Georges Oltramare
Encyclopedia
Georges Oltramare was a Swiss
author and fascist politician who became involved in collaboration
in Nazi-occupied France.
Born into a leading Geneva family, he obtained a demi-licence in law at the University of Geneva
in 1919. He became a noted author, winning the Foundation Schiller prize for his 1927 novel Don Juan ou la Solitude and also wrote for a number of right wing journals, specifically Le Pilori, which specialized in anti-Semitism
. He began direct involvement in politics in 1931 when he set up the Order Politique Nationale, merging this with the Union de Défense Economique to form the Union Nationale
the following year. This fascist movement, which represented the country's French
population, gained little support, although Oltramare was invited to participate in the anti-communist Entente Nationale Genevoise with more conservative
parties in 1936. He remained leader of the Union Nationale until 1940 when he left the country to settle in German
-occupied France
.
Adopting the pseudonym Charles Dieudonné, Oltramare took up his pen in support of the Nazis, eventually becoming director of La France au Travail
, a German-funded newspaper aimed at converting the country's trade unionists and former communists
to the Nazi cause. Also writing for L'Appel and Revivre, as well as broadcasting on Radio Paris, Oltramare even survived an assassination
attempt on the Champs-Élysées
.
He left France in August 1944 for Sigmaringen
, eventually returning to Switzerland in April 1945. Arrested for compromising Switzerland's independence, he spent the next few years in and out detention before being freed in 1952. He went on to live in Spain
and Egypt
, where he briefly worked as a propagandist for the regime of Gamal Abdel Nasser
, before returning to Switzerland where he was allowed to revive Le Pilori, which this time combined Poujadism with anti-Semitism. Notwithstanding a sentence of death that had been passed on him by a French court in 1950 Oltramare died of natural causes in Geneva
.
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....
author and fascist politician who became involved in collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
in Nazi-occupied France.
Born into a leading Geneva family, he obtained a demi-licence in law at the University of Geneva
University of Geneva
The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
in 1919. He became a noted author, winning the Foundation Schiller prize for his 1927 novel Don Juan ou la Solitude and also wrote for a number of right wing journals, specifically Le Pilori, which specialized in anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
. He began direct involvement in politics in 1931 when he set up the Order Politique Nationale, merging this with the Union de Défense Economique to form the Union Nationale
National Union (Switzerland)
The National Union was the main fascist political party in French-speaking Switzerland before World War II.The Union was formed in Geneva in 1932 by Georges Oltramare, a lawyer and writer. Noted for his anti-Semitic writing, Oltramare founded the Order Politique Nationale in 1931 but merged it...
the following year. This fascist movement, which represented the country's French
Swiss French
Swiss French is the name used for the variety of French spoken in the French-speaking area of Switzerland known as Romandy. Swiss French is not to be confused with Franco-Provençal/Arpitan or Romansh, two other individual Romance languages spoken in areas not far from Romandy.The differences...
population, gained little support, although Oltramare was invited to participate in the anti-communist Entente Nationale Genevoise with more conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
parties in 1936. He remained leader of the Union Nationale until 1940 when he left the country to settle in German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-occupied France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Adopting the pseudonym Charles Dieudonné, Oltramare took up his pen in support of the Nazis, eventually becoming director of La France au Travail
La france au travail
La France au Travail was a pro-German French newspaper which appeared from 30 June 1940 onwards funded by the German embassy in France. It was started as a propaganda initiative in the aftermath of the German occupation to influence left-leaning segments of French public opinion...
, a German-funded newspaper aimed at converting the country's trade unionists and former communists
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
to the Nazi cause. Also writing for L'Appel and Revivre, as well as broadcasting on Radio Paris, Oltramare even survived an assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
attempt on the Champs-Élysées
Champs-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
.
He left France in August 1944 for Sigmaringen
Sigmaringen
Sigmaringen is a town in southern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Situated on the upper Danube, it is the capital of the Sigmaringen district....
, eventually returning to Switzerland in April 1945. Arrested for compromising Switzerland's independence, he spent the next few years in and out detention before being freed in 1952. He went on to live in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, where he briefly worked as a propagandist for the regime of Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
, before returning to Switzerland where he was allowed to revive Le Pilori, which this time combined Poujadism with anti-Semitism. Notwithstanding a sentence of death that had been passed on him by a French court in 1950 Oltramare died of natural causes in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
.