Wilhelm Beck Explained

Birth Date:26 March 1885
Birth Place:Triesenberg, Liechtenstein
Death Date:20 January 1936 (aged 50)
Death Place:Walenstadt, Switzerland
Party:Christian-Social People's Party
Children:4, including Ivo Beck
Office:President of the Landtag of Liechtenstein
Term Start:January 1922
Term End:December 1927
Successor:Anton Frommelt
Predecessor:Fritz Walser
Office2:Member of the Landtag of Liechtenstein for Oberland
Termstart2:1914
Termend2:1928
Termstart3:1932
Termend3:1936

Wilhelm Beck (pronounced as /de/; 26 March 1885 – 20 January 1936) was an advocate and political figure from Liechtenstein who was one of the founders of the Christian-Social People's Party and served as the President of the Landtag of Liechtenstein from 1922 to 1927.

Beck is considered one of the most influential politicians in Liechtenstein's modern history. He was heavily involved in the rapid democratization and establishment of economic and political ties with Switzerland within the country following the end of World War I, him most notably presenting the original draft for the constitution of Liechtenstein.

Early life

Beck was born on 26 March 1885 in Triesenberg as the son of farmer and plasterer by the same name and his mother Karolina Schädler as one of five children. He attended primary school in the town and state school in Vaduz.[1]

From 1903 to 1905 he attended the University of St. Gallen, and from 1905 to 1911 he studied law at the University of Zurich and also at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich from 1909, where he received a diploma in 1911. He was a member of the Historical Association of Liechtenstein and published various works on topics of Liechtenstein history, such as inheritance law and constitutional history.

Law career

Beck briefly worked in an insurance company in Geneva. In 1912 he worked with the Swiss lawyer and councillor Emil Grünenfelder who supported him throughout his career. He worked at a law firm in St. Gallen until 1914 when he opened his own law firm in Vaduz, Ritter & Beck Rechtsanwälte.In 1926, fellow lawyer Alois Ritter joined his office and the two worked together.[2] Beck was a pioneer of Liechtenstein's financial services and fiduciary services. Together with Emil Beck (no relation), he wrote the Liechtenstein Personal and Company law, which came into force in 1926.[3] By 1930, almost half of the country's domiciliary companies were founded by Beck and Ritter.

Political career

Entry into politics and World War I (1910–1920)

See also: November 1918 Liechtenstein putsch.

In 1912 Beck became involved in politics when he publicly criticized the Liechtenstein trade regulations that were revised in 1910. In 1913 he spoke out in the Triesenberg community in favour of increasing the poor fund instead of building a new church in the town. He criticized the existing poor law, worker welfare and child protection as anti-social and the Liechtenstein constitution as undemocratic. In 1914 Beck formed an opposition group around himself and founded a newspaper associated with it – Oberrheinische Nachrichten, which he edited until 1921.[4] His opposition to the political foundations of Liechtenstein and the economic crisis during World War I often led him to entering fierce debates with Leopold Freiherr von Imhof, the Governor of Liechtenstein.[5] By November 1918, Beck along with fellow opposition members Martin Ritter and Fritz Walser, deeply dissatisfied by Imhof's handling of the economy and who wanted a Liechtensteiner head of state, proposed a motion of no confidence against him in the Landtag of Liechtenstein on 7 November. Imhof asked for a vote of confidence and at the same time agreed to submit his resignation. While the Landtag unanimously expressed its confidence in him it was decided, against the constitution and the princely appointed Landtag members, to transfer the power of governor to a Provisional Executive Committee led by Ritter. Johann II accepted Imhof's resignation on 13 November.[6] Beck co-founded the Christian-Social People's Party in February 1918 and he was elected into the Landtag in the same year.[7] [8] [9] As a member of the Landtag, he worked in eradication Austrian influence over Liechtenstein following their defeat at the end of World War I and establishing closer relations with Switzerland, eventually cultivating in a customs union being established between the two countries in 1924.[10] [11]

Later politics (1920–1936)

When Johann II appointed Josef Peer as Governor in 1920, Beck and the Christian-Social People's Party opposed his appointment in contrast to the Progressive Citizens' Party as they believed the role should only be reserved for Liechtensteiners.[12] Eventually it was agreed that Peer could take the position, but only for a 6-month period.[13]

Beck played a key role in Liechtenstein's constitutional revision, where he called for a "total revision" of it.[14] He wrote a draft constitution which limited the power of the prince of Liechtenstein for a constitutional monarchy on a democratic and parliamentary basis. With assistance from Josef Peer, he forwarded the demands of both parties through the agreement previously made for Peer's tenure, many of which were loosely based on the Swiss Federal Constitution.[15] Beck's draft formed the basis of the constitution of Liechtenstein, which was ratified on 5 October 1921.[16]

After the Christian-Social People's Party won the 1922 Liechtenstein general election Beck was appointed to serve as the president of the Landtag of Liechtenstein.[17] He also served as the chairman of the board of directors of the National Bank of Liechtenstein during this time. He worked to revise personal and corporate law in the country.[18] [19]

In 1928 the government of Gustav Schädler was the subject of an embezzlement scandal involving the National Bank of Liechtenstein. Johann II forced his government, including Beck, to resign in June 1928 as a result, and early elections were called.[20] Beck was not barred from re-election, but he did not run in the 1928 Liechtenstein general election.[21] In 1932 an indictment was conducted against Beck in the State Court of Justice for violating supervisory and official duties in the administration of board of the directors of the National Bank of Liechtenstein. This resulted in him being ordered to pay for damages in 1935; though he appealed this ruling, he did not live to see its outcome.

