Gaudenz Canova
Encyclopedia
Gaudenz Canova was a Swiss
socialist from Graubünden
(Grisons).
A lawyer
and Social Democratic
politician, Canova was a member of the National Council
from his native canton
in 1922–1925 and 1928–1935. He continued to be elected to political offices in Graubünden into the 1940s.
His political career is notable for his 1925 conviction for blasphemy
and his participation in the Swiss left's struggle against fascism
and pro-Nazi sentiment in the 1930s. Canova's 1940 condemnation of fascism in an opening speech before the Grand Council of Graubünden remained unpublished until long after his death as a result of censorship
.
Jörg), Gaudenz Canova was born on December 31, 1887 in the municipality Domat/Ems
in Graubünden
, Switzerland
. At first educated at Swiss schools, he proceeded to study law
in Berlin
and Freiburg
and was awarded the title of doctor of jurisprudence by the University of Freiburg
.
Canova became involved in Graubünden's social democratic
politics as a lawyer in Chur
. He was elected to his first term in the National Council of Switzerland
in 1922, and was a part-time editor
of Graubünden's Bündner Volkswacht during the 1920s.
A proponent of secularist ideas, Canova was legally tried and convicted of blasphemy
in 1925 for material published in the Volkswacht following a lawsuit begun on behalf of a Swiss Catholic association, and his career in the assembly came to a temporary halt after the controversy.
A brief note on the episode in a March 1925 issue Time magazine reported that
Reelected to the National Council in 1928-1935, Canova was one of the antagonists of the Swiss Nazi leader Wilhelm Gustloff
in the 1930s, and acquired a reputation as a relentless opponent of the Nazis' sympathizers on the Swiss far right
.
Canova continued to hold political offices in Graubünden long after his second term with the National Council. During the Second World War, Canova delivered a notable anti-fascist speech as Graubünden Standespräsident in November of 1940. Its content was officially censored, and the address remained unpublished until 1980.
Canova died on January 21, 1962 in Chur, Graubünden.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
socialist from Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
(Grisons).
A lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and Social Democratic
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
politician, Canova was a member of the National Council
National Council of Switzerland
The National Council of Switzerland is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland. With 200 seats, it is the larger of the two houses....
from his native canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
in 1922–1925 and 1928–1935. He continued to be elected to political offices in Graubünden into the 1940s.
His political career is notable for his 1925 conviction for blasphemy
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
and his participation in the Swiss left's struggle against fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
and pro-Nazi sentiment in the 1930s. Canova's 1940 condemnation of fascism in an opening speech before the Grand Council of Graubünden remained unpublished until long after his death as a result of censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
.
Biography
The son of farmer Jakob Daniel Canova and his wife Maria Elisabeth (néeNEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Jörg), Gaudenz Canova was born on December 31, 1887 in the municipality Domat/Ems
Domat/Ems
Domat/Ems is a municipality in the district of Imboden in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.- History :Domat/Ems is first mentioned in 765 as colonia de Amede. Ems is the German name for the municipality, Domat is the Romansh name and since 1943 the official name has been the combination of both.-...
in Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. At first educated at Swiss schools, he proceeded to study law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
and was awarded the title of doctor of jurisprudence by the University of Freiburg
University of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg , sometimes referred to in English as the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The university was founded in 1457 by the Habsburg dynasty as the...
.
Canova became involved in Graubünden's social democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
politics as a lawyer in Chur
Chur
Chur or Coire is the capital of the Swiss canton of Graubünden and lies in the northern part of the canton.-History:The name "chur" derives perhaps from the Celtic kora or koria, meaning "tribe", or from the Latin curia....
. He was elected to his first term in the National Council of Switzerland
National Council of Switzerland
The National Council of Switzerland is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland. With 200 seats, it is the larger of the two houses....
in 1922, and was a part-time editor
Editor
The term editor may refer to:As a person who does editing:* Editor in chief, having final responsibility for a publication's operations and policies* Copy editing, making formatting changes and other improvements to text...
of Graubünden's Bündner Volkswacht during the 1920s.
A proponent of secularist ideas, Canova was legally tried and convicted of blasphemy
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
in 1925 for material published in the Volkswacht following a lawsuit begun on behalf of a Swiss Catholic association, and his career in the assembly came to a temporary halt after the controversy.
A brief note on the episode in a March 1925 issue Time magazine reported that
Reelected to the National Council in 1928-1935, Canova was one of the antagonists of the Swiss Nazi leader Wilhelm Gustloff
Wilhelm Gustloff
Wilhelm Gustloff was the German leader of the NSDAP party in Switzerland; he founded the Swiss branch of the party at Davos in 1932., which grouped Nazi party members who lived outside the German Reich....
in the 1930s, and acquired a reputation as a relentless opponent of the Nazis' sympathizers on the Swiss far right
Far right in Switzerland
The far right in Switzerland was established in the course of the rise of fascism in Europe in the interwar period. It was a mostly marginal phenomenon in the Cold War period, excepting a surge of radical right-wing populism during the early 1970s, and has again attracted some media attention since...
.
Canova continued to hold political offices in Graubünden long after his second term with the National Council. During the Second World War, Canova delivered a notable anti-fascist speech as Graubünden Standespräsident in November of 1940. Its content was officially censored, and the address remained unpublished until 1980.
Canova died on January 21, 1962 in Chur, Graubünden.