Swiss Chocolate: A National Symbol Shaped by the Ideal of Mountains and Rurality
Switzerland, renowned worldwide for its chocolate, proudly bears the title of "homeland of chocolate." But this nickname is rather surprising: how did a country without cocoa trees, nestled in the heart of the Alps, become the global ambassador of a raw material originating from South America?
The story begins in the 19th century, at a time when chocolate was still a luxury product, reserved for Europe’s elites. Imported via colonial trade routes, it was displayed in the windows of specialty shops, known as Kolonialwaren in German-speaking Switzerland. Exotic in its origins and modern in its industrial production, chocolate was sold as a refined curiosity, far from the national symbol it would later become. And the advertisements by Swiss chocolatiers emphasized either its colonial origin or its modern industrial character.
But it was the invention of milk chocolate by Daniel Peter in 1875 that marked a turning point in Swiss chocolate’s destiny. This innovation revolutionized how chocolate was perceived and consumed: by adding condensed milk to chocolate, it became not only less bitter—thus more appealing to European palates—but also cheaper to produce. And thanks to Switzerland’s abundant supply of milk, the cost of raw materials was reduced, making chocolate economically accessible to a wider audience.
At the same time, Switzerland was undergoing an identity crisis. Emerging from the turbulence of the Sonderbund War, which had divided Catholic and Protestant cantons against each other, the country was embarking on a journey of identity reconstruction. The newly formed federal state sought to create a unified sense of nationhood, a monstrous challenge given the diversity of its population: different languages, religions, and traditions coexisted within its borders. This political transition marked the beginning of the creation of a Swiss identity, aiming for national cohesion and a shared sense of belonging. Foundational narratives, symbols, and the construction of national museums all played a role in anchoring a collective vision of Switzerland.
In this context, the need for unifying symbols became crucial. Once feared for their danger, the mountains were gradually reimagined. The Alps transformed into symbols of purity, freedom, and authenticity, embodying the very essence of Switzerland. This valorization process, which began in the 18th century, turned the Swiss mountains into a national display, almost like a living painting. This image was further enhanced by artistic works such as Ferdinand Hodler’s landscapes and popular stories like Heidi.
« The mountains served as didactic images for the ideology of modern institutional Switzerland throughout the first half of the 19th century »
Swiss chocolatiers quickly seized the opportunity to leverage these symbols to stand out in the international market. Idealized images of rural Switzerland began to appear on chocolate bars, becoming synonymous with quality. By the early 20th century, advertisements showcased romanticized scenes of Alpine landscapes and rural life: picturesque chalets, cows grazing in lush green pastures, and farmers embodying values of hard work and simplicity.
Today, while the clichéd images of rural Switzerland have somewhat faded from chocolate packaging, many brands still rely on powerful symbols like mountains and milk to emphasize the quality and Swiss origin of their products. These visual elements, deeply ingrained in the collective imagination, remain potent markers, suggesting that, in some way, the roots of chocolate truly lie in Switzerland.
This text was translated with the help of AI.
Bibliography:
Gross, Pierre-Olivier. Teaching and learning sequence: “How did chocolate become Swiss?”, the History and Citizenship Teaching Team of the University of Geneva. 2014.
https://www.unige.ch/fapse/edhice/application/files/6114/2496/8303/sequence_chocolat.pdf
Haver, Gianni. “The image of Switzerland”, Edition Slep, 2013.
https://www.editionslep.ch/pub/media/pdf/935093.pdf
Koller, Frédéric. “1848 or the battle of origins”, Le Temps, 2023.
https://www.letemps.ch/opinions/editoriaux/1848-ou-la-bataille-des-origines
Kreis, Georg. “Nation”, Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, 2011.
https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/fr/articles/017437/2011-04-26/
Neuchâtel Museum of Art and History, “CHOC! Suchad makes his ad”, Discovery tour, cycle III, 2020.
https://www.mahn.ch/fileadmin/mahn/Perdus_Images_Dossiers/Parcours_decouverte_cycle_3_2020-09-04.pdf
Stephens, Thomas. “The pioneers of Swiss chocolate”, swissinfo.ch, 2017.
Walter, François. “The mountains of the Swiss. Invention and use of a landscape representation (18th-20th century)”, in Rural Studies, n.121-124, 1991.
