The Cabaret Cornichon (English: ''Gherkin cabaret'') was a Swiss cabaret company. It existed from 1934 to 1951 and was founded by Otto Weissert, Walter Lesch, Emil Hegetschweiler and

Alois Carigiet Alois Carigiet (30 August 1902 – 1 August 1985) was a Swiss graphic designer, painter and illustrator. He may be known best for six children's picture books set in the Alps, '' A Bell for Ursli'' and its sequels, written by Selina Chönz, and ...

. They were later joined by, among others, Max Werner Lenz, Elsie Attenhofer, Voli Geiler,

Margrit Rainer Margrit Rainer born as Margrit Rosa Sandmeier (9 February 1914 – 10 February 1982) was a Switzerland, Swiss comedian, radio personality, and stage and film actress starring usually in Swiss German language cinema and television and stage product ...

, Ruedi Walter,

Heinrich Gretler Heinrich Gretler (1897–1977) was a Swiss film and television actor, who also starred on stage at the Bernhard-Theater in Zurich Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton ...

, Zarli Carigiet, Karl Meier and Alfred Rasser. The musical director was the pianist, Nico Kaufmann. From autumn 1950 to spring of 1951, Margrit Läubli appeared in the last programs of Cabaret Cornichon. The Cabaret Cornichon was essentially an entertainment cabaret but, inspired by the ideals of what later became known as 'Geistige Landesverteidigung' ('national' spiritual defence), it also opposed

fascism Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...

and

Nazism Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During Hitler's rise to power, it was fre ...

. The term "Geistige Landesverteidigung" refers to the strong and widespread political will of the Swiss to defend the country’s independence and democratic constitution against the Nazis. The cabaret was established in opposition to the right-wing organization known as the ‘ Frontenbewegung’, whose views mirrored those of the National Socialist Party in Germany. After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the cabaret split up amid the political tensions of the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

. While some of its members sided with the political left, those in opposition founded the Cabaret Fédéral in 1949.

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* {{Authority control Cabaret in Europe Entertainment companies established in 1934 Entertainment companies disestablished in 1951 1934 establishments in Switzerland 1951 disestablishments in Switzerland