In the mid-1990s, Switzerland came under intense international criticism regarding its historical policies. Against the backdrop of an increasing universalization of the memory of the Holocaust, Switzerland faced questions about its role during World War II. The long-held historical narrative of Switzerland as a neutral and humanitarian exception was fundamentally shaken. One consequence of the controversies surrounding dormant assets, Nazi gold, and Swiss refugee policy was the establishment of an Independent Expert Commission (IEC) by the state, which examined Switzerland's role during World War II from both a historical and legal perspective. The impact of these historical debates and the official efforts to address them on the historical perception of broader segments of the population has so far remained unexplored. Based on inter.