Why Switzerland Has 374,142 Bunkers (and likely more)
Hunting for Switzerland’s Hidden Mountain Fortresses
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I went to Switzerland to hunt for bunkers, something I’ve been planning and dreaming about for years. The result wasn’t just a wild trip through the mountains. It was an uncovering of something much deeper: the story of this peculiar country and the cost and benefits of choosing neutrality.
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Wau
'One for all and all for one ' Swiss national motto ..
theres fkng way too much slick production filler in your vids. Give it a fkng rest
Please remember, it’s never important to show Stephen Colbert on anything, he is the biggest television douche bag there is
This was amazing to watch, production value and editing were 🤌 perfection.
World: *does something that is somewhat unstable* The Swiss: *starts digging furiously*
🤣
It's very intelligent
Someone dropped a biscuit.. quick build a bunker!
When you’re surrounded by giants who want to wile you off the earth for 700 years… combine this with a people who basically does not want to be governed by anyone, let alone its own government…😂
lmfao🤣🤣🤣
Its always weird to hear people outside of Switzerland being so impressed by our bunkers, because I grew up with it and I thought every country runs like this^^.
Man I wish my country ran like this! 😅
@@carlinc.christensen3478 dude trust me: we're not perfect either...we didn't have womens voting rights until the 70s...
The weirdest is not the bunkers but the dynamite under the bridges ^^'
@@gabe_o_verse In Appenzell it wasn‘t until 1990 and only after our highest court told them they need to give women the right to vote by law, while somewhat implying that a failure to do so would be a valid reason for armed intervention by all other Kantons.
Meet an Albanian and then you can share your bunker passions.
We lived in Switzerland for 16 years. There was a bunker in the apartment buildings we lived in and in the house we lived in. The bunker in the house was inspected and tested about every 4-5 years and there was a signed sheet for completed and passed testing on the inside of the door, for every test since the house was built. If you built a home without a bunker, you had to pay your local municipality for the right to space in the municipality's general bunker... they all have one. The bunkers are NOT just for protection from war - "traditional" or nuclear - they are also for protection from nuclear fallout in case one of many nuclear power plants goes kaboom. Because of the air filtering system, they also provide safety in case of a chemical tanker accident and other things that can contaminate the air where people live. Also, they would provide safe shelter in cases of extreme weather or run-away fires.... and, probably, the whole house falling down on top of them.
Why did you move away? Sounds like a dream living there.
How many Globalists can fit in the 100 year bunker when they destroy the world?
Defeats the purpose.. Fallout from hydrogen bombs wont go away til way after everyone in the bunker dies!! It wouldnt ever shield you from radiation, sorry thats a myth..
@@roobs5 If he isnt a native place probably didnt feel like home. I myself am from Croatia and no matter where I went or gone, no matter how much prosper and good it was to live or how much money I made, I never felt like it was home, always missed my birth place. For alot of the people even if they are from a hellhole of a place they end up missing it cuz the heart aint right and on its place.
Dude that has to be the most interesting video I have watched in a long time. Great production and super informative/thought provoking. Thanks man!
Dude chill. I bet you like eating donuts too spaghetti man; tread lightly.
All about it!
I’m an American and lived in Switzerland for several years. You have no idea how prepared they are for ANYthing and EVERYthing all at once. The Swiss think through everything very very thoroughly…. It’s not that easy to understand until you live there and are a part of their system that you realize they have thought of everything to guard against anything from minor pitfalls to major threats. It’s an astonishingly well-run, orderly, safe society.
… this isn’t the situation anymore … I have lived in Switzerland for several months each year … once they abandoned their neutrality recently against Russia, they have joined the main stream quid pro quo …
who really needs social stability anyway?
Time for USA to invade Swtizerland? may be they don't have oil :(
@@bluemoon8268 Switzerland didn‘t abandoned the neutrality because of that war. Switzerland is a country with values that they share with other western countries. Those values are under attack because of this war. It is the right thing to take the position that is in the best interest for your country. This was the case during the world wars, cold war and it is the case today.
@vix altaris monumentum monstrantum Nope. Wasn‘t my point of the comment.
Johnny meeting a fellow Map Enthusiast is pure joy. So happy you felt seen.
In another reality, that fellow Swiss map enthusiast IS johhny 40 years after moving to Switzerland.
Likewise - did you know this? Canada now has a land border with two countries. One is in Europe. Which means we can (as Canadians) benefit from trade pacts that are only made for countries who have land borders with Europe? See if you can find that out. It's new in 2022. - Cheers!
My fellow TISS enthusiast
It's like Johnny found his soulmate! 😂
@@sanket7_ Hello!
We also have a bunker with a circulating air filter (including the large yellow wrench 😊) installed in our house. It is used as a storage room and the racks are actually beds. We also have the army weapon that everyone stores at home and is allowed to keep when they finish their service. Many things are special in Switzerland that would be unthinkable in other countries.
