Switzerland

 Switzerland
First Italo-Swiss Bahá’í Summer School in Bex-les-Bains, Switzerland, 1954.
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Location of Switzerland
National AssemblySwitzerland
Statistics:
Total Population
 -  UN 2021[1] 8,691,406
Bahá'í pop.
 -  Bahá'í source  
 -  Non-Bahá'í source 4,291
History:
Firsts
 -  Pioneers 1903, Edith MacKaye 
 -  Local Assembly 1949, Basel 
 -  National Assembly 1953, with Italy
1962, independent 
Official Website http://www.bahai.ch/
Related media
Categories: Switzerland • People

The Swiss Confederation, commonly known as Switzerland, is a country in west-central Europe. Its official languages are German, French, Italian and Romansh and Christianity is the predominant religion. It was among the earliest republics in modern history and is the home of most of the worlds major international institutions.

The Bahá’í Faith was first present in Switzerland in 1903 however a community was not firmly established until the 1950s. The country currently has an active Bahá’í community and much of the work of the Bahá’í International Community is conducted in Geneva.

History[edit]

The first Bahá’í to live in Switzerland was Edith MacKaye who moved to Sion in 1903 from Paris, France, and married Dr. Joseph de Bons who became a Bahá’í through her. The Faith was actively taught in the country in the 1900's and in 1908 Hippolyte Dreyfus became the first French Bahá’í while living near Lake Geneva in Switzerland.[2]

In 1911 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá briefly travelled through Switzerland visiting Thonon-les-Bains during His tour of Europe.[3] In 1912 Lady Blomfield began teaching the Faith in the country notably in Geneva, Mount Pelerin, and Villeneuve, and she continued teaching in the area throughout the First World War while serving the Red Cross and Save the Children Fund. Blomfield also completed her documentation of talks given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Paris, ultimately published as Paris Talks, while in Switzerland.[2]

In 1922 Shoghi Effendi visited Switzerland for respite due to the demands of his position as Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith and he would often visit the country to rest during his Ministry.[4] In the early 1920's prominent Swiss scientist August Forel became a Bahá’í and went on to teach the Faith prolifically through correspondence, writing articles about the religion, and promoting the defence of the Bahá’ís of Iran during a period of persecution in the 1920's.[2]

In 1925 Jean Stannard consulted with Shoghi Effendi on pioneering to Switzerland and settled in Geneva where she established the International Bahá’í Bureau, intended to serve as an auxiliary body to assist Shoghi Effendi in facilitating communication across the international Bahá’í community.[5] Martha Root visited the country the same year teaching in Geneva and visiting Bahá’ís who lived in Lausanne, the only locality outside Geneva with a Bahá’í community,[6] and the Bureau facilitated her and other visiting Bahá’í travel teachers throughout the 1920's and 30's.[7] The International Bahá’í Bureau almost disbanded in 1927 but was maintained by Julia Culver and Emogene Hoagg,[8] and began hosting study classes on the Faith and communicating with international bodies in Geneva.[9]

In the 1930's the level of Bahá’í activity in Switzerland reduced,[2] and throughout the early part of the decade Anne Lynch came to be the only Bahá’í serving at the International Bahá’í Bureau.[10] As of 1934 there were Bahá’ís residing in eight localities across the country with this reducing to five by 1938.[11][12] Some Bahá’í activity was able to take place in Switzerland during the Second World War with the Bahá’í Bureau organizing a Bahá’í Summer School in Geneva in 1943,[13] and a small community was maintained with Bahá’ís residing in Dietoldsau, Geneva, Wolfhalden, and Zurich as of 1946.[14]

After the end of the Second World War the American Bahá’í community re-established contact with the Swiss Bahá’ís,[15] and in 1946 Shoghi Effendi launched a Seven Year Plan for the North American Bahá’ís with one of the goals of the Plan being the establishment of a Local Spiritual Assembly in Switzerland.[16] In 1947 Fritzi Shaver and Elsa Steinmetz pioneered to Berne from America aiming to assist in the firm establishment of a Swiss Bahá’í community.[17] In 1947 a regular Swiss Bahá’í Summer School was established,[18] and in 1948 the first Bahá’í European Teaching Conference was held in Geneva.[19] Also in 1948 a delegation of the Bahá’í International Community attended the International Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations held in Geneva marking the beginning of formal relations between the Bahá’í community and the United Nations.[20]

