IPPNW 2010 world congressReception 26th August 2010

Barfüsserkirche Basel

Dr.C.Knüsli, President, IPPNW Switzerland

Barfüsserkirche – built in the 14th century- today: Basel Museum of History

Basel City Hall • .

Märtplatz – Market SquareArrival BAN -Tour 24th Aug. 2010

Munatius Plancus – founder of Basel (?)

• Statue in the City Hall of Basel • Lived about 40 BC • Relations with Augusta Raurica – a Roman colony 12 km Rhine-upwards

Augusta Raurica

Augusta Raurica today

History – in Switzerland too – is about

wars and emperors economy and power natural catastrophes inventions arts

Augusta Raurica – warriors taken by an early war photographer

Swiss History: Battle near Näfels 1388

History of the Swiss A-Bomb-Project

Switzerland and nuclear weapons I. (...according to the historic lexikon

of Switzerland)

• Source: http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D24625.php • 3rd September 1945 (!!!): First meeting of the Defense Commission of the State in view of

discussing about an own swiss A-bomb • to develop tactical nuclear weapons • Switzerland buys 10 tons of Uranium (1953 – 1955) from Belgian

Congo and Great Britain (top secret !) • 1955 Geneva: Atoms for Peace Congress

Switzerland and nuclear weapons II.

Switzerland buys reactor „Saphir“ from the USA

cost: 770 000.- sFr.

(...bargain, to prevent Switzerland from buying a reactor from the UDSSR)

Switzerland and nuclear weapons III.

Cold war scenario

Switzerland and nuclear weapons IV.

• Political opposition against nuclear weapons program too faint loss of two national popular votes in 1958 boost of official nuclear program

• > 870 Million sFr. credit granted for 100 Mirage jet planes (potential A-bomb carriers) in 1960

• Demand for upgrading of budget in 1964 > 550 Million sFr. not allowed by parliament reduction to 57 airplanes...

• nuclear weapons carriers are too expensive

Switzerland and nuclear weapons V.

• Plans of underground nuclear tests in Switzerland (!!!)

• Switzerland builds its own nuclear reactor in Lucens (French part of Switzerland) underground

• Geological problems (fissures in the rock) delay of time of beginning operation

• Explosion (GAU) of the reactor in January 1969 end of swiss nuclear weapons dream

Switzerland abandons nuclear bomb project after +/- 25 years

• Too expensive - Too dangerous - Not useful

• 1963 Switzerland agrees to NTBT

• Switzerland agreed with NPT in 1968 but ratified in 1977 only

History of the Swiss A-Bomb-Project

Switzerland and nuclear weapons I. (...according to the historic lexikon

of Switzerland)

• Source: http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D24625.php

• 3rd September 1945 (!!!): First meeting of the Defense Commission of the State in view of

discussing about an own swiss A-bomb • to develop tactical nuclear weapons • Switzerland buys 10 tons of Uranium (1953 – 1955) from Belgian

Congo and Great Britain (top secret !) • 1955 Geneva: Atoms for Peace Congress

Switzerland and nuclear weapons II.

Switzerland buys reactor „Saphir“ from the USA

cost: 770 000.- sFr.

(...bargain, to prevent Switzerland from buying a reactor from the UDSSR)

Switzerland and nuclear weapons III.

Cold war scenario

Switzerland and nuclear weapons IV.

• Political opposition against nuclear weapons program too faint loss of two national popular votes in 1958 boost of official nuclear program

• > 870 Million sFr. credit granted for 100 Mirage jet planes (potential A-bomb carriers) in 1960

• Demand for upgrading of budget in 1964 > 550 Million sFr. not allowed by parliament reduction to 57 airplanes...

• nuclear weapons carriers are too expensive

Switzerland and nuclear weapons V.

• Plans of underground nuclear tests in Switzerland (!!!)

• Switzerland builds its own nuclear reactor in Lucens (French part of Switzerland) underground

• Geological problems (fissures in the rock) delay of time of beginning operation

• Explosion (GAU) of the reactor in January 1969 end of swiss nuclear weapons dream

Switzerland abandons nuclear bomb project after +/- 25 years

• Too expensive - Too dangerous - Not useful

• 1963 Switzerland agrees to NTBT

• Switzerland agreed with NPT in 1968 but ratified in 1977 only

Basel History: Support for renewable

energy and sustainability

• Preference of local industry e.g. for

• Insulation of houses• Improvement of heatings• Solar installations • Electric bikes• Sun 21… and so on...

...let’s learn from history: no need for A-bombs no need for nuclear power plants