Just love watching this vlog, it's like a free tour in Switzerland. What an amazing country, it's my dream now to travel in Switzerland before I die
As a swiss and a soldier which got trained in swiss bunkers, i have to say this documentary is done very well. You educated a lot of people on a very interesting and mostly unknown topic and all that without being disrespectful against our National Security cause you didn’t got around and searched for the ones which are classified or tried to expose anything which isn’t known to the puplic.
Good luck to you...only I think you will not be able to use these things
Jesus Christ lived a sinless life died on the cross rose from the dead three days later so that you can have eternal life you just have to accept his gift of salvation and repent from your sins and surrender your life to him Jesus Christ for eternal life. God Bless Everybody
You have nukes on your bunker or you could self destruct your whole country.
I know where to go now when these countries start a nuclear World War. Let's take a "vacation" to Switzerland.
@@PokeMyBallsNo no, already to crowded here..
Fun fact: In Zurich, where you met the historian, there are SEVERAL machine gun bunkers hidden, and also strategic explosive charges underneath the most important bridges. Some of the machine gun bunkers were even pointed at the lake, like at the entrance to that floating sailing club, behind you at 28:14, which honestly is beyond me as to why anyone would attack Zurich by lake. We use it for wine storage now :D
If I'm not mistaken, the explosive charges were removed from all bridges recently
@@Mikijonie allegedly
@@Mikijonie yes. That's true
I'm pretty sure that some of them explosives are still in place...
You must have never played age of empires You bring villagers, build a port, the port builds a boat, the troops go into the boat, and that's how they come across
Are the Swiss actually dwarves?
I need to go bunker hunting in Switzerland now! thanks for sharing this master piece!
Looks like a fun adventure. So sorry they took your big yellow wrench.
Oh, hey Mar..... Destin!
Went to the comments for the sad confiscation
Loved your video with Luke Talley - had to watch the long cut it was so good!
Hey Destin!
Don't understand why they even consider taking the wrench.
As a former officer in the Swiss army, I really enjoyed this, and wish you could see some of the stuff we have, like underground airbases complete with fighter jets hanging in the ceiling, maintenence tunnels, the insane fire suppression systems, and, as you showed it, the usual fortified maching gun position at the end of a tunnel. Not used anymore nowadays and mostly cold war relics, but that would nevertheless make any insane James Bond villain hideout look like an amateurish Disneyland prop. Anyway, thanks for this, great work and hope you enjoyed Switzerland.😉😘
Didn't you worry about paratroopers just going over it all and landing behind your field of fire? There must have been a plan for that, can you explain? Or is that a secret still?
@@hepburn118 As another swiss, i can assure you, if you want to land behind our field of fire, you have to land in italy, france, germany or austria.
@@FaethorFerenzcy Gotcha, so impossible then. Thanks for that.
Plus, we would also have soldiers running around the mountains helping ensure our flanks are protected. I've spent many a day cursing the steepness of our hills 😅
dont they have long range bunker buster missle now ?
Does everyone overlook the genius of this guy? He used KZhead to travel the world and tell amazing true stories. Wow
there are literally 1000s of people who do the exact same thing
Yeah... it's called "Travel Blogging" I don't think he actually invented it.
“Genius”. That word is way overused.
the production quality of your vids are so good I'm loving every one
I cant believe Johnny was in a bunker.. and said " this place is nuts" instead of " This place is bunkers" missed opertunity
*Slaps roof of bunker* "This country can fit so many bunkers"
Comment of the fucking year
Worst dad joke
Ha,i was the first dude liking this comment.
Good pun. I dig it.
I live in Switzerland and what is funny and you haven't mentioned is that during the skiing season you can literally go off-piste and drive over the roofs of little shacks that look like they are used for holding farming equipment like rakes etc. but they have a whole bunker underneath.
Wow!
max amon? Like the Egyptian?
That's dope
Sounds like something straight out a videogame!
So cool Im honestly really jealous I wish we had bunkers that could provide that level of safety.
a lot of history in this video, thank you for making it :) keep up the good work
Production value is off the Charts. As a swiss i thoroughly enjoyed the video, but i wish you would have gone more into the redoubt tactic and what the swiss people were willing to sacrifice in case of invasion. keep it up!
Agree!
Switzerland is the most overrated country in the world, it’s so expensive and has high taxes and they pretend to advocate for peace and Human rights and yet they support ISRAEL, hypocrisy
@@rafa2209 neutrality was imposed on the Swiss in the treaty of Versailles in 1815 (I think), in the unwinding of the napoleonic wars, to create a buffer between the great powers of europe. But we rolled with it and its gone rather well for us, so we take it, lol.
dont give him an idea lol 🤣
@@mysterioanonymous3206 what about switz banks hiding rich people's money and as well as the goods of hitler's war? Doesn't seem that neutral.
