Migration belongs to no single culture or continent; it is a global phenomenon. Today, Switzerland is a destination for many migrants. But that was not always the case. By the end of 1854, the poor relief fund was empty. The municipality of Niederwil faced a difficult decision: Should it raise taxes, which were already too high, or help the poorest to emigrate? Anna was fifteen years old when she and her family, along with 304 other people, were forced to set off from their small village in Aargau on the journey to America. ‘Hope & Coercion’ tells this story, which is based on true events, and weaves background information on the economic and historical situation of the time into the graphic novel.
