Ochsenbein was a prominent politician and member of the Federal Diet representing Bern, and co-President/co-founder of the Free Democratic Party. IOTL after the war he was one of the drafters of the new Swiss Constitution of 1848, which is still in use today. He was elected to the newly created Federal Council in November 1848, holding the post of Minister of the Military. In 1854 he was elected out of office after losing the trust of both the liberals and the conservatives when he attempted to be a moderate for political gain.

(7) Dufour presided over the first Geneva Convention in 1863 which established the International Red Cross.

(8) This is the POD. IOTL it took two emergency closed sessions, and a delegation of the representatives of Geneva, to convince Dufour to reconsider and to be sworn in on 25 October. ITTL he remains unconvinced and returned to Geneva.

(9) This is the opposite of IOTL, in which Dufour appointed four conservatives and three radicals.

(10) Two days earlier than IOTL, due to butterflies from Ochsenbein’s more radical politically-motivated rushed leadership.

(11) IOTL Basel-Stadt resisted only for a short time, but ultimately provided its contingent of troops by November 6, two days after the opening of hostilities. ITTL the opposite happens due the events of Neuchâtel.

(12) Again, the opposite of IOTL, in which Dufour refused and asked Constant-Rillet to instead levy additional troops from Vaud to compensate.

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Are you planning to have a Prussian intervention in Switzerland, on behalf of a marginally stronger Sonderbund? That would be interesting. An outcome could be a partial dismemberment of the Confederacy.
 
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