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The Audio Long Read

Why does Switzerland have more nuclear bunkers than any other country?

The Audio Long Read

The Guardian

Society & Culture

4.32.4K Ratings

🗓️ 4 July 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Switzerland is home to more than 370,000 nuclear bunkers – enough to shelter every member of the population. But if the worst should happen, would they actually work? By Jessi Jezewska Stevens. Read by Rachel Handshaw. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is The Guardian.

0:09.5

Hello, it's Faker Others here, host of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly podcast.

0:14.0

So the European Championships are here.

0:16.2

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0:27.3

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Susie Rack, Tom Garry, Sophie Downey and a bunch of expert guests we've gathered for you

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0:42.3

All you need to do is search for the Guardian Women's Football Weekly

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0:52.8

Welcome to The Guardian Long Read, showcasing the best long-form journalism covering culture, politics, and new thinking.

0:59.5

For the text version of this and all our long reads, go to the Guardian.com forward slash long read.

1:08.4

Why does Switzerland have more nuclear bunkers than any other country?

1:13.9

By Jesse Yousevska Stevens.

1:16.8

Read by Rachel Hanshaw.

1:24.5

At first, Zora Shelbert, the chief operating officer and tour guide at the Zonenberg nuclear bunker in Lucerne, Switzerland, wasn't sure whether the requests she was receiving were a joke.

1:39.6

It was February 22, and Russia had just dropped the first bombs over Kiev.

1:46.4

People were asking me what kind of measures they should take, where they would have to go,

1:51.7

Shelbert said. She quickly realized they had confused the historical society she works for,

1:58.5

Unterredesh Ubeleben, surviving underground, for the local department

2:03.6

of civil protection. To the alternating fascination, bewilderment, and envy of its European

...

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