Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents
Encyclopedia
The Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents (Bauern-, Gewerbe- und Bürgerpartei - BGB) was a Swiss political party founded in 1936. It grew out of a merger between various farmers’ parties at canton
level which had been established during the First World War (Zurich 1917 and Bern 1918).
In November 1917, Rudolf Minger
set up the Bern Party of Farmers and Independents (Bernischen Bauern- und Bürgerpartei, BGB) following a meeting held at an assembly hall in Bern known as the Bierhübeli: his party was first represented in the Federal Council
of the cantonal government from 1929 to 1940. Like Minger himself, all the party's other Federal Councillors came from the canton of Bern: Eduard von Steiger
(1941–51), Markus Feldmann
(1952–58), Friedrich Traugott Wahlen
(1959–65) and Rudolf Gnägi
(1966–79). However, Bern was not the only canton in which the party was represented: it also existed in the cantons of Aargau, Baselland, Freiburg, Schaffhausen, Tessin, Thurgau, Waadt and Zürich.
In 1971, the Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents combined with the Democratic Party (Switzerland)
of the cantons of Glarus and Graubünden to form the Swiss People’s Party.
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...
level which had been established during the First World War (Zurich 1917 and Bern 1918).
In November 1917, Rudolf Minger
Rudolf Minger
Rudolf Minger was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council . He also was a farmer all his life....
set up the Bern Party of Farmers and Independents (Bernischen Bauern- und Bürgerpartei, BGB) following a meeting held at an assembly hall in Bern known as the Bierhübeli: his party was first represented in the Federal Council
Federal Council
-Governmental bodies:* Federal Council of Australasia, a forerunner to the current Commonwealth of Australia* Federal Council of Austria, the upper house of the Austrian federal parliament...
of the cantonal government from 1929 to 1940. Like Minger himself, all the party's other Federal Councillors came from the canton of Bern: Eduard von Steiger
Eduard von Steiger
Eduard von Steiger was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council .He was elected to the Federal Council on December 10, 1940 and handed over office on December 31, 1951...
(1941–51), Markus Feldmann
Markus Feldmann
Markus Feldmann was a Swiss politician, member of the Swiss Federal Council .He was elected to the Federal Council on December 13, 1951 and died in office on November 3, 1958...
(1952–58), Friedrich Traugott Wahlen
Friedrich Traugott Wahlen
Friedrich Traugott Wahlen was a Swiss politician.He was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on 11 December 1958 and handed over office on 31 December 1965...
(1959–65) and Rudolf Gnägi
Rudolf Gnägi
Rudolf Gnägi was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council ....
(1966–79). However, Bern was not the only canton in which the party was represented: it also existed in the cantons of Aargau, Baselland, Freiburg, Schaffhausen, Tessin, Thurgau, Waadt and Zürich.
In 1971, the Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents combined with the Democratic Party (Switzerland)
Democratic Party (Switzerland)
The Democratic Party was a political party which existed in several Swiss cantons from 1860 to 1971.Following the total revision of the Swiss Federal Constitution in 1874, the democratic movement had achieved its goals at the federal level and was accordingly dissolved...
of the cantons of Glarus and Graubünden to form the Swiss People’s Party.