Antonín Švehla

Antonín Švehla ( born April 15, 1873 in Hostivař, † December 12, 1933 in Prague) was chairman of the Czechoslovak government, Chairman of the Czech Agrarian Party and landowners in Hostivař in Prague ( Praha today 15). From 1922 to 1925, from 1925 to 1926 and from 1926 to 1929 he was a Czechoslovak prime minister.

Biography

Švehla was the son of a landowner in the village Hostivař in Prague. In 1900 he took over after his father's death, the administration of the estate. Before that, he already politically active and in 1902 was elected Deputy Chairman of the Farmers Association. In 1906 he founded with his political companions agricultural newspaper Venkov ( The Country ). 1908-1913 Švehla represented the interests of the rural population as a deputy in the regional parliament of Bohemia, in 1909 he was elected to the board of agri - party.

During the First World War he was one of leaders of the resistance. He was a member of the Český svaz ( Bohemian Confederation) and since 1917 the underground movement Maffie. Since July 1918 he was one of the leading members of the Czech National Committee.

As one of the "Men of the 28th October," he proclaimed in 1918 the independent Czechoslovak state. Since 1918 he was a member as a deputy of the National Assembly and practiced from 1919 to 1920 the office of the Minister of the Interior in the government of Karel Kramář. In this role, he was instrumental in the drafting of the Czechoslovak Constitution.

1919 was chosen Švehla also chairman of the Agrarian Party, in which he represented not only the interests of landowners, but also of the small farmers. He was also a member of the Pětka, a committee of five influential politicians. Since 1922 he was chairman in three Czechoslovak governments. October 7, 1922 to December 9, 1925 in the so-called first Švehla government from December 1925 to the March 18, 1926 ( 2 Švehla - government) and in the period from October 12, 1926 until February 1, 1929 in the so-called "Lord coalition ". In 1927, he refused to give his candidacy for president Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and supported. Two years later, he retired for health reasons from political life.

Švehla is described in the political history of Czechoslovakia as a competent politician and a master of compromise. Unlike many famous politicians of his time, he had no academic training. The autodidact made ​​a good name as a practical problem solver.