Jan Fleischhauer
“Bitzeli for sale, bitzeli cowardly” – German journalist railed against Switzerland
The journalist Jan Fleischhauer doesn’t have a good hair about Switzerland. In his column he lashes out against the CS, neutrality and Switzerland’s role in World War II.
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“Focus” journalist Jan Fleischhauer pulls hard about Switzerland.
20min/Community
Credit Suisse has always been an address for all those “who get their money from unofficial sources”.
20min/Matthias Spicher
Fleischhauer describes Swiss neutrality as “just another word for continuing business operations under changed conditions”. It is a license not to let anyone spoil you under any circumstances, not even the worst cutthroats and blood drinkers.
20min/Matthias Spicher
«The SVP thinks that they would embody Switzerland. But in reality, the Swiss come to themselves in the Greens: a bit for sale, a bit cowardly, but always on the go with a raised nose,” Fleischhauer continued.
20min/Matthias Spicher
The Swiss legend wants Adolf Hitler to have shied away from the Alpine fortress: “The truth is: he got what he wanted,” writes the journalist.
20min/Sebastien Anex
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In a “Focus” column, a journalist settles accounts with Switzerland.
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From the SVP one knows that “morality only extends from here to the next ATM”.
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Hitler didn’t even have to march in at the time – “He got what he wanted.”
Journalist Jan Fleischhauer railed against Switzerland. «E bitzeli for sale, e bitzeli cowardly: That’s Switzerland. Unfortunately,” is the prominent headline of his “Focus” column “Fleischhauer’s Black Channel”. Switzerland is a bit like China – spectacular nature, every imaginable luxury for those who can afford it. “One must not ask about the principles that hold the whole thing together,” writes Fleischhauer.
The prominent headline in «Focus».
Screenshot/Focus
Albert Speer and Idi Amin
He actually likes Switzerland, the journalist continued. The mountains are “great”. There are “decent wines and great cheese”. In addition, everything is very clean and tidy: “Basically the same as in Baden-Württemberg, plus Alps and Paradeplatz.” According to Fleischhauer, one should not ask more precisely how the Swiss earn their money. Switzerland owes a not inconsiderable part of its wealth to the fact that it hangs out with people “whom you wouldn’t even give your little finger to anywhere else,” the journalist continued.
Die Credit Suisse has always been an address for all those “who get their money from unofficial sources”. Fleischhauer would not be surprised “if the new owners came across lockers on which the names of Albert Speer or Idi Amin can still be found when visiting the vault”. Note: Albert Speer was considered Adolf Hitler’s architect. Idi Amin was the dictator of Uganda, whose eight-year dictatorship left between 300,000 and 400,000 people dead.
Swiss neutrality as a license
Fleischhauer describes Swiss neutrality as “just another word for continuing business operations under changed conditions”. It is a license not to let anyone spoil you under any circumstances, not even the worst cutthroats and blood drinkers.
He points out that Germany was not allowed to pass on to Kiev the tank ammunition that was bought in Switzerland for the Cheetah. “The Swiss People’s Party and the Greens joined forces and canceled the delivery permit. From the SVP one knows that morality only reaches from here to the next ATM. Some were surprised that the Greens have also joined the supporters of Russia. With the SVP they think that they would embody Switzerland. But in reality, the Swiss come to themselves in the Greens: a bit for sale, a bit cowardly, but always on the go with a raised nose,” Fleischhauer continued.
“Then switch to rubles”
“The Swiss live under the assumption that it’s none of their business if one country invades its neighbors. If the Russians take over East Germany tomorrow, as announced, then business relations will simply be switched to rubles,” the journalist is certain.
The role of Switzerland in World War II Fleischhauer describes it this way: “The hundreds of thousands who were allegedly saved from persecution were only several thousand when viewed in the light of day. Better than Jewish refugees were Jewish fortunes anyway. Unfortunately, after the Second World War, people forgot that there were substantial amounts in the accounts.” Switzerland was also too insignificant for Hitler to invade. Finally, he fires off one last ointment: “Swiss legend has it that the Führer shied away from the Alpine fortress. The truth is, he got what he wanted.”
You can find the whole column and reader comments here.