Alemannic Separatism
Alemannic Separatism is a movement advocating the unification of the
Alemannic speaking areas northeast of the
Rhine and
Lake Constance with
Switzerland.
Historically, Alemannic Separatism was a political movement during the early 19th Century and the time after the two world wars; whereas the contemporary Alemannic Separatism is no organized political movement, but an occasionally found sentimental attitude among the Alemannic speaking population northeast of the Rhine and Lake Constance. Support for this idea is found mostly in that German area, whereas few people in
Switzerland and
Alsace support the idea.
The historic reasons for the movement lie in the randomly drawn borders set up during the
Napoleonic era, which took no concern for linguistic borders but rather separated large areas from Switzerland for the sake of territorial concessions to
Baden,
Württemberg, and
Bavaria, or left them with
France. The city of
Lauffenburg for instance, is one of the last divided cities of
Europe, and
Büsingen is an enclave of Germany.
Alemannic Separatism also roots in the liberation fight of the Southern Badian peasants against Napoleon, which led to an emerging Alemannic national assertiveness. Examples of Alemannic Separatism can be found in
Vorarlberg and
Liechtenstein. Following World War I, Voralberg held a referendum in which the population voted by a large majority for negotiating their separation from
Austria and unification with Switzerland, which was dismissed by both governments. Liechtenstein successfully separated from Austria at the end of World War I and established monetary ties with Switzerland. Similar movements north of the Rhine and Lake Constance were quickly suppressed by the states of Baden and Wuerttemberg.
After World War II, political forces in Southern Baden who had in many cases been part of the resistance against Nazism, together with Southern
Alsace and the
Canton Basel attempted to set up an Alemannic State. This failed due to Swiss and French opposition to the plan.
Support of the idea is mostly found in Southern
Baden, in the region north of the
Rhine, directly bordering to Switzerland.
The movement is paradoxically fuelled by the retreat of the Alemannic language in Southwestern Germany, which seems severely threatened by the
Standard German language. Those people who perceive themselves as Alemannic, regard stronger ties with Switzerland as the only way to preserve their cultural and ethnic integrity.
Apart from the sentimental disaffirmation of the affiliation to the
Federal Republic of Germany, economic reasons loom large, and unification with Switzerland is seen as a way to maintain economic prosperity and political stability which are no longer expected from Germany. Germany is supposed to be in a sorry state economically and politically, as a consequence of its re-unification, the apparent dismantling of the welfare state, its economic problems associated with
Globalization, and the introduction of the inflationary
Euro.
Overall, the movement is of minor importance. The slogan
"Adee Düütschland. Mr gont!" (bye, bye Germany we're going) is occasionally heard.
In
Switzerland, the Alemannic separatism is only known as a southern German peculiarity, if it is known at all. There is a unanimous rejection of it, since Switzerland is not an Alemannic state, but a quatrilingual state. Therefore, Alemannic separatism is often seen as a threat to the integrity of Switzerland. Furthermore, Swiss Germans usually define themselves in opposition to Germany, regardless of whether the Germans (disrespectfully called
Schwobe -
Swabians) speak Alemannic or not.
In French-speaking Switzerland, Alemannic Separatism is known mainly to historians and is attributed to the ideals of freedom following the French Revolution. The addition of further areas to Switzerland is met by opposition as an even bigger dominance of the German Swiss is feared. Mostly the idea is seen with indifference due to it being perceived as Utopical.
Historically more associated with Switzerland are the
Veltlin which belonged to the
Canton Graubünden until the French Revolution, the
Chablais in which Switzerland had the right of military passage in case of war, and
Vorarlberg which has always had strong ties to the Canton Graubünden.
In Vorarlberg, the population feels as Austrian, after 200 years of being part of Austria. After the admission of Austria into the European Union, the introduction of the Euro, and the economic reforms of the Schüssel government at the other side of the country, the alienation with the Austrian state also grows there.This attitude is less strong in the north, near Lake Constance, and is stronger in the south, where the people feel a stronger attachment to the Canton Graubünden than with the Austrian state.
In
Alsace a separatist right-radical splinter-party called
Alsace d'abord (Alsace first) advocates weaker ties to France. As the Alsatians identify themselves mainly as Alsatians and have a certain animosity toward the people of Southern Baden and the Germans in general, they are not supportive of Alemannic Separatism. Only in the south of Alsace, near
Mulhouse are the ties to
Basel and Switzerland stronger and the population would like to foster these cultural and economic ties with Switzerland.
