Internment in Switzerland during the First World War

Susan Barton convincingly conveys the benefits of the Swiss humanitarian model for both internees and local populations. Her book should appeal to anyone interested in the effects of the Great War on Switzerland or the development of humanitarian efforts to ameliorate wartime suffering. * Michigan War Studies Review * A valuable reference work for students and those with a family interest in the subject to consult in a library - or borrow from me. * Kandahar Review * Susan Barton provides an engaging and entertaining in-depth study of a program that saw soldiers, either sick or wounded, interned in Swiss holiday resorts. It is a Great War story unlike any other. This book illustrates just how important ideas such as fresh air, physical activity, and self-improvement were by the dawn of the twentieth century and offers an original and compelling illustration of just how deadly serious leisure could be * Eric G. E. Zuelow. Associate Professor of European History, University of New England, USA * This book fills one of the gaps in the history of internment during the First World War by focusing upon the experiences of injured soldiers from Belgium, France, Great Britain, and Germany who spent time in Switzerland as part of exchange programmes which aided their recuperation and allowed Switzerland to fulfil its role as a neutral state. Making exceptional use of ego sources alongside official records, Internment in Switzerland during the First World War tells the fascinating story of these prisoners. * Panikos Panayi, Professor of European History, De Montfort University, UK *

Susan Barton is Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at De Montfort University, UK. She is the author of Working-Class Organisations and Popular Tourism, 1840-1970 (2005) and Healthy Living in the Alps: The Origins of Winter Tourism in Switzerland, 1860-1914 (2008) and co-editor of Travel and Tourism in Britain, 17001914 (2014).

List of Illustrations 1. Introduction 2. Negotiation, Diplomacy and Agreements between Belligerents and Switzerland 3. The Prisoners Arrival and Welcome 4. Conditions of Internment 5. Work, Education and Training 6. Sport: Summer, Indoor and Winter Sports 7. Entertainment, Relaxation and Intellectual Well-Being 8. Women, Family Life and Relatives Visits 9. Going Home and Conclusion Index