Swiss Review 4/2021

Swiss Review / August 2021 / No.4 Gesehen Borders – a stor y of jeopardy and oppor tunity If a museum is devoted ostensibly to what seems a very niche, limited subject, how does it retain its appeal for decades? Take the Bourbaki Panorama in Lucerne, for example – a museum with architecture and artifacts that hark back to a single event: the winter crossing into Switzerland of 87,000 ragged, frozen, hungry French soldiers led by com- mander General Bourbaki in 1871. The sub- sequent intake, disarmament and intern- ment of Bourbaki’s demoralised refugee army played an important role in cement- ing humanitarianism and neutrality in Switzerland’s national psyche. This story, which proved to be a remarkable experience for the entire Swiss nation, was depicted on an iconic 112-metre-long circular painting by EdouardCastres that nowdominates the museum. Panoramic depictions like Castres’ 20