The AO Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the care of patients with musculoskeletal injuries or pathologies and their sequelae through research, development, and education of surgeons and operating room personnel. The AO Foundation is credited with revolutionizing operative fracture treatment and pioneering the development of bone implants and instruments.
111-814: The foundation has its origins in a Swiss study group named Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen (Association of the Study of Internal Fixation), commonly referred to as the AO , that was founded in Switzerland in 1958 as a society. The AO became a foundation in December 1984. On March 1, 1950 Maurice Müller , one of the founding members of the AO, visited a 70-year old Belgian surgeon named Robert Danis in Brussels, who had been experimenting and treating fracture patients surgically for 25 years. At
222-613: A Swiss person which was in use during the 16th to 19th centuries, and land . The English adjective Swiss is a loanword from French Suisse , also in use since the 16th century. The name Switzer is from the Alemannic Schwiizer , in origin an inhabitant of Schwyz and its associated territory , one of the Waldstätte cantons which formed the nucleus of the Old Swiss Confederacy . The Swiss began to adopt
333-656: A lower house (the National Council , with representatives elected from across the country). Referendums were made mandatory for any amendments. This new constitution ended the legal power of nobility in Switzerland . A single system of weights and measures was introduced, and in 1850 the Swiss franc became the Swiss single currency , complemented by the WIR franc in 1934. Article 11 of
444-665: A national personification of the Swiss confederacy in the 17th century in a 1672 play by Johann Caspar Weissenbach. The state of Switzerland took its present form with the adoption of the Swiss Federal Constitution in 1848. Switzerland's precursors established a defensive alliance in 1291, forming a loose confederation that persisted for centuries. The oldest traces of hominid existence in Switzerland date to about 150,000 years ago. The oldest known farming settlements in Switzerland, which were found at Gächlingen , date to around 5300 BC. The earliest known tribes formed
555-591: A 281-acre vineyard producing 13 varietals of grapes using methods that are "Sustainability in Practice" certified. The ranch hosts tours and was named "Best Vineyard Experience" by Sunset in 2015. As of 2023, Wyss ranked 523 on the Forbes list of billionaires, with an estimated net worth of approximately $ 4.7 billion. He ranks number 218 on the Bloomberg list of billionaires. On May 6, 2022, Chelsea announced that
666-513: A change of policy following threats from Germany. Over 100 Allied bombers and their crews were interned. Between 1940 and 1945, Switzerland was bombed by the Allies , causing fatalities and property damage. Among the cities and towns bombed were Basel , Brusio , Chiasso , Cornol , Geneva, Koblenz , Niederweningen , Rafz , Renens , Samedan , Schaffhausen , Stein am Rhein , Tägerwilen , Thayngen , Vals , and Zurich. Allied forces maintained that
777-404: A discussion on who would manufacture the implants and tools. Successive meetings covered the AO's legal statutes and by-laws. The various instruments that Müller and other AO founders had been using until 1958 was an assortment of existing tools and parts which didn't always match or work well together. The first AO efforts consisted of developing a standardized toolset that was easy to use and had
888-526: A full tool-implant compatibility. The first version of the AO Instrumentarium consisted of a set of six color-coded aluminium cases, containing pre-sterilized screws, plates, and tools. The AO team ordered 20 of these sets from Mathys, which would be first tested by the AO surgeons, and later used for the first AO course to be held in Davos in December 1960. The AO had decided that surgeons who wanted to purchase
999-626: A further $ 131 million to Harvard Business School to support the Wyss Institute. In 2020, Wyss donated CHF 100 million to support the Wyss Academy for Nature at the University of Bern . In 2015, Wyss publicly declared that he was in favor of higher inheritance taxes for the wealthy in Switzerland . Wyss is a member of the Democracy Alliance , a club of liberal donors. There has been
1110-710: A group seeking to boost Democratic candidates through local news stories and advertising. The Wyss Foundation has donated to States Newsroom , a nonprofit media group. Media watchdog NewsGuard said State Newsroom's journalism had been "bought by people with a political agenda". In 2021, along with Stewart W. Bainum Jr. , Wyss made a bid to buy Tribune Publishing , which publishes newspapers including The Chicago Tribune and The Baltimore Sun . The New York Times reported that "the big-money activism of Mr. Wyss and Mr. Bainum highlights concerns that wealthy owners may try to influence news coverage to advance their political agendas", and on April 14, 2021, they identified him as
1221-619: A longstanding rivalry between billionaire Wyss, who supports liberal politics, and billionaire Christoph Blocher , who supports conservative politics. Both entered into public debates about the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the European Union as well as the limitation of immigration into Switzerland. Wyss advocated openness toward the EU and immigrants while Blocher advocated for Switzerland's independence in those matters. In 2021, The New York Times reported that Wyss had "quietly created
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#17328512839351332-426: A network, which, paired with his reputation of a very talented surgeon, got him recommended and requested to operate on difficult cases in hospitals around the country. In December 1957, Maurice Müller delivered a lecture at the University of Zürich , upon receiving his PD (private lecturer) degree. During his lecture he presented a set of orthopedic surgery principles that he developed, which would soon evolve to become
1443-666: A remarkable size, while hundreds of agricultural estates ( Villae rusticae ) were established in the countryside. Around 260 AD, the fall of the Agri Decumates territory north of the Rhine transformed today's Switzerland into a frontier land of the Empire. Repeated raids by the Alamanni tribes provoked the ruin of the Roman towns and economy, forcing the population to shelter near Roman fortresses, like