The Local Spiritual Assembly of Berne was established in 1949 as the first Local Assembly in Switzerland,[21] and in 1952 the Swiss National Teaching Committee was established to oversee the development and consolidation of Bahá’í communities across the country.[22] In 1953 a joint National Spiritual Assembly for Italy and Switzerland was established,[23] and as of 1954 Switzerland had established additional Local Spiritual Assemblies in Geneva and Zurich.[24] The Bahá’í community of Switzerland expanded during the Ten Year Crusade with an independent National Spiritual Assembly being established in 1962 with its seat in Berne,[25] and the country had twelve Local Spiritual Assemblies by 1963.[26] During the Crusade Shoghi Effendi personally secured land for the construction of a Bahá’í House of Worship in Switzerland.[27]

In the late 1960's the Swiss Bahá’í community oversaw the opening of Liechtenstein and some regions within Switzerland to the Faith however the community decided there was a need for reaching people on a larger scale than traditional teaching methods allowed. In accordance the community began using audio-visual materials with a major exhibition being organized in 1970 and the European Dawn Breakers music group visiting the country.[28] Also in 1970 a conference for Bahá’í parents and children was held which resulted in a series of regional conferences and the establishment of some regular Bahá’í children's classes.[29] In 1971 a European Youth Conference attended by 1,200 youth from across Europe was held in Fiesch, Switzerland, and a two year youth teaching plan for Europe was launched at the Conference by Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir.[30]

In 1974 there were incidents of Covenant-breaking within the Swiss Bahá’í community which prompted the Swiss Bahá’í community to intensify their activities and as of 1976 the community had expanded to sixteen Local Spiritual Assemblies, and was holding regular Summer Schools, Bahá’í institutes, and national teaching conferences. Several Hands of the Cause visited the country throughout the 1970's and in 1975 a major International Bahá’í Youth Conference was held which was attended by Paul Haney.[31] In the 1970's the community also established a Bahá’í children's magazine, established children's education committees, and contributed over forty international pioneers to the work of the Faith.[32]

In the early 1980's the Swiss Federation of Protestant Churches issued a report on the persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran in the wake of the 1979 Iranian Revolution.[33] In 1981 the Swiss Bahá’í community commemorated the Fiftieth Anniversary of the passing of August Forel,[34] and in 1983 the Swiss National Spiritual Assembly established the Landegg Conference Centre, intended to become a study centre for the European Bahá’í community.[35][36] Throughout the 1980's the Swiss Bahá’í community collaborated with the Bahá’ís of neighbouring countries on several teaching projects,[37] and in 1988 the Landegg Centre was expanded into the Landegg Academy and began offering academic degrees.[38]

In the early 1990's the Swiss government officially granted Bahá’í children exemption from attending school on six Bahá’í Holy Days.[39] In 1994 the Swiss National Spiritual Assembly issued a statement titled Conquer Racism which received national media coverage.[40] In 1997 the Landegg Academy established the Rabbani Chair for Bahá’í History which was to hold annual colloquiums on Bahá’í history with Rúḥíyyih Khánum attending the dedication ceremony,[41] and in 1998 the Swiss Ministry of Education affirmed the Landegg Academy as an institution of higher learning.[42] In 1999 the Swiss Bahá’í community was represented at a multifaith event in Baden at which the Bahá’í Choir of Zurich and Aargau gave its first public performance.[43]

In 2000 the Bahá’í Faith was represented by several delegations at the Geneva 2000 Summit for Social Development,[44] and in 2001 the Landegg Academy was formally registered as a private university with the Swiss government however due to financial circumstances the Academy closed down in 2003.[45] In September 2003 the Centenary of the Bahá’í Faith in Switzerland was celebrated with a formal programme at the National Bahá’í Center in Bern and a conference in Interlaken. The Federal Chancellor of Switzerland conveyed positive remarks about the Faith to the celebrations and the descendants of several early Bahá’ís, including Ariane Schaller the granddaughter of Edith Mackaye and Joseph de Bons, delivered talks.[46] The Universal House of Justice conveyed the following in a message to the celebrations:

