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Luigi Bertoni
Italian-born militant anarchist, active in Switzerland.
(1872-1947)
Biographical/historical notes:
Bertoni, Luigi. Born in Milan 1872, died in Geneva 1947; typographer, anarchist, writer; founder of the anarchist bilingual periodical "Il Risveglio/Le Réveil" Geneva in 1900 and editor until 1947; contributed to "Voix du Peuple"; important for the development of the Swiss trade unions; arrested several times by the Swiss authorities for his propagandist activities; in 1918 imprisoned for thirteen months, wrongly accused of plotting bombing attacks in Italy, finally fully cleared of this charge.
A short chronology from the Daily Bleed
1872 - Italy: Luigi Bertoni (1872-1947) lives, Milan, February 6. Italian-Swiss anarchist, typographer, & an untiring publisher of the bilingual newspaper "Le Reveil anarchiste" (The Anarchist Alarm Clock) which he founded in Geneva in July 1900 & edited until his death. Bertoni fought alongside Italian comrades during the Spanish Revolution of 1936, on the Huesca front.
1900 - Switzerland: In Genève, Luigi Bertoni publishes the premier issue of "Il Risveglio anarchico, Le Réveil socialiste anarchiste" July 7. In 1913, the name is modified to "Le Réveil communiste anarchiste" & then from May 1, 1926 on, simply "Le Reveil anarchiste" (The Anarchist Alarm Clock). The bilingual (Italian-French) newspaper printed different articles depending on the language.
1902 - Switzerland: Lucien Tronchet lives (1902-1981), Geneva. Anarchist & Swiss trade unionist. Antifascist activities led to prison.
Tronchet went to Spain in 1936, with Bertoni, joining with the anarchists fighting the fascists.
1913 - André Bösiger lives. Swiss anarchist, a member of the Ligue d'action du bâtiment (L.A.B.), & associated with Luigi Bertoni & Lucien Tronchet. A founder of the CIRA.
The L.A.B. practiced sabotage & direct action, countering recalcitrant landlords & assisting unemployed workers being evicted from their homes.
"J'ai vécu heureux toute ma vie et le serai jusqu'au bout, car elle a toujours eu un sens qui ne m'a jamais échappé."
1919 - Switzerland: Luigi Bertoni & Italian anarchists, implicated in the "Plot of Zurich", appear in court June 2, after being in detention the past 13 months. The so-called "plot" was a political pretext to arrest Bertoni, publisher of "Le Réveil communiste anarchiste", & others opposing WWI (the Great War That Ended All Wars). A nationwide protest movement agitated for their release.
En fait une machination politico-judiciaire qui se clôt par un acquittement général, après un impressionnant discours (de 2 heures) que Bertoni prononce pour sa défense.
1926 - May 1, "Le Réveil communiste anarchiste" shortens its name, from today on it is simply called "Le Reveil anarchiste" (The Anarchist Alarm Clock). Bertoni founded the paper in Genève, in 1900, as "Il Risveglio anarchico, Le Réveil socialiste anarchiste". Bilingual (Italian-French), it printed different articles depending on the language. Bertoni edited the paper until his death in 1947.
In the late 1930s Bertoni joined with Italian comrades in the Spanish Revolution (1936-39).
1947 - January 19, Luigi Bertoni dies in Geneva. Untiring publisher of the bilingual newspaper "Le Reveil anarchiste" (The Anarchist Alarm Clock) which he founded in July 1900 & edited until his death.
page created February 2007
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