Huge Gathering of Anarchists in St-Imier BE: A History of Anarchy in Switzerland

When it comes to “Swiss Anarchism,” many may think of silent and punctual rebels like these:

However, it is often forgotten that Switzerland was once a central hub for the anarchist labor movement in Europe. Here’s a little history lesson you missed in school.

Like so many 19th century stories, the story of anarchism begins with a few bearded men.

The Russian Mikhail Bakunin was sent to the army by his father. But he didn’t like the army. At the age of 18 he was sent to Poland, where he was shocked by the brutality with which Tsar Nicholas I crushed the November Uprising.

He called in sick, left the army and began to study philosophy in Moscow. He was particularly interested in German philosophers, especially Georg Hegel.

At the same time, another bearded man in Germany was also interested in Hegel.

Bakunin moved to Paris in 1844. There he met Karl Marx, who was already intensively involved in the theory of socialism had employed.

Although they shared many opinions about the critique of capitalism and the need for revolution, the two did not become friends on an ideological level.

According to Marx, a state “dictatorship of the working class” should enforce the ideology of socialism, which would then disappear on its own once society had internalized the change.

Bakunin hated any form of state and authority. He warned that any dictatorship would only lead to renewed oppression and wanted to organize the revolution in a grassroots democratic way.

Initially a sub-group, the collectivist anarchists around Bakunin quickly became the major force in the labor movement. They also owe this to Switzerland.

The anti-authoritarian movement in Switzerland managed to gain a foothold in the Neuchâtel and Bernese Jura, where many political refugees from the movement sought refuge. In the labor movement in the watch industry, a current emerged that increasingly aligned itself with Bakunin’s anarchist line.

On November 18, 1871, the Jura sections of the labor movement united to form an anarchist organization Federation Jurassienne and send out a circular. In it they criticized the dictatorial attitude of the General Council of the “International Workers’ Association” around Marx and Engels.

Tensions between communists and anarchists increased. In 1872 the situation became too precarious for the General Council: At the congress in The Hague they threw the anarchists around Bakunin out of the association.

The anarchists then quickly set up a workers’ association of their own: the “anti-authoritarian international”.

The anti-authoritarian international included anarchists Associations in Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, Netherlands, England, USA and of course Switzerland.

The Bulletin of Federation Jurassienne became a pan-European mouthpiece through which well-known anarchists spread their views.

Paul Brousse was an anarchist and political refugee from the Paris Commune. He didn’t think much about talking and discussing. In an article, Brousse defined the concept of «Propaganda of action». Actions such as assassinations and regicides were designed to awaken the populace and accelerate the revolution.

In March 1876 he organized a demonstration in Bern, where a red flag was carried for the first time. This provocation caused a clash with the civilian Bernese shortly after the start, who tore up the red flag and some demonstrators plunged into the city stream.

In 1877 the anarchists wanted revenge. A red flag was again carried at a renewed demonstration by the Jura anarchists in Bern.

To prevent a new conflict, the police also attended and asked the protesters to roll up the flag.

When they failed to comply, the police intervened. But this time the anarchists had made preparations, with daggers, brass knuckles and juices. A brutal scuffle ensued between ordinary people, anarchists and the police. Many people involved were injured.

The radicalization of Federation Jurassienne under Paul Brousse and Pyotr Kropotkin their downfall was at the same time. She lost the support of the labor movement in the watch industry, which was dealing with other crises at the time.

In addition, the figurehead of the organization, James Guillaume, emigrated to Paris in 1878. And his colleagues, for example Adhémar Schwitzguébel, became more involved in trade unions.

Only smaller, autonomous groups, mainly foreigners, remained of collective anarchism. Some actions followed which led to the tightening of the laws against anarchists:

Anarchism also began to move even further away from the leftist labor movement through its rejection of the Bolshevik regime in Russia. In 1940, all anarchist activity in Switzerland was finally banned, so that this political trend finally disappeared.

Later, some youth movements (such as punk culture) revived some concepts of anarchism, but it was never able to establish itself.