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Swiss political system never immune to fascism, historians respond
🇨🇭 Switzerland /Elections & Politics

Swiss political system never immune to fascism, historians respond

From Le Temps · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Context piece
  • Historians are responding to the question of whether Switzerland's political system is immune to fascism.
  • A 2024 exhibition and conference examined "Fascist Presences in Switzerland," presenting research findings.
  • The discussion was partly prompted by the University of Lausanne's 1937 honorary doctorate awarded to Benito Mussolini.

Historians are challenging the notion that Switzerland's political system possesses an inherent immunity to fascism, asserting that such a state has never existed. This discourse has been amplified by recent academic efforts to explore Switzerland's historical relationship with fascist movements.

A key point of contention is the University of Lausanne's decision in 1937 to award an honorary doctorate to Benito Mussolini. This act, occurring after Italy's aggression against Ethiopia, was seen by some as a form of recognition from Vaudois academic and political elites towards the fascist leader. The controversy surrounding this distinction has persisted long after Mussolini's death.

In response to the lingering controversy, the University of Lausanne opted for a research-driven approach rather than revoking the honorary title. This led to an exhibition and a conference held in late 2024. The event, titled "Fascist Presences in Switzerland," brought together over 25 researchers to present their findings.

The proceedings from this conference were published in late June under the same title by Epistémé publishing house in Lausanne. Historian Marc Perrenoud, a former member of the Bergier Commission, has been involved in explaining the latest research contributions. The work aims to provide a deeper historical understanding of fascist influences and presences within Switzerland.

Fascist Presences in Switzerland

— Various HistoriansThis is the title of the published proceedings from a conference examining Switzerland's historical ties to fascism.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Temps in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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