1554-756: A series of military successes against Austria and Burgundy ; the Federal Charter of 1291 is considered the country's founding document. Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognised in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Switzerland has maintained a policy of armed neutrality since the 16th century and has not fought an international war since 1815 . It joined the United Nations only in 2002 but pursues an active foreign policy that includes frequent involvement in peace building . Switzerland
1665-523: A sign of support. In September 2020, a referendum calling for a vote to end the pact that allowed a free movement of people from the European Union was introduced by the Swiss People's Party (SVP). However, voters rejected the attempt to retake control of immigration, defeating the motion by a roughly 63%–37% margin. On 9 February 2014, 50.3% of Swiss voters approved a ballot initiative launched by
1776-405: A significant impact on the psychology and society of Switzerland. The war convinced most Swiss of the need for unity and strength. Swiss from all strata of society, whether Catholic or Protestant, from the liberal or conservative current, realised that the cantons would profit more from merging their economic and religious interests. Thus, while the rest of Europe saw revolutionary uprisings ,
1887-521: A sophisticated political operation to advance progressive policy initiatives and the Democrats who support them". In 2015, the Wyss Foundation initiated The Hub Project, which seeks "to shape media coverage to help Democratic causes". The goal of The Hub Project is to help Democrats be more effective at conveying their arguments through the news media and directly to voters. It seeks to "dramatically shift
1998-547: A whole rather than being modified one amendment at a time. This need soon proved itself when the rise in population and the Industrial Revolution that followed led to calls to modify the constitution accordingly. The population rejected an early draft in 1872, but modifications led to its acceptance in 1874. It introduced the facultative referendum for laws at the federal level. It also established federal responsibility for defence, trade, and legal matters. In 1891,
2109-614: Is a Swiss billionaire businessman and donor to politically liberal and environmental causes in the United States. He is the founder and former president and chairman of Synthes , a medical device manufacturer. His Wyss Foundation has more than $ 2 billion in assets. As of 2023, Wyss had a net worth of US$ 4.7 billion, according to Forbes . Having donated hundreds of millions of dollars to environmental causes, he has more recently increased his donations to groups promoting progressive causes. In 2024, Wyss additionally donated $ 100 million to
2220-463: Is considered the confederacy's founding document, even though similar alliances likely existed decades earlier. The document was agreed among the rural communes of Uri , Schwyz , and Unterwalden . By 1353, the three original cantons had joined with the cantons of Glarus and Zug and the Lucerne , Zurich and Bern city-states to form the "Old Confederacy" of eight states that obtained through
2331-419: Is fairly cohesive, being rooted in a common historical background, shared values such as federalism and direct democracy , and Alpine symbolism. Swiss identity transcends language, ethnicity, and religion, leading to Switzerland being described as a Willensnation ("nation of volition") rather than a nation state . The English name Switzerland is a portmanteau of Switzer , an obsolete term for
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#17328512839352442-677: Is geographically divided among the Swiss Plateau , the Alps and the Jura ; the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, whereas most of the country's population of 9 million are concentrated on the plateau, which hosts its largest cities and economic centres, including Zurich , Geneva , and Basel . Switzerland originates from the Old Swiss Confederacy established in the Late Middle Ages , following
2553-775: Is involved with The Wilderness Society and Rails-to-Trails . He serves on the boards of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance , the Center for American Progress , and the Grand Canyon Trust. Wyss has donated more than $ 6 million to the Center for American Progress. In 2011, Wyss won the Robert Marshall Award from The Wilderness Society for his conservation work. In January 2015, the conservative U.S. news site The Daily Caller accused John Podesta , who
2664-880: Is the birthplace of the Red Cross and hosts the headquarters or offices of most major international institutions including the WTO , the WHO , the ILO , FIFA , the WEF , and the UN. It is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), but not part of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area , or the eurozone ; however, it participates in the European single market and
2775-636: Is the highest, although the Matterhorn (4,478 m or 14,692 ft) is the best known. Both are located within the Pennine Alps in the canton of Valais , on the border with Italy. The section of the Bernese Alps above the deep glacial Lauterbrunnen valley, containing 72 waterfalls, is well known for the Jungfrau (4,158 m or 13,642 ft) Eiger and Mönch peaks, and its many picturesque valleys. In
2886-745: The AO Principles of Fracture Management . In 1958, Müller and some of his close colleagues met and agreed to create a school of thought for surgical orthopedic techniques. It was agreed to call the group the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen , shortened to the AO. In the frame of the Swiss Surgical Society meeting in Bern in November 1958, Müller organized the first meeting of the AO, which 12 other surgeons would attend. The meeting took place at
2997-534: The Axis and Allied powers. Switzerland's trade was blockaded by both the Allies and the Axis. Economic cooperation and extension of credit to Nazi Germany varied according to the perceived likelihood of invasion and the availability of other trading partners. Concessions reached a peak after a crucial rail link through Vichy France was severed in 1942, leaving Switzerland (together with Liechtenstein ) entirely isolated from
