After World War II, the textile and several other industries of Zürich were declined. At that time the services sector, insurance companies, and notably banks gained importance and they contributed a lot to the economy. During World War II, Zürich banks took advantage of banking secrecy laws to help the Nazi Party launder gold and stolen valuables. A large number of immigrants from rural Switzerland and abroad moved to Zürich and the population of the city surpassed one million at the end of the 1950s.
Here below are some stunning vintage photos that show what Zurich looked like in the 1950s.
Who on earth brought a dead whale to Zurich by train? And why?
The more it changes.
Does anyone know if this weird booth on the Central for the ‘traffic policeman’ in those 1950-photos is the same as the one today? Or is it a replica?
Zürich doesn’t have 1 million inhabitants now. How did that number come about?
The manor is shut down.
The streets are so quiet and so many parking places…