Felix Calonder
Encyclopedia
Felix Louis Calonder was a Swiss
politician, member of the Swiss Federal Council
from 1913 to 1920, and President of the Confederation in 1918. He was affiliated to the Free Democratic Party
. During his tenure of office, he held the Department of Home Affairs from 1913 to 1917, and the Political Department from 1918 to 1919. As of 2009, Felix Calonder has been the Federal Council's only native Romansh speaker.
in the Engadin
valley, the son of a master builder from Trin
. When Calonder was six years old, his family moved to Trin where he went to elementary school. From 1878 to 1881 Calonder visited the cantonal school in Chur
. He dropped out, worked as a commercial trainée for three years, and didn't graduate with a Matura
until 1885 in Zurich
. He studied law in Zurich, Munich
, Paris
, and Bern, where he submitted his doctoral thesis on international law in 1889. He was active in the student corporation
"Zofingia", and became a militia officer and judge in the Swiss Armed Forces.
After completing his studies, Calonder returned to Chur where he worked as a court secretary, and later established his own partnership in a lawyer's office. In 1892, he married Ursulina Walther with whom he had three children.
in 1899. During his tenure in the Council of States, he was given the mandate to negotiate an agreement with the Grand Duchy of Baden
regarding the usage of the Rhine for ship transport
and hydropower
. He presided the Council of States for the 1911/1912 term.
died in 1912, Calonder was one of the candidates for the vacant seat in the Swiss Federal Council
. On July 17, 1912, he lost the election to Edmund Schulthess
in the first vote, partially due to Schulthess's strong support by Catholic Conservatives, farmers' organizations, and the industrial lobby. Disappointed by the result, Grison politicians and media called for a boycott of the Swiss National Day
(August 1) in 1912.
The following year, in May 1913, Federal councillor Louis Perrier
died, and Calonder's candidacy looked more promising. The Catholic Conservatives now supported him. A few federal politicians were worried about Calonder's bias in promoting the Grisons' interests in the alpine railway, and Calonder's election would make the Romandie lose one of its two councillors it had been providing since 1881. Nevertheless, Calonder won the election in the first round with 151 out of 199 valid votes, and without any noteworthy opposition (Arthur Couchepin received the second-best result with 11 votes). Calonder assumed office in the Swiss Federal Council on June 21, 1913.
For the first four years, Calonder held the Department of Home Affairs. One of the first bills he had to represent before the Federal Assembly concerned the federal decision on creating the only Swiss National Park
.
In 1918, Calonder was elected President of the Swiss Confederation and, as was customary for that office at the time, also took over the "Political Department" (foreign relations)
. In his function as president, he was faced with increased expression of social grievances by the working class and poor, and started meeting with the "Oltener Aktionskomitee" (OAK) in August 1918. The OAK was a committee of Swiss labor unions and Social democrats
, formed to demand and enforce socio-political reforms, and led by Robert Grimm
. When the authorities used military force to discontinue the extension of an originally peaceful protest strike in Zurich, on November 10, the committee gave Calonder the ultimatum to either call back the militia or accept the consequences of a nation-wide strike, Calonder declined in the name of the Federal Council, and on November 11, 1918, the committee called for an indefinite strike, now referred to as the Swiss General Strike. Around 400,000 workers went on strike, militia regiments were ordered to counter them, and the railway system was militarized. Three demonstrators were killed by soldiers in Grenchen
, and there were violent clashes in Zurich and Biel as well. The OAK recognized the strike's futility, and called for its ending, Calonder informed the Federal Assembly with the words "The nightmare has gone away. Free and proud, Swiss democracy stands with its head raised high."
Calonder was criticized for his actions during the Landesstreik. He had already been mocked by Grimm for "nearly breaking out in tears during negotiations, instead of firmly standing his ground", and the Federal Assembly and media saw his reactions to the strike as ambiguous: On the one hand, Calonder held a speech on November 12, where he promised the Social Democrats a seat in the Federal Council. On the other hand, put under pressure by the army command and centre-right parliamentarians, he signed the Federal Council's ultimatum addressed to the OAK one day later. He never regained the left's support, and after his demission in 1920, the Social Democratic newspaper Volksrecht characterized him as "a rather limited reactionary".