3108-608: The Castrum Rauracense near Augusta Raurica. The Empire built another line of defence at the north border (the so-called Donau-Iller-Rhine-Limes). At the end of the fourth century, the increased Germanic pressure forced the Romans to abandon the linear defence concept. The Swiss Plateau was finally open to Germanic tribes . In the Early Middle Ages , from the end of the fourth century, the western extent of modern-day Switzerland
3219-663: The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities , Health Leads and the Constitutional Accountability Center . In 2019, Wyss promised to donate 20 million Swiss francs to the Bern Art Museum . He made it a condition that the Hodlerstrasse, on which the museum is located, be free of cars. As of 2015, Wyss and the Wyss Foundation had donated more than $ 350 million to environmental protection , including conservation of national forests and other public lands in
3330-575: The City of Berne which bequeathed honorary citizenship on him. In the United States, Wyss is a major donor of the Democratic Party . He is the co-owner of Premier League football club Chelsea . And he is one of the anchor shareholders of Lalique Group, with Müller Handels AG Schweiz, Dharampal Satyapal Limited, Hansjörg Wyss and Claudio Denz, they hold 42.67% of Lalique Group shares. In 2019, Hansjörg Wyss and Swiss entrepreneur Silvio Denz acquired
3441-548: The Congress of Vienna fully re-established Swiss independence, and the European powers recognised permanent Swiss neutrality. Swiss troops served foreign governments until 1860 when they fought in the siege of Gaeta . The treaty allowed Switzerland to increase its territory, with the admission of the cantons of Valais , Neuchâtel and Geneva . Switzerland's borders saw only minor adjustments thereafter. The restoration of power to
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3552-599: The Federal Palace in 1902 and after 1948 used in the official seal (e.g., the ISO banking code "CHF" for the Swiss franc , the Swiss postage stamps ('HELVETIA') and the country top-level domain ".ch", are both taken from the state's Latin name). Helvetica is derived from the Helvetii , a Gaulish tribe living on the Swiss Plateau before the Roman era . Helvetia appeared as
3663-651: The First War of Villmergen , in 1656, and the Toggenburg War (or Second War of Villmergen), in 1712. In 1798, the revolutionary French government invaded Switzerland and imposed a new unified constitution. This centralised the government of the country, effectively abolishing the cantons: moreover, Mülhausen left Switzerland and the Valtellina valley became part of the Cisalpine Republic . The new regime, known as
3774-510: The Food and Drug Administration . Use of the bone cement resulted in the deaths of three people. Wyss was not indicted, but four top executives of Synthes were convicted and sentenced to prison terms. In 2012, Wyss sold the company for $ 19.7 billion in cash and stock to Johnson & Johnson . According to Bloomberg , he received 97.4 million shares in Johnson & Johnson and $ 3.2 billion cash from
3885-562: The Hallstatt and La Tène cultures , named after the archaeological site of La Tène on the north side of Lake Neuchâtel . La Tène culture developed and flourished during the late Iron Age from around 450 BC, possibly influenced by Greek and Etruscan civilisations. One of the most prominent La Tène tribes were the Helvetii , who primarily occupied the Swiss Plateau , alongside the Rhaetians in
3996-538: The Holy Roman Empire around 1000 AD. In the 10th century, as the rule of the Carolingians waned, Magyars destroyed Basel in 917 and St. Gallen in 926. In response, Henry the Fowler , the then ruler of East Francia, decreed the fortification of key settlements to defend against these invasions. Large villages and towns, including strategic locations like Zurich and St.Gallen, were fortified. This initiative led to
4107-580: The League of Nations , which was based in Geneva , after it was exempted from military requirements. During World War II , detailed invasion plans were drawn up by the Germans, but Switzerland was never attacked. Switzerland was able to remain independent through a combination of military deterrence, concessions to Germany, and good fortune, as larger events during the war intervened. General Henri Guisan , appointed
4218-488: The Schengen Area . Switzerland is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons , with federal authorities based in Bern . Switzerland is one of the world's most developed countries having the highest nominal wealth per adult , and the eighth-highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita . Switzerland performs highly on several international metrics , including economic competitiveness and democratic governance . Cities such as Zurich, Geneva and Basel rank among
4329-405: The Swiss Alps to the south, the Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau, and the Jura mountains on the west. The Alps are a mountain range running across the central and south of the country, constituting about 60% of the country's area. The majority of the population live on the Swiss Plateau. The Swiss Alps host many glaciers, covering 1,063 square kilometres (410 sq mi). From these originate
4440-416: The Swiss economy . During the Cold War , Swiss authorities considered the construction of a Swiss nuclear bomb . Leading nuclear physicists at the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich such as Paul Scherrer made this a realistic possibility. In 1988, the Paul Scherrer Institute was founded in his name to explore the therapeutic uses of neutron scattering technologies. Financial problems with
4551-405: The Western United States . In October 2018, Wyss published an article in The New York Times stating that he was contributing $ 1 billion to environmental causes. Wyss has said that he became passionate about the American West and land preservation after visiting the U.S. in 1958 as a student and taking a summer job as a surveyor with the Colorado Highway Department. In 1998, he created
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4662-419: The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University . In 2012–13, he announced the creation of the Campus Biotech and of its Wyss Center for Bio- and Neuro-engineering in Geneva , Switzerland. In 2014, Wyss donated $ 120 million to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and the University of Zurich for the Wyss Translational Center Zurich. In 2019, Wyss donated
