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ROTARY IN EUROPE


In this section, you will find information about the development of Rotary in many of the countries of Europe - , in the Balkans, the Baltic, Benelux, Great Britain and Ireland, the Iberian peninsula, the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, and Others which don't fit exactly into these groups. If you are not sure in which section a particular country has been located, look at the index below. In some of the countries, there is a small section about what happened during the Second World War, when many clubs were closed and others badly disrupted.

Europe is obviously a major area of research and anyone who can help with corrections, additions or alterations is welcome to contact the webmaster. Another part of this section relates to the first 10 clubs in Europe.

The development of Rotary in Europe has been critically affected by at least three outside forces. These are: the suppression by Fascist and Communist totalitarian regimes; the Second World War; the influence of the Roman Catholic church. You should also be aware of the re-drawing of state boundaries and the re-naming of many towns and cities, most particularly in Eastern Europe.

In our pages on Masons and Rotary, there are several references to the views of the Catholic Church which tended to regard Rotary as being quasi-Masonic. As such, it was considered anathema to the Church. This attitude particularly inhibited the growth of Rotary in the Irish Free State (Eire) where there were only 2 clubs before 1946; in 2005 there were 45. In Spain and Italy, Catholic Bishops and journals both warned against membership in Rotary, although it was not until 1940 that Spanish clubs had their charters terminated and this was not due to the Church.


THE INDEX

These are sub-headings for Europe

Also use our "Search for History" at www.historysearch.org to find any articles on Europe
 
Created 26 December 2005 by historian Basil Lewis

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The contents of this website, our electronic features and newsletters have been researched, collected, compiled, and written by Rotarians. RGHF Mission: As an effort to serve others, RGHF accumulates and preserves the complete history, values and philosophy of the Rotary movement, as well as encourages others to do the same at every level of the Rotary movement, and publishes those histories, values and philosophies on the internet, as well as other forms of media as expedient. 17 March 2003, amended 20 December 2007, Rotary Global History Fellowship Board of Directors.

This fellowship is not an agency of, or controlled by, Rotary International, but is affiliated with individual Rotary districts, clubs, other Rotary organizations and enjoys the support of Rotarians, clubs, districts, and zones world-wide. The views and opinions expressed on this website are not necessarily the collective views and opinions of Rotary International or all Rotarians. Rotary International is not responsible for any content and accepts no liability therefore. © 2000-2008 Rotary Global History Fellowship.

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