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Wilhelm Beck
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Wilhelm Beck
Wilhelm Beck (/bɛk/, German: [ˈvɪlhɛlm bɛk]; 26 March 1885 – 20 January 1936) was a lawyer and politician from Liechtenstein who was the founder of the Christian-Social People's Party and later served as the President of the Landtag of Liechtenstein from 1922 to 1927. He was a member of the Landtag from 1914 to 1928 and again from 1932 to 1935.
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.
Beck was born on 26 March 1885 in Triesenberg as the son of farmer and plasterer by the same name and Karolina Schädler as one of five children. He attended primary school in Triesenberg and then the state school in Vaduz.
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-Maximilians-Universität München from 1909, where he received a diploma in 1911. He was a member of the Historical Association for the Principality of Liechtenstein and published various works on topics of Liechtenstein history, such as inheritance law and constitutional history.
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. 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. By 1930, almost half of the country's domiciliary companies were founded by Beck and Ritter.
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 Triesenberg 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. 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. Beck co-founded the Christian-Social People's Party in February 1918 and he was elected into the Landtag in the same year.
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 government, 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.
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Wilhelm Beck
Wilhelm Beck (/bɛk/, German: [ˈvɪlhɛlm bɛk]; 26 March 1885 – 20 January 1936) was a lawyer and politician from Liechtenstein who was the founder of the Christian-Social People's Party and later served as the President of the Landtag of Liechtenstein from 1922 to 1927. He was a member of the Landtag from 1914 to 1928 and again from 1932 to 1935.
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.
Beck was born on 26 March 1885 in Triesenberg as the son of farmer and plasterer by the same name and Karolina Schädler as one of five children. He attended primary school in Triesenberg and then the state school in Vaduz.
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-Maximilians-Universität München from 1909, where he received a diploma in 1911. He was a member of the Historical Association for the Principality of Liechtenstein and published various works on topics of Liechtenstein history, such as inheritance law and constitutional history.
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. 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. By 1930, almost half of the country's domiciliary companies were founded by Beck and Ritter.
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 Triesenberg 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. 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. Beck co-founded the Christian-Social People's Party in February 1918 and he was elected into the Landtag in the same year.
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 government, 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.