4773-405: The commander-in-chief for the duration of the war ordered a general mobilisation of the armed forces. The Swiss military strategy changed from static defence at the borders to organised long-term attrition and withdrawal to strong, well-stockpiled positions high in the Alps, known as the Reduit . Switzerland was an important base for espionage by both sides and often mediated communications between
4884-414: The AO Instrumentarium would first have to be trained in its proper use, as well as the latest surgical fracture techniques that the AO founding surgeons decided to teach. The AO developed a business model that would provide funding for all AO research activities, the funding of an AO Documentation Center, and the AO educational activities, via licensing fees that the instrument producers would pay. To manage
4995-424: The AO Technical Commission, which develops and tests new devices, which will eventually find their way to the market. Other key areas within the Innovation Translation Center include Technology Transfer , which offers seed funding for innovation in the field of surgeon education or other areas of a muskuloeskeletal disorder patient's treatment journey, a development incubator department, and the Clinical Operations and
5106-546: The AO and Synthes to devise a new operating model. In 2006, the AO sold and transferred the Synthes brand, all its patents to the AO Instrumentarium, and all rights to the products usages to the producer Synthes, for a one-off payment of 1 billion Swiss Francs. Additionally the manufacturer would pay a fixed yearly fee of 50.7 million Swiss Francs, and the AO would in exchange organize a number of educational courses, during which only AO Instrumentarium products would be used. With successive adjustments and negotiations, this has been
5217-419: The AO organization—were concerned about the over-marketing of AO products, while others were concerned that they shouldn't profit from the sales of the implants and the devices they used in surgeries for their patients. These concerns, coupled with an increasingly competitive global business landscape in the implant business and a consolidated, single manufacturer and distributor of the AO-approved products, pushed
5328-407: The Berger Action Fund's $ 72 million expenditures in 2021 went to building public support for Joe Biden's agenda and thereby "cementing Wyss' status as a Democratic-aligned megadonor." In 2014, Wyss said he carried only a Swiss passport and did not have a U.S. green card . As of 2021, The New York Times wrote, he "has not disclosed publicly whether he holds citizenship or permanent residency" in
5439-428: The Bold of Burgundy during the 1470s, and the success of the Swiss mercenaries . The Swiss victory in the Swabian War against the Swabian League of Emperor Maximilian I in 1499 amounted to de facto independence within the Holy Roman Empire . In 1501, Basel and Schaffhausen joined the Old Swiss Confederacy. The Confederacy acquired a reputation of invincibility during these earlier wars, but expansion of
5550-655: The Clinical Science departments, which focus on clinical research, from management and research execution through outcomes publication. The different anatomical and pathology areas are covered by different working groups, task forces, and commissions, split into the following 5 clinical specialties The main operation of daily activities at the AO Foundation lies in the organization and delivery of educational events, comprising symposia, webinars, seminars, and courses aimed at orthopaedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, craniomaxillofacial surgeons, operating room personnel, and other health professionals. These include hands on experience of using
5661-560: The EU was attained that eliminated quotas on EU citizens, but still allowed favourable treatment of Swiss-based job applicants. On 27 September 2020, 62% of Swiss voters rejected the anti-free movement referendum by SVP. Extending across the north and south side of the Alps in west -central Europe, Switzerland encompasses diverse landscapes and climates across its 41,285 square kilometres (15,940 sq mi). Switzerland lies between latitudes 45° and 48° N , and longitudes 5° and 11° E . It contains three basic topographical areas:
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#17328512839355772-416: The French in the name of the Helvetic Republic. In 1803 Napoleon organised a meeting of the leading Swiss politicians from both sides in Paris. The Act of Mediation was the result, which largely restored Swiss autonomy and introduced a Confederation of 19 cantons. Henceforth, much of Swiss politics would concern balancing the cantons' tradition of self-rule with the need for a central government. In 1815
5883-403: The General Hospital of the Canton of Fribourg, where he worked as Chief Resident, later at the Balgrist Orthopedic Clinic, and later at the private Hirslanden Clinic. Maurice Müller had an agreement with the Balgrist Orthopedic Clinic, through which he enjoyed a day off every week that he used to travel around the region visiting hospitals and other like-minded surgeons. This helped Müller develop
5994-519: The Helvetic Republic, was highly unpopular. An invading foreign army had imposed and destroyed centuries of tradition, making Switzerland nothing more than a French satellite state . The fierce French suppression of the Nidwalden Revolt in September 1798 was an example of the oppressive presence of the French Army and the local population's resistance to the occupation. When war broke out between France and its rivals, Russian and Austrian forces invaded Switzerland. The Swiss refused to fight alongside
6105-472: The Helvetii were forced by Caesar to return to their original lands, where they were subjected to stringent restrictions on their autonomy and movements. In 15 BC, Tiberius (later the second Roman emperor) and his brother Drusus conquered the Alps, integrating them into the Roman Empire . The area occupied by the Helvetii first became part of Rome's Gallia Belgica province and then of its Germania Superior province. The eastern portion of modern Switzerland
