What is the history of cooperative movement in Switzerland?

Answer 1

Two biggest Movements in Switzerland:

1. Anabaptism:Anabaptism in Switzerland began as an offshoot of the church reforms instigated by Ulrich Zwingli. As early as 1522 it became evident that Zwingli was on a path of reform preaching when he began to question or criticize such Catholic practices as tithes, the mass, and even infant baptism. Zwingli had gathered a group of reform-minded men around him, with whom he studied Classic literature and the Scriptures. However, some of these young men began to feel that Zwingli was not moving fast enough in his reform. The division between Zwingli and his more radical disciples became apparent in an October, 1523 disputation held in Zurich. When the discussion of the mass was about to be ended without making any actual change in practice, Conrad Grebel stood up and asked "what should be done about the mass?" Zwingli responded by saying the Council would make that decisions. At this point, Simon Stumpf, a radical priest from Hongg, answered saying, "The decision has already been made by the Spirit of God."

2. Women Suffrage: The Swiss referendum on women's suffrage was held on 1 February 1959. The majority of Switzerland's men voted against it, but in some cantons women obtained the vote. The first Swiss woman to hold political office, Trudy Späth-Schweizer, was elected to the municipal government of Riehen in 1958. Switzerland was the last Western republic to grant women's suffrage; they gained the right to vote in federal elections in 1971. In 1991 following a decision by the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland, Appenzell Innerrhoden became the last Swiss canton to grant women the vote on local issues.

An Organisation was also set up for Women rights.

THE GOSTELI FOUNDATION:

The Gosteli Foundation was established in 1982 with the intention ofbeing used to provide independent sponsorship for the archives documenting the history of the feminist movement in Switzerland. The idea is based on the fact that the big women's associations, which were founded at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, and the pioneers of the feminist movement possess a large amount of archive material. The plan to build up archives in Worblaufen was already a discussion point in 1982 between the benefactress and Professor Beatrix Mesmer from the Historical Institute of the University ofBerne, where research into the history of the feminist movement began. It rapidly became clear that the most important records were widely scattered, difficult to access and unclassified. With the 1982 decision to devote its own means to building and maintaining these archives on the history of the feminist movement inSwitzerland, the Foundation was doing nothing new. It is on record that the big women's associations had already planned a public library, an information centre and archives together in the 60s, and had already recognised the great importance of an undertaking of this kind for their work. The Union of Swiss Women's Associations (now Alliance F) already had a professionally catalogued library and pamphlet collection at this point. The idea was all set but could not be realised for financial reasons. The idea of these perspicacious women pioneer is what the Gosteli Foundation has been trying to put into practice for the last 25 years. The archive has been collecting and classifying records from women's organisations, women's associations and individual women who have played an important part in business, education, culture, society and family for 25 years. It is in order to enhance the visibility of these womens' contributions in the public eye that the Foundation has, in the last few years, supported the publication of the edition of a primary source text. It also runs a detailed historical library with a large collection of pamphlets, originally founded by the Union ofSwiss Women's Organisations. The use of the archives and library is not restricted to scientific research but is accessible at no cost to all interested organisations and private persons, with advance notification. Up until April 2008 the archives collected over 300 records, approximately half each from organisations of local and international importance and from private parties. The archives also include:

§ Magazines of the feminist movement

§ Pamphlets on feminist issues

§ Material on women's professions, women in work, suffrage, women's congresses and women's exhibitions

§ Theses, degree theses, licentiates and term papers

§ Magazine collections

§ Newspaper articles

§ Audio and video material

§ Collections of biographies of both Swiss and foreign women

Activities

The Archive on the history of women in Switzerland serve to hold the sources for the history of women. Itoffers opportunities and support to all researchers in their work. The archives maintain contact withinstitutions both at home and abroad. They prove that the constant contribution from women to the development of human culture is not recognisable if they are only seen as the victims of oppression. We want to show the importance of the history of the Swiss feminist movement to our society. It is scientifically proven that Swiss women of the early 20th century were some of the best organised women in Europe. There is, here, a severe lack of historical knowledge in education, which needs to be redressed. The Foundation is keen to put women's equality into its historic place.

Aims

The Foundation has two main aims:

1. An ideology-free rehabilitation of the history of the Swiss feminist movement

2. Inclusion of the history of women and the feminist movement in our country in history books, in school education and in adult education. It is internationally acknowledged that without women's equality inhistory, women will never be fully equal.