It was the Battle of Morgaten in 1315 that saw the Swiss defeat the Habsburgs and thus secure the position of the Swiss Confederation in the Roman Empire. Over time, further cantons joined the Confederacy and the 14th and 15th century saw the power and wealth of the nation increase considerably. By the end of the 15th century, the Swiss had effectively achieved independence from the Holy Roman Empire, although it wasn’t until the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 that Switzerland was officially recognised as an independent and neutral state. This didn’t bring peace to Switzerland however, as conflicts between Catholic and Protestant cantons continued to erupt. By the early 19th century, Swiss autonomy began to be restored and in 1815, Switzerland was once again recognised as an independent neutral state at the Congress of Vienna. Further clashes between Catholic and Protestant cantons followed which forced the Swiss to look closely at the need for greater unity and understanding. A federal constitution was established in 1848 and soon after a single currency and the centralisation of legal and matters of national security followed. A small Swiss Nazi party supported an Anschluss with Germany but the country’s passionate national identity meant this never really gained much support. While many Swiss people and media were outwardly critical of Nazi Germany, in the period from 1940 to 1945; 1.3 billion francs worth of gold was sold to Swiss Banks by Germany’s Reichsbank. A portion of this money was in fact taken from Holocaust victims in Eastern Europe. Switzerland’s reputation was further damaged by the country turning away a number of Jewish refugees. The country has continued to thrive since the end of WWII with a strong banking and commerce industry as well as being the headquarters for a number of international organisations, including the European Headquarters of the United Nations. Switzerland is known throughout the world for its chocolate, clocks and Swiss army knives, and today it is a slick modern country famed for its efficiency. | 
