Bourbaki Panorama, Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland

4S L 5:00 PM Sep 28, 2022

Peer into the Bourbaki Panorama
The Bourbaki Panorama is a beautiful panoramic painting featuring the retreat of French Troops in 1871 and their internment in Neutral Switzerland; which cemented the Swiss Neutrality in history. If you only look at the painting alone, one is likely to miss significant elements. The painting is both beautiful and sombre as it depicts the horror of war and the triumph of kindness (through the Swiss neutrality). If you want to understand the significance of the panorama, you should look around near to the spiral staircase entrance. In a basket there are some books which you can borrow (return when done using them) that detail in Switzerland's three languages and english about the significance of individual aspects of the panorama. For example, the presence of colonial troops, the disarmament of the French Army, etc. I would say this visit should take no more than 30 minutes including reading the book, but if you like the serenity of the exhibit you could stay longer. It's worthwhile stopping to at least take a look. But overall I wouldn't recommend it if such exhibits don't catch your attention to begin with, or if you don't have a Swiss Travel Pass (entrance is Free with Swiss Travel Pass).

4Tremont44113 5:00 PM Jun 30, 2015

It starts with Prussia
So I’ve always been a bit confused about Prussia. I remember it from my Western Civ classes, but it’s not something your average American can tell you much about. Is it pre-Germany Germany? Is it Russia (sounds like Russia)? Is it Poland? Sure looks like it on the map - did they combine Poland and Russia to make Prussia and force everyone to speak German? I suppose you can look this stuff up if you’d like, but I will try and summarize and explain how this relates to Luzern. Prussia was won of those shape-shifting countries that did in fact cover a lot of Northern Europe in the 1700’s. Its most famous leader was Frederick the Great, who you can think of as a German Napoleon. He was enlightened and artistic, but really became good and conquering lands with his brilliant military strategies. His biggest rival was of course the Holy Roman Empire which was neither holy nor Roman, but centered in Vienna - and these guys also spoke German. Okay, before I lose you, let’s fast-forward 100 years to the Franco-Prussian War where the Prussians have become part of a German Confederation led by Otto von Bismarck who provokes a war with France, so he can united everyone (not Austria - he wasn't Hitler for god’s sake) into Germany. And if there was one thing German speaking couldn’t stand, it was the French. So Germany kicks France’s butt (they were led by Napoleon III by the way) in this war which led to Germany being the main continental power and revolutionizing the way people would approach warfare. But how does Switzerland come into play? We would have to focus on the French General Bourbaki who was part of the losing side of that butt kicking. He took his bloodied horses and troops into neutral Switzerland where they voluntarily disarmed themselves, were nursed back to health for about six weeks while the war ended, and the Swiss merrily sent them back to France. Bourbaki actually tried to kill himself out of humiliation, but the bullet flattened against his skull instead of penetrating it and killing. I guess he should have used German bullets. Now enter Édouard Castres who was a Swiss volunteer at this event but also a skilled painter. In the middle of Luzern, one can see his massive and moving panorama of these events: dead horses, collected rifles all stacked up, and Swiss citizens donning the famous red cross tending to bloodied French soldiers. The painting itself is so massive that it accounts for the only piece in the museum, although there is a film to watch and an explanation of how this event set the basis for treatment of prisoners of war. And I had walked into the museum not really knowing any of this, so I guess travel can be educational at times, but none of it really made sense until I finally looked up some facts on Prussia.