Cabaret Cornichon
Encyclopedia
The Cabaret Cornichon was a Swiss cabaret company.
It existed from 1934 to 1951 and was founded by Otto Weissert, Walter Lesch, Emil Hegetschweiler and Alois Carigiet. They were later joined by, among others, Max Werner Lenz, Elsie Attenhofer
, Voli Geiler, Margrit Rainer, Heinrich Gretler, Zarli Carigiet, Karl Meier and Alfred Rasser. The musical director was the pianist, Nico Kaufmann.
The Cabaret Cornichon was essentially an entertainment cabaret but, inspired by the ideals of what later became known as 'Geistige Landesverteidigung' ('national' spiritual defence
), it also opposed fascism
and Nazism
. The term "Geistige Landesverteidigung" refers to the strong and widespread political will of the Swiss to defend the country’s independence and democratic constitution against the Nazis. The cabaret was established in opposition to the right-wing organization known as the ‘Frontenbewegung’, whose views mirrored those of the National Socialist Party
in Germany.
After the Second World War, the cabaret split up amid the political tensions of the Cold War
. While some of its members sided with the political left, those in opposition founded the Cabaret Fédéral in 1949.
It existed from 1934 to 1951 and was founded by Otto Weissert, Walter Lesch, Emil Hegetschweiler and Alois Carigiet. They were later joined by, among others, Max Werner Lenz, Elsie Attenhofer
Elsie Attenhofer
Elsie Attenhofer was a Swiss cabaret artiste, actress, writer and performer of monologues.-Life and work :...
, Voli Geiler, Margrit Rainer, Heinrich Gretler, Zarli Carigiet, Karl Meier and Alfred Rasser. The musical director was the pianist, Nico Kaufmann.
The Cabaret Cornichon was essentially an entertainment cabaret but, inspired by the ideals of what later became known as 'Geistige Landesverteidigung' ('national' spiritual defence
Spiritual defence
Spiritual defence was a political-cultural movement in Switzerland which was active from circa 1932 into the 1960s. It was supported by the Swiss authorities, certain institutions, scholars, the press and intellectuals...
), it also opposed fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
and Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
. The term "Geistige Landesverteidigung" refers to the strong and widespread political will of the Swiss to defend the country’s independence and democratic constitution against the Nazis. The cabaret was established in opposition to the right-wing organization known as the ‘Frontenbewegung’, whose views mirrored those of the National Socialist Party
National Socialist Party
Parties in various contexts have referred to themselves as National Socialist parties. Because there is no clear definition of national socialism, the term has been used to mean very different things...
in Germany.
After the Second World War, the cabaret split up amid the political tensions of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. While some of its members sided with the political left, those in opposition founded the Cabaret Fédéral in 1949.