6216-403: The Holy Roman Empire and its neutrality . During the Early Modern period of Swiss history, the growing authoritarianism of the patriciate families combined with a financial crisis in the wake of the Thirty Years' War led to the Swiss peasant war of 1653 . In the background to this struggle, the conflict between Catholic and Protestant cantons persisted, erupting in further violence at
6327-456: The Hotel Elite in Biel/Bienne , and the agenda for the day included a presentation of Müller's Instrumentarium, a set of implants, screws, and tools he developed and fine-tuned first with Zulauf, a woodworking tools manufacturer, and later in collaboration with Robert Mathys, a mechanical engineer from the city of Bettlach , in Switzerland, who owned a small shop specialized in designing and producing stainless steel screws. The agenda also included
6438-462: The Norian project testified before a grand jury that "for somebody who is at his level and his level of success, I would say he [Wyss] has a surprising amount of contact with what's going on". Staff recalled meetings in which he intensively probed their projects. In 2009, top executives at Synthes were indicted by U.S. Attorneys for Eastern Pennsylvania for using an untested calcium-phosphate-based bone cement on human patients without authorization from
6549-407: The Sixteen Thirty Fund and the New Venture Fund since 2016. The Sixteen Thirty Fund gives directly to political committees and pays for TV ads that back specific candidates and causes. In 2022, the FEC said the Sixteen Thirty Fund should be required to register as a political committee, which would require more disclosure. The New Venture Fund underwrites Acronym , which owns the Courier Newsroom ,
6660-440: The Swiss Alps. 90% of Switzerland's 65,000-kilometre-long network of rivers and streams have been straightened, dammed, canalized or channeled underground, in an effort to prevent natural disasters such as flooding, landslides, and avalanches. 80% of all Swiss drinking water comes from groundwater sources. Forty-eight mountains are 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) or higher in height. At 4,634 m (15,203 ft), Monte Rosa
6771-407: The Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) to restrict immigration . This initiative was mostly backed by rural (57.6% approval) and suburban groups (51.2% approval), and isolated towns (51.3% approval) as well as by a strong majority (69.2% approval) in Ticino, while metropolitan centres (58.5% rejection) and the French-speaking part (58.5% rejection) rejected it. In December 2016, a political compromise with
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#17328512839356882-442: The Swiss drew up a constitution that provided for a federal layout , much of it inspired by the American example . This constitution provided central authority while leaving the cantons the right to self-government on local issues. Giving credit to those who favoured the power of the cantons (the Sonderbund Kantone), the national assembly was divided between an upper house (the Council of States , two representatives per canton) and
6993-473: The U.S. Wyss lives in Wyoming. His daughter, Amy , is a resident of Wyoming also. Wyss is a hiker, skier, and backpacker. He also is a hobby pilot. He is involved in outdoor education programs and he funds local efforts to conserve wildlife habitat and public lands in the Rocky Mountains. In 2000, Wyss purchased the 900-acre (3.6 km ) Halter Ranch and Vineyard in western Paso Robles, California . The ranch includes an 1,800-acre wildlife reserve and
7104-410: The Wyss Foundation. The objective of the foundation was to establish and sponsor informal partnerships between non-governmental organizations and the United States government, in order to place large swathes of land under permanent protection in the American West. The organization sponsors the Wyss Scholars Program for graduate-level education in conservation. The landscape protection strategies of
7215-426: The accusations". In 2018, Wyss donated $ 1 billion to the Wyss Campaign for Nature, aiming to conserve 30% of the world's land and oceans by 2030. In 2007, he received the Harvard Business School Alumni Achievement Award, and in the fall of 2008, it was announced that Wyss donated the largest single endowment from one source in the history of Harvard, when he gave $ 125 million to found a multidisciplinary institute,
7326-412: The administration of this industrial area of the AO, Müller recommended to create a company, which would be called Synthes AG Chur. From 1963 to the early 1980s, the AO developed new implants, tools, and devices; appointed new manufacturers for the AO-developed solutions; and assigned distributors throughout most of the world. The AO Instrumentarium grew from around 200 items in 1961 to over 1,200 items in
7437-445: The area of forest that was burned and cleared to build. The name was extended to the area dominated by the canton, and after the Swabian War of 1499 gradually came to be used for the entire Confederation. The Swiss German name of the country, Schwiiz , is homophonous to that of the canton and the settlement, but distinguished by the use of the definite article ( d'Schwiiz for the Confederation, but simply Schwyz for
7548-438: The bombings, which violated the 96th Article of War , resulted from navigation errors, equipment failure, weather conditions, and pilot errors. The Swiss expressed fear and concern that the bombings were intended to put pressure on Switzerland to end economic cooperation and neutrality with Nazi Germany. Court-martial proceedings took place in England. The US paid SFR 62M for reparations. Switzerland's attitude towards refugees
7659-463: The business from the Straumann family in 1999, and the newly formed Synthes-Stratec company acquired the Mathys business 4 years later, in 2003. The AO changed its legal status from an association to a foundation in 1984. The significant sales growth of the AO Instrumentarium enjoyed from the 1980s through the 2000s had resulted in royalties payments growing from 14 million Swiss francs in 1986 to 84.1 million Swiss francs in 2004. Some surgeons—leaders in
7770-460: The canton and the town). The long [iː] of Swiss German is historically and still often today spelled ⟨y⟩ rather than ⟨ii⟩ , preserving the original identity of the two names even in writing. The Latin name Confoederatio Helvetica was neologised and introduced gradually after the formation of the federal state in 1848, harking back to the Napoleonic Helvetic Republic . It appeared on coins from 1879, inscribed on
