Rev. Hansjürg Stückelberger founded CSI in 1977. csi
The silent marches of September 1975 were held to draw attention to the persecution of Christians in Eastern Europe and the then-Soviet Union. They acted as a catalyst for the creation in 1977 of Christian Solidarity International (CSI), which drew attention in particular to the suffering parts of the Body of Christ behind the Iron Curtain.
Although the world has changed considerably since then, the mission of CSI has remained essentially the same: to promote religious freedom and the dignity of every human being. Silent march initiator and CSI founder, Pastor Hansjürg Stückelberger, recalls the events of 50 years ago in an interview with Swiss freelance journalist Ladina Spiess.
Hansjürg Stückelberger, thousands of people from different church backgrounds took to the streets for the first silent march on September 20, 1975. How did that come about?
I was inspired by Pentecostal Christians who had organized a small-scale march for the persecuted. So, in collaboration with a PR agency, I invited people to a silent march for persecuted Christians in Zurich and Bern as a sign of our solidarity with those who suffer for their faith.
The march drew attention to the plight of persecuted Christians. How did the event unfold?
Over 10,000 people assembled at Limmatplatz, a square in Zurich, where we lined up in rows of eight and held up banners. From there we walked along Limmatquai, a street that runs alongside the river, to Münsterhof square, where a podium had been set up. There, a pastor from the Swiss Protestant Church council and I gave speeches. The Catholic vicar general said a blessing. We had organized small buckets to receive people’s donations. In the end, we raised over 50,000 francs—a staggering amount.
Mr. Stückelberger, when you talk about the silent march, it sounds as if it were only yesterday. How do you feel when you think back to that day?
I was overwhelmed and very grateful that God had answered our prayers and blessed all our efforts.
The silent march was just the beginning. You then went on to found Christian Solidarity International two years later. CSI stands for religious freedom and human dignity. How important are these concepts today?
Religious liberty is under threat today, just as it was in 1975. Countries have a tendency towards creating dictatorships. History teaches us that even democratically elected leaders can become dictators. So, it is vital that we defend the fundamental right to religious freedom. And I would stress that freedom comes from God.
So you consider the freedom the Bible talks about to be very important?
Yes, absolutely. Human beings are born and destined for freedom. Because God is free, he also grants freedom to human beings. He intends human beings to be free and not oppressed.
Ladina Spiess is a freelance presenter, communication trainer, and copywriter based in Switzerland.