This documentary is amazing, but please make each shot longer. Its such a fast chop between shots and you never allow enough time for shots to linger, so I feel like I'm missing so much and not letting me absorb this beautifully shot and framed images
I think the duration is just right for a fast overlook. For enjoying a longer novel, go to his Patreon site.
Such short clips are for people that can’t focus. I agree with longer shots gives you a chance to appreciate it.
Go to the Patreon version of the video...Be sure to have SO MUCH TIME to spare when you do!
Yea it's almost seizure inducing quick lol
@@lendalennuk2484 idt half hour is quite a quick overlook lol
So far, and only today, I've found a couple of your videos to be unusually useful and informative. I really can't thank you enough. Previously, all I knew about William Tell was that he was an excellent archer and that there was an overture bearing his name. (Plus, I never looked into the difference between a symphony and an overture... save your keyboard, I looked it up on the 'information super-highway! LOL!) I'm preceding my comment re. your comment with a point of view a preacher pointed out to me 20-30 years ago, as it related to the lessons he was hoping others could find useful... "I don't/can't expect anyone to know what they've never been taught". That concept is quite profound after a bit of thought is applied. What struck me as 'remarkable' was your comment, "Putin's invasion of Ukraine is changing everything..." as it defied what I've come to understand or conclude regarding this horrific exercise in national security, both abroad and here in America. There wouldn't be 1.5 million civilians on the war front if this had been untouched by the United States. In the fashion of DJT (I don't want to 'trigger anyone, so I don't use the full name - SMH) and considering his THREE Nobel Peace Prize nominations, and now with DSJ* and his masters at the helm, everything is going to pot... both literally and figuratively. This idea is difficult for me to share because it's so upsetting. At 65 years old, I've discovered that I've been put through a 'mill' designed to push my way of thinking towards a narrative that often, simply isn't factual. When I was a kid, lying to me was the most effective method of prompting me to 'reach out and touch' someone. Call me crazy, but lying to me (for no apparent reason) just pisses me off. If the U.S. wasn't providing funds and weapons, this war would have found a natural end long ago. Due the the world-wide military/industrial complex and the money involved, it's being prolonged in an effort to line the pockets of tyrants and promote a centralized control or management of the world's populations (Please note how the more educated populations are being propagandized the most). I must add that the most damning effect these efforts have cultivated weigh on my mind terribly. Here in America where 'free speech' has been championed as the NUMBER ONE MUSCLE OF MANKIND, since it's founding, I have concerns about retaliation for simply sharing my point of view. This sucks big time. (re. DSJ*, figure it out... I'm sure you'll catch my drift) SMH, once again.
Good on you snd thank you for presenting!!!!!!!! The people and their culture seems so strong & aware & alive!❤❤❤❤❤
swiss army soldier here: very nice job of portraying the cultural aspect of why my ancestors chose to construct these bunkers. some higher ups in the army even bought some fortresses and use them as their private residence. seeing professional videos makes the alps look that much nicer and i thank you for that as well :) I still desperately hope we will never have to use them but we are still prepared in the end as we always have been. (some political groups want them completely abandoned and i think thats a big mistake, especially under current circumastances).
Start filling them with cement. Yall have hid long enough. It time for the party.
@@philup6274 bruh nothing worse than a hater lmao. Haters bring this world down, except for those stronger than them, who use the weak haters hate as fuel to become great. You, my friend, are a hater. If anything I am happy at least one country is prepared for the new WW we are about to face, which could start any time now, literally. I, as an American living in California, am pissed that the Worlds wealthiest country, has done little to protect its people. We are absolutely screwed if we get hit by EMPs, let alone a nuke. We need someone to survive this. F our leaders. Both US, NATO, China, Russia, and all their Allies are all evil and are playing Earth and it’s life like it’s a game of 4D Chess smh.
Those political groups are definitely acting against the interest of your country and it's citizens. who are these political groups? I'm very interested in moving to Switzerland and I would be in support of the political groups that want to be prepared, that want to be secure and that want to be keeping fortified bunkers because that's what smart people do!! I agree with Switzerland stance on being neutral and the natural beauty is unparalleled plus European people are nice and sophisticated and Switzerland is also one of the more reasonable countries that has good amounts of civil rights.
@@loveamerica3426 its mostly any left leaning party since they are against the swiss army in general. Even within europe: we consider countries like germany/france/italy as somewhat degenerate because of their policies compared to ours. If you like to support more conservative things like our bunker system, SVP is a good party to follow. PS: our neighbours arent necessarily degenerate, its just that we dont wanna join the shitshow which is the european Union.
@@loveamerica3426 yes, the Swiss are building the biggest bunker system because their fellow Europeans are nice and sophisticated 😂 I’m just joking around
I'M READY! Heartbroken to hear about the Yellow Wrench..
R.I.P
ugh me too :(
@@johnnyharris maybe someone can mail you one?
@@johnnyharris why was it taken? Don't tell me you tried to take it on your carry-on lol
Wasn't the wrench checked in?
this was brilliant, incredible editing and colors
Bro I just fucking loved that video ! It kept me interested through the whole thing, I've always always want to go to Switzerland. Thanks for a great video.
