Johann Messmer

Johann Messmer (born December 11, 1818 in Erlen , † March 29, 1880 in Frauenfeld ) was a Swiss politician and judge . From 1857 until his death he was a member of the National Council and from 1872 to 1874 he was a federal judge .

biography

The son of a farmer and district judge studied law at the universities of Zurich , Heidelberg and Göttingen ; He then worked as a lawyer in Frauenfeld . From 1843 to 1846 Messmer was administrator of the Kreuzlingen monastery , in 1850 district governor and clerk in Bischofszell . From 1850 he was first a clerk at the higher court of the canton of Thurgau , from 1855 a judge (from 1869 until his death he was court president). In addition, he was a federal judge from 1872 to 1874.

Messmer was elected to the Thurgau Cantonal Council in 1856 , which he presided over in 1870/71. He was also a member of the Constitutional Council in 1868/69 . He ran successfully in the National Council elections and was re-elected seven times. Until 1860 he belonged to the group of the free-thinking left, after which he switched to the liberal center. He remained the Grand Councilor and National Councilor until his death.

In addition, Messmer held numerous other offices: he was president of the supervisory commission of the canton school (1853-1880), educational council (1858-1869), board member of the Thurgauische Hypothekenbank (1856-1880) and the Gotthardbahn-Gesellschaft (1875-1879), head of the school (1858–1869), mayor of Frauenfeld (1861–1877), member of the Evangelical Synod (1858–1869) and Reformed Church Council (1870–1874).

Web links

• André Salathé: Messmer, Johann. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .