Ferdinand Risch

Ferdinand Risch (13 June 1880 – 16 April 1940) was a politician from Liechtenstein who served in the Landtag of Liechtenstein. He was also mayor of Schaan from 1927 to 1940.

Early life
Risch was born on 13 June 1880 in Schaan as the son of Johann Ferdinand Risch and Agatha Tanner as one of two children. He worked as a bricklayer in Switzerland and Vorarlberg, later as a farmer.

Political career
Risch was a founding member of the Progressive Citizens' Party in February 1918. From 1918 to 1921 he was a member of the Schaan municipal council and from 1927 to 1940 of the municipal tax commission, and also major of the municipality. In this position, he played a role in managing the response to the Rhine floods in 1927. In addition, his time as mayor oversaw the building of the St. Elisabeth Monastery, which opened in 1935.

From 1928 to until his death in 1940, he was a member of the Landtag of Liechtenstein as a member of the Progressive Citizens' Party. From 1914 to 1940 he was the treasurer of the Liechtenstein Livestock Insurance Association. In these roles, he advocated for the building of the building of a 23km long inland canal to increase the percentage of arable land within the country and to create job opportunities within the country, which was approved in 1930, started construction in 1931 and then completed in 1943.

During the 1939 Liechtenstein putsch, he played a role in organizing the opposition, alongside Anton Frommelt, which intercepted the marchers of the German National Movement in Liechtenstein (VDBL) outside of Schaan and convinced them to turn back.

Personal life
Risch married Maria Viktoria Beck (6 February 1883 – 15 April 1949) on 15 April 1912 and they had four children together.

He died on 16 April 1940 in Grabs, Switzerland, aged 59 years old.

Honours

 * 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein: Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Principality of Liechtenstein (1937)