Toblerone Chocolate Bar Gave Its Name to Swiss Toblerone Line
The Claim
Swiss Toblerone chocolate was named after the Swiss triangular-shaped defensive line known as Toblerone Line, which was built during World War II.
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Emerging story
Facebook accounts have recently shared a claim that the Swiss Toblerone chocolate bar was named and designed after the 10-kilometer-long Swiss defensive line known as the Toblerone Line, which was built during World War II to prevent the advance of the enemy tanks.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s team investigated the claim and found it misleading. The Toblerone chocolate was first invented in 1908 by Theodor Tobler and Emil Baumann, who designed its triangular shape and named it Toblerone after the name of its first inventor Tobler, in addition to “torrone,” an “Italian word for a type of nougat.”
In addition, the Toblerone defensive line was called the Promenthouse Line, a 10-kilometer-long defensive line made of concrete blocks made of “dragon’s teeth.” It was built during World War II (1939-1945) on Switzerland’s border to stop tank incursions. Those defenses were similar to a Toblerone chocolate bar; that’s why the defensive line was named after the chocolate bar and not the other way around.
The Promenthouse Line is a long track of anti-tank defenses stretching from the Jura Mountains to Lake Geneva. and the “trail of stone teeth remains to this day.”
Translated by Ahmed N. A. Almassri