May these events inspire all the participants and, beyond them, the devoted members of the Baha'i community in every part of the Confederation, with an increased awareness of the momentousness of their task and of the blessings that are showered upon every determined endeavor for the progress of the Cause.[47]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "World Population Prospects 2022". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 https://bahai-library.com/pdf/v/vader_history_bahai_switzerland.pdf
  3. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1926). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. New York City, NY. Volume 1 (1925-1926), Pg(s) 130. View as PDF.
  4. ↑ Earl Redman, ‘’Through the Pilgrim’s Eye: Volume 1’’, George Ronald: Oxford, ‘’’2015’’’, p 51
  5. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1933). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. New York City, NY. Volume 4 (1930-1932), Pg(s) 257. View as PDF.
  6. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1926). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. New York City, NY. Volume 1 (1925-1926), Pg(s) 102. View as PDF.
  7. ↑ M. R. Garis (1983). Martha Root: Lioness at the Threshold. United States: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, United States. p. 230. ISBN 0877431841.
  8. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1933). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. New York City, NY. Volume 4 (1930-1932), Pg(s) 258. View as PDF.
  9. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1933). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. New York City, NY. Volume 4 (1930-1932), Pg(s) 260. View as PDF.
  10. ↑ Baha'i News (1966). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 428, Pg(s) 2. View as PDF.
  11. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1936). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. New York City, NY. Volume 5 (1932-1934), Pg(s) 432. View as PDF.
  12. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1939). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. New York City, NY. Volume 7 (1936-1938), Pg(s) 559. View as PDF.
  13. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1945). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 9 (1940-1944), Pg(s) 39. View as PDF.
  14. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1949). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 10 (1944-1946), Pg(s) 559. View as PDF.
  15. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1949). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 10 (1944-1946), Pg(s) 56. View as PDF.
  16. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1952?). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 11 (1946-1950), Pg(s) 38. View as PDF.
  17. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1970). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 13 (1954-1963), Pg(s) 918. View as PDF.
  18. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1978). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 16 (1973-1976), Pg(s) 82. View as PDF.
  19. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1952?). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 11 (1946-1950), Pg(s) 50. View as PDF.
  20. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1956). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 12 (1950-1954), Pg(s) 601. View as PDF.
  21. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 475. View as PDF.
  22. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1956). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 12 (1950-1954), Pg(s) 51. View as PDF.
  23. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1956). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 12 (1950-1954), Pg(s) 61. View as PDF.
  24. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1956). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 12 (1950-1954), Pg(s) 774. View as PDF.
  25. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 289. View as PDF.
  26. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1970). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 13 (1954-1963), Pg(s) 1035. View as PDF.
  27. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1970). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 13 (1954-1963), Pg(s) 273. View as PDF.
  28. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 289. View as PDF.
  29. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 290. View as PDF.
  30. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 336. View as PDF.
  31. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1978). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 16 (1973-1976), Pg(s) 315. View as PDF.
  32. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1978). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 16 (1973-1976), Pg(s) 316. View as PDF.
  33. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 189. View as PDF.
  34. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 192. View as PDF.
  35. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1986). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 18 (1979-1983), Pg(s) 190. View as PDF.
  36. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1994). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 19 (1983-1986), Pg(s) 175. View as PDF.
  37. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1994). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 19 (1983-1986), Pg(s) 173. View as PDF.
  38. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2000). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 27 (1998-1999), Pg(s) 77. View as PDF.
  39. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1993). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 21 (1992-1993), Pg(s) 126. View as PDF.
  40. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1996). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 23 (1994-1995), Pg(s) 99. View as PDF.
  41. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1999). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 26 (1997-1998), Pg(s) 115. View as PDF.
  42. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2000). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 27 (1998-1999), Pg(s) 77. View as PDF.
  43. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2001). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 28 (1999-2000), Pg(s) 99. View as PDF.
  44. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2002). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 29 (2000-2001), Pg(s) 71. View as PDF.
  45. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2003). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 30 (2001-2002), Pg(s) 85. View as PDF.
  46. ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (2005). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 32 (2003-2004), Pg(s) 88. View as PDF.
  47. ↑ https://news.bahai.org/story/255/high-tribute-swiss-centenary
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