Think Switzerland’s all chocolate and yodeling?
Think again—its 10,000 bunkers, built to outlast Armageddon, include one still operational with an operating room and space for the dead.
Neutral on the surface, impenetrable below.
This is the best doc on Switzerland (or bunkers) I’ve seen.
Watch “Why Switzerland Has 374,142 Bunkers”
You can watch it for free on YouTube by clicking the video embed above.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: na
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: na
Release Date: December 21, 2022
My Review of “Why Switzerland Has 374,142 Bunkers”
Author’s Note: I’m married to a Swiss-born woman. I’ve been there 3 times. I had no idea about any of this!
Ever wonder what’s behind those pretty Swiss chalets in the mountains?
How about massive guns that can shoot things 21 kilometers away, hidden behind the walls of innocent-looking dairy barns?
Johnny Harris (the guy who made “The Problem with Elon Musk”) takes us on a 35-minute journey through Switzerland’s hidden military world.
The country has about 10,000 military bunkers, and Harris seems determined to find every single one.
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- A Swiss dairy barn opens up to reveal a huge artillery gun hidden inside
- Some Swiss houses have fake painted-on windows – they’re actually solid concrete bunkers with gun ports
- Starting in 1963, Swiss law required every inhabitant to have access to a nearby protective shelter. This meant that bunkers were often built into new residential buildings and public structures. The government even subsidized up to 70% of the construction costs for private bunkers.
- New buildings with 38+ rooms still must include bunkers today
- Switzerland has bunker space for 11 million people (more than their population)
- There’s a fancy hotel restaurant inside a mountain fortress where guests sleep under 85 meters of rock
Going Underground
The doc starts in Switzerland’s biggest bunker.
Picture this: 300,000 square feet of tunnels stretching 8 kilometers under a mountain.
The current owner, Eric, walks us through everything from a fully equipped hospital to showers built under 85 meters of solid rock.
These aren’t just basic bunkers.
They’ve got two-meter-thick concrete walls, quadruple-fortified doors, and enough supplies to keep soldiers fighting for months.
Hidden in Plain Sight
Those pretty Swiss mountain scenes you see on postcards?
Many hide deadly weapons.
Harris flies his drone around cliffs that look natural but actually have dozens of gun ports built right into the rock face.
The coolest part?
He finds a fake rock with a hidden gun inside. It looks so real you’d walk right past it.
And those cute village barns? Four of them connect through underground tunnels packed with weapons.
The Cold War Changes Everything
I khow you history buffs will love this:
In 1963, Switzerland went all-in on bunkers.
They made a law saying everyone needed access to a shelter. The government even paid 70% of the cost for private bunkers.
Every new house had to include a nuclear shelter. Some neighborhood bunkers even came with operating rooms and morgues. Yeah, they thought of everything.
Modern Day Relevance
When Russia invaded Ukraine, these bunkers got serious attention.
Germans started calling Swiss bunker owners wanting to rent space.
Switzerland has shelter space for 11 million people – more than their whole population. Germany? Zero bunkers.
Cool Stuff Most People Miss
- The Swiss built a defense line nicknamed “The Toblerone Line” because the barriers looked like the chocolate
- Some bunkers now grow mushrooms and age cheese
- Every bunker door has that yellow wrench for safety
- They put gun ports at specific heights to create crossfire zones
Working For The Shot
Harris really hustles in this doc.
He hikes 3.5 kilometers up foggy mountains, flies drones in sketchy weather, and crawls through endless dark tunnels.
At one point he almost crashes his drone trying to get the perfect shot of a hidden gun port.
History Meets Present Day
The doc shows how Switzerland’s old “dig and hide” strategy faces new challenges.
Hitler had plans to invade Switzerland but never did – partly because attacking these mountain fortresses would have been a nightmare.
Today, Switzerland faces different questions.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, they joined EU sanctions for the first time ever. This big move has lots of Swiss people debating what being neutral means in 2023.
The Human Side
The best moments come from regular Swiss folks. One guy shows off his home bunker like it’s just a normal wine cellar.
“Oh yeah, that’s our blast door and air filtration system. Want to see where we store the skis?”
Wrap Up
This is the best documentary on bunkers and Switzerland I’ve seen.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc