Martin Birmann

Martin Birmann, born Grieder (* November 26, 1828 in Rünenberg; † August 19, 1890 in Liestal ) was a Swiss politician. He was Senate and the first arms inspector of the canton of Basel-Land, president of several political and non-profit organizations, as well as a writer.

Life

Birmann was a son of Posamenters John Grieder and Elizabeth Buser. In 1859 he married Elisabeth Socin († 1927) from Basel, who bore him a daughter. After visiting the Pedagogium in Basel, he finished a degree in theology at the University of Göttingen and was ordained a priest in 1852 in Liestal. 1890 Birmann was worn at the cemetery in Kilchberg BL to the grave.

Poor relief and political offices

Since he came from poor house, Birmann was funded by J. Kettiger and 1853 by Juliana Birmann Vischer (* 1785, † 1859), the widow of the painter Samuel Birman, adopted in Basel, whose name he assumed in this context. From then on he continued until his death in 1890 with all available means at his disposal for the poor fellow men, was until 1888 an unpaid arms inspector in the canton of Basel-Country, and from 1853 until recently president of the school for poor children association.

Financially supported by his adoptive mother, he bought in 1854, the Institute for neglected boys in Augst and also got her always as president available. As a re-organizer of the Cantonal Hospital in 1877, he initiated the construction of the new hospital. As a moderate liberal, he had until his death, has also held a variety of political offices, for example from 1854 with few interruptions as district, where he worked as the creator of the cantonal arms Law, as a member of many committees, from 1869 as a Senate and from 1884 as well as Commissioner for churches and cultural issues.

Further commitment

In 1854, he was a significant co-founder of Basellandschaftliche newspaper. From 1859 on, he was a director, from 1878 then President of the Mortgage Bank Basel-Landschaft. He engaged since 1880 in the Waldenburgerbahn, where he was president from 1888 as well. He was also active in the agricultural association and in the Swiss Public Welfare Society. In his last two decades of life Birmann was also literary- historical works locally.

Honors

1885 awarded an honorary doctorate in the faculty of the University of Basel Philosophy and History. In his honor bears, which opened on April 23, 1968 " Martin Birmann Hospital " for the chronically ill in Liestal his name.