In 1945, Dr Husmann was involved in Operation Sunrise,[2] the secret negotiations that led to the surrender of the German Army in northern Italy.

[3] He handed the directorship of the school to Dr Josef Ostermayer in 1946, but maintained in close contact and set up the Max Husmann Foundation to ensure the continuation of the principles on which he founded Institut Montana Zugerberg.

[citation needed] It uses a globe and an olive branch to represent the school's mission to teach international understanding and so help towards world peace.

In 1995, student enrolment fell to an economically unviable number and the board and senior management announced the school's imminent closure.

However, staff, parents, friends and alumni implemented a rescue plan under the chairmanship of Professor Beat Bernet, and the alumnus François Loeb.

Students between the ages of 6 and 12 attend the Bilingual Elementary School, where a full language immersion programme in English and German is followed.

From age 12, students at Institut Montana Zugerberg can choose between the Bilingual Secondary School, the Swiss Matura or the IB Diploma Programme.

Some names have become famous, including U.S. politician John Kerry, film director Marc Forster, businessman Nicolas Hayek;[6] comic artist Mike van Audenhove;[7] and Dutch scientist and entrepreneur Willem P.C.

[8] Spanish Borbón princes Alfonso and Gonzalo had to leave the school, reluctantly, in 1953 when their father, against the will of their mother, agreed that they were to be taken to Spain to be educated as heirs to the throne under the guidance of dictator Francisco Franco.