All countries have skeletons in their closets, historical or otherwise. You should keep clear of some topics when schmoozing with your Swiss hosts. Take WWII. Although most Swiss are now aware of the ambiguous role their country played during WWII, they are reluctant to talk about it and even more with a foreigner. Don’t ask why Switzerland lost the 2004 Olympic Winter games to Italy, nor what happened to the Marcos millions and your conversation will run smoothly. There is a Swiss proverb that sums up the attitude one ought to adopt: On ne parle pas de corde dans la maison du pendu. (One should not talk about rope in the hanged man’s home.) Here is some background on two of the major taboos for foreigners to discuss with the Swiss.