Abstract
Switzerland and Austria as two small neighbouring states in the heart of Europe share common features, but also differ vehemently, especially as far as the political system and international relations are concerned. In this article, we will first give an overview of Austrian and Swiss linguistic research on political rhetoric and sum up some of the main results concerning rhetoric traditions in Austria and Switzerland. In a second step, we will try to identify similarities and differences in the conception of national identity of both states by analysing how Austrian and Swiss MPs relate to Germany in their speeches before the National Council. We will do so by focussing on two recurring rhetoric topoi: arguments by comparison and arguments by example.