In his final year in the Federal Council, Calonder was a proponent of Woodrow Wilson
's idea for a League of Nations
, and appointed historians and legal experts to study questions of international law
in the aftermath of World War I. Instead of "absolute" neutrality
, he suggested a "differential" neutrality, which could include carrying out economic sanctions proposed by the League of Nations. With the support of fellow councillors Giuseppe Motta
and Gustave Ador
, Calonder finally succeeded in passing the bill to join the League of Nations against strong opposition by politicians from German speaking rural and conservative cantons, but also against the majority of Social Democrats. He gained less support for his actions regarding the "Vorarlberg
question" - on May 11, 1919, 80% of the Vorarlberger had voted that their state should join Switzerland, and Calonder advocated these plans as well. He met fierce opposition within the Federal Council, namely by Schulthess and Motta, and was eventually forced to abandon his advancements in this direction.
His actions during the nation-wide strike, his advancement of membership in the League of Nations, and his weak position in the Vorarlberg question resulted in a meager count of votes for Calonder's reconfirmation by the Federal Assembly in December 1919. He asked for sick leave five days later, and announced his resignation on January 21, 1920.The Federal Assembly officially approved his request on February 12, 1920, and elected Heinrich Häberlin
as his successor.
in 1920. In 1921 he led the Geneva conference for regulating conditions in Upper Silesia
in connection with the Silesian Uprisings
. From 1922 to 1937, he lived in Katowice
where, as president of the mixed German-Polish commission, he supervised the execution of the conference's outcome. In 1937, he moved to Zurich and worked as a legal consultant. Felix Louis Calonder died on June 14, 1952, in Zurich.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
politician, member of the Swiss Federal Council
Swiss Federal Council
The Federal Council is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the federal government of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss collective head of state....
from 1913 to 1920, and President of the Confederation in 1918. He was affiliated to the Free Democratic Party
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
. During his tenure of office, he held the Department of Home Affairs from 1913 to 1917, and the Political Department from 1918 to 1919. As of 2009, Felix Calonder has been the Federal Council's only native Romansh speaker.
Early life (1863 - 1891)
Calonder was born in ScuolScuol
Scuol is a municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The official language in Scuol is Romansh.-Name:The official name has undergone several changes in the 20th century:...
in the Engadin
Engadin
The Engadin or Engadine is a long valley in the Swiss Alps located in the canton of Graubünden in southeast Switzerland. It follows the route of the Inn River from its headwaters at Maloja Pass running northeast until the Inn flows into Austria one hundred kilometers downstream...
valley, the son of a master builder from Trin
Trin
Trin is a municipality in the district of Imboden in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. Crestasee is located in Trin.-Geography:Trin is perched on the mountain-side above the Rhine valley on the road between Domat/Ems and Flims. The village of Mulin is at the foot of the slope on the edge of the...
. When Calonder was six years old, his family moved to Trin where he went to elementary school. From 1878 to 1881 Calonder visited the cantonal school in Chur
Chur
Chur or Coire is the capital of the Swiss canton of Graubünden and lies in the northern part of the canton.-History:The name "chur" derives perhaps from the Celtic kora or koria, meaning "tribe", or from the Latin curia....
. He dropped out, worked as a commercial trainée for three years, and didn't graduate with a Matura
Matura
Matura or a similar term is the common name for the high-school leaving exam or "maturity exam" in various countries, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia,...
until 1885 in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. He studied law in Zurich, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and Bern, where he submitted his doctoral thesis on international law in 1889. He was active in the student corporation
Studentenverbindung
A Studentenverbindung is a student corporation in a German-speaking country somewhat comparable to fraternities in the US or Canada, but mostly older and going back to other kinds of...
"Zofingia", and became a militia officer and judge in the Swiss Armed Forces.
After completing his studies, Calonder returned to Chur where he worked as a court secretary, and later established his own partnership in a lawyer's office. In 1892, he married Ursulina Walther with whom he had three children.
Legislative offices (1891 - 1913)
In 1891, Calonder was elected to the Grisons' cantonal legislative (cussegl grond) where he represented the Free Democrats, and kept his mandate until 1913. He unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the cantonal executive (regenza) in 1893. By the late 1890s, he had gained a reputation in transport policy; his struggle for an eastern alpine railway and his lobbying for federal subsidies to the Rhätische Bahn's narrow gauge system helped him win his party one of the Grisons' two seats in the Swiss Council of StatesSwiss Council of States
The Council of States of Switzerland is the smaller chamber of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland, and is considered the Assembly's upper house. There are 46 Councillors....
in 1899. During his tenure in the Council of States, he was given the mandate to negotiate an agreement with the Grand Duchy of Baden
Grand Duchy of Baden
