EntertainmentBig2622 on September 27, 2024 4:14 am During the [First World War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I), Switzerland sustained its policy of neutrality despite sharing land borders with two of the [Central Powers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Powers) ([Germany](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Empire) and [Austria-Hungary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria-Hungary)) and two of the [Allied Powers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_I) ([France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Third_Republic) and [Italy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italy)). The German-speaking majority in Switzerland generally favoured the Central Powers whilst the French-speaking and Italian-speaking populations favoured the Allied Powers. This sparked internal tensions; however, the country was able to maintain its neutrality. In 1917, the neutrality of Switzerland was brought into question by the [Grimm-Hoffmann Affair](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimm-Hoffmann_Affair). [Robert Grimm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Grimm), a Swiss [socialist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist) politician, visited Russia in an attempt to negotiate a separate peace agreement between [Russia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Soviet_Federative_Socialist_Republic) and Germany, in order to end the war on the [Eastern Front](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_I)) in the interests of [socialism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism). Grimm was supported by [Arthur Hoffman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Hoffmann_(politician)), a [Swiss Federal Councillor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Federal_Council) who was in charge of the [Political Department](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Switzerland) and headed the [Foreign Ministry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Department_of_Foreign_Affairs). However, Hoffman had not consulted his fellow Councillors over this initiative, and when a telegram sent between Grimm and Hoffman was made public, the Allied Powers were outraged.
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During the [First World War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I), Switzerland sustained its policy of neutrality despite sharing land borders with two of the [Central Powers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Powers) ([Germany](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Empire) and [Austria-Hungary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austria-Hungary)) and two of the [Allied Powers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_I) ([France](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Third_Republic) and [Italy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italy)). The German-speaking majority in Switzerland generally favoured the Central Powers whilst the French-speaking and Italian-speaking populations favoured the Allied Powers. This sparked internal tensions; however, the country was able to maintain its neutrality.
In 1917, the neutrality of Switzerland was brought into question by the [Grimm-Hoffmann Affair](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimm-Hoffmann_Affair). [Robert Grimm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Grimm), a Swiss [socialist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist) politician, visited Russia in an attempt to negotiate a separate peace agreement between [Russia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Soviet_Federative_Socialist_Republic) and Germany, in order to end the war on the [Eastern Front](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_I)) in the interests of [socialism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism). Grimm was supported by [Arthur Hoffman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Hoffmann_(politician)), a [Swiss Federal Councillor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Federal_Council) who was in charge of the [Political Department](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Switzerland) and headed the [Foreign Ministry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Department_of_Foreign_Affairs). However, Hoffman had not consulted his fellow Councillors over this initiative, and when a telegram sent between Grimm and Hoffman was made public, the Allied Powers were outraged.