Rotary Under Fascism

Wed, Nov 4th 2020 at 1:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Frank Quinault highlighted Rotary in Germany and Spain under Fascism.

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The Rotary Club of St Andrews was challenged by Rotarian Frank Quinault’s arresting talk, ‘Rotary under Fascism’. Following many visits to daughters living in Germany and Spain, Frank had wondered how Rotary had fared under the Nazi and Franco regimes. Benefiting from a recently published book, Frank reported there had been 36 German Clubs by 1932. Hitler ruled as Fuhrer from 1933 and burning of books and persecution of Jews followed. Clubs tried to comply with Nazism but senior Nazis believed Rotary was a secret organisation that would betray the national interest. Rotary was never a ‘secret organisation’. It believed in ‘doing as you would be done by’, in being of service to the community, in being tolerant of all religions, in promoting international goodwill etc. However senior Nazis were not persuaded and by 1937 all German Clubs were forced to disband. Hitler supported the 1936 military uprising in Spain. Franco took power and ruled for 40 years. Like Hitler, Franco believed he would rescue Spain from what he perceived as international conspiracies led by Jews, Freemasons and societies such as Rotary. His grip on power was brutal and was cemented by the Catholic Church. Bishops declared Rotary as having high ideals but noted its code made no reference to God or the Church, and therefore must be a ‘Satanic Organisation’. Franco stated Rotary had no place in society and the Church provided his justification. Member Alistair McLaren provided a vote-of-thanks that was heartfelt but first, Frank posed a difficult question. Rotarians could again meet political or religious extremism; would they take again the political stance of silence, which had been so ignoble in Nazi Germany?