Niklaus Friedrich von Steiger

Life

Niklaus Friedrich von Steiger was the son of Sigmund Steiger, bailiff of Morges, and Jeanne Elisabeth de Vuillermin was born and Mr. Mont Richer. Steiger studied in Halle ( Saale). Travels took him, among other things to Breda, where his brother John Albert Steiger was stationed. He married in 1756 with wraparound Elisabeth von Bueren. In 1755 he was Schultheiss of Foreign Affairs article and got 1764 in the Bernese cantonal parliament. 1759 Steiger was one of the founders of the Grande Société. From 1772 to 1774 he served as Schultheiss von Thun, since 1774 as a member of the Small Council, 1777-1780 Venner to Gerwern, 1780-1787 German Eckel masters and from 1787 Bernese Schultheiss. When senile man he fought on the side of Karl Ludwig von Erlach on 5 March 1798 in the battle of the gray wood against the French under General Schauenburg and hoped in his own words, to find the army an honorable end and the unfortunate fatherland not to survive. Steiger initially fled to the Bernese Oberland and traveled to southern Germany. He died a year later in exile and his remains were transferred in 1805 to the Berner Munster.

Policy

Steiger played as a mediator a significant role in the restoration of peace in the Geneva turmoil of 1781-1782. Use the French Revolution, he became an advocate of the old order and became the opponent of Karl Albrecht of Frisching, against the revolutionary demands of France an adjustment policies pursued. In exile, he campaigned in Berlin and Vienna for troops to expel the French occupation of the land and restore the old order. In Augsburg, he tried again in 1799, to organize resistance against the French.

Reception

A scupper still image Niklaus Friedrich von Steiger is on the facade of the main building of the Berner Kantonalbank. The last Schultheiss is rezipiert in literature and art often, most recently the novel The last night of the old time by Lukas Hartmann ( 2007).