Heinrich Häberlin facts for kids
Heinrich Häberlin (born September 6, 1868 – died February 26, 1947) was an important Swiss politician and judge. He was a member of the Swiss Federal Council from 1920 to 1934. This council is like the government of Switzerland.
Before joining the Federal Council, he was part of the Swiss Council of States starting in 1904. He also served in the Grand Council of the Canton of Thurgau from 1905. He even led the FDP in the Swiss Federal Assembly for four years. On February 12, 1920, he was chosen for the Federal Council. There, he was in charge of the Justice and Police Department until he left office on April 30, 1934. He was elected President of the Federal Council twice, in 1926 and 1931. This made him the highest-ranking representative of Switzerland during those years.
Contents
Heinrich Häberlin's Life Story
His Family and School Days
Heinrich Häberlin was born in 1868 in a town called Weinfelden. His father was Friedrich Heinrich Häberlin.
The Häberlin family was quite important in Swiss politics for many years. People sometimes called them a "Family Dynasty" because so many family members were involved. For example, his uncle, Eduard Häberlin, was once the president of the Council of States.
His Career as a Lawyer and Politician
After finishing school in 1887, Heinrich Häberlin started studying law at the University of Zürich. He continued his studies in Germany, at the University of Leipzig and Humboldt University in Berlin. In Leipzig, he became friends with Prince Ferdinand von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, who later became King Ferdinand I of Romania. They met again years later when the King visited Switzerland.
Häberlin became a licensed lawyer in 1891. He worked for a short time in Lausanne before opening his own law firm in Weinfelden in 1892. Two years later, he moved his firm to Frauenfeld, the capital of his canton. He quickly became known as an excellent lawyer. From 1899 to 1920, he was the head judge of the District Court in Frauenfeld.
Like many judges and lawyers at that time, Häberlin became very active in politics. In 1904, he was elected to the Swiss Federal Council. He was its president in 1918–1919. Besides his work at the national level, Häberlin was also involved in local politics in the Canton of Thurgau. He was elected to the Grand Council of Thurgau in 1905 and served there for 15 years. He was even chosen as the President of the Grand Council twice.
After another Federal Councillor resigned, Häberlin was elected to the Federal Council on February 12, 1920. He received many votes, showing how much people trusted him. While in office, he was in charge of the Justice and Police Department. He also served as President of the Swiss Confederation in 1926 and 1931.
Häberlin played a big part in making criminal laws more consistent across Switzerland. He also tried to pass laws to protect the country from extreme political ideas. These laws were known as Lex Häberlin I and II. He strongly spoke out against the rise of Nazism in Germany. As early as 1932, he warned about the dangers of Hitler's plans for war. People respected him for his deep knowledge, sharp thinking, and good sense of humor.
Heinrich Häberlin was also the President of the Board of Trustees for Pro Juventute, a foundation that helped young people. In 1927, he wrote about the Yenish people, suggesting ways to help them integrate into society. This foundation received support from health clinics, teachers, pastors, and other non-profit groups.
There was also a time when Kaiser Karl I (the former emperor of Austria-Hungary) and his wife Zita von Bourbon-Parma lived in Switzerland after their empire fell. Kaiser Karl I had promised Swiss authorities he would tell them if he planned to travel abroad. However, he broke this promise twice by going to Hungary to try and regain power. Because of this, Häberlin decided that the family could no longer stay in Switzerland. However, when one of Empress Zita's children needed surgery in Zürich, Häberlin allowed them to stay longer for the child's health.
After Retirement
Even after he retired, people still asked for his advice on important matters. He became a board member of a large Swiss insurance company. He was also the first president of Pro Helvetia, an organization that promotes Swiss culture. He was friends with many interesting people, like the famous German writer Hermann Hesse. He also knew Walter Mittelholzer, a pioneer in Swiss aviation, and Romain Rolland, who won the Nobel Prize for literature. Other friends included Swiss painters like Cuno Amiet and Carl Liner, who are known for their modern art.
Heinrich Häberlin passed away in 1947 in Frauenfeld.
Interesting Stories About Häberlin
The Airship Inventor
When Heinrich Häberlin was a lawyer in Weinfelden, one of his most famous clients was Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (1838–1917), who invented the airship. In Häberlin's diaries, there's an entry from 1934 where he mentions that Count Zeppelin was his client for things like border disputes with a famous psychiatrist named Ludwig Binswanger.
Häberlin wrote about how he and the Count would discuss business at the Count's family home. Sometimes, they would hear the sound of Count Zeppelin's airship flying by. When this happened, the Count would get distracted. Häberlin would then suggest, "Excellency, shall we take a break until the airship has passed?" The Count would smile, go to the window, and say, "Yes, you are right, Sir."
The Mountain Guide Mix-Up
In his free time, Häberlin loved mountaineering. One day, he took his wife to the beautiful Alpine village of Zermatt. As he was pointing out the different mountain peaks to her, an American tourist nearby overheard him. The tourist thought Häberlin was a local mountain guide. The American politely asked if he could hire him – the President of the Federal Council of Switzerland – as a guide! Häberlin, always humble, politely explained that he was on holiday with his wife to enjoy the Swiss Alps, and he was not a mountain guide.
The Honest Soldier
During World War I, Häberlin was a regiment commander stationed with his troops in the Swiss Alps. Back then, soldiers guarding horse carriages were not allowed to ride on them. They had to run behind the carriage in case anything fell off. This was not a fun task, especially when the carriage was empty on the way back.
One day, a guard from Häberlin's regiment was sitting next to the coachman on an empty carriage. They were on a winding mountain road when suddenly, Häberlin appeared. He sternly asked the guard why he was sitting on the carriage instead of running. The surprised soldier honestly replied, "Because Colonel, Sir, I noticed you too late!" When Häberlin heard this, he laughed heartily and let the soldier off the hook because of his honesty.
