It existed from 1934 to 1951 and was founded by Otto Weissert, Walter Lesch, Emil Hegetschweiler and Alois Carigiet.
They were later joined by, among others, Max Werner Lenz, Elsie Attenhofer, Voli Geiler, Margrit Rainer, Ruedi Walter, Heinrich Gretler, Zarli Carigiet, Karl Meier and Alfred Rasser.
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.
[1][2] 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.
While some of its members sided with the political left, those in opposition founded the Cabaret Fédéral in 1949.