7881-436: The citizens, the membership application was withdrawn. Nonetheless, Swiss law is gradually changing to conform with that of the EU, and the government signed bilateral agreements with the European Union. Switzerland, together with Liechtenstein, has been surrounded by the EU since Austria's entry in 1995. On 5 June 2005, Swiss voters agreed by a 55% majority to join the Schengen treaty , a result that EU commentators regarded as
7992-521: The confederation suffered a setback in 1515 with the Swiss defeat in the Battle of Marignano . This ended the so-called "heroic" epoch of Swiss history. The success of Zwingli 's Reformation in some cantons led to inter-cantonal religious conflicts in 1529 and 1531 ( Wars of Kappel ). It was not until more than one hundred years after these internal wars that, in 1648, under the Peace of Westphalia , European countries recognised Switzerland's independence from
8103-515: The constitution forbade sending troops to serve abroad, marking the end of foreign service. It came with the expectation of serving the Holy See , and the Swiss were still obliged to serve Francis II of the Two Sicilies with Swiss Guards present at the siege of Gaeta in 1860 . An important clause of the constitution was that it could be entirely rewritten, if necessary, thus enabling it to evolve as
8214-547: The constitution was revised with uncommonly strong elements of direct democracy , which remain unique today. Switzerland was not invaded during either of the world wars. During World War I , Switzerland was home to the revolutionary and founder of the Soviet Union Vladimir Illych Ulyanov ( Vladimir Lenin ) who remained there until 1917. Swiss neutrality was seriously questioned by the short-lived Grimm–Hoffmann affair in 1917. In 1920, Switzerland joined
8325-549: The deal. According to Forbes , Wyss is "among the most philanthropic people in the world". Between 2004 and 2008, Businessweek estimated that Wyss personally donated nearly US$ 277 million. His giving increased subsequent to the sale of Synthes in 2012. In 2013, he signed The Giving Pledge , agreeing to give away the majority of his fortune. The assets of his charitable foundations equal nearly $ 2 billion. He has made major donations to environmental and scientific causes, as well as progressive organizations, including
8436-586: The defence budget and ethical considerations prevented the substantial funds from being allocated, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 was seen as a valid alternative. Plans for building nuclear weapons were dropped by 1988. Switzerland joined the Council of Europe in 1963. Switzerland was the last Western republic (the Principality of Liechtenstein followed in 1984) to grant women
8547-583: The development of what were essentially early urban strongholds and city governments in Eastern Switzerland. By 1200, the Swiss Plateau comprised the dominions of the houses of Savoy , Zähringer , Habsburg , and Kyburg . Some regions ( Uri , Schwyz , Unterwalden , later known as Waldstätten ) were accorded the Imperial immediacy to grant the empire direct control over the mountain passes. With
8658-521: The early 1980s, and licensing fees in 1982 amounted to over 10 million Swiss Francs, by 1985 it was 13 million Swiss Francs. Toward the end of the 1980s, the AO Instrumentarium was being manufactured and marketed by 3 companies: Mathys (privately owned by the Mathys family), Stratec (privately owned by the Straumann family), and Synthes US (privately held and majority owned by Hansjörg Wyss ). Synthes US acquired
8769-474: The eastern regions. Facing pressures from Germanic tribes, in 58 BC, the Helvetii, influenced by Orgetorix , a wealthy aristocrat, decided to abandon the Swiss Plateau for better opportunities in western Gallia. After Orgetorix's mysterious death, the tribe continued their migration but was decisively defeated by Julius Caesar's armies at the Battle of Bibracte , in present-day eastern France. Following their defeat,
8880-565: The end of the 15th century. The expansion led to increased power and wealth for the confederation. By 1460, the confederates controlled most of the territory south and west of the Rhine to the Alps and the Jura mountains , and the University of Basel was founded (with a faculty of medicine) establishing a tradition of chemical and medical research. This increased after victories against the Habsburgs ( Battle of Sempach , Battle of Näfels ), over Charles
8991-633: The extinction of its male line in 1263, the Kyburg dynasty fell in AD 1264. The Habsburgs under King Rudolph I (Holy Roman Emperor in 1273) laid claim to the Kyburg lands and annexed them, extending their territory to the eastern Swiss Plateau. The Old Swiss Confederacy was an alliance among the valley communities of the central Alps. The Confederacy was governed by nobles and patricians of various cantons who facilitated management of common interests and ensured peace on mountain trade routes. The Federal Charter of 1291
9102-529: The fields of biomechanics and biology of bone, disc and cartilage (including tissue engineering and musculoskeletal infections), and biomaterials science (such as degradable polymers and polymer-based transport systems). The institute also conducts research in the field of new surgical techniques, tools, and devices, such as "smart" implants, and intracorporeal navigation and tools for surgical teams and surgeons. The institute, led by Geoff Richards since 1991, employs over 100 scientist and PhD students from all over
9213-751: The foundation have included assisting the purchase of mineral leases from oil and gas companies. Other causes the Wyss Foundation supports include river restorations, ocean conservation in Peru and Canada, anti- poaching efforts in Africa and environmental journalism . In 2017, the organization announced a charitable commitment of $ 65 million to African Parks, a conservation nonprofit overseeing ten parks in seven African nations, to help create new protected areas in Africa. In 2010, Wyss gave The Nature Conservancy $ 35 million to purchase 310,000 acres in Montana as part of one of
9324-648: The headwaters of several major rivers, such as the Rhine , Inn , Ticino and Rhône , which flow in the four cardinal directions, spreading across Europe. The hydrographic network includes several of the largest bodies of fresh water in Central and Western Europe, among which are Lake Geneva (Lac Léman in French), Lake Constance (Bodensee in German) and Lake Maggiore . Switzerland has more than 1500 lakes and contains 6% of Europe's freshwater stock. Lakes and glaciers cover about 6% of
