Helvetic Society
Encyclopedia
The Helvetische Gesellschaft / Société Helvétique, or Helvetic Society as it is known in English, was a patriotic society and the first Swiss
reform
society. It was founded by Swiss philosopher Isaak Iselin
, poet Solomon Gessner
and some 20 others on 15 May 1762, and was dissolved with the formation of the Helvetic Republic
in 1798. It was revived again from 1819 on until 1849. The latter should not be confused with the contemporary Helvetic Society for the Natural Sciences, established in 1815.
After two years of discussion, and a change of scope from an historical society to a more socially directed one, the Society first met with 9 members in 1761, and was eventually formed on 15 May 1762 in Schinznach-Dorf
, with statutes by Hirzel, with 25 initial members. While it had an open membership structure and advocated religious harmony, very few Catholics joined, and the members were predominantly German-speaking. The society tried to be more than just a philosophical debate club like most other similar European societies, and also organised social activities, and a yearly autumn meeting from 1763 on, first in Schitznach, and from 1780 on in Olten
, and finally in Aarau
. New statutes were approved in 1766, focusing on the inclusiveness of the society towards all Swiss from all cantons. The aims of the Society included a democratic reform of the Swiss constitution, and education for all, influenced by the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
as expressed in Emile: or, On Education
. The pedagogic reformer Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
was an early member of the Society. He was one of the contributors for the Society's magazine Der Erinnerer, established in 1765, but it was soon suppressed for being too radical and critical of the authorities.
The 1766 statutes listed as the aim of the Society "The only goal and unique object of our Society must be to establish and conserve between the Swiss love and friendship, unity and concord; to maintain among them the taste for beautiful, noble and great acts; and to transmit for posterity liberty, peace and virtue through the care of good citizens".
After a halting start, with a membership that stayed at around 80 until 1770, the society flourished, with 159 members by 1780 and 283 by 1797, with a steady rise in visitors as well, like some members of the Bernoulli family in 1763. Among the new members were a lot of cantonal magistrates and other members of the Swiss elite. Of the 386 members the society had between 1762 and 1798, some 90 percent held a political office at some time.
In 1798, instead of an annual meeting, the members of the Helvetic Society started with the creation of the legislative assembly for the new Helvetic Republic
, providing many members. The Society was abandoned, and was revived in 1819. The second version of the Society existed until 1849, when the society had become superfluous when most of its ideas were included in the new Swiss Federal Constitution
of 1848.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
reform
Reform
Reform means to put or change into an improved form or condition; to amend or improve by change of color or removal of faults or abuses, beneficial change, more specifically, reversion to a pure original state, to repair, restore or to correct....
society. It was founded by Swiss philosopher Isaak Iselin
Isaak Iselin
Isaak Iselin was a Swiss philosopher of history and politics.Iselin studied law and philosophy at the University of Basel and the University of Göttingen. In 1756 he became secretary of the republic of Basel...
, poet Solomon Gessner
Solomon Gessner
Solomon Gessner was a Swiss painter and poet. His writing suited the taste of his time, though by some more recent standards it is “insipidly sweet and monotonously melodious.” As a painter, he represented the conventional classical landscape.-Biography:He was born in Zürich...
and some 20 others on 15 May 1762, and was dissolved with the formation of the Helvetic Republic
Helvetic Republic
In Swiss history, the Helvetic Republic represented an early attempt to impose a central authority over Switzerland, which until then consisted mainly of self-governing cantons united by a loose military alliance, and conquered territories such as Vaud...
in 1798. It was revived again from 1819 on until 1849. The latter should not be confused with the contemporary Helvetic Society for the Natural Sciences, established in 1815.
