Since the discovery of America by Europeans, approximately 460,000 Swiss emigrants have crossed the Atlantic, significantly influencing U.S. history. Notable figures include Diebold von Erlach, likely the first Swiss to land in Florida in 1564, and Jacob Ammann, who founded the Amish community. Emigration surged in the mid-19th century due to poverty and the allure of land in America. Swiss emigrants, including Louis Chevrolet, impacted various sectors, despite interruptions during the World Wars and the Great Depression. Today, around 1.2 million Americans have Swiss ancestry, with ongoing immigration from Switzerland.
Since the discovery of America by Europeans, the continent has attracted Swiss emigrants. It is estimated that around 460,000 Swiss have crossed the Atlantic since the 16th century, with some leaving a lasting impact on the United States.
The first known Swiss individual to set foot on what is now US territory was Diebold von Erlach from Bern, who landed in 1564 in the area that would become Florida.
Furthermore, it is documented that Swiss craftsmen participated in the construction of Jamestown in 1608, the first permanent English settlement in North America. However, the exact origins of these Swiss craftsmen remain unclear, as historian David Aragai points out. “But they were already present in the British colonies of North America at such an early stage.”
Aragai emphasizes that emigration during this period was not a mass phenomenon. It primarily involved individuals, typically merchants engaged in transatlantic trade, which sometimes included connections to the slave trade. Additionally, religious groups, such as the Anabaptists and Mennonites, left Switzerland for North America between the 16th and 18th centuries.
One influential Swiss figure in the U.S. context is Jakob Ammann, who made his mark without ever having set foot in the country.
Jakob Ammann: Founder of the Amish
Little is known about Jakob Ammann’s life. Born in 1644 in the Simmental region of Bern, he joined the Anabaptist movement some thirty years later, which was then subject to persecution, facing banishment, imprisonment, or even execution.
Ammann became a leader within a Anabaptist congregation and preached strict adherence to faith-based rules, advocating for a clear separation from society. He insisted that men wear beards and women wear head coverings, as noted by publicist and historian Helmut Stalder, who discusses Ammann in his book “Misunderstood Visionaries: 25 Swiss Life Stories.”
The fierce beliefs propagated by Ammann led to a split within the Anabaptist community in Switzerland in 1693. “From that point on, his followers were referred to as Ammann’s people or the Amish,” explains Stalder. Ammann later established a congregation primarily in Alsace, northeastern France, where they faced less repression.
The details of Ammann’s later life remain elusive, with records of him fading around 1712 in Alsace.
Despite this, Ammann’s community, the Amish, continued and began migrating to North America in the 18th century. Today, they maintain the religious practices defined by Ammann and are a visible part of life in certain regions.
The Onset of Mass Emigration
While earlier emigration consisted mostly of individuals or small groups, Swiss migration to the U.S. surged in the mid-19th century. American authorities recorded over 75,000 Swiss immigrants between 1851 and 1880, with another 80,000 following in the next decade.
Several factors contributed to this wave of emigration, according to historian David Aragai. “The primary reason is simple: poverty in Switzerland. Initially, mainly impoverished individuals set out on the journey.” Many were encouraged by their home communities to leave, sometimes receiving financial support for their departure.
Another significant factor was that the young United States opened its borders to settlers, aiming to populate the eastern states and the Midwest. Not only Swiss emigrants but also many from other European countries sought new opportunities there.
However, settlers did not choose uninhabited land but rather settled on indigenous territories. As Aragai indicates, “Land was allotted to these settlers through governmental programs. Many were either unaware or indifferent to the fact that this land had been taken from Indigenous peoples.” This issue has been increasingly addressed in Switzerland in recent years, with examples such as Johann August Sutter being highlighted.
During this period, larger cities began forming in the Midwest and the western U.S., inhabited by European and Swiss immigrants. Emigration from Switzerland became almost self-perpetuating: “Eventually, everyone knew someone already living in the U.S.,” states Aragai.
One individual who ventured to the U.S. in search of success was Louis Chevrolet. His journey was only partially successful, yet he made a significant mark.
Louis Chevrolet: A Success Story with a Tragic Twist
Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds NE, Chevrolet was the son of a watchmaker and grew up in poverty. As a teenager, he worked as a bicycle mechanic