Helvetic Society

The Helvetic Society was a non-denominational Swiss association Enlightenment -minded people in the 18th century.

It was founded in Schinznach bath of a circle around Isaak Iselin, Hans Caspar Hirzel, Joseph Anton Felix von Balthasar, Daniel Fell Mountain and Joseph Anton Siegmund 1761 by Beroldingen. Other members were Johann Georg Zimmermann, Salomon Gessner, Johann Rudolf Tschiffeli and Vincenz Bernhard Tscharner and Niklaus Emanuel Tscharner. From the foreign side, Prince Ludwig Eugen of Württemberg, Johann Georg Schlosser and Gottlieb Konrad Pfeffel joined them. There were progressive men of the middle class educated and the aristocracy, who felt the shortcomings of the late ancien régime.

In the Helvetic Society 's new national self- consciousness found its center. In the most significant overall Swiss association (partnerships motion) were maintained an all border-crossing friendship, the unfolding of a national spirit and the federal cohesion in the spirit of the time. The republican virtues should be further developed to freedom, equality and overcoming of confessionalism ( Religious Tolerance ). The spiritual and moral education of the individual and the economic livelihoods should be improved. Here arose the idea of ​​a separation of denominations and Canton -border idea of ​​Switzerland.

At the ideals of the Helvetic Society ties in with the New Helvetic Society, which was founded in 1914 shortly before the outbreak of the First World War in order to strengthen the then highly endangered unity between German - and French-speaking Swiss.

Other members of

• Johann Heinrich Fischer
• Joseph Rudolf Valentin Meyer
• Abraham Emanuel Fröhlich
• Alois Fuchs
• Franz Josef Gassmann
• Cosmo army
• Salomon Hirzel
• Kaspar Koch
• Jeremiah Lorza
• Johann Melchior Mohr
• Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
• Albrecht Rengger
• Johann Heinrich Schinz
• Philipp Albert Stapfer
• Johann Georg Stokar
• Ulysses von Salis - Marschlins
• Marquard Wocher