History
The Helvetic Society was the first patriotic society in Switzerland aimed at all Swiss people. It was inspired by Franz Urs Balthasar's Patriotische Träume eines Eidgenossen von einem Mittel, die veraltete Eidgenosenschaft wieder zu verjüngen, an essay from 1758 which was distributed in manuscript form and was discussed by Joseph Anton Felix von Balthasar (son of the author), Iselin, Gessner and Hans Caspar Hirzel.After two years of discussion, and a change of scope from an historical society to a more socially directed one, the Society first met with 9 members in 1761, and was eventually formed on 15 May 1762 in Schinznach-Dorf
Schinznach-Dorf
Schinznach-Dorf is a municipality in the district of Brugg in canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Schinznach-Dorf has an area, , of . Of this area, or 37.1% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 46.0% is forested...
, with statutes by Hirzel, with 25 initial members. While it had an open membership structure and advocated religious harmony, very few Catholics joined, and the members were predominantly German-speaking. The society tried to be more than just a philosophical debate club like most other similar European societies, and also organised social activities, and a yearly autumn meeting from 1763 on, first in Schitznach, and from 1780 on in Olten
Olten
Olten is a town in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland and capital of the district of the same name.Olten's railway station is within 30 minutes of Zurich, Bern, Basel, and Lucerne by train, and is a rail hub of Switzerland.-History:...
, and finally in Aarau
Aarau
Aarau is the capital of the northern Swiss canton of Aargau. The city is also the capital of the district of Aarau. It is German-speaking and predominantly Protestant. Aarau is situated on the Swiss plateau, in the valley of the Aar, on the river's right bank, and at the southern foot of the Jura...
. New statutes were approved in 1766, focusing on the inclusiveness of the society towards all Swiss from all cantons. The aims of the Society included a democratic reform of the Swiss constitution, and education for all, influenced by the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
as expressed in Emile: or, On Education
Emile: Or, On Education
Émile, or On Education is a treatise on the nature of education and on the nature of man written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who considered it to be the “best and most important of all my writings”. Due to a section of the book entitled “Profession of Faith of the Savoyard Vicar,” Émile was be...
. The pedagogic reformer Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi was a Swiss pedagogue and educational reformer who exemplified Romanticism in his approach....
was an early member of the Society. He was one of the contributors for the Society's magazine Der Erinnerer, established in 1765, but it was soon suppressed for being too radical and critical of the authorities.
The 1766 statutes listed as the aim of the Society "The only goal and unique object of our Society must be to establish and conserve between the Swiss love and friendship, unity and concord; to maintain among them the taste for beautiful, noble and great acts; and to transmit for posterity liberty, peace and virtue through the care of good citizens".
After a halting start, with a membership that stayed at around 80 until 1770, the society flourished, with 159 members by 1780 and 283 by 1797, with a steady rise in visitors as well, like some members of the Bernoulli family in 1763. Among the new members were a lot of cantonal magistrates and other members of the Swiss elite. Of the 386 members the society had between 1762 and 1798, some 90 percent held a political office at some time.
In 1798, instead of an annual meeting, the members of the Helvetic Society started with the creation of the legislative assembly for the new Helvetic Republic
Helvetic Republic
In Swiss history, the Helvetic Republic represented an early attempt to impose a central authority over Switzerland, which until then consisted mainly of self-governing cantons united by a loose military alliance, and conquered territories such as Vaud...
, providing many members. The Society was abandoned, and was revived in 1819. The second version of the Society existed until 1849, when the society had become superfluous when most of its ideas were included in the new Swiss Federal Constitution
Swiss Federal Constitution
The Federal Constitution of 18 April 1999 is the third and current federal constitution of Switzerland. It establishes the Swiss Confederation as a federal republic of 26 cantons , contains a catalogue of individual and popular rights , delineates the responsibilities of the...
of 1848.
Members
- Franz Urs Balthasar (1762, honorary member)
- Joseph Anton Felix von Balthasar (1762)
- Urs Glutz von Blotzheim
- Johann Kaspar BluntschliJohann Kaspar BluntschliJohann Caspar Bluntschli was a Swiss jurist and politician.-Biography:He was born in Zurich to a soap and candle manufacturer...
