22 Facts About Willi Ritschard

Willi Ritschard was a Swiss politician of the Social Democratic Party.

Willi Ritschard is remembered as the first and to date only working class member of the Federal Council, the Swiss government.

Willi Ritschard was born on 28 September 1918 as the son of Ernst Emil Ritschard, a shoemaker in Deitingen and Social Democrat and Frieda, in Canton of Solothurn.

Willi Ritschard lost both parents at the age of sixteen.

Willi Ritschard made an apprenticeship as a heating engineer but later got involved in the workers' union.

Willi Ritschard attended numerous classes at the Swiss Workers' Education Central which was established by the SP politician Max Weber.

In 1947, Ritschard became the president of Luterbach, a position which he held until 1959.

Willi Ritschard supported the inter-cantonal commission for the harmonization of taxation.

Willi Ritschard supported nuclear energy and was on the board of directors of Atel.

On 5 December 1973, Willi Ritschard was elected to the Federal Council, where he assumed the leadership of the Department of Transport and Energy.

Willi Ritschard was elected despite not being the official candidate of his own party.

Willi Ritschard observed his election in front of a TV at home.

In 1975, as protestors occupied the construction site for the nuclear plant in Kaiseraugst, Willi Ritschard was able to calm the situation offering the occupiers a halt for its construction for the time negotiations would take place.

Willi Ritschard was not amused when he had to attend a royal banquet dressed in black tie on 1 May, International Workers' Day, on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth's state visit to Switzerland in 1980.

From 1980 onwards Willi Ritschard was the head of the Federal Department of Finance.

Willi Ritschard announced his resignation on 28 September 1983 but died on 16 October 1983 before it could take effect.

Willi Ritschard is remembered as the first Federal Councilor who belonged to the working class.

Willi Ritschard was a celebrity politician, and the punk band Hertz released a song about him while he was in office.

Willi Ritschard was a well-known speaker, credited with being authentic.

Willi Ritschard acknowledged that he did not write all his speeches by himself; some were written by the writer and journalist Peter Bichsel, his neighbor.

Willi Ritschard died on 16 October 1983, during a hike on the Grenchenberg near Grenchen.

Willi Ritschard was buried in Luterbach, where in 2011 the Executive Council of Luterbach announced that Ritschard would be able to rest in Lautebach's graveyard without restriction, and extended this right to all of Luterbach's honorary citizens.