[1] The Deutschschweizer Freidenker-Vereinigung ("German Swiss Freethinkers Association") was founded in 1908, merged with freethought groups in the Francophone region of Romandy and the Italian-speaking Canton of Ticino, and forged close ties to the freethought movement in Germany (see German Freethinkers League).

In the beginning, the association grew rapidly; the First World War caused the growth to stagnate, however.

In 1933, National Councillor Hans Müller launched an attack on the freethinkers as a movement that actively fought against the Christian faith, and would thereby threaten religious peace.

Important Swiss freethinkers were pedagogue Ernst Brauchlin, businessman Otto Kunz and writer Jakob Stebler; socialist intellectual Konrad Farner was connected to the association.

It was bestowed upon Ensaf Haidar, Raif Badawi and Waleed Abulkhair for their brave efforts for humanist and secular values in Saudi Arabia.