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The ban should not be limited to symbols associated with National Socialism, but should also include other racially discriminatory, extremist and violence-glorifying symbols.
The committee motion will be considered by the Council of States during the winter session. The National Council voted in May to ban Nazi symbols. But that does not go far enough for the committee of the Council of States. Blick spoke about the subject with extremism researcher Mirjam Eser Davolio of the ZHAW.
Mrs Eser, have you ever seen anyone giving the Hitler salute in Switzerland?
Mirjam Eser Davolio: So far only on television. But of course we also use the Hitler salute to provoke.
But the gesture does not appear to be widespread. Is there even a problem?
Nazi symbols spread among the crowd. The number of reports to specialized extremism agencies is increasing. Swastikas are sprayed on walls or scratched into wooden benches. Rural areas are particularly affected.
How do you explain that?
We don’t know why. Since 2008, no in-depth research has been conducted into right-wing extremism. The only exception is a representative student survey by the ZHAW from 2018. It concluded: in Switzerland, 10 percent of young men have a right-wing extremist attitude – among girls this was almost 6 percent.
You have to follow that up.
Yes, but public interest in it has waned. Many assume that right-wing extremism in Switzerland is declining. Swiss intelligence data clearly shows that the phenomenon remains constant.
Will Nazi atrocities be forgotten?
Education is necessary so that memories are not lost. The Holocaust is still discussed in schools. But history lessons are being eliminated in favor of other subjects, such as computer science. Moreover: Schools do not have to cover the Holocaust. This has been mandatory in most European countries for a long time.
Nevertheless, National Socialist symbols are becoming socially acceptable in countries such as Italy, Hungary and Poland. Is the same thing likely to happen in Switzerland?
I don’t expect that, since in Switzerland only extremist circles use such symbols. All political parties reject it. But we must not become complacent. In Italy too, it was considered impossible for Giorgia Meloni to come to power. There are photos of party congresses of the Fratelli d’Italia, where politicians in the front row raise their arms in the fascist salute, the sign of the Mussolini cult, and Meloni does not intervene on stage. Now she heads the Italian government.
When authoritarian movements gain strength, banning symbols makes little sense.
The benefits can always be debated. One thing is certain: the symbols of the Nazi era are inhuman. A blanket ban is a clear statement by the rule of law that this will not be tolerated. That is why Germany, Austria and France have already introduced it.
The Federal Council rejects a comprehensive ban. He states that the current approach is sufficient.
I tend to disagree. It is difficult to determine whether a symbol was used for propaganda purposes. If there were a general ban, the offense would be clear.
But it would be extremely difficult to grasp all the National Socialist symbols.
It is about banning historical symbols from the Nazi era, including the Hitler salute and the swastika. This is also how it is arranged in other countries. Newer symbols would indeed be difficult to capture. They also evolve with information technology. For example, it would make no sense to ban emojis. The ban would have to be continuously adjusted.
The number of bans would therefore be very limited.
Yes, but it would still have a signaling effect. During World War II, there were Swiss who fought in the SS troops. When they returned to Switzerland they had to go to prison. However, in Liechtenstein they remained unpunished. This created a stronger right-wing extremist scene there. This shows that it is problematic if the state does not position itself clearly.
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
