Jean-François Bergier (French: [bɛʁʒje]; 5 December 1931, Lausanne, Vaud – 29 October 2009, Blonay) was a Swiss historian.

[2] Beginning his academic career as a professor at the University of Geneva in 1963, he moved in 1969 to the prestigious History of Civilizations chair at the polytechnic in Zurich where he remained until his retirement in 1999.

In 1996 the Swiss parliament set up the Independent Commission of Experts with wide powers to examine Switzerland's role during the war.

In particular, with respect to the refugees, Bergier concluded, "that Switzerland "got involved in (Nazi) crimes by abandoning refugees to their persecutors" – even though the Swiss government knew by 1942 of the Nazis' final solution and that rejected refugees would almost certainly face deportation and death...Large numbers of persons whose lives were in danger were turned away – needlessly,..."[5] The reports of the commission (see: https://www.uek.ch/en/) stirred up political criticism, with right-wing People's Party member Oskar Freysinger incorrectly describing it as "a pseudo-historical work ordered up by the World Jewish Congress".

When asked why he accepted such an investigative and editing role, Bergier replied, "Above all there's the issue of Switzerland's historical responsibility.