Ristorante Cooperativo
Encyclopedia
The Ristorante Cooperativo, colloquially known as Coopi, is a restaurant
in Zürich
, Switzerland
, known for its association with 20th century left-wing
political figures as well as the anti-fascist
, trade union
and Italian immigrant movements in Switzerland.
The restaurant's roots are in the Società Cooperativa Italiana Zurigo, founded by Italian immigrants in 1905 for "furthering Socialist
cooperation". Apart from a library, the society also founded the Ristorante Cooperativo to allow immigrants to eat at affordable prices, and continues to operate it today.
During World War II
, the Cooperativo became a nexus of Socialist resistance against European Fascism
, as many exiled Italian socialists fled to Switzerland. Among them was Filippo Turati
, the founder of the Italian Socialist Party
, whose bust still graces the restaurant. The Coopi was also where the Avanti!
and L'Avvenire dei Lavoratori
were being edited during the war years. These newspapers, the only Italian-language media in opposition to the Fascist regime
at the time, were regularly being smuggled from Zürich to Italy in double-bottomed suitcases.
In the post-war years, the restaurant became a meeting-point of the Zürich left-wing intelligentsia
, particularly during the student movement's heyday in the late 1960s. The later Federal Councillor
Moritz Leuenberger
was among the Coopis regular guests as a student. Led by the later National Councillor Ezio Canonica, the Coopi was also the base of the opponents of James Schwarzenbach
's anti-immigration initiatives of the 1960s.
In its time, the Coopi has seen many internationally famous patrons. While still a member of the Italian Socialist Party, the later Italian Fascist leader Benito Mussolini
ate at the Coopi in 1913 after speaking at the May Day
festivities in Zürich. Vladimir Lenin
is reported to have eaten his last meal in Switzerland at the Coopi before covertly traveling to Russia
in 1917, and the German
communist
writer Bertolt Brecht
also patronised the restaurant during his stay in Switzerland. Brecht is said to have asked why the restaurant had a portrait of Karl Marx
but lacked those of Soviet
leaders Lenin and Joseph Stalin
, and was told that the Coopi was "not a place for dictator
s, not even on the walls". More recently, Gerhard Schröder
, then still Chancellor of Germany, ate at the restaurant after opening a Schang Hutter vernissage in 2004.
Originally located at the Zwinglistrasse, the restaurant moved to the Militärstrasse 36 in 1912 and to the Strassburgstrasse 5, in 1970 (47.3727°N 8.5282°E). In 2006, the media reported that the Coopi may have to close its doors in 2007 because the city government intends to increase the rent for the restaurant building which it owns. According to the Società Cooperativa, replacing the 1970s flexible rent arrangement with a current market level rent would ruin the restaurant.
In 2008, it moved to St. Jakobstrasse 6 (47.3737°N 8.5281°E).
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
in 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...
, 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....
, known for its association with 20th century left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
political figures as well as the anti-fascist
Anti-fascism
Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals, such as that of the resistance movements during World War II. The related term antifa derives from Antifaschismus, which is German for anti-fascism; it refers to individuals and groups on the left of the political...
, trade union
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
and Italian immigrant movements in Switzerland.
The restaurant's roots are in the Società Cooperativa Italiana Zurigo, founded by Italian immigrants in 1905 for "furthering Socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
cooperation". Apart from a library, the society also founded the Ristorante Cooperativo to allow immigrants to eat at affordable prices, and continues to operate it today.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Cooperativo became a nexus of Socialist resistance against European 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...
, as many exiled Italian socialists fled to Switzerland. Among them was Filippo Turati
Filippo Turati
Filippo Turati was an Italian sociologist, poet and Socialist politician.-Early life:Born in Canzo, province of Como, he graduated in law at the University of Bologna in 1877, and participated in the Scapigliatura movement with the most important artists of the period in Milan, publishing poetry...
, the founder of the Italian Socialist Party
Italian Socialist Party
The Italian Socialist Party was a socialist and later social-democratic political party in Italy founded in Genoa in 1892.Once the dominant leftist party in Italy, it was eclipsed in status by the Italian Communist Party following World War II...
, whose bust still graces the restaurant. The Coopi was also where the Avanti!
Avanti! (Italian newspaper)
Avanti! is an Italian daily newspaper, born as the official voice of the Italian Socialist Party, published since December 25, 1896. It took its name from its German counterpart Vorwärts.-History:...
and L'Avvenire dei Lavoratori
L'Avvenire dei Lavoratori
The Avvenire dei Lavoratori is an Italian language Socialist newspaper, established 1899 in Zurich, Switzerland. It is edited at the offices of the Società Cooperativa Italiana, the Ristorante Cooperativo....
were being edited during the war years. These newspapers, the only Italian-language media in opposition to the Fascist regime
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
at the time, were regularly being smuggled from Zürich to Italy in double-bottomed suitcases.
In the post-war years, the restaurant became a meeting-point of the Zürich left-wing intelligentsia
Intelligentsia
The intelligentsia is a social class of people engaged in complex, mental and creative labor directed to the development and dissemination of culture, encompassing intellectuals and social groups close to them...
, particularly during the student movement's heyday in the late 1960s. The later Federal Councillor
Swiss Federal Council
The Federal Council is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the federal government of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss collective head of state....
Moritz Leuenberger
Moritz Leuenberger
Moritz Leuenberger is a Swiss politician, lawyer, was a member of the Swiss Federal Council from 1995 to 2010 and President of the Confederation in 2001 and in 2006....
was among the Coopis regular guests as a student. Led by the later National Councillor Ezio Canonica, the Coopi was also the base of the opponents of James Schwarzenbach
James Schwarzenbach
James Schwarzenbach was a far-right Swiss politician, in the 1970s head of the short-lived Republican Party of Switzerland and publicist of fascist, völkisch and antisemitic literature, his Thomas-Verlag....
's anti-immigration initiatives of the 1960s.
In its time, the Coopi has seen many internationally famous patrons. While still a member of the Italian Socialist Party, the later Italian Fascist leader Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
ate at the Coopi in 1913 after speaking at the May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
festivities in Zürich. Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
is reported to have eaten his last meal in Switzerland at the Coopi before covertly traveling to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in 1917, and the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
writer Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
also patronised the restaurant during his stay in Switzerland. Brecht is said to have asked why the restaurant had a portrait of Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
but lacked those of Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
leaders Lenin and Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
, and was told that the Coopi was "not a place for dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
s, not even on the walls". More recently, Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder is a German politician, and was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany , he led a coalition government of the SPD and the Greens. Before becoming a full-time politician, he was a lawyer, and before becoming Chancellor...
, then still Chancellor of Germany, ate at the restaurant after opening a Schang Hutter vernissage in 2004.
Originally located at the Zwinglistrasse, the restaurant moved to the Militärstrasse 36 in 1912 and to the Strassburgstrasse 5, in 1970 (47.3727°N 8.5282°E). In 2006, the media reported that the Coopi may have to close its doors in 2007 because the city government intends to increase the rent for the restaurant building which it owns. According to the Società Cooperativa, replacing the 1970s flexible rent arrangement with a current market level rent would ruin the restaurant.
In 2008, it moved to St. Jakobstrasse 6 (47.3737°N 8.5281°E).