In 2012 my wife and I were on a train headed north from Geneva. I was looking out across open fields up ahead of the train when I spotted what looked like maybe an F-16 taxi out onto what looked like a large food producing field. I watched as the aircraft took off, then spotted another one taxiing out from an earth-covered bunker, and a third before I lost sight of them. I was amazed and seriously impressed.
You know Switzerland is not neutral right, it's more nefarious than that. Look into it a bit. If you start pulling the string the web unfolds.
Might have been Sion - about 1.30 hours out of Geneva by train.
@@mdecourcywheelermore likely the air base in Payerne if it was north of Geneva
That must have been a F/A 18 jet,we Swiss never had F16's.
@@FirstDagger The poster did not say it definitely was an F-16............post clearly read I spotted what "looked like maybe" an F-16".........
This video is shot and edited with such a high level of production value! Thank you for this! Absolutely incredible.
Thank you!
@@johnnyharris how long did the video editing take?
@@raiderunbeatable6306 longer than your sex life.
@@raiderunbeatable6306 This particular video took 18 months to edit.
@@trentcruise3084 🤣 right!
Wowwww that piece blew my mind theres really so much i had no idea about THANK U JOHNNY FOR PIONEERING TODAYS INDEPENDANT JOURNALISM
The barn with the cannon was a big surprise to me. Considering the context idk why it still blows me away but, I just could not have expected that. 9:42
As a Swiss kid it was always completely normal for me, that the cellars had this big and heavy doors. Never really thought about it. It was just what a cellar had to look like for me (even though our own house didn‘t have a bunker due to being old).
Nirutivan/// my French relatives in Canada all had bunkers below their homes. We kept them as wine cellars.
Fort de Dailly?
His video is like a movie...He knows how to keep the audience engaged from the beginning to the end, well-done, a lot of effort went into this video
Really? I didn't get past 4:15
@@MrSnellyG Really? Nobody asked
@@MrSnellyG I'd have to agree! This is an extremely interesting subject made pretty well unwatchable by the frenetic seemingly drug-fueled narcissistic weirdo making it. God help us if the BBC ever decides to chose him as a replacement for a retiring Attenborough!😱
Lol yeah.. Like the "dead body" room with the Swizz label for "air supply" on the door 😅
@@theoztreecrasher2647 I concur.
Zurich airport took your wrench! My heart breaks for you dude, did they let you mail it to yourself? Also, amazing drone footage. Great video all in all - & even though you’re supposed to land and takeoff the drone outside, *I highly recommend a car with a sunroof* at least for roadtrip drone footage! This was my tactic during my road trip thru the Rockies with my homie a couple years ago. Flawless 💯 Epic video! Subbed
This story was absolutely amazing, thank you very much for uploading it and showing us how beautiful and secretive Switzerland actually really is. You sir, have a new subscriber. Thanks again, take care. ~Jonny5🥁
I’m from Switzerland and my father has a bunker in his basement as well. As a child, I never realized that it was an actual BUNKER. We always stored food in it, but one day, my father explained, what it actually is and it blew my mind. I love how you dig into things like this, Johnny. Awesome video once again👏🏼😍
Hi, Is Swiss really that expensive as portrayed on KZhead??? How much is enough for a family of three (including a child) to live in Swiss middle Area ( not a city)
@@ravisingh-vp1tp Switzerland is indeed expensive, but we also have good wages. For a family with three people, you might need at least 5’000.- a month to survive. But this depends on where you live. If you live in a city, the rent costs a lot more. I live in the countryside and my rent is about 2’000.- a month. But please don’t quote me on that, it’s extremely difficult to tell how much money you need.
@@sxarxag How do you feel about your government funding both sides in WW2 & now American Imperialism?
Tell your father I’m moving in
@@dirtydangler not true. That doesn’t make sense
I'm swiss. Almost every mountain here is hollowed out and fitted with one or more artillery pieces. The whole Linth plain (where I live) is covered with anti-tank barriers and many areas have a flood plan in place to prevent enemy tanks from advancing further… really fascinating but so normal for us Swiss people 😅
Festung Grynau 👀
LilyLullaby/// I'm French and live in Canada, I respect countries which remain neutral.
oh wow!!! hello fellow Linthebene person! 😁 grew up there, currently living somewhere nearby
@@carollen5633 they remain neutral altho they supply weapons and drones and dealt with all the stolen art and relics from ww2 ,laundering nazi gold ,like teeth ,wedding rings and valuables of ww2 prisoners ,not really much honour in that ......
@@deliaconny me too
Thank you for this video! I new that there were a lot of bunkers around here in Switzerland but I didn't know the strategy behind it and that they're in plane sight but still hidden by camouflage.
what a breath-taking content. i am at awe with your courageousness and meticulousness in making this video. i know how difficult this is. so thank you for letting us know. thank you for showing us.
