Muettersproch-Gsellschaft

The Muettersproch-Gsellschaft (short MSG, engl. society for the mother tongue) is a society established in 1967 whose goal it is to preserve and foster the Alemannic dialects. It currently has over 3,500 members from all Alemannic speaking areas, i.e. Elsass, Switzerland and Vorarlberg, but especially from South Baden. There are also members from all over Europe and the Americas. Most Alemannic authors, poets and singer-songwriters in South Baden are members of the society.

Regional Groups

The head office of Muettersproch-Gsellschaft is located since November 2010 in Freiburg im Breisgau. There exist 20 regional groups in South Baden, which organise different events, such as public readings, lectures, street stalls and festivals. Every member of the MSG living in the area of any given regional group is automatically a member of that group as well.

Core Activities

At the heart of the Muettersproch-Gsellschaft today are several activities which give them prominence and keep rewarding people who do something for the dialect. Their operations actively work to promote the dialect with especially those people who might look on it in a pejorative way and goes to show that it has a place and value for the people attached to it. Dr Klaus Poppen, president of the MSG from 1972 through to 2002, has had significant influence over the way the society is and operates today. Among their core activities are the following:

• The society has published several anthologies of poetry.
• Since 1975 they produce the popular sticker "Bi uns cha me au alemannisch schwätze" (engl. Here you can speak Alemannic too)
• In 1982 they have collected 37,000 signatures in a campaign for more dialect use in radio and television broadcasts.
• The Muettersproch-Gsellschaft regularly organises competitions, such as the lyrics and prose competition "Mir sueche die Beschte" (engl. We are looking for the best) in 2004, which they had organised in coordination with the newspaper Badische Zeitung and the public broadcaster Südwestrundfunk.
• They organise seminars on poetry composition, public speaking and other things in which their members can gain new knowledge and skills in their dialect.
• They publish the magazine Alemannisch dunkt üs guet bi-annually, which is send out to all members and also partially available from their website.
• The Muettersproch-Gsellschaft awards the prize Alemannen-Antenne in irregular intervals, which recognises individuals from radio and television who have shown commitment to the Alemannic dialect.

Problem

In connection with the so called "Dialect Wave" in the 70s and its connection to the anti-nuclear movement in Wyhl it came to a split in the position of the MSG's membership. The board of the society argued violently against a political instrumentalisation of the dialect, while activists in the movement tried to achieve exactly this to strengthen their association with the local people and their local rights.^[1]

Today, the MSG's membership largely belongs to the older demographics. However it is clear to the membership as well as the board that to achieve their goal of preserving the dialect, it need be adopted by the younger generation. This has led them to try many things, from competitions for the youth to the use of rock music. They are also organising in-school sessions, where speakers who are involved with the society design a two lesson class teaching about Alemannic German and Alemannic culture. The society is perceiving this as a great success.^[2] The Muettersproch-Gsellschaft is used by the younger generation as a forum in which to present their projects relating to Alemannic culture or language.

Past Presidents

• Walter Füsslin, Freiburg im Breisgau: 1967-1972
• Klaus Poppen, Freiburg im Breisgau: 1972-2002
• Walter Möll, Singen: 2002-2007
• Franz-Josef Winterhalter, Oberried: since 2007

Literature

• Alemannisch dunkt üs guet, Issues I/II 2002 - About the history of the society.

Footnotes

1. ^ Noth, H. (2000) S Kriägsbeil. In: Badische Zeitung, 23. September 2000. Available: [1]
2. ^ Muetterpsroch-Gsellschaft (2011) Mundart in der Schule [Online]. Available: [2] [Accessed: 2011-01-26]

External Links

• Official Website
• Goals of the society