Switzerland Without an Army? | Max Frisch | Granta Magazine

Switzerland Without an Army?

Max Frisch

Translated by Michael Bullock

‘Why should Switzerland of all places have no army? It costs billions and billions, but we can afford it.’

Max Frisch

Max Frisch published his first book in 1940. ‘Switzerland Without an Army?’ (Granta 35) was first published in German as a pamphlet around the time of the Swiss referendum to abolish the military. The referendum was defeated by a vote of 1,903,797 (64,4 per cent).

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Translated by Michael Bullock

Michael Bullock was a British novelist, poet and translator. He translated many literary works of French and German into English. He died in 2008.

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