Worked with a Swiss National for years who ended his service as a Lt. Col in the same anti-tank unit his father served in, protecting the same pass for 40+ years. Not only are the Swiss “bunkered in” but know every inch of the ground they are defending.
Nice work Johnny. And yet, as you have indicated, just scraping the surface! I think people don't believe me when I tell them about a hatch cover I saw in a re-entrant beside a road in Switzerland when I was hitch-hiking in the 80s. As we drove along beside a steep mountain side I looked off to my left and fleetingly saw a hatch cover on a cliff face. The hatch cover was about the size of a large house with bolts around the raised perimeter. The bolt heads were each about the size of a small car. I never did find out what was in there. Fascinating.
I think that during the 80s most of the information about the bunkers was classified.
@@jeremie_avec_ie Still is. I´ve known several swiss men who all assured me there are few things impressed on them in training as much as not talking about any installation they might gain knowledge of during during service. Bolt-holes and ambush positions loose half their strategic value once known. Everything he was willingly shown here has to be out-of-date stuff, the publication cleard by the defense ministry at some point.
It's probably one of the runways in the mountain
It's a good thing you didn't stop and knock on the hatch. The Swiss might have not been friendly.
@@nilesbutler8638 All the installations shown in this vid are in some stage of decommissioning. There still are loads of active bunkers and i have not seen a single sign of the types i know about.
If Minecraft was a country.
I knew there were a lot of bunkers in the Swiss mountains but not that many and at that scale. Amazing.
I grew up in a city that has man made caves from the early 1900's for storing and keeping beer cool. Also some were used for growing mushrooms.
A bunker without beer 🍻 or mushrooms 🍄, is inhumane.
What country?
@Internet User Account until they become a topping on the 🍕
@@Lotek117 Guessing MILWAUKEE. DAMHIK.
Where? Im moving
this is a great video, im Swiss and i cant even express how much i love my country and how grateful i am to be able to feel this safe.
D Schwiiz isch äbä schono badass 🇨🇭😎
Would you die for your country, if your country asked you to?
What do you love exactly? That your country kept all the loot the Nazis got from their empire while destroying Allied countries? I'd only feel shame. Democracy is a value that needs effort not hiding behind bunkers and being "neutral" like the Spaniards/Sweds and Swiss did in WW2. Gratitude should go to all those countries that fought and got demolished for Europe. At least Switz picked sides now or else it'd have been just another Chinese colony, same as Singapore is. Singapore = 20th century Switzerland
i love Switzerland very much ! from California .
I love it also just from this video
This was the best youtube doco I've seen in ages. Well done.
This was dope!! I know you love what you do!
Switzerland did not just build bunkers, it basically turned the entire country into one massive fortress. As European I have been there several times. Loved the country, loved the culture, loved the people
rj Van loon/// when I was in Switzerland, I loved the cleanliness and greenery! The food is out of this world! Thank you Switzerland!!
I just wanted to tell you how much you have helped me in my struggles with addiction and homelessness! Even been able to have 25 minutes clean time was a huge deal at one point! Now I'm approaching 12 months clean and nearly have my own house please God! I am in college now doing social studies but I want to be a investigate journalist and that's all because of you Johnny! I will get there and 2023 I wish you all the luck that you deserve! Keep doing you! Love from Dublin Ireland!
This comment warmed my heart thank you for sharing. Stay strong and good luck in your studies!!
Kudos!
I came here expecting to watch a 'lite' video about Suisse bunkers but came away with way more. Kudos.
the bunker hotel you stayed in was my favorite. ty for making another great vid
I'm a WW2 history freak, and, I'm blown away. I had no idea these bunkers were here, I'm fascinated. Thanks for this geez, amazing!
Same here, I've watched and read everything about ww2 as humanly possible over the last 15 years and I had never heard a mention of this incredible feat of bunkers.
@@kereyc5751 wars never was about resources it was about cleaning old ancient beings of world...as also slamming antartic resources after byrd has anounced on tv live that there is coal and minerals for 500 y for all world and that all other nations will rush there and bohr land beyond antartic..the true meaning about all wars wasn oil or anything it was about hidding our world and occupy with problems and work untiil they do their job...all wars was fake and only one who was invilve in them was profiters and self called elites of esoteric and dark world
Any WW2 movie recommendations not so common?
So no much of a freak then 😜
There are 5,500 bunkers in Helsinki, creating a vast network of underground facilities that have been built since the 1980s. And although they're usually used for parking, storage, sporting events and more, their true purpose is more ominous: they are designed to protect those in Finland from attack.
When I was in Switzerland in May I remember seeing heavy duty metal doors randomly all over while driving and was wondering the purpose for such intense protection, it all makes sense now, very cool!!
It’s funny because me being Swiss I don’t notice them anymore, they are just normal to me
I’m so hungry for good journalism like this! I know the world at large must be too. This is my 5th 30 min video of Johnny’s in a row 😂❤
Gorgeous video and sights dude! So amazing. And a lot of history to go with it. lol so awesome. 10/10, even the music was dope.