After the 1928 Liechtenstein general election Beck took over the leadership of the Christian-Social People's Party and was again elected to the Landtag in 1932. Shortly before his death, the Christian-Social People's Party and Liechtenstein Homeland Service merged to form the Patriotic Union in 1936.[22] [23]

Personal life

Beck married Maria Anna Bürke (8 September 1887 – 2 August 1968), a teacher from Wittenbach, on 2 June 1921 and they had four children together. His son Ivo Beck served in the Landtag of Liechtenstein from 1953 to 1957 and again from 1966 to 1970.

Beck died on 20 January 1936 in Walenstadt, aged 50.[24]

Literature

Below is a list of literature produced by Beck:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Leipold-Schneider . Gerda . 31 December 2011 . Beck, Wilhelm . 30 September 2023 . . de.
  2. Web site: Büchel . Donat . 31 December 2011 . Ritter, Alois . 25 May 2023 . . de.
  3. Web site: Berger . Elisabeth . 31 December 2011 . Personen- und Gesellschaftsrecht (PGR) . 20 October 2023 . . de.
  4. Web site: Marxer . Wilfried . 31 December 2011 . Oberrheinische Nachrichten . 22 November 2023 . . de.
  5. Web site: Quaderer . Rupert . Rupert Quaderer . 31 December 2011 . Imhof, Leopold Baron von . 3 October 2023 . . de.
  6. Web site: Quaderer . Rupert . Rupert Quaderer . 31 December 2011 . Novemberputsch 1918 . 3 October 2023 . . de.
  7. Web site: Marxer . Wilfried . 31 December 2011 . Christlich-soziale Volkspartei (VP) . 30 September 2023 . . de.
  8. Vincent E McHale (1983) Political parties of Europe, Greenwood Press, p609
  9. Book: Dieter Nohlen . Elections in Europe: A data handbook . Philip Stöver . 2010 . 978-3-8329-5609-7 . 1182 . Nomos . de . Dieter Nohlen .
  10. Web site: Marxer . Roland . 31 December 2011 . Zollanschlussvertrag . 25 October 2023 . . de.
  11. Web site: 6 December 2000 . Switzerland and Liechtenstein: December 2000 . 16 September 2012 . World Trade Organization.
  12. Web site: Quaderer . Rupert . Rupert Quaderer . 31 December 2011 . Peer, Josef . 18 September 2023 . . de.
  13. Web site: Quaderer . Rupert . Rupert Quaderer . 31 December 2011 . Schlossabmachungen (Septemberabmachungen, Schloss-Protokoll) . 18 September 2023 . . de.
  14. Web site: Wille . Herbert . 31 December 2011 . Verfassung . 24 December 2023 . . de.
  15. Book: Brunhart, Arthur . Arthur Brunhart . Die Schlossabmachungen vom September 1920. Studien und Quellen zur politischen Geschichte des Fürstentums Liechtenstein im frühen 20. Jahrhundert . Vaterländischen Union . 1996 . Vaduz . de.
  16. [Dieter Nohlen|Nohlen, D]
  17. Web site: 27 March 2019 . Mitglieder – Präsidenten . https://web.archive.org/web/20190327123617/https://www.landtag.li/praesidenten.aspx?nid=4159&groupnr=4159 . 27 March 2019 . de.
  18. Web site: February 1925 . Wilhelm Beck und Emil Beck kommentieren den Gesetzentwurf zum Personen- und Gesellschaftsrecht . 30 September 2023 . Staatsarchiv des Fürstentum Liechtenstein . de.
  19. Web site: November 1925 . Kurzer Bericht über die Revision des Personen- und Gesellschaftsrechts von Wilhelm Beck und Emil Beck . 30 September 2023 . Staatsarchiv des Fürstentum Liechtenstein . de.
  20. Web site: Büchel . Donat . 31 December 2011 . Sparkassaskandal . 18 May 2023 . . de.
  21. [Paul Vogt (historian)|Paul Vogt]
  22. Web site: 2007 . Parties in Liechtenstein 1921–1943 . 14 May 2023 . Prince and People: Liechtenstein Civics . de.
  23. Web site: Marxer . Wilfried . 31 December 2011 . Patriotic Union (VU) . 14 May 2023 . . de.
  24. News: 22 January 1936 . Dr Wilhelm Beck tot . 30 September 2023 . . de.