12 Facts About Joseph Bech

Joseph Bech was a Luxembourgish politician and lawyer.

Joseph Bech was the 15th prime minister of Luxembourg, serving for eleven years, from 16 July 1926 to 5 November 1937.

Joseph Bech returned to the position after World War II, and served for another four years as the 17th prime minister, from 29 December 1953 until 29 March 1958.

On 15 April 1921, Joseph Bech was appointed to Emile Reuter's cabinet, holding the positions of Director-General for the Interior and Director-General for Education.

In 1925, Joseph Bech lost those positions, as the Party of the Right was edged out of government by a coalition of the other parties, which formed the government under Pierre Prum.

When Prum's coalition collapsed in 1926, Joseph Bech became prime minister, as well as Minister for Foreign Affairs, Education and Wine-growing.

Joseph Bech was to remain the Foreign and Wine-growing Minister until 1954.

Joseph Bech eventually returned to London, where the Luxembourg government-in-exile was officially based.

Joseph Bech is considered to be one of the 'Founding Fathers' of the European Union and the European Community.

Joseph Bech was one of the participants of the Messina Conference in 1955, which would lead to the Treaty of Rome in 1957.

Joseph Bech was prime minister again from 1953 to 1958, succeeding Pierre Dupong.

Joseph Bech remained in the government until 1959 when he became President of the Chamber of Deputies until 1964.