INTERNATIONALE LETTRISTE. Deutschland über alles. Paris: Groupe Francais de l’Internationale Lettriste, n.d. [26 Nov. 1954]. 1p. leaflet, 11 x 32 cm.

Leaflet protesting the arrest of members of the Swiss section of the Internationale Lettriste (Maurice Crausaz, Gida Croeti, Jean-Pierre Lecoultre, Pierre-Henri Liardon, Claude Recordon, Juliette Zeller, Marcel Zbinden). On November 1954, in the town of Neuchatel, the Internationale Lettriste gave a conference where they handed off a leaflet reproducing Sade’s famed quote: “L’idée de Dieu est, je l’avoue, le seul tort que je ne puisse pardonner à l’homme” (Trans: “The very notion of God, I must confess, is the only wrong I am unable to forgive man.”). This led to a brawl, where two pastors got beaten up by the lettrists. The Swiss Police later declared the Swiss section of the Internationale Lettriste “illegal and revolutionary”, banning the circulation of its journal (Phosphore) as well that of Potlatch.

The Swiss section of the Internationale Lettriste was short-lived, and little is known about it. Its creation is announced in Potlatch 13 (dated 23 Oct. 1954):

“A l’issue des conversations engagées récemment à Paris, un Groupe Suisse de l’Internationale lettriste a été formé le 20 octobre. Adresse: Charles-Emile Mérinat, Floréal 3. Lauzanne (Vaud) Suisse” (p.1)) (Trans: “Following recent discussions in Paris, a Swiss Group of the Lettrist International was formed on October 20. Address: Charles-Emile Mérinat, Floréal 3, Lauzanne (Vaud), Switzerland”).

However, the group’s dissolution – which occured on December 7 – is announced in Potlatch 15 (22 Dec. 1954):

“Les lettristes suisses qui s’étaient manifestés en octobre et novembre dans leur pays doivent être considérés comme de purs et simples provocateurs. Notre rupture avec eux a fait l’objet d’une note en date du 7 décembre diffusée à l’intérieur de l’Internationale lettriste, et auprès de quelques amis étrangers. Nous rappelons à ce propos que le recours à des violences personnelles est imbécile, et que nous ne doutons pas d’un règlement plus général des conflits où nous nous trouvons impliqués.” (p3.) (Trans: “The Swiss Lettrists who were active in their country in October and November must be considered as pure and simple provocateurs. Our break with them was the subject of a note dated December 7, circulated within the Lettrist International, and among some foreign friends. We would like to remind on this occasion that the use of personal violence is stupid, and that we have no doubt about a more general settlement of conflicts in which we find ourselves involved.” (p.3).

The reason given for the break is particularly interesting, as it directly contradicts the statement of support made only 2 weeks before in Deutschland über alles.

As far as we are aware, no physical trace of the Swiss section remains to this date; we welcome any information from our readers that would point us in the direction of any relevant material

This scarce leaflet is reproduced in Acquaviva ((Lettrist Corpus: Ephemera 1946-2023) -p. 37), in Oeuvres (p.170), and in Scheppe & Ohrt (p.125, #140). It is accounted for by Gonzalvez (p.101-102). OCLC doesn;t locate any copy but we know of 2: One at Yale (Wolman’s papers), the other at the Getty. It is missing from the Debord archives at the French National Library in Paris.