Johann Jakob Scherer

Johann Jakob Scherer ( born November 10, 1825 Schoenberg, † December 23, 1878 in Winterthur) was a Swiss politician, officer and entrepreneur. From 1866 he was a member of the government of the Canton of Zurich, in 1869 the National Council. As a representative of the liberal- radical faction (now the FDP), he was in 1872 elected to the Federal Council. Six years later he died in office.

Military and political career

The son of the landowner same attended secondary school and a commercial school in Horgen, then followed a longer stay in Italy. As a corporal of cavalry Scherer took part in the 1847 federal battle. In 1848 he completed a training NCO, four years later he was promoted to staff captain. 1854 married the cavalry instructor wealthy Anna Studer and settled in Winterthur down. In 1860 he received the citizenship of this city.

After the death of his father Scherer opened in Winterthur a trading company, which specialized in goods from Great Britain. In 1854 he was elected to the cantonal parliament, in 1866 he was elected to the State Council. Since he had been a year earlier promoted to colonel, he took over the cantonal military department. In 1869 he was a member of the Constitutional Council and participated in the revision of the cantonal constitution.

Also in 1869 Scherer was also elected to the National Council. After the outbreak of the Franco-German War he received in the election for chief of staff, the second most votes. After demobilization Scherer exercised strong criticism of the official leadership of General Hans Herzog, yet the press turned the majority against him.

Bundesrat

Six weeks after the surprise resignation of Jakob Dubs the election of his successor in the Federal Council took place on 12 July 1872. Scherer sat down in the fourth round against Fridolin Anderwert by, where he received 91 valid votes of 147 (on Anderwert accounted for 52 votes). His military experience, he could not bring to the government first, because he had to take over the finance department vacated. In 1873, the change in the railway and trading department, where he was also responsible for the implementation of the new Railway Act, that granted the federal government more authority.

In 1875, Scherer was President. In this role, he stood as was customary before the Political Department and was thus Foreign Minister. In 1876, he was finally able to take over the military department. Its main task was the completion of the new organic law, had been transferred to the numerous skills from the cantons to the Confederation. In July 1876, in 1877 he suffered a defeat in two referendums on the introduction of compulsory military service replacement. Shortly after his re-election in December 1878 he was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and died at the age of 53 years.