Josef Büchel

Josef Büchel (28 February 1910 – 15 November 1991) was a teacher and civil servant from Liechtenstein who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Liechtenstein from 1957 to 1965.

Early life and career
Büchel was born on 28 February 1910 in Gamprin to the father of Felix Büchel and his mother Anna Matt as one of seven children.

After training as a teacher Büchel taught in Balzers from 1931 to 1935 and in Triesen from 1935 to 1945. Büchel founded the Liechtenstein section of the Swiss health and accident insurance Konkordia in 1932. He was also the conductor of the Triesen church choir from 1937 to 1945.

Political career
Büchel entered politics as a member of the Patriotic Union and as an editor of the Liechtensteiner Vaterland from 1938 to 1939 and again from 1941 to 1943. During this time he published several articles friendly to Nazi Germany. He was also a member of the State Tax Commission from 1939 to 1949 and the chairman of the commission from 1939 to 1944.

From 1945 to 1952 he was a government secretary. From February to June 1953 and again from 1957 to 1958 he was a member of the Landtag of Liechtenstein. From June 1953 to 1957 he was a deputy member of the Landtag. From 1954 to 1957 he was the party secretary of the Patriotic Union.

After the death of Ferdinand Nigg 13 July 1957 Büchel was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Liechtenstein under Alexander Frick. After Frick's resignation on 16 July 1962 Büchel also served as deputy under Gerard Batliner until 1965. He co-founded the Triesen Family Aid organisation in 1962.

From 1967 he worked as an independent legal agent and trustee. From 1970 to 1974 he was president of the truck board of directors and president of the truck supervisory board from 1974 to 1976. He was a judge at the Staatsgerichtshof from 1979 to 1984. He became an honorary member of the Switzerland-Liechtenstein Konkordia Association from 1980 to his death.

Personal life
Büchel married Helena Schächle (1 October 1908 – 26 October 1996) on 1 October 1935 and they had three children together. He died on 15 November 1991 in Triesen, aged 81 years old.

Literature

 * Der Gemeindenutzen im Fürstentum Liechtenstein (unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Gemeindebodens) (1953)
 * Geschäftsbriefe und Geschäftsaufsätze für den Schulunterricht (1958)
 * Geschichte der Gemeinde Triesen (1989)