Everything Everywhere Daily – "European Exclaves"

Host: Gary Arndt
Date: August 24, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Gary Arndt dives into the quirky, fascinating world of European exclaves. While border oddities might seem a mere cartographical curiosity, their origins often reveal centuries-old disputes, treaties, and forgotten decisions that still shape the continent’s political geography. Gary focuses on three of the most interesting European exclaves—Büsingen am Hochrhein (Germany), Llívia (Spain), and Campione d’Italia (Italy)—exploring the unique historical circumstances that led to their unusual status, the practicalities of modern life inside these exclaves, and what these anomalies reveal about Europe's tangled history. As always, Gary brings a personal touch, having visited all three himself.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction to Exclaves and Enclaves

• Definition & Curiosity:

  • Exclaves: Parts of a country separated from the main territory and surrounded by foreign land.
  • Enclaves: Territories entirely surrounded by another country.
  • “Why in the world would such odd arrangements exist? Well, the reasons are often rather odd.” (03:25, Gary)

• Focus:

  • Three European exclaves chosen for their intriguing backstories and because Gary has personally visited each.

1. Büsingen am Hochrhein (Germany)

• Geography & Stats:

  • German territory within Switzerland (Baden-Württemberg state)
  • Population: ~1,500; Area: 7.62 sq km
  • Separated from Germany by only 680 meters at its narrowest point (05:00)

• Historical Origins:

  • Once part of the Bishopric of Constance; then fell under the Habsburgs.
  • 1693: Local lord Johann Konrad von Stadion, a Catholic, was kidnapped by Protestant relatives and held in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The resulting tensions entrenched Büsingen’s separateness. (06:30)
  • 1805: Passed to Württemberg, then Grand Duchy of Baden, and later became part of Germany—still surrounded by Swiss territory.
  • 1918: Referendum—96% of Büsingen wanted to join Switzerland, but Germany demanded too much compensation; status quo remained. (09:35)

• Modern Reality:

  • Politically German, but economically and socially tied to Switzerland (uses Swiss currency, is in Swiss customs and postal systems, telecommunicates via Switzerland).
  • “It remains under German sovereignty, but you wouldn’t notice much difference when visiting.” (12:10, Gary)
  • The anomaly is a product of centuries of religious, political, and territorial quirks that no one had the will to sort out.

2. Llívia (Spain)

• Geography & Stats:

  • Spanish/Catalan town inside France; Population ~1,200; Area: 12.9 sq km (13:00)
  • Only 1.6 km from the rest of Spain.

• Historical Origins:

  • Important Visigothic-era settlement and former capital of Cerdanya.
  • By the Middle Ages, securely part of Aragon (and thus Spain).
  • Thirty Years’ War: Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659) ceded surrounding Cerdanya villages to France, but not Llívia.
    • Technicality: Treaty said “villages"—Llívia was classified as a "town/city" due to its history as a regional capital, so it stayed Spanish. (16:45)
  • “It may have been a deliberate diplomatic maneuver by Spanish negotiators who were aware of Llívia’s special status.” (17:10, Gary)

• Modern Reality:

  • Treaty of Bayonne (1866): Established a neutral road to Spain, free from French customs checkpoints.
  • Now, as both countries are EU members, practical challenges have diminished.
  • “Unlike Büsingen, it isn’t necessary for Llívia to depend much on French institutions.” (18:50, Gary)

• Notable Quote:

  • “The distinction between a village, a town, or city carried real legal weight in medieval and early modern Europe, often determining administrative privileges, taxation rights, and political representation.” (17:20, Gary)

3. Campione d’Italia (Italy)

• Geography & Stats:

  • Italian territory inside Switzerland (on Lake Lugano); Population <1,800; Area: 2.68 sq km (19:40)
  • 1 km from the Italian border.

• Historical Origins:

  • Began in 777 with a donation from a Lombard nobleman to the monastery of Saint Ambrosio, Milan.
  • Became monastic territory under Milan's control.
  • Surrounding land gradually became Swiss, but Campione’s Milanese/Italian ties remained relevant.
  • After Napoleonic wars, Austria refused to let Switzerland annex Campione.
  • When Italy unified in the 1860s, Campione became Italian by default.
  • 1933: Mussolini added “d’Italia” to the name for emphasis. (22:50)

• Modern Reality:

  • Deeply integrated with Switzerland—uses Swiss francs, relies on Swiss communication infrastructure, and the famous casino catered heavily to Swiss clients.
  • Occasional opportunities to update the border after WWII were declined by all sides.

• Notable Quote:

  • "Centuries of precedent had established Campione’s Italian character... in practice, you wouldn't notice much difference between Campione and the Swiss towns around it.” (24:45, Gary)

Visiting These Exclaves

• Personal anecdotes: Gary visited all three out of curiosity.
• “There was no real reason to visit other than to say that you were there. Other than a sign on the side of the road, you’d be hard pressed to tell when exactly you entered.” (26:10, Gary)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “The important takeaway from these three places isn’t that they’re important or strategic, because they really aren’t. It’s that seemingly random decisions made centuries ago still affect the borders and geopolitical landscape of Europe today.” (27:02, Gary)
• On Büsingen’s integration with Switzerland: “It uses the Swiss franc as its main currency, although the euro is also legal...” (11:30, Gary)
• On the island of Pheasant Island: “Rather than splitting the island in two, they actually swapped sovereignty over the island every six months. And this arrangement still exists today.” (16:00, Gary)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 03:25 – Introduction to enclaves/exclaves and focus of the episode
• 05:00 – 12:30 – Büsingen am Hochrhein: history and modern life
• 13:00 – 18:50 – Llívia: history and present-day reality
• 19:40 – 25:00 – Campione d’Italia: origins and current situation
• 26:10 – 27:30 – Observations on visiting and the broader lesson about historical quirks shaping Europe’s borders

Episode Takeaway

Gary uses these three enclaves to illustrate how Europe’s borders are sometimes inadvertent "time capsules" of old disputes, clever diplomacy, and outdated technicalities. While they might seem trivial today, they’re fascinating windows into the persistence of history in shaping the modern world.