Exhibition on Switzerland and colonialism at the Château de Prangins
From the 16th century onwards, Swiss citizens and companies maintained close ties with the colonial system. Some Swiss firms and individuals took part in the transatlantic slave trade, exploited enslaved people and made fortunes from trading colonial goods. Swiss men and women travelled around the world as missionaries. Others, driven by poverty or a thirst for adventure, enlisted as mercenaries in European armies, which conquered territory after territory and crushed the resistance of indigenous peoples. Swiss experts put their knowledge at the service of the colonial powers. The Universities of Zurich and Geneva taught and disseminated racist theories that resonated internationally and served to legitimise the colonial system.
Based on the latest research findings, the exhibition offers the first overview of Switzerland's colonial history in French-speaking Switzerland, drawing on numerous objects, archival documents, photographs and works of art.
In direct connection with current events, it also questions the significance of Switzerland's colonial heritage. Shown at the Landesmuseum in Zurich in 2024, it is presented in a form adapted to the Château de Prangins.
