Gaudenz Canova (31 December 1887,

Domat/Ems Domat/Ems ( ; ) is a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Imboden Region in the Switzerland, Swiss Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Graubünden. History Domat/Ems is first mentioned in 765 as ''colonia de Amede''. Ems is the Ger ...

– 21 January 1962,

Chur '' Chur (locally) or ; ; ; ; ; ; or ; , and . is the capital and largest List of towns in Switzerland, town of the Switzerland, Swiss Cantons of Switzerland, canton of the Grisons and lies in the Alpine Rhine, Grisonian Rhine Valley, where ...

) was a

Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

from Graubünden (Grisons). A

lawyer A lawyer is a person who is qualified to offer advice about the law, draft legal documents, or represent individuals in legal matters. The exact nature of a lawyer's work varies depending on the legal jurisdiction and the legal system, as w ...

and

Social Democratic Social democracy is a Social philosophy, social, Economic ideology, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achi ...

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 Blasphemy refers to an insult that shows contempt, disrespect or lack of Reverence (emotion), reverence concerning a deity, an object considered sacred, or something considered Sanctity of life, inviolable. Some religions, especially Abrahamic o ...

and his participation in the Swiss

left Left may refer to: Music * ''Left'' (Hope of the States album), 2006 * ''Left'' (Monkey House album), 2016 * ''Left'' (Helmet album), 2023 * "Left", a song by Nickelback from the album ''Curb'', 1996 Direction * Left (direction), the relativ ...

's struggle against

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 pro-

Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...

sentiment in the 1930s. Canova's 1940 condemnation of fascism in an opening speech before the

Grand Council of Graubünden The Grand Council of Grisons (; ; ) is the Unicameralism, unicameral legislature of the Cantons of Switzerland, Swiss canton of Grisons. It meets in the cantonal capital Chur's Grand Council Building (''Grossratsgebäude''), being composed of 120 ...

remained unpublished as a result of

censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governmen ...

until long after his death.

Biography

The son of

farmer A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer ...

Jakob Daniel Canova and his wife Maria Elisabeth (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Jörg), Gaudenz Canova was born on December 31, 1887, in the municipality

. At first educated at Swiss schools, he proceeded to study

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

and Freiburg im Brisgau and was awarded the title of

doctor of jurisprudence A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other jur ...

by the

University of Freiburg The University of Freiburg (colloquially ), officially the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (), is a public university, public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The university was founded in 1 ...

. Canova became involved in Graubünden's

social democratic Social democracy is a Social philosophy, social, Economic ideology, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achi ...

politics as a lawyer in

. He was elected to his first term in the

National Council of Switzerland The National Council (; ; ; ) is a house of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland, representing the people. The other house, Council of States, represents the states, preventing more populous parts of the country overpowering the rest. As the p ...

in 1922, and was a part-time

editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, a ...

of Graubünden's '' Bündner Volkswacht'' during the 1920s.Simonett, Jürg (2005)
"Canova, Gaudenz".''Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz''.
Retrieved 26 May 2010. A proponent of

secularist Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on naturalistic considerations, uninvolved with religion. It is most commonly thought of as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state and may be broadened ...

ideas, Canova was legally tried and convicted of

in 1925 for material published in the ''Volkswacht'' following a lawsuit begun on behalf of a Swiss

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

association, and his career in the assembly came to a temporary halt after the controversy."Laizisierung in der Schweiz"
(2010). Freidenker-Vereinigung der Schweiz. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
(23 March 1925). ''Time''. Retrieved 26 May 2010. 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

leader

Wilhelm Gustloff Wilhelm Gustloff (30 January 1895 – 4 February 1936) was a German politician and meteorologist who founded the Swiss branch of the Nazi Party/Foreign Organization (NSDAP/AO) at Davos in 1932. The NSDAP/AO was formed as the wing of the Nazi Pa ...

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 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 ...

, Canova delivered a notable

anti-fascist Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were op ...

speech as Graubünden ''Standespräsident'' in November 1940. Its content was officially censored, and the address remained unpublished until 1980. Canova died on January 21, 1962, in

, Graubünden.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canova, Gaudenz 1887 births 1962 deaths People from Imboden District Social Democratic Party of Switzerland politicians Members of the National Council (Switzerland) People convicted of blasphemy Swiss newspaper editors University of Freiburg alumni 20th-century Swiss lawyers