I am from Switzerland, went to google to look for some bunkers in a town next to me, because there are these Tankwalls Toblerone things. Turns out I drive everyday past a huge bunker system hidden in the valley pointing at the road, yet I never knew. Also important to mention is the swiss military has a giant high tech Air Force base in a mountain where they store, repair and rearm their jets.
Yes, American F-18s. Please buy the F-35 as my old bosses would love to have you do.
Now Johnny will stop whining about his favorite country.
Knowing Johnny this wont be the end. Flashback to stealing Europe, and sliced bread call-outs. Hahaha
The itch will come back 😂
Yeah right
Oh you sweet summer child
I doubt it 😂
High quality content for sure, great work
its true, nearly every structure has one too. might be used for storage, a home theater or even a gun range, but theyre readily converted to survival shelters
Swiss Person here: As a child, I've always thought the bunkers we had everywhere in our woods where just like- what you could see, so one room. Windows and doors were shut, so it wasn't much more to see than a blob of concrete, the size of a small delivery van. I grew up with one of those "cellar-bunkers", and our school had two big bunkers as well, entire networks I've only ever explored parts of. In I think 7th grade our [sweetheart of a] teacher briefly told us about his time serving in the military in a HUGE bunker, an entire mountain. Even before I've stayed in these city-bunkers multiple times, either when helping out at Conventions/Events where it's easier to rent a bunker than a hotel, or when I was in gymnastics summer camp at my old school. When I moved out from home, our apartment building had maps and noticed on the wall detailing the way to the nearest nuclear safety bunker. That's the way it is, that's normal, we grow up with it. But I think most us "civillians", especially people who've not served in the military ever, will never TRULY realize just how fortified we are, have been, or could be. And we're not even talking about the idk how many bridges they would've blown up in case of invasion, or how we got a shitton of guns. It's fascinating to me, really, because you can stay completely oblivious to all that if you choose. And it's also just- easily forgotten, honestly.
Is there at least one person in all of them? How would you guys know if a different country was coming?
What you saw under the city with a room for surgery, patient care and essentially a morgue is a nuclear shelter for citizens. Until very recently, every resident of Switzerland needed a spot in one of those in the vicinity of their residence, or to build a bunker in their cellar that can provide shelter in case of a nuclear attack. Where I grew up in Switzerland, my family had spots in a nuclear shelter in the mountain behind the house, which has the same facilities, food rations for a specific amount of time and a bunk bed for everyone. Also, people doing civil service still are being trained in first aid, how to build rudimentary telephone lines etc and how to protect these sites. Imho this actually is a very good defense strategy: try invading a country where the majority of the population is prepared for such a worst case scenario, either through training in the military or in civil service. Anyone playing with the idea of an attack would have to consider the extremely high cost of doing so and the resistance they'd run into.
Great info man! I was in Switerland a few months ago. We went to a few world war two bunkers. Amazing country!
This is so amazing and cool. I'm so glad I found your channel
In Sweden we have community bunkers/shelters that looks alot like the shelters in the video. Our bunkers/shelters all combined can accommodate approximately 7million of our citizens :)
Why don't you take anyone and everyone like we do in the Racist horrible kid killing USA??
Now they probably filled with economic migrants. LOL
Sorry to bother you, but serious question. Has there been a discussion as to the viability of these old tunnels? I assume they were built to last a long time, but I have to wonder if they're out-dated and can maintain society temporarily.
Nice! 🙂
@@BinnyBongBaron_AoEyeah theyre fine the materials of the mountain and the thickness, design and materials of the bunker help out alot, without the cement you could make tunnels in those mountains, with cement and bunkers theyre nuclear ready, fallout nuclear ready. a big issue is infrastructure within the bunker. youll starve or surrender before they force their way in. so in conclusion, they are ready for war, not to upkeep civilisation, that could be a key point they should focus on.
Would love to see a breakdown video on how you pack and the gear you bring on these adventures! Looks like you got a pretty good system
What a schlep lugging every thing he needs
That video already exists! Always ask following interest, but I'd recommend to always look before asking, many high-profile creators don't have time allocated to respond. Also looking for things is more wholesome and engaging than relying on
The Algorithm.
Switzerland is an amazing country, and I would love to visit one day! Thank you for the amazing video!
-We are awaiting you! Wish you much pleasure!
Your content is so clean and refreshing. Subscribed. :)
An absolutely wonderful documentary about the soul of the Swiss people. Keep it up Johnny, compliments - many greetings from Switzerland, Thomas
They had the strongest fortress, best bunkers… never used them. Watched and did nothing as tens of millions died… what soul?
A country that stays forever neutral will never have strong allies.
Neutral ? they funded both sides of the war.
We have more bunkers in America but they’re only for the elite.
@@yellow4563 if they haven't done it, what would have hapened ? who knows. And beside the death, it's a work of art that have that many strategic defense throughout the country !
