Wirtschaftlicher Strukturwandel und religiöse Minderheit

Die Rolle der jüdischen Uhrenfabrikanten in der Industrialisierung der schweizerischen Uhrmacherei

Abstract

Towards the end of the 19th century, the previously thriving Swiss watchmaking sector found itself in a deep economic crisis. The fact that the economic sector found its way out of this plight was largely due to Jewish watchmakers and dealers, who brought about structural change through openness and innovative strength. It is therefore necessary to ask why it was necessary for this immigrant minority group to modernize a branch of production that was central to Swiss export trade. After a brief introduction to the economic history of Switzerland and the process of industrialization, as well as some general explanations of the history of watch production, this article deals with the Jewish contribution to the industrialization of Swiss watchmaking. In addition to an economic-historical perspective, cultural, religious, and social-historical aspects are also examined. Finally, based on the example of the Jewish watch manufacturers, the question will be pursued as to what contribution microhistory can make to the understanding of large processes, or to put it another way: what can the peripheral case of Jewish watchmakers in the Neuchâtel Jura contribute to the history of industrialization?