The National Movement of Switzerland (German: Nationale Bewegung der Schweiz or NBS) was a Nazi umbrella-group formed in Switzerland in 1940.[1]
Foundationedit
The NBS had its roots in the 1938 foundation of the Bund Treuer Eidgenossen Nationalsozialistischer Weltanschauung [de] by Rolf Henne after the more moderate Robert Tobler had removed Henne from the leadership of the National Front.[2] In 1940, the Bund absorbed a number of tiny Nazi-supporting organisations to become the NBS under Henne and Dr. Max Leo Keller. Other groups absorbed included the Eidgenössische Soziale Arbeiterpartei [de] and elements of the National Front. The new group also officially bore the French-language name Mouvement Nationale Suisse as an appeal to Francophone Swiss.[3] Keller had worked with Heinrich Himmler and brought with him Andreas von Sprecher, whom the SS had trained, to run the new group's propaganda department.[2]
Keller, Jakob Schaffner and Ernst Hofmann, as representatives of the NBS, received an audience with the Swiss President Marcel Pilet-Golaz (in office throughout 1940) in which they demanded much closer relations with Nazi Germany, leading to eventual incorporation.[2] This was followed by a Munich conference in October 1940 to which the Director of the Reich Security Main Office, Reinhard Heydrich and the Swiss doctor and SS-member Franz Riedweg invited the leaders of the NBS and of other Swiss groups in order to increase cohesion.[2] Ultimately the meeting strengthened the hand of the NBS, as the remnants of the Bund Treuer Eidgenossen Nationalsozialistischer Weltanschauung as well as the Eidgenössische Soziale Arbeiter-Partei and Ernst Leonhardt's Nationalsozialistische Schweizerische Arbeitspartei agreed to be absorbed into the movement.[2]
Despite this strengthening the National Movement did not last long, as the Swiss Federal Council feared that annexation by Germany was just around the corner.[2] In a series of moves against the most extreme groups, the NBS was closed down on 19 November 1940, by which time it had 160 cells and around 4000 members.[2] The group continued to work underground for a time before a police crackdown which led to most of the leadership fleeing to Germany.[2] Whilst in Germany Keller set up the Bund der Schweizer Nationalsozialisten as an émigré movement, although its influence remained limited; eventually he returned to Switzerland in 1941.[2] Meanwhile, various NBS units continued underground activity secretly, mostly with help from the SS, until World War II ended in 1945.[2]
^Braunschweig, Pierre (2004). Secret channel to Berlin : the Masson-Schellenberg connection and Swiss intelligence in World War II. Philadelphia: Casemate. p. 336. ISBN1-932033-39-4. OCLC 53823206. Reference 25
^Georges André Chevallaz, The Challenge of Neutrality: Diplomacy and the Defense of Switzerland, Lexington Books, 2001, p. 95
April 12, 2024
national, movement, switzerland, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, j. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources National Movement of Switzerland news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message The National Movement of Switzerland German Nationale Bewegung der Schweiz or NBS was a Nazi umbrella group formed in Switzerland in 1940 1 Foundation editThe NBS had its roots in the 1938 foundation of the Bund Treuer Eidgenossen Nationalsozialistischer Weltanschauung de by Rolf Henne after the more moderate Robert Tobler had removed Henne from the leadership of the National Front 2 In 1940 the Bund absorbed a number of tiny Nazi supporting organisations to become the NBS under Henne and Dr Max Leo Keller Other groups absorbed included the Eidgenossische Soziale Arbeiterpartei de and elements of the National Front The new group also officially bore the French language name Mouvement Nationale Suisse as an appeal to Francophone Swiss 3 Keller had worked with Heinrich Himmler and brought with him Andreas von Sprecher whom the SS had trained to run the new group s propaganda department 2 Keller Jakob Schaffner and Ernst Hofmann as representatives of the NBS received an audience with the Swiss President Marcel Pilet Golaz in office throughout 1940 in which they demanded much closer relations with Nazi Germany leading to eventual incorporation 2 This was followed by a Munich conference in October 1940 to which the Director of the Reich Security Main Office Reinhard Heydrich and the Swiss doctor and SS member Franz Riedweg invited the leaders of the NBS and of other Swiss groups in order to increase cohesion 2 Ultimately the meeting strengthened the hand of the NBS as the remnants of the Bund Treuer Eidgenossen Nationalsozialistischer Weltanschauung as well as the Eidgenossische Soziale Arbeiter Partei and Ernst Leonhardt s Nationalsozialistische Schweizerische Arbeitspartei agreed to be absorbed into the movement 2 Despite this strengthening the National Movement did not last long as the Swiss Federal Council feared that annexation by Germany was just around the corner 2 In a series of moves against the most extreme groups the NBS was closed down on 19 November 1940 by which time it had 160 cells and around 4000 members 2 The group continued to work underground for a time before a police crackdown which led to most of the leadership fleeing to Germany 2 Whilst in Germany Keller set up the Bund der Schweizer Nationalsozialisten as an emigre movement although its influence remained limited eventually he returned to Switzerland in 1941 2 Meanwhile various NBS units continued underground activity secretly mostly with help from the SS until World War II ended in 1945 2 See also editFranz BurriExternal links edit Braunschweig Pierre 2004 Secret channel to Berlin the Masson Schellenberg connection and Swiss intelligence in World War II Philadelphia Casemate p 336 ISBN 1 932033 39 4 OCLC 53823206 Reference 25 a b c d e f g h i j Alan Morris Schom A Survey of Nazi and Pro Nazi Groups in Switzerland 1930 1945 Archived 2019 03 15 at the Wayback Machine Simon Wiesenthal Center Georges Andre Chevallaz The Challenge of Neutrality Diplomacy and the Defense of Switzerland Lexington Books 2001 p 95 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title National Movement of Switzerland amp oldid 1161584253, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