This is amazing! I'm Swiss and I obviously know of the bunkers. In fact, we have one under our house too! But I never thought about how weird it must be for some other people to think about this. It's such a mundane thing for us, we don't even think about it.
Do you need government permission to build it? Like the ones inside the mountain
@@nicojaewpunk I think they were mostly built by the government
@@nicojaewpunk by law you need a space in a bunker so when you build a new house you either have to include a protected room (mini bunker) or you need to buy into some larger bunker commonly found below schools and so on.
@@nicojaewpunk Your pic is cute!
That's Awesome, Thanks for Finding All them Bunkers,💯
Well done, not far away from a bigger budget production, and much funnier :-)
as a Swiss its fascinating how people think of Switzerland as this peaceful Heidi like country with mountains and chocolate, yet not many people know how filled with bunkers guns and tanks are those mountains. xD great video, great explaining!!
My mother was a diplomat in Bern for the USA. While on a visit there I was able to tour a bunker with an embassy official. He pointed out that the Swiss are excellent marksmen, regard their guns as necessary tools for defense and that if the occasion arose would be very difficult to "take Switzerland " . Remember standing in an area near Thun and our friend pointed out somewhat joking and yet serious too.. If you only knew how many bunkers there are within your eyesight that You have no idea what you are looking at You would be utterly shocked. He handed me binoculars and I still could not see anything. " I don't see anything Arni". Yes.. Yes that is the very point.
From a Swiss perspective... this is incredibly well researched for KZhead-video standards. You talked to different people, you managed to catch the essence of the topic, and you also shed a light on different political views and aspects. So often in internet-discussions you will only hear one side of the medal. E.g. when looking for the reason why Germany didn't attack us in WW2, where some people will say it was entirely due to the bunkers, and others will claim it was only because of the banks. You said it correctly, it was most probably both and an elaborate risk vs reward analysis. Same goes for the neutrality topic that was big in 2022 due to the Ukraine war. I am very much pro sanctions, because in my view neutrality does not mean inactivity. A judge or a referee is expected to be neutral, but sanctioning is part of their job by definition. However, I thought you shed light on both sides of the argument in an adequate way. Discussions and debates are a huge part of Swiss direct democracy. In the more recent years, certain groups and parties tried to underminde that by using more emotionalized and populist approaches, so it's nice to even see a foreigner capturing the essence of a civilized discussion, not giving any ground to those polarizing forces.
👍🏼
Yes, there need to be sanctions against Ukraine but instead they're getting billions of dollars extorted to tax payers all around the world.
Keep it real yall are evil over there. The elites have bunkers all over your country. 🤢🤮🤦🏾♂️
I don't believe in sanctions. If countries would not impose sanctions, all countries could stay neutral. We need to all stay neutral, and mind our own business. That's the key to peace. However, this will never happen because of sanctions and wars by proxy.
Very well said
Crazy high quality production values. Respect*
It seems you are a quite experienced hiker because of these astonishing, bud also steep and scary hiking trails. Very well done movie within all these mountains.
Same thing happened in Finland, but now that it's not a requirement to build bunkers into homes, my local council came up with a good idea. They tunnelled below the town and made underground parking, which also doubles as a bunker for the town. I guess the logic behind it is that it will pay itself off in parking fees. It also aides in traffic congestion as you can drive to different parts of the town through this network via one of the many entrances/exits.
Probably the most engaging documentary I've seen in 2022. Loved the historical flashbacks and context! Great flow, energy and layering -- you're so good at what you do, Johnny!
johnny reads copy
I stayed in one of those bunkers in 1975. This one was on the valley floor and had an underground airplane hanger. There were way more than enough beds to house the 90 members of our CSULB wind ensemble. We also stayed with the Swiss in their homes. Every man had to serve in the military for a few weeks a year and was required to have a rifle with ammo that had a lead wire seal on the package.
I live in Liechtenstein, a really small country. And my old elementary school had one of these bunkers, also with one of the big doors and similiar beds.
Loved to see the Swiss journalist wearing the Seek Discomfort hoodie. This Yes Theory and Johnny Harris crossover makes it extra special 😄
scrolled through the comments just to find a comment like this
@@my.knee.hurts. me too :)
Thanks for the video. Being Swiss, the scale of our bunker system never ceases to amaze me. Three things to add: During WWII, the idea was for the government to perform its functions from the redoubt in case of an invasion. Private cellar bunkers aren‘t mandatory in new constructions anymore, but all inhabitants have a place in a public bunker. The chalet bunkers weren‘t primarily camouflaged to hide them from enemy intelligence but rather to not destroy the picturesque views of the towns and landscapes.
To be aesthetically unobtrusive is an important reason to design them in this way, but having them not be easily targeted is an equally important reason for camouflage and it would be foolish not to.
