In 1291, in order to defend themselves against foreign attacks, the three Swiss
territories/cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden - then part of the Holy Roman
Empire - united into a perpetual defensive league, later known as the Confoederatio
Helvetica (Helvetic or Swiss Confederation).
In the course of the following centuries other states and territories joined the
union, whose independence from the Holy Roman Empire had been formally recognized
in 1648, by the Treaty of Westphalia.
In 1848, following a constitutional reform, the Confederation was transformed into
a Federation with a well organized central government.
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CHIEF EXECUTIVES AND ADMINISTRATORS OF THE CONFEDERATION UNTIL 1848
CONFEDERAL CHIEF EXECUTIVES
The Diet (Dieta, Diète, Tagsatzung) - an assembly of delegates of the cantons - was
the highest authority for all diplomatic and military affairs of the Confederation
as a whole. (1)
It was chaired by the chief executive of one of the so-called Directing Cantons
(Cantons directeurs, Cantoni direttori, Vororte) of Bern, Luzern or Zürich, each of
these cantons actually being Directing Canton in a two-yearly rotation (Bern 1841
- 1842, Luzern 1843 - 1844, Zürich 1845 - 1846, Bern 1847 -1848, etc.)
During the intervals of its sessions (starting the first monday of july of each year
and lasting some days or some weeks) the government of the Directing Canton managed
the general affairs on the Confederation.
(1) As such it also was in charge of keeping peace within the Confederation
and within the individual cantons.
Presidents of the Diet
Presidenti della Dieta
Présidents de la Diète
Präsidenten der Tagsatzung
(both also Chief Executives of the Canton of Bern)
1847 - 1848 Ulrich Ochsenbein (2x) 1811 - 1890
1848 Alexander Ludwig Funk (2x) 1806 - 1871
CONFEDERAL OFFICIALS
There were only two confederal departments :
- the Chancellery in charge of general and diplomatic affairs.
- the Federal Commissariate of War in charge of military affairs.
Chancellor
Cancelliere
Chancelier
Kanzler
1847 - 1848 Johann Ulrich Schiess (2) 1813 - 1883
(2) After the formation of the federal republic Schiess continued in office
until 1881. His successors as chancellors were :
1882 - 1909 Gottlieb Ringier 1837 - 1929
1910 - 1918 Hans Schatzmann 1848 - 1923
1919 - 1925 Adolf von Steiger 1859 - 1927
1925 - 1934 Robert Käslin 1871 - 1934
1934 - 1943 George Bovet 1874 - 1946
1944 - 1951 Oskar Leimgruber 1886 - 1976
Secretary of the Federal Commissariate of War
Secrétaire du Commissariat fédéral des guerres
Sekretär des Eidgenossisches Kriegskommissariats
Segretario del Commissariato federale di guerra
1847 - 1848 Capt. Adrian von Arx 1817 - 1859
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MEMBERS OF THE FEDERAL COUNCIL 1848 - 1945
Since 1848 the highest Swiss executive authority was the Federal Council (Bundesrat,
Conseil Fédéral, Consiglio federale, Cussegl federal), a collective leadership of
7 members.
A President of the Confederation, elected for one year from among the members of the
Council chaired its meetings and performed some of the representative duties, that
are normally associated with a Head of State. Each of the Federal Councillors also
headed one of the federal departments (= ministries).
Presidents of the ConfederationBundespräsidenten
Présidents de la Confédération
Presidenti della Confederazione
Presidents da la Confederaziun
1848 - 1849 Jonas Furrer 1805 - 1861
1850 Daniel Henri Druey 1799 - 1855
1851 Martin Josef Munzinger 1791 - 1855
1852 Jonas Furrer (2x)
1853 Wilhelm Matthias Näff 1802 - 1881
1854 Friedrich Frey-Herosé 1801 - 1873
1855 Jonas Furrer (3x)
1856 Jakob Stämpfli 1820 - 1879
1857 Constant Fornerod 1819 - 1899
1858 Jonas Furrer (4x)
1859 Jakob Stämpfli (2x)
1860 Friedrich Frey-Herosé (2x)
1861 Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel 1813 - 1889
1862 Jakob Stämpfli (3x)
1863 Constant Fornerod (2x)
1864 Jakob Dubs 1822 - 1879
1865 Karl Schenk 1823 - 1895
1866 Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel (2x)
1867 Constant Fornerod (3x)
1868 Jakob Dubs (2x)
1869 Friedrich Emil Welti 1825 - 1899
1870 Jakob Dubs (3x)
1871 Karl Schenk (2x)
1872 Friedrich Emil Welti (2x)
1873 Paul Ceresole 1832 - 1905
1874 Karl Schenk (3x)
1875 Johann Jakob Scherer 1825 - 1878
1876 Friedrich Emil Welti (3x)
1877 Joachim Heer 1825 - 1879
1878 Karl Schenk (4x)
1879 Johann Bernhard Hammer 1822 - 1907
1880 Friedrich Emil Welti (4x)
1881 Numa Droz 1844 - 1899
1882 Simon Bavier 1825 - 1896
1883 Antoine Louis John Ruchonnet 1834 - 1893
1884 Friedrich Emil Welti (5x)
1885 Karl Schenk (5x)
1886 Adolf Deucher 1831 - 1912
1887 Numa Droz (2x)
1888 Wilhelm Friedrich Hertenstein 1825 - 1888
1888 - 1889 Johann Bernhard Hammer (2x)
1890 Antoine Louis John Ruchonnet (2x)
1891 Friedrich Emil Welti (6x)
1892 Walter Hauser 1837 - 1902
1893 Karl Schenk (6x)
1894 Emil Johann Rudolf Frey 1838 - 1922
1895 Josef Zemp 1834 - 1908
1896 Adrien Louis Lachenal 1849 - 1918
1897 Adolf Deucher (2x)
1898 Eugène Ruffy 1854 - 1919
1899 Eduard Müller 1848 - 1919
1900 Walter Hauser (2x)
1901 Ernst Brenner 1856 - 1911
1902 Josef Zemp (2x)
1903 Adolf Deucher (3x)
1904 Hugo Robert Comtesse 1847 - 1922
1905 Marc-Émile Ruchet 1853 - 1912
1906 Johann Ludwig Forrer 1845 - 1921
1907 Eduard Müller (2x)
1908 Ernst Brenner (2x)
1909 Adolf Deucher (4x)
1910 Hugo Robert Comtesse (2x)
1911 Marc-Émile Ruchet (2x)
1912 Johann Ludwig Forrer (2x)
1913 Eduard Müller (3x)
1914 Hermann Artur Hoffmann 1857 - 1927
1915 Giuseppe Motta 1871 - 1940
1916 Camille Decoppet 1862 - 1925
1917 Edmund Schulthess 1868 - 1944
1918 Felix Louis Calonder 1863 - 1952
1919 Gustave Ador 1845 - 1928
1920 Giuseppe Motta (2x)
1921 Edmund Schulthess (2x)
1922 Robert Haab 1865 - 1939
1923 Karl Alfred Scheurer 1872 - 1929
1924 Ernest-Louis Chuard 1857 - 1942
1925 Jean-Marie Musy 1876 - 1952
1926 Heinrich Häberlin 1868 - 1947
1927 Giuseppe Motta (3x)
1928 Edmund Schulthess (3x)
1929 Robert Haab (2x)
1930 Jean-Marie Musy (2x)
1931 Heinrich Häberlin (2x)
1932 Giuseppe Motta (4x)
1933 Edmund Schulthess (4x)
1934 Marcel Pilet-Golaz 1889 - 1958
1935 Rudolf Minger 1881 - 1955
1936 Albert Meyer 1870 - 1953
1937 Giuseppe Motta (5x)
1938 Johannes Baumann 1874 - 1953
1939 Philipp Etter 1891 - 1977
1940 Marcel Pilet-Golaz (2x)
1941 Ernst Wetter 1877 - 1965
1942 Philipp Etter (2x)
1943 Enrico Celio 1889 - 1980
1944 Walter Stampfli 1884 - 1965
1945 Eduard von Steiger 1881 - 1962
Federal Councillors
Bundesräte
Conseillers fédéraux
Consiglieri federali
Cussegliers federals
For the lifedates not mentioned refer to Presidents of the Confederation.