9435-413: The highest in terms of quality of life, albeit with some of the highest costs of living . Switzerland holds an international reputation for its established banking sector, alongside its distinctive recognition for their watchmaking and chocolate production. It has four main linguistic and cultural regions: German, French, Italian and Romansh . Although most Swiss are German-speaking, national identity
9546-625: The historic Glenturret Distillery in Scotland. Wyss was born in Bern , Switzerland, in 1935. His father sold mechanical calculators and his mother was a homemaker. He was brought up in a flat with two sisters. After receiving a master's degree in civil and structural engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich in 1959, Wyss earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1965. Following that, he worked in various positions in
9657-631: The largest private conservation purchases in the United States. In 2013, he donated $ 4.25 million to The Trust for Public Land for the purchase of oil and gas leases in Wyoming to prevent development in the Hoback Basin. In 2016, Wyss made another donation to the Trust for Public Land that resulted in the expansion of Saguaro National Park in Arizona by 300 acres, including a mile and a half of Rincon Creek. Wyss
9768-546: The last widely recognised state without full UN membership. Switzerland is a founding member of the EFTA but not the European Economic Area (EEA). An application for membership in the European Union was sent in May 1992, but did not advance since rejecting the EEA in December 1992 when Switzerland conducted a referendum on the EEA. Several referendums on the EU issue ensued; due to opposition from
9879-518: The latest implants, as well as lectures from expert surgeons and discussions. Switzerland in Europe (green and dark grey) Switzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe . It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland
9990-530: The medical device industry. He then founded and became president of Synthes USA in 1977. In 1977, Wyss founded and became president of Synthes USA, the U.S. division of the Switzerland-based Synthes , a medical device manufacturer making internal screws and plates for broken bones. He founded the company after meeting Martin Allgoewer, the founder of AO Foundation , and obtaining permission to sell
10101-613: The name for themselves after the Swabian War of 1499, used alongside the term for "Confederates", Eidgenossen (literally: comrades by oath ), used since the 14th century. The data code for Switzerland , CH, is derived from Latin Confoederatio Helvetica ( Helvetic Confederation ). The toponym Schwyz itself was first attested in 972, as Old High German Suittes , perhaps related to swedan 'to burn' (cf. Old Norse svíða 'to singe, burn'), referring to
10212-738: The national territory. Lake Geneva is the largest lake and is shared with France. The Rhône is both the main source and outflow of Lake Geneva. Lake Constance is the second largest and, like Lake Geneva, an intermediate step by the Rhine at the border with Austria and Germany. While the Rhône flows into the Mediterranean Sea at the French Camargue region and the Rhine flows into the North Sea at Rotterdam , about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) apart, both springs are only about 22 kilometres (14 miles) apart in
10323-400: The operating model under which the AO has continued to cooperate, first with Synthes, and later with Depuy Synthes (renamed after the 2011 acquisition by Johnson & Johnson) The AO Foundation has several pillars of activity: ARI focuses on pre-clinical research. Scientists working in the AO research facilities located in the Swiss city of Davos conduct fundamental and applied research in
10434-746: The organization's devices in the Americas. In an early initiative, Wyss opened a Synthes USA manufacturing plant in Colorado. Prior to that, another Swiss company manufactured Synthes' devices and exported them to the U.S. Under Wyss' control, the U.S. division expanded its sales team and trained surgeons how to use its products. Wyss served as Synthes' worldwide CEO and chairman until his resignation as CEO in 2007. He maintained his post as company chairman until Johnson & Johnson acquired Synthes in 2012. During his tenure, Wyss said discussions of new products made up one-third of board meetings. A manager assigned to
10545-562: The patriciate was only temporary. After a period of unrest with repeated violent clashes, such as the Züriputsch of 1839, civil war (the Sonderbundskrieg ) broke out in 1847 when some Catholic cantons tried to set up a separate alliance (the Sonderbund ). The war lasted less than a month, causing fewer than 100 casualties, most of which were through friendly fire . The Sonderbundskrieg had
10656-637: The public debate and policy positions of core decision makers". The Hub Project engaged in paid advertising campaigns in 2018 that criticized Republican congressional candidates. The Hub Project is part of Arabella Advisors , a leading vehicle for funneling " dark money " on the political center-left. The Hub Project is housed within the Arabella-sponsored groups the New Venture Fund and the Sixteen Thirty Fund . Wyss has donated $ 245 million to
10767-414: The right to vote . Some Swiss cantons approved this in 1959, while at the federal level, it was achieved in 1971 and, after resistance, in the last canton Appenzell Innerrhoden (one of only two remaining Landsgemeinde , along with Glarus ) in 1990. After obtaining suffrage at the federal level, women quickly rose in political significance. The first woman on the seven-member Federal Council executive
10878-756: The sixth century, following Clovis I 's victory over the Alemanni at Tolbiac in 504 AD, and later Frankish domination of the Burgundians. Throughout the rest of the sixth, seventh and eighth centuries, Swiss regions continued under Frankish hegemony ( Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties) but after its extension under Charlemagne , the Frankish Empire was divided by the Treaty of Verdun in 843. The territories of present-day Switzerland became divided into Middle Francia and East Francia until they were reunified under