My first visit to Switzerland I was asking everyone how I could get to work for Air Zermatt. the answer was usually that I had to marry a Swiss girl…seeing as my first visit was while on my honeymoon that one didn’t go over well.
Bro, that was definitely the most convincing Nord VPN add I have ever seen or heard. Good job. I’m gonna do it now
Thanks for such a great documentary. i love it ! Kind regards from switzerland :D
I live in Switzerland, and I was tasked to create a "video essay" on our neutrality last summer. I wish I had this vid as a reference creatively and from a storytelling standpoint. Great work, Johnny and Team!
Were do you live?
Neutrality is 80% of the time bad
I was fortunate enough to travel to Switzerland as a teenager and loved it. Siglostorf was the name of the village i stayed in, and the people there were so incredibly kind and generous!! Thank you to Joseph and many others for hospitality i will never forget. I'd love to move there with my family. Big hug to the Swiss people!!!
Siglisdorf! Ha, thats just around the corner. Happy that you liked it!
I have been a member of the Army who spent all of his service time from 1976 to 1995 in just such facilities. I was a gun commander and commanded 6 soldiers to operate the gun. What you see here was my everyday life in the military service. I always spent my time quartered in underground facilities. During normal duty we usually had 3-4 firing days per week to practice and keep fit. There are, or were, many such facilities from which we could defend ourselves against any intrusion. - I could, today permitted, at that time strictly forbidden, still many things say. - Yes, I was a member of the fortress troops, Reduit Brigade 22 in the Swiss Army.
Would you say that these bunkers are also designed to survive catastrophic events ? Such as massive earthquakes and gaint waves
Great Video! Appreciate all the explanation of everything! Honestly makes me want to move there! 🤘🏼
I lived in Switzerland for 16 years. The block of flats I lived in had a community bunker in the cellar space. It had two blast doors with a set of shower cubicles between them. This was so people arriving late in a Nuclear Fallout would be able to strip and shower off before entering the inner shelter. It was a little scary the first time we saw it.
I was a student in CH for a year. The halls of residence I lived in had a bunker which was the tv/communal room, replete with two blast doors. Like you, I found it quite intimidating at first but after a while it became completely normal. It was a great place to hang out in the sweltering summer months as it remained very pleasantly cool.
when we moved to Luzern in 2014 our landlord gave us iodine tablets and showed us the bunkers! It freaked us out a bit! I still have the iodine tabs.
That video was just sent to me. Great stuff and yes, as a Swiss soldier I've been doing some of my services in bunkers too.I think the most impressive bunker is the one where we store a bunch of F/A-18 Hornet fighter planes. So amazing when they roll out of the bunker.
What can one say except that is amazing. Swiss are probably very adept at being sappers.
Wow! Sound great!
Sounding as "neutral" as the white tanks of u.n. "neutrality" 😅
Being neutral does not mean one has to be defenseless or stupid
You.. WAT??? You Swiss store F-18 inside a Bunker??? 👁️👁️👃👁️👁️
I live in Switzerland not too far away from the hills, then to the alps, and this looks incredibly fun. I have a drone and all and I think I should try bunker hunting too once. It looks so cool and fun yet I don't know why
The Hole Hunter of Half-hour trip. Great intense, thanks.
As an Italian journalist trying to kickstart an explainer channel, your videos are always a great inspiration
I am amazed by your dedication to literally locate bunkers, not only by drone, but by walking or hiking to where the bunker is. That's some commitment right there!
wow i learned so much from this. great content
Wow! I had no idea about this😳 Great video!
It is so nice to see that you are so fascinated by my home country 🇨🇭
Suii, en andere Schwiizer🇨🇭
@@Good_Minso there are dozens of us 🇨🇭 dä johnny chann halt es 30min langs video über schwiizer bunker au spannend mache.
Siuuuuuu
@@Good_Minso Nei „Sui“ isch jetzt bannt i de schwiiz! Das 6-1 hät eusi Ehr zu starch verwundet. 😂
Your country is amazing it is impossible not to get fascinated.
I grew up in Switzerland. I was always aware of the nearest bunkers, our designated bunker and our school had a hospital ready bunker underneath it. I thought it was very normal, but now that I live outside of Switzerland I know that it wasn't... I do sometimes feel very unsafe though when I let myself think about it, because there's no proper alarm system and bunker network in the UK and it's an island... so it's best to just not think about it 😅
Seems like only Finland and Switzerland have managed to understand the importance of protecting civilians during a crisis.
@@alan6 Even though some of them can still remember sheltering in the subway tunnels...
@@stardolphin2 My mother was saved by the London subway tunnels.
@@Vapourized90 Because the Swiss army is the civilian population. Most men have an army issued assault rifle at home. Until a few years ago a sealed package with 100 rounds too... but some "stuff" happened so you had to give them back. They are now issued if necessary.
@@Vapourized90 biden sure doesn't.
I'm kind of upset that Zurich airport took your yellow wrench. I hope you at least had it shipped back to the states by mail. That is a very cool souvenir.