Johann Rudolf Schneider
Encyclopedia
Johann Rudolf Schneider was a Swiss physician, political leader, and initiator of the Jura water correction
.
.
In 1828, he settled in Nidau
, where he opened a doctor's surgery. As a member of the association for preservation (“Schutzverein”) he committed himself to sanitization of the “Grand Marais
”.
As early as 1834, Jan Pawel Lelewel, who previously was chief engineer, had been committed with such a project His project however did not convince, neither the political parties, nor the involved Cantons
could find an agreement.
In the year 1835, Schneider published a book on the recurring floods in “Seeland”
. A year later, he was elected in the Grand Council of the Canton of Bern. 1837 he successfully motioned that the planning and the execution of a Jura water correction to be committed to a private organization. Accordingly, 1840, he founded the "Society preparatory to the Jura water correction", („Vorbereitungs-Gesellschaft der Jura-Gewässer-Correction“), which commissioned the Grisons canton engineer Richard La Nicca
to draw and conceive a project.
In the political turmoil of the 1840s, the project was not pursued. Only upon the founding of the Federal State
and the large floods in the 1850s, did the Jura water correction project rise to actuality again.
Only 1868 did it finally get started, with the drugging-out of the Nidau-Büren channel.
Schneider was philanthropist and a champion of the liberal movement. In the 1830s he supported political emigrants such as Giuseppe Mazzini, Karl Mathy and Jan Pawel Lelewel, who lived in exile in the region of Biel/Bienne
. Schneider even bought a printing company, in order to enable the emigrants to publicize their political pamphlets. He also publicized a sum of a rational periodical during a period of 10 years. The printing house was later to be run by his political sympathizer, August Weingart.
1838 to 1850, Schneider was an executive member of the Bernese government. In this role, he directed 1847, together with Ulrich Ochsenbein
and Jakob Stämpfli
the memorable session of the government in Bern, which decided the “Sonderbund” war, which was to become the fundament of the foundation of the modern Federal State of Switzerland
.
In 1848, Schneider became a member of the Swiss National Council, to which he belonged to the year 1862. He belonged to the radical wing of the Liberals As at the elections in 1850 in change of majority occurred in the Canton of Bern, Schneider resigned from the government.
In the autumn of 1850 he was called to become an in-house physician at the “Inselspital
”, Bern.
Upon his death, he was buried on the “Bremgartenfriedhof
” in Bern.
Jura water correction
The correction of the waters of the Swiss Jura consisted in a wide series of hydrological undertakings carried out in Switzerland in the region of the three lakes: Lake Morat connected to Lake Neuchâtel by the Broye canal, the latter connected to Lake of Bienne by the Thielle canal, an area so...
.
Biography
He studied medicine in Bern and BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
In 1828, he settled in Nidau
Nidau
Nidau is a municipality in the Biel/Bienne administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.- Population :Nidau, located at the language boundary, although the official language is German, a high minority of French speakers live in the city, which has since long been offering them the...
, where he opened a doctor's surgery. As a member of the association for preservation (“Schutzverein”) he committed himself to sanitization of the “Grand Marais
Grand Marais, Seeland
Grand Marais, Seeland is a region in Switzerland, at the foot of the first mountain range of the Jura Mountains contained by the three lakes of Morat , Neuchâtel and Bienne...
”.
As early as 1834, Jan Pawel Lelewel, who previously was chief engineer, had been committed with such a project His project however did not convince, neither the political parties, nor the involved Cantons
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
could find an agreement.
In the year 1835, Schneider published a book on the recurring floods in “Seeland”
Seeland (Switzerland)
Seeland is a region in Switzerland, at the foot of the first mountain range of the Jura Mountains containing the 3 lakes of Morat , Neuchâtel and Bienne . In previous aeras, it was the floodplain of the Aare and is thus swampy. After the huge hydrological works Jura water correction, the area...
. A year later, he was elected in the Grand Council of the Canton of Bern. 1837 he successfully motioned that the planning and the execution of a Jura water correction to be committed to a private organization. Accordingly, 1840, he founded the "Society preparatory to the Jura water correction", („Vorbereitungs-Gesellschaft der Jura-Gewässer-Correction“), which commissioned the Grisons canton engineer Richard La Nicca
Richard La Nicca
Richard La Nicca, was an engineer and Protestant, originating from Sarn and Chur. Son of Christian, pastor of Safien, Neukirch and Tenna, and Anna born Gredig. He was born in Safien-Neukirch, and died in Chur....
to draw and conceive a project.
In the political turmoil of the 1840s, the project was not pursued. Only upon the founding of the Federal State
Restauration (Switzerland)
The periods of Restoration and Regeneration in Swiss history last from 1814 to 1847. "Restoration" refers to the period of 1814 to 1830, the restoration of the Ancien Régime , reverting the changes imposed by Napoleon Bonaparte with the centralist Helvetic Republic from 1798 and the partial...
and the large floods in the 1850s, did the Jura water correction project rise to actuality again.
Only 1868 did it finally get started, with the drugging-out of the Nidau-Büren channel.
Schneider was philanthropist and a champion of the liberal movement. In the 1830s he supported political emigrants such as Giuseppe Mazzini, Karl Mathy and Jan Pawel Lelewel, who lived in exile in the region of Biel/Bienne
Biel/Bienne
Biel/Bienne is a city in the district of the Biel/Bienne administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.It is located on the language boundary and is throughout bilingual. Biel is the German name for the town, Bienne its French counterpart. The town is often referred to in both...
. Schneider even bought a printing company, in order to enable the emigrants to publicize their political pamphlets. He also publicized a sum of a rational periodical during a period of 10 years. The printing house was later to be run by his political sympathizer, August Weingart.
1838 to 1850, Schneider was an executive member of the Bernese government. In this role, he directed 1847, together with Ulrich Ochsenbein
Ulrich Ochsenbein
Ulrich Ochsenbein was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council .-Professional life:...
and Jakob Stämpfli
Jakob Stämpfli
Jakob Stämpfli was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council .He was elected to the Federal Council of Switzerland on 6 December 1854, and handed over office on 31 December 1863...
the memorable session of the government in Bern, which decided the “Sonderbund” war, which was to become the fundament of the foundation of the modern Federal State of Switzerland
Switzerland as a federal state
The rise of Switzerland as a federal state began on September 12, 1848, with the creation of a federal constitution, which was created in response to a 27-day civil war in Switzerland, the Sonderbundskrieg...
.
In 1848, Schneider became a member of the Swiss National Council, to which he belonged to the year 1862. He belonged to the radical wing of the Liberals As at the elections in 1850 in change of majority occurred in the Canton of Bern, Schneider resigned from the government.
In the autumn of 1850 he was called to become an in-house physician at the “Inselspital
Inselspital
The Inselspital , officially the Bern University Hospital, is the university hospital of Berne, Switzerland, and one of the country's leading hospitals....
”, Bern.
Upon his death, he was buried on the “Bremgartenfriedhof
Bremgarten bei Bern
Bremgarten bei Bern is a municipality in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.It was home to the Bremgarten Circuit, the Grand Prix motor racing course that at one time hosted the Swiss Grand Prix.-Geography:...
” in Bern.