Alois Grendelmeier

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Alois Grendelmeier

Alois Grendelmeier (born September 19, 1903 in Zurich , † January 19, 1983 in Küsnacht ) was a Swiss politician ( LdU ).

biography

Alois Grendelmeier was born as the fifth child of a worker. In 1933 he married Erika Bürkel, the daughter of a businessman. From 1919 to 1922 he completed an apprenticeship as a notary in Riesbach . From 1922 to 1924 he was a notary's clerk. During this employment, he prepared for the Matura at the Juventus evening school, which he also founded , and was the first to pass this school at the age of 21. From 1924 to 1929 he studied law in Zurich, Rome and Paris and received his doctorate in 1929 on the subject of the status of Swiss consuls abroad under constitutional and international law . From 1930 he worked as a lawyer in Zurich and became self-employed in 1936. From 1944 to 1973 he was a substitute member of the Court of Cassation.

Under his nickname "Grendi" he was active as an artist well into old age. He drew, painted and created sculptures. He had a son and two daughters. One daughter was Verena Grendelmeier , who followed in his footsteps politically.

politics

Alois Grendelmeier was a co-founder of the State Ring of Independents (LdU). From 1937 he was president of the LdU section in Küsnacht and remained a board member until the end of his life. From 1943 and 1948 he was President of the Cantonal Party in Zurich and for the party from 1949 to 1963 in the National Council, where he stood up for women and the environment.

He obtained the first federal referendum to introduce women’s right to vote through a move , but this failed on February 1, 1959 with a 66.9% no vote . The change in marriage law is also due to him, according to which Swiss women who marry a foreign man no longer lose their Swiss citizenship. He is also considered one of the first Swiss environmental politicians. He was the leader of the opposition to the planned Rheinau power plant . The opponents fought the damming of the Rhine between the Rhine Falls and the power station and criticized the associated change in the landscape. He submitted an interpellation to the council that should lead to the withdrawal of the concession. The Federal Council denied the interpellation on December 26, 1951, and so a motion founded by Alois Grendelmeier was submitted, which, after Josef Escher's answer, led to a heated debate in parliament. In the council, Alois Grendelmeier defended the federal popular initiative “Protection of the river landscape and awarding Rheinau” , which should have been deemed unconstitutional. It came to the vote in 1954, but was rejected by over 2/3 of the voters.

His environmental commitment also included the fight against the approval of the agreement between Switzerland and Italy on the utilization of the hydropower of the Spöl in the national park . The voters approved the agreement on December 7, 1958 with a yes share of over 75%. The popular initiative “to preserve the Swiss National Park”, which was initiated at the same time, was a success, but was withdrawn in favor of an indirect counter-proposal of December 15, 1959.

His other political demands included the reduction of tobacco consumption , the fight against leaded petrol and the introduction of a speed limit on Swiss roads.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c In the service of the country and the people, National Councilor Alois Grendelmeier on his 60th birthday. The act , September 12, 1963
  2. ↑ a b Markus Bürgi: Grendelmeier, Alois. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .
  3. ↑ Monika Weber : In memory of Alois Grendelmeier . Tages-Anzeiger, January 22, 1983
personal data
SURNAME Grendelmeier, Alois
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss politician
DATE OF BIRTH September 19, 1903
PLACE OF BIRTH Zurich
DATE OF DEATH January 19, 1983
Place of death Küsnacht ZH