- Johann Jakob BodmerJohann Jakob BodmerJohann Jakob Bodmer was a Swiss-German author, academic, critic and poet.-Life:Born at Greifensee, near Zürich, and first studying theology and then trying a commercial career, he finally found his vocation in letters...
- Charles Victor de BonstettenCharles Victor de BonstettenCharles Victor de Bonstetten , was a Swiss liberal writer.By birth a member of one of the great patrician families of Bern, he was educated in his native town, at Yverdon, and at Geneva, where he came under the influence of Rousseau and of Charles Bonnet, and imbibed liberal sentiments...
- Johann Jakob BreitingerJohann Jakob BreitingerJohann Jakob Breitinger was a Swiss philologist and author.- Life :Breitinger studied theology and philology and first earned recognition from 1730 through a new edition of the Septuaginta. From 1731 he worked as Professor of Hebrew and later of Greek in the gymnasium in Zürich...
- Jacques Clavel de Brenles (1765)
- Johann Rudolf Forcart (1773)
- Solomon GessnerSolomon GessnerSolomon Gessner was a Swiss painter and poet. His writing suited the taste of his time, though by some more recent standards it is “insipidly sweet and monotonously melodious.” As a painter, he represented the conventional classical landscape.-Biography:He was born in Zürich...
(1762) - Wilhelm Haas-Münch
- Salomon Hirzel (1762)
- Isaak IselinIsaak IselinIsaak Iselin was a Swiss philosopher of history and politics.Iselin studied law and philosophy at the University of Basel and the University of Göttingen. In 1756 he became secretary of the republic of Basel...
(1762, first president) - Johann Kaspar LavaterJohann Kaspar LavaterJohann Kaspar Lavater was a Swiss poet and physiognomist.-Early life:Lavater was born at Zürich, and educated at the Gymnasium there, where J. J. Bodmer and J. J...
(1765) - Christian von Mechel
- Joseph Rudolf Valentin Meyer (1762)
- Johann Heinrich PestalozziJohann Heinrich PestalozziJohann Heinrich Pestalozzi was a Swiss pedagogue and educational reformer who exemplified Romanticism in his approach....
- Gottlieb Konrad PfeffelGottlieb Konrad PfeffelGottlieb Konrad Pfeffel was a French-German writer and translator, whose texts were put to music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert. He is sometimes also known as Amédée or Théophile Conrad Pfeffel, which is the French translation of Gottlieb .-Biography:Gottlieb Konrad...
(1776, president in 1785) - Jacob Sarasin
- Johann Heinrich Schinz (1762)
- Johann Georg Stokar (president in 1777)
- Johann Rudolf TschiffeliJohann Rudolf TschiffeliJohann Rudolf Tschiffeli was a Swiss agronomist who founded the Economic Society of Berne in 1758. He was a wealthy merchant, economist and lawyer....
(1762) - Louis Eugene, Duke of Württemberg (1765, honorary member)
Members (post 1819)
- Charles MonnardCharles MonnardCharles Monnard was a Swiss historian. He was from Lausanne, and expanded to Romandy the national-historical movement in Swiss history that had been promoted by German-speaking Swiss historians such as Johannes von Müller and Heinrich Zschokke...
(1819) - Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (president in 1826)
- Ignaz Paul Vital TroxlerIgnaz Paul Vital TroxlerIgnaz Paul Vital Troxler was a Swiss physician, politician, and philosopher.Troxler studied in Jena and Göttingen...
- Heinrich ZschokkeHeinrich ZschokkeJohann Heinrich Daniel Zschokke was a German author and reformer. Most of his life was spent, and most of his reputation earned, in Switzerland...
(president, 1820s)
Further reading
- Die Helvetische Gesellschaft, by Karl Morell, G. Lücke, 1863
- Die Helvetische Gesellschaft: Spätaufklärung in der Schweiz, by Ulrich Im Hof and François de Capitani, 2 volumes, Huber, 1983.
- Die Entstehung einer politischen Öffentlichkeit in der Schweiz. Struktur und Tätigkeit der Helvetischen Gesellschaft, by Ulrich Im Hof, 1983.