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Field Army Corps 1 (FAK 1) of theSwiss Army was aformation composed of several Divisions,Brigades, and directly subordinatecorps troops led by a corps commander (during theArmy 61 period known as achief corps commander). The 1st Army Corps (since 1961 Field Army Corps 1) existed from 1891 to 2003.
In 1891, the Swiss army was first divided into five army corps.Paul Cérésole, a member of theFederal Council from 1870 to 1875 and father of the pacifistPierre Cérésole, was in 1891 given command of the 1st Army Corps, which he commanded until 1898. In 1917, the army was divided into six divisions, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of which were included in the 1st Army Corps.[1]
After war mobilization in World War II of 2 September 1939, the 3rd Division became thearmy reserve in the areaLaupen -Aarberg -Ins -Murten to prepare the barrier betweenNeuchâtel andLake Biel (Operation Order No. 1). The Murten area was upgraded as a cornerstone of the advanced position with additional reinforcements and operated by the Border Brigade 2 and the Light Brigade 1.
Shortly before the outbreak of war, the border troops (troop order 1938) were reorganized with 11 border brigades (Gz Br). During the entire Second World War, the border brigades remained in their home region, the mission area and subordination were often adapted. The 1st Army Corps had the border brigades 1-3.
In 1945, the 1st Army Corps was reinforced with the Light Brigade 1, the Mountain Infantry Regiments (rgt inf mont) 5, 6, 7, the Mountain Fusilier Battalion (Geb Füs Bat) 17, and the 3rd Division became the 3rd Mountain Division. In 1947 a Panzerjägerabteilung reinforced the corps. Theheadquarters was inBern until the end of World War II and was relocated toLausanne in 1955.
During the Cold War, Engine Infantry Regiment 2 ofMechanized Division 1 was scheduled to occupy the infantry barrier between its two tank regiments.
In 1961, due to theArmy 61 structure plan changes, the following changes were made: The 1st Division became the Mechanized Division (Divméc) 1, the 2nd Divisional Division (Div fr) 2, and the 3rd Division was converted into theField Division 3. There were also threeBorder Brigades and the territorial brigade (br ter) 1. The fortress Saint-Maurice became theFortress Brigade 10 and was transferred toMountain Army Corps 3.
Under the basic "Zeus" dispositions of 1992, the corps comprised the Mechanized Division 1, theField Divisions 2 and3, Border Brigades 1-3, and, as corps troops, Cyclist Regiment 4 and Genieregiment 5 (Engineer Regiment 5).
The Army 95 reforms led to the dissolution of Border Brigades 1, 2, and 3, Mechanized Division 1, and fortifications.
With the newArmy XXI plan all army corps and divisions were dissolved at the end of 2003.[2]
The Swiss Army has due to theHague Convention the duty to defend their territory from the country's borders according to the principle ofArmed Neutrality.[3]
The zone of responsibility of FAK 1 was with about 8000 square kilometers, the largest of all field army corps spaces and included the cantonsGeneva, Vaud,Neuchâtel,Freiburg, Berne and Law. It was bilingual and was mainly in the Western Switzerland and consisted of the three sections of the Northern Jura (barrière du Jura), middle part (about 70 km wide) of the Mittellands and the Prealps in the south. It ranged fromGeneva toKleinlützel, fromLake Geneva toEmme and the Vaud, Friborg and Bernese foothills. The border area has strong, favorable terrain for defence, while the area beyond is open and manoeuvrable.
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