What does Carr mean when he states that the historian belongs not to the past but to the present?

Carr means that the historian lives in the present. He is an individual like any other who lives in a society with a specific culture and its own history. Therefore, the historian’s perspective on history is affected by his own societal and cultural influences. He or she uses historical facts and interprets with his own bias. Carr argues that to study a historian’s work, one must study first his society and cultural background to understand what influence this background had on his perspective and analysis.

What is the origin and the meaning of the Rütlischwur and how does it relate to understanding modern Europe (or at least part of it)?

The Rütlischwur  was the oath sworn by representatives of three Swiss provinces (holding up three fingers) when they pledged to break away from the Holy Roman Empire in 1307. They swore to defend each other and form an independent state. This oath helps explain some tendencies of the Swiss people and state today. For example, they are isolationists and traditionalists (people keep to themselves in the small towns of rural districts in the Alps and continue to carry on traditional lifestyles). The Rütlischwur  was sworn because the Swiss people felt that they should govern themselves rather than by an outside empire that did not share their traditions or interests. This is still a position held by the fiercely independent Swiss Confederation, where communal traditions and absolute democracy prevail in rural provinces and villages.