10989-766: The southeast the long Engadin Valley, encompassing St. Moritz , is also well known; the highest peak in the neighbouring Bernina Alps is Piz Bernina (4,049 m or 13,284 ft). The Swiss Plateau has greater open and hilly landscapes, partly forested, partly open pastures, usually with grazing herds or vegetable and fruit fields, but it is still hilly. Large lakes and the biggest Swiss cities are found there. Switzerland contains two small enclaves : Büsingen belongs to Germany, while Campione d'Italia belongs to Italy. Switzerland has no exclaves. Hansj%C3%B6rg Wyss Johann Georg "Hansjörg" Wyss ( /ˈhɑːnzˌjɜːrk ˈwiːs/ HAHN-zyohrg WEESS ; born 19 September 1935)
11100-611: The statute of limitations has passed. The Associated Press found that Wyss's "influence is still broadly felt through millions of dollars routed through a network of nonprofit groups that invest heavily in the Democratic ecosystem. Such groups don't have to disclose the source of their funding — or many details about how they spend it." One vehicle for Wyss's political donations is the Berger Action Fund, which has donated $ 339 million to left-leaning nonprofits since 2016. The majority of
11211-544: The textile industry, including as a factory engineer and project manager for Chrysler in Pakistan, Turkey and the Philippines. Wyss also worked in the steel industry in Brussels, Belgium. During his time working in that industry, Wyss ran a side business selling airplanes. Through one sale, he met a surgeon who had co-founded Swiss medical device manufacturer Synthes . After that meeting, Wyss spent two years learning about
11322-627: The time Dr. Müller was 32 years old, and had been practicing medicine for 6 years. The standard of treatment for fractures at the time was the method usually called "conservative treatment," as originally documented and popularized by Lorenz Böhler . This approach focused on reducing fractures and stabilizing them with splints and plaster, followed by traction. By the time of Müller's visit, Danis had already published 2 books on osteosynthesis, Technique de l'Ostéosynthèse (1932, Paris), and Theorie et pratique de l’osteosynthese (1949, Paris). The one day that Maurice Müller spent in Brussels with Dr. Danis
11433-629: The top bidder. On April 17, 2021, Wyss backed out of the potential deal while Bainum Jr. continued to seek alternate investors in his bid to buy Tribune Publishing. In 2023, the Associated Press published an article about the steering of Wyss's wealth into U.S. politics and policy. As a Swiss citizen, Wyss is legally prohibited from directly donating to U.S. political candidates or committees. Between 1990 and 2006, he donated $ 119,000 directly to candidates and political committees. The Federal Election Commission declined to take action against him, and
11544-674: The wider world by Axis-controlled territory. Over the course of the war, Switzerland interned over 300,000 refugees aided by the International Red Cross , based in Geneva. Strict immigration and asylum policies and the financial relationships with Nazi Germany raised controversy, only at the end of the 20th century. During the war, the Swiss Air Force engaged aircraft of both sides, shooting down 11 intruding Luftwaffe planes in May and June 1940, then forcing down other intruders after
11655-520: The world, and is considered the largest institute of its kind. It is partially funded by the AO Foundation as well as external grants. The AO Education Institute is responsible for the development of each educational product curriculum as well as creating educational tools and media. It is also in charge of AO faculty development, evaluating and assessing educational outcomes, and designing and performing medical education research. This division includes
11766-491: Was Elisabeth Kopp , who served from 1984 to 1989, and the first female president was Ruth Dreifuss in 1999. In 1979 areas from the canton of Bern attained independence from the Bernese, forming the new canton of Jura . On 18 April 1999, the Swiss population and the cantons voted in favour of a completely revised federal constitution . In 2002 Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations, leaving Vatican City as
11877-624: Was a significant moment for Müller's subsequent work, who said that Danis' 1949 book was one of the most important works that he had ever read; he also took samples of Danis' own instruments, including one plate and screws, along with the contact information of the manufacturer in Belgium. He quickly developed his own ideas on how to improve the techniques he had seen from Danis. Between 1951 and 1957, Müller performed numerous surgeries in which he applied what he had learnt from surgical treatment of fractures as well as techniques he developed by himself, first at
11988-629: Was at the time an advisor on environmental issues to the Obama administration , of an alleged ethics violation for pushing the advocacy agenda of a former employer because, previously, he had received $ 87,000 as a consulting fee for work he did in 2013 for the HJW Foundation (a Wyss organization that later was merged with the Wyss Foundation). According to the High Country News , "nothing ever came of
12099-557: Was complicated and controversial; over the course of the war, it admitted as many as 300,000 refugees while refusing tens of thousands more, including Jews persecuted by the Nazis. After the war, the Swiss government exported credits through the charitable fund known as the Schweizerspende and donated to the Marshall Plan to help Europe's recovery, efforts that ultimately benefited
12210-503: Was integrated into the Roman province of Raetia . Sometime around the start of the Common Era , the Romans maintained a large camp called Vindonissa , now a ruin at the confluence of the Aare and Reuss rivers, near the town of Windisch . The first and second century AD was an age of prosperity on the Swiss Plateau. Towns such as Aventicum , Iulia Equestris and Augusta Raurica reached
12321-499: Was part of the territory of the Kings of the Burgundians , who introduced the French language to the area. The Alemanni settled the Swiss Plateau in the fifth century and the valleys of the Alps in the eighth century, forming Alemannia . Modern-day Switzerland was then divided between the kingdoms of Alemannia and Burgundy . The entire region became part of the expanding Frankish Empire in
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