Willi Ritschard

Willi Ritschard ( born September 28, 1918 in Deitingen, † October 16, 1983 on the Grenchenberg ) was a Swiss politician ( SP) from the canton of Solothurn. When he was first Federal transport, then finance minister and once held the office of president. He died 13 days after his resignation in office.

Political career

Willi Ritschard was elected in 1943 in the council of his residential community Luterbach, from 1947 he was also mayor. In 1945 he was elected to the cantonal council of the canton of Solothurn, 1955, he was elected to the National Council. In 1963 he became Executive Council.

Ritschard was chosen as representative of the SP to the Federal Council on 5 December 1973. From professional heating engineer, he was the first and so far (as of December 2011) only worker in the Bundesrat. During his office time he held the following departments:

He was President in 1978 and Vice President in 1977 and 1983. Few days after he had said on October 3, 1983 his resignation December 31, Willi Ritschard died suddenly and unexpectedly on a hike over the Grenchenberg of heart failure.

Election results in the Federal Assembly

Honors

In the population Ritschard enjoyed great popularity because of its populist, understandable and humorous language. Many of his sayings have become in Switzerland winged words, such as " The higher the monkey climbs, the more you can see his butt. " Already appeared to Ritschards lifetime collections of his quotes. The Swiss Federal Railways named one of its InterCity tilting trains, where above the windows quotes the eponymous figures are attached, by Willi Ritschard, and in his home Luterbach there is a Willi Ritschard Street.

Family and friends

Willi Ritschard was the son of Ernst and Anna Ritschard. His son Rolf Ritschard also politicians ( Regierungsrat in the canton of Solothurn ) passed away in 2007 in similar circumstances as Willi Ritschard on a walk.

Close collaboration with writer Peter Bichsel.

Published in 1982, the Zurich band Hertz the single " Willi Ritschard " with the biography of Willi Ritschard than lyrical content.