AJC - CICAD Survey Examines Swiss Attitudes Toward Jews and the Holocaust

American Jewish Committee
Wednesday, 15 March 2000

While a majority of Swiss favor keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive, they are deeply divided in judging the behavior of their country during World War II. At the same time, a majority of Swiss citizens believe that anti-Semitism is a problem in their country and that it is likely to increase over the next several years.

These are some of the principal findings of a new American Jewish Committee-CICAD survey, "Swiss Attitudes Toward Jews and the Holocaust," released in Berne today.

"The survey results reveal a contradictory, if not schizophrenic, picture," said David A. Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee. "On the one hand, an overwhelming majority of respondents believe it is essential to learn about the Holocaust and a clear majority endorse the Swiss law punishing racism, anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial.

"On the other hand, 53 percent believe anti-Semitism in Switzerland will increase in the years ahead, and a plurality declare that Switzerland has nothing to apologize about its behavior towards Jews during World War II."

"Swiss Attitudes toward Jews and the Holocaust" is the fourth in a new series of AJC national surveys dealing with Holocaust knowledge and remembrance, and current attitudes toward Jews, in various countries. The other three surveys were conducted in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Sweden.

The survey was conducted in cooperation with CICAD, a Swiss Jewish organization dedicated to combating anti-Semitism. Brigitte Sion, Secretary General of CICAD; Dr. Claude Longchamp, Director of GFS Polling Organization; and AJC's Director of Research, David Singer, presented the survey results today at a news conference held at the Hotel Berne.

On anti-Semitism in Switzerland, the AJC survey found that:

- 57 percent of Swiss think that anti-Semitism in Switzerland is currently a "very serous problem" or "somewhat of a problem," while 28 percent say it is "probably not a problem" and 7 percent say it is "definitely not a problem."
- 53 percent of Swiss believe that anti-Semitism in their country will increase over the next several years, while 23 percent say it will decrease.
- 58 percent of Swiss said there are political parties in Switzerland today that are racist or anti-Semitic.
- Sixty-nine percent of Swiss support a 1994 law punishing racism, anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial.

Among the AJC survey's key findings on Holocaust remembrance and knowledge:

- 84 percent of Swiss think it is "essential" or "very important" for "all citizens of Switzerland to know about and understand the Nazi extermination of the Jews during World War II."
- 72 percent of Swiss feel that "we should keep the remembrance of the Nazi extermination of the Jews strong even after the passage of time," while 21 percent maintain that "50 years after the end of World War II it is time to put the memory of the Nazi extermination of the Jews behind us."
- 73 percent of respondents correctly identified Auschwitz, Dachau and Treblinka as concentration camps, and 76 percent knew the symbol – yellow star – Jews were forced to wear.
- 45 percent of Swiss chose "6 million" as the approximate number of Jews killed by the Nazis.
- 33 percent of Swiss favor establishing a national Holocaust museum in Switzerland and 48 percent are opposed.

On Swiss behavior during World War II, the survey showed a mixed response, perhaps reflecting that country's ongoing effort to confront its past:

- 45 percent of Swiss agree, and 39 percent disagree, with the statement: "Switzerland has nothing to apologize about for its behavior towards Jews during World War II."
- 43 percent say that Switzerland admitted "the right amount of Jewish refugees" during World War II, while 35 percent said it admitted too few and 4 percent too many.
- 57 percent of respondents agree with a Swiss governmental commission's conclusion that Switzerland turned away refugees during World War II even though they were in danger of being killed. 20 percent disagree.

On current attitudes toward Jews in Switzerland:

- 17 percent of Swiss think that Jews have "too much influence" in Switzerland, 33 percent believe that "Jews exert too much influence on world events."
- 30 percent of Swiss agree with the statement: "Swiss Jews are more loyal to Israel than they are to Switzerland," while 34 percent disagree.
- While 61 percent of Swiss indicated it "wouldn't matter" if neighbors are Jews, 28 percent said they would "like to have" Jews as neighbors and 8 percent would "prefer not."

The survey was conducted for the American Jewish Committee by GFS Polling Organization, a leading opinion-research organization based in Berne between January 10-24, 2000. The survey of 1,210 Swiss has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Between 1992 and 1996, the AJC carried out a series of public opinion surveys probing issues related to knowledge and remembrance of the Holocaust. The United States, Great Britain, France, Slovakia, Australia, Germany, Austria, Poland and Russia were included in that research effort.

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org