National Front (Switzerland)
Encyclopedia
The National Front was a far right
political party
in Switzerland
that flourished during the 1930s.
The party began life amongst a number of debating clubs at the University of Zurich
, where anti-Semitism
, Swiss nationalism
and support for ideas similar to those later adopted in the racial policy of Nazi Germany
had become popular. A number of these groups (all of which co-operated in a loose federation known as the New Front) were formally brought together in 1930 to form the National Front under the leadership of Hans Vonwyl.
Initially the party did not grow far outside the confines of the University but soon the party newspaper, Der Eiserne Besen (The Iron Broom), became widely read and its antisemitic message found an audience. Initially bearing some of the hallmarks of Austrian National Socialism
, they absorbed the New Front in 1933 and moved to a more orthodox fascism
. Emil Sonderegger
, a former member of the Swiss General Staff, was a prominent speaker and propagandist of the National Front at this time. The party continued to grow and soon won seats on Zürich
council, as well as the support of well-known Swiss writers of the time, such as Jakob Schaffner
. They did not come out completely in favour of any regime and instead sought to unite German
, French
and Italian
speakers in a common Swiss identity (they maintained links with a minor Romansh far right group, although the National Front did not campaign amongst the Romansh).
The party came under the leadership of Rolf Henne
in 1934 and, taking advantage of the direct democracy
model used in Swiss politics the National Front forced a referendum
on a constitutional amendment
in 1935 that sought to redesign the system of government on more nationalist, racial and authoritarian
lines. The proposal was heavily defeated and soon the party began to go into decline. Revelations followed regarding allegations of funding from Germany, leading to many members leaving over what they saw as a compromise of Swiss independence whilst other more extremist members under Hans Oehler
also left as they felt the group did not go far enough. By the same token, those more predisposed towards the Italian model of fascism tended to support the groups of former NF member Colonel Arthur Fonjallaz
. By 1939 the party had lost all of its seats in its previous stronghold of Zürich.
Henne had lost the leadership of the group to the more moderate Robert Tobler
in 1938 and his followers left to form what would eventually emerge as the National Movement of Switzerland
. Tobler's moderation did not avert the suspicions of the Swiss government however and In 1940 the party was formally dissolved after Tobler was briefly imprisoned for espionage
. Tobler would reform the group as Eidgenössiche Sammlung soon after although this too was gone by 1943.
The Partei National Orientierter Schweizer
founded in 2000 is a successor organisation of the National Front.
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Switzerland
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....
that flourished during the 1930s.
The party began life amongst a number of debating clubs at the University of Zurich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
, where anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
, Swiss nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
and support for ideas similar to those later adopted in the racial policy of Nazi Germany
Racial policy of Nazi Germany
The racial policy of Nazi Germany was a set of policies and laws implemented by Nazi Germany, asserting the superiority of the "Aryan race", and based on a specific racist doctrine which claimed scientific legitimacy...
had become popular. A number of these groups (all of which co-operated in a loose federation known as the New Front) were formally brought together in 1930 to form the National Front under the leadership of Hans Vonwyl.
Initially the party did not grow far outside the confines of the University but soon the party newspaper, Der Eiserne Besen (The Iron Broom), became widely read and its antisemitic message found an audience. Initially bearing some of the hallmarks of Austrian National Socialism
Austrian National Socialism
Austrian National Socialism was a Pan-German movement that was formed at the beginning of the 20th century. The movement took a concrete form on November 15, 1903 when the German Worker's Party was established in Austria with its secretariat stationed in the town of Aussig...
, they absorbed the New Front in 1933 and moved to a more orthodox 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...
. Emil Sonderegger
Emil Sonderegger
Emil Sonderegger was a Swiss military officer who later became involved in the country's far right political scene....
, a former member of the Swiss General Staff, was a prominent speaker and propagandist of the National Front at this time. The party continued to grow and soon won seats on Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
council, as well as the support of well-known Swiss writers of the time, such as Jakob Schaffner
Jakob Schaffner
Jakob Schaffner was a leading Swiss novelist who became a supporter of Nazism.Born on 14 November 1875 in Basel, his father died at an early age before his mother emigrated to the United States, leaving him to be reared in an orphanage...
. They did not come out completely in favour of any regime and instead sought to unite German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
speakers in a common Swiss identity (they maintained links with a minor Romansh far right group, although the National Front did not campaign amongst the Romansh).
The party came under the leadership of Rolf Henne
Rolf Henne
Rolf Henne was a Swiss politician who supported a form of Nazism.Born in Schaffhausen, Henne was a distant relative of Carl Jung on his father's side. Educated at Zurich and Heidelberg, Henne worked as a lawyer. He joined the New Front in 1932, serving as Gaufuehrer for his hometown...
in 1934 and, taking advantage of the direct democracy
Direct democracy
Direct democracy is a form of government in which people vote on policy initiatives directly, as opposed to a representative democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives. Direct democracy is classically termed "pure democracy"...
model used in Swiss politics the National Front forced a referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on a constitutional amendment
Constitutional amendment
A constitutional amendment is a formal change to the text of the written constitution of a nation or state.Most constitutions require that amendments cannot be enacted unless they have passed a special procedure that is more stringent than that required of ordinary legislation...
in 1935 that sought to redesign the system of government on more nationalist, racial and authoritarian
Authoritarianism
Authoritarianism is a form of social organization characterized by submission to authority. It is usually opposed to individualism and democracy...
lines. The proposal was heavily defeated and soon the party began to go into decline. Revelations followed regarding allegations of funding from Germany, leading to many members leaving over what they saw as a compromise of Swiss independence whilst other more extremist members under Hans Oehler
Hans Oehler
Hans Oehler was a Swiss journalist, leading supporter of Nazism.Initially a journalist, Oehler turned his attention towards producing vehemently pro-German material, founding the Schweizerische Monatshefte für Politik und Kultur in 1921...
also left as they felt the group did not go far enough. By the same token, those more predisposed towards the Italian model of fascism tended to support the groups of former NF member Colonel Arthur Fonjallaz
Arthur Fonjallaz
Arthur Fonjallaz was a Swiss military figure, publisher and fascist.The son of a vineyard owner from Lausanne he attended the Military Academy in Modena and pursued a successful career in the Swiss Army, achieving the highest peace time rank of brigadier general whilst commanding the 4th Infantry...
. By 1939 the party had lost all of its seats in its previous stronghold of Zürich.
Henne had lost the leadership of the group to the more moderate Robert Tobler
Robert Tobler
Robert Tobler was a Swiss far right politician.Born in Zürich, he followed his father by studying law at University of Zurich and working as a lawyer. Initially attracted to liberalism, he came into contact with Hans Oehler and soon helped to found the New Front in 1930...
in 1938 and his followers left to form what would eventually emerge as the National Movement of Switzerland
National Movement of Switzerland
The National Movement of Switzerland was a Nazi umbrella group formed in Switzerland in 1940.The NBS had its roots in the 1938 foundation of the Bund Treuer Eidgenossen Nationalsozialistischer Weltanschauung by Rolf Henne after he was removed from the leadership of the National Front by the more...
. Tobler's moderation did not avert the suspicions of the Swiss government however and In 1940 the party was formally dissolved after Tobler was briefly imprisoned for espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
. Tobler would reform the group as Eidgenössiche Sammlung soon after although this too was gone by 1943.
The Partei National Orientierter Schweizer
Partei National Orientierter Schweizer
The Swiss Nationalist Party is a far-right völkischpolitical party in Switzerland founded in 2000. It was classified as "extremist" by the Swiss federal police in 2001....
founded in 2000 is a successor organisation of the National Front.