Before the outbreak of the Second World War, Adolf Hitler made repeated assurances that Germany would respect Swiss neutrality in the event of a military conflict in Europe.[2] In February 1937, he announced to the Swiss federal councillor Edmund Schulthess that "at all times, whatever happens, we will respect the inviolability and neutrality of Switzerland", reiterating this promise shortly before the Nazi invasion of Poland.[2] These were, however, purely political manoeuvres intended to guarantee Switzerland's passiveness.