between 1848 and 1914 around 5.800 swiss mercenaries enlisted in the dutch colonial army (knil) to fight in the dutch east indies (present-day indonesia). following the traces of these mercenaries beyond the confines of the dutch empire, this book elucidates the complexities of the nineteenth-century military labour markets and provides an intricate examination of the mercenaries’ socio-cultural backgrounds, their motives, and their engagement with local communities and authorities. in doing so, it reveals the profound effects of colonialism not only on the colonies themselves, but also on the social, economic and cultural landscape of the european hinterland.