1848 - 1854 Ulrich Ochsenbein 1811 - 1890
1848 - 1855 Martin Josef Munzinger
1848 - 1855 Daniel Henri Druey
1848 - 1857 Stefano Franscini 1796 - 1857
1848 - 1861 Jonas Furrer
1848 - 1866 Friedrich Frey-Herosé
1848 - 1875 Wilhelm Matthias Näff
1854 - 1863 Jakob Stämpfli
1855 - 1867 Constant Fornerod
1855 - 1875 Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel
1857 - 1882 Giovanni Battista Pioda II 1808 - 1882
1861 - 1872 Jakob Dubs
1863 - 1895 Karl Schenk
1864 - 1872 Jean-Jacques Challet-Venel 1811 - 1893
1866 - 1891 Friedrich Emil Welti
1867 - 1869 Victor Ruffy 1823 - 1869
1870 - 1875 Paul Ceresole
1872 - 1878 Johann Jakob Scherer
1872 - 1875 Eugène Borel 1835 - 1892
1875 - 1878 Joachim Heer
1875 - 1880 Fridolin Anderwert 1828 - 1880
1875 - 1890 Bernhard Hammer
1875 - 1892 Numa Droz
1878 - 1883 Simeon Bavier
1879 - 1888 Willem Friedrich Hertenstein
1881 - 1893 Antoine Louis John Ruchonnet
1883 - 1912 Adolf Deucher
1888 - 1902 Walter Hauser
1890 - 1897 Emil Johann Rudolf Frey
1891 - 1908 Joseph Zemp
1892 - 1899 Adrien Louis Lachenal
1893 - 1899 Eugène Ruffy
1895 - 1919 Eduard Müller
1897 - 1911 Ernst Brenner
1899 - 1912 Hugo Robert Comtesse
1899 - 1912 Marc-Emile Ruchet
1902 - 1917 Ludwig Forrer
1908 - 1911 Josef Anton Schobinger 1849 - 1911
1911 - 1917 Arthur Hoffmann
1911 - 1940 Giuseppe Motta
1912 - 1913 Louis Perrier 1849 - 1913
1912 - 1919 Camille Decoppet
1912 - 1935 Edmund Schulthess
1913 - 1920 Felix-Louis Calonder
1917 - 1919 Gustave Ador
1917 - 1929 Robert Haab
1919 - 1929 Karl Scheurer
1919 - 1928 Ernest Chuard
1919 - 1934 Jean-Marie Musy
1920 - 1934 Heinrich Häberlin
1928 - 1944 Marcel Pilet-Golaz
1929 - 1940 Rudolf Minger
1929 - 1938 Albert Meyer
1934 - 1940 Johannes Baumann
1934 - 1959 Philipp Etter
1935 - 1940 Hermann Obrecht 1882 - 1940
1938 - 1943 Ernst Wetter
1940 - 1947 Walter Stampfli
1940 - 1950 Enrico Celio
1940 - 1951 Eduard von Steiger
1940 - 1954 Karl Kobelt 1891 - 1968
1943 - 1951 Ernst Nobs 1886 - 1957
1944 - 1961 Max Petitpierre 1899 - 1994
FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS
For the lifedates refer to Presidents of the Confederation and Federal Councillors.
Federal Councillors for Foreign AffairsHeads of the Political DepartmentVorsteher des Politisches DepartementsChefs du Département politiqueCapi del Dipartimento politicoScheffas/schefs dal Departament politic
1848 - 1887 The Presidents of the Confederation s.a.
Heads of the Department of Foreign AffairsVorsteher des Departements des ÄusserenChefs du Département des affaires étrangèresCapi del Dipartimento degli Affari esteriScheffas/schefs dal Departament dals affars esters
1888 - 1892 Numa Droz
1893 - 1895 Adrien Louis Lachenal
Heads of the Political DepartmentVorsteher des Politisches DepartementsChefs du Département politiqueCapi del Dipartimento politicoScheffas/schefs dal Departament politic
1896 - 1913 The Presidents of the Confederation
1914 - 1917 Arthur Hoffmann
1917 Gustave Ador
1918 - 1919 Felix-Louis Calonder
1920 - 1940 Giuseppe Motta
1940 - 1944 Marcel Pilet-Golaz
1945 - 1961 Max Petitpierre
Federal Councillors for DefenceHeads of the Military DepartmentVorsteher des MilitärdepartementsChefs du Département militaireCapi del Dipartimento militareScheffas/schefs dal Departament militar
1848 - 1854 Ulrich Ochsenbein
1855 - 1859 Friedrich Frey-Herosé
1860 - 1861 Jakob Stämpfli
1862 Constant Fornerod
1863 Jakob Stämpfli (2x)
1864 - 1866 Constant Fornerod (2x)
1867 - 1868 Friedrich Emil Welti
1869 Victor Ruffy
1870 - 1871 Friedrich Emil Welti (2x)
1872 Paul Ceresole
1873 - 1875 Friedrich Emil Welti (3x)
1876 - 1878 Johann Jakob Scherer
1879 - 1888 Willem Friedrich Hertenstein
1889 - 1890 Walter Hauser
1891 - 1897 Emil Johann Rudolf Frey
1897 - 1898 Eduard Müller
1899 Eugène Ruffy
1900 - 1906 Eduard Müller (2x)
1907 Ludwig Forrer
1908 - 1911 Eduard Müller (3x)
1912 - 1913 Arthur Hoffmann
1914 - 1919 Camille Decoppet
1920 - 1929 Karl Scheurer
1930 - 1940 Rudolf Minger
1940 - 1954 Karl Kobelt
Federal Councillors for Home AffairsHeads of the Department of Home AffairsVorsteher des Departements des InnernChefs du Département de l'intérieurCapi del Dipartimento dell'internoScheffas/schefs dal Departament dal'intern
1848 - 1857 Stefano Franscini
1857 - 1863 Giovanni Battista Pioda II
1864 Karl Schenk
1865 Jakob Dubs
1866 - 1870 Karl Schenk (2x)
1871 - 1872 Jakob Dubs (2x)
1872 - 1873 Karl Schenk (3x)
1874 - 1875 Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel
1876 - 1878 Numa Droz
1879 - 1884 Karl Schenk (5x)
1885 Adolf Deucher
1886 - 1895 Karl Schenk (6x)
1895 - 1897 Eugène Ruffy
1898 - 1899 Adrien Louis Lachenal
1900 - 1903 Marc-Emile Ruchet
1904 - 1905 Ludwig Forrer
1906 - 1910 Marc-Emile Ruchet
1911 Josef Anton Schobinger
1912 Marc-Emile Ruchet
1912 Camille Decoppet
1913 Louis Perrier
1913 - 1917 Felix-Louis Calonder
1918 - 1919 Gustave Ador
1920 - 1928 Ernest Louis Chuard
1929 Marcel Pilet-Golaz
1930 - 1934 Albert Meyer
1934 - 1959 Philipp Etter
Federal Councillors for Justice and PoliceHeads of the Department of Justice and PoliceVorsteher des Justiz- und PolizeidepartementsChefs du Département de justice et policeCapi del Dipartimento di giustizia e poliziaScheffas/schefs dal Departament da giustizia e polizia
1848 - 1849 Daniel Henri Druey
1850 - 1851 Jonas Furrer
1852 Daniel Henri Druey (2x)
1853 - 1854 Jonas Furrer (2x)
1855 Jakob Stämpfli
1856 - 1857 Jonas Furrer (3x)
1858 Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel
1859 - 1861 Jonas Furrer (4x)
1861 - 1863 Jakob Dubs
1864 - 1865 Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel (2x)
1866 Jakob Dubs (2x)
1867 - 1873 Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel (3x)
1874 - 1875 Paul Ceresole
1876 - 1880 Fridolin Anderwert
1881 Friedrich Emil Welti
1882 Antoine Louis John Ruchonnet
1883 Adolf Deucher
1884 - 1893 Antoine Louis John Ruchonnet (2x)
1894 - 1895 Eugène Ruffy
1895 - 1897 Eduard Müller
1897 - 1900 Ernst Brenner
1901 Hugo Robert Comtesse
1902 - 1907 Ernst Brenner (2x)
1908 Ludwig Forrer
1908 Josef Anton Schobinger
1909 - 1911 Ernst Brenner (3x)
1911 Arthur Hoffmann
1912 Eduard Müller (2x)
1913 Camille Decoppet
1914 - 1919 Eduard Müller (3x)
1920 - 1934 Heinrich Häberlin
1934 - 1940 Johannes Baumann
1941 - 1951 Eduard von Steiger
Federal Councillors for FinancesHeads of the Department of FinancesVorsteher des FinanzdepartementsChefs du Département des financesCapi del Dipartimento delle finanzeScheffas/schefs dal Departament da finanzas
1848 - 1850 Martin Josef Munzinger
1851 Daniel Henri Druey
1852 Martin Josef Munzinger (2x)
1853 - 1855 Daniel Henri Druey (2x)
1855 - 1856 Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel
1857 - 1858 Jakob Stämpfli
1859 - 1861 Constant Fornerod
1862 - 1863 Melchior Josef Martin Knüsel (2x)
1864 - 1867 Jean-Jacques Challet-Venel
1868 Victor Ruffy
1869 Jean-Jacques Challet-Venel (2x)
1870 - 1871 Paul Ceresole
1872 Karl Schenk
1872 - 1873 Johann Jakob Scherer
1873 Wilhelm Mathias Naeff
1873 Johann Jakob Scherer (2x)
1874 - 1875 Wilhelm Mathias Naeff (2x)
1876 - 1878 Bernhard Hammer
1879 Simeon Bavier
1880 - 1890 Bernhard Hammer (2x)
1891 - 1899 Walter Hauser
1900 Hugo Robert Comtesse
1901 - 1902 Walter Hauser (2x)
1903 Hugo Robert Comtesse (2x)
1904 Marc-Emile Ruchet
1905 - 1909 Hugo Robert Comtesse (3x)
1910 Josef Anton Schobinger
1911 Hugo Robert Comtesse (4x)
1912 - 1919 Giuseppe Motta
1920 - 1934 Jean-Marie Musy
1934 - 1938 Albert Meyer
1939 - 1943 Ernst Wetter
1944 - 1951 Ernst Nobs
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