Jean Hotz

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Memorial plaque and monument (1957) for Jean Hotz (1890–1969) Swiss Minister, by Emilio Stanzani (1906–1977), sculptor, at Stationstrasse 1, Uster, Switzerland
Memorial plaque for Jean Hotz at Stationstrasse 1, Uster
Monument (1957) for Jean Hotz (1890–1969) Swiss Minister, by Emilio Stanzani (1906–1977), sculptor. At the, Switzerland
1957, monument to Jean Hotz by Emilio Stanzani

Jean Hotz (born June 16, 1890 in Uster , † December 27, 1969 in Morges ) was a Swiss minister and director of the trade department of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs before, during and after the Second World War .

Life

Born in Uster- Nänikon as the son of a farming family, Jean Hotz studied economics and law in Zurich , Geneva and London, and received his doctorate from the University of Zurich in 1917 . From 1915 to 1918 he taught commercial subjects at the Zurich Cantonal School . In 1922 Hotz became an employee of the trade department of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs (EVD) and deputy general secretary . In 1928 he was appointed deputy director and finally in 1935 director of the trade department of the EVD. Through this leadership position, he was instrumental in the Swiss foreign trade policy during the Great Depression and the Second World War involved. Together with Robert Kohli and Heinrich Homberger , Hotz was a member of the permanent delegation for economic negotiations with foreign countries, which from 1939 played a central role in Switzerland's foreign relations , and was in charge of economic negotiations with the warring nations. The biography of the historian and journalist René Bondt, published in 2010, writes: "Switzerland owes its economic survival during the Second World War to a farmer's son." In 1947 he was also appointed Minister .

After the Second World War, Hotz created the “Consultative Commission for Foreign Trade Policy” and the “Permanent Economic Delegation”, which included the heads of the business associations and the federal agencies concerned and which he chaired until his resignation in October 1954. He also represented Switzerland in the Council of the Organization for European Cooperation (OECE). In May 1950 Hotz was involved in the Agreement on the European Payments Union (EPU), and in July 1951 he negotiated the so-called Hotz-Linder Agreement on the restriction of Swiss trade with the east. After resigning from the Department of Economic Affairs , he was a member of various boards of directors such as Sandoz , Sulzer , Tobler and Câbleries de Cossonay. Hotz was also an honorary citizen of Uster , and in November 1959 a public monument - a fountain - was donated to him by the Uster region's industry. Finally, Hotz was also a permanent guest of honor at the delegate meetings of the Swiss Trade and Industry Association . Hotz died in Morges in 1969 . His estate is in the Archives for Contemporary History at ETH Zurich . Some writings from the estate are located in the Paul Kläui - Library in Uster.

Fonts

  • Division du commerce et politique commerciale pendant la guerre. In: L'économie de guerre en Suisse, 1939–1948. 1951.

literature

Web links

Commons : Jean Hotz  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b René Bondt: The Minister from the Farmhouse. NZZ Libro, accessed on December 18, 2018 (biography).
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Hotz, Jean. (PDF; 126 kB) Archive for Contemporary History at ETH Zurich , accessed on December 18, 2018 .
  3. ^ A b c Marc Perrenoud: Hotz, Jean. In: Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz , accessed on December 18, 2018 .
personal data
SURNAME Hotz, Jean
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss minister and director of the trade department of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs before, during and after the Second World War
DATE OF BIRTH June 16, 1890
PLACE OF BIRTH Uster
DATE OF DEATH December 27, 1969
Place of death Morges