Published on October 14, 2024 at 4:14 p.m. / Modified on October 14, 2024 at 4:16 p.m.
It was ultimately a slap in the face for the fascists, but also a revealer of the influence of their ideas in the Swiss political debate of the 1930s. Just 90 years ago, the Frontist leader Arthur Fonjallaz submitted an initiative to the Federal Chancellery with of 57,238 signatures to ban Freemasonry and similar organizations. An approach guided by Benito Mussolini and supported by Nazi propaganda. The Italian leader granted 610,000 Swiss francs (several million francs today) to the Vaudois colonel to finance this campaign. Three years later, the text was rejected by 68.7% of voters. But the Freemasons were lastingly shaken by this first and only popular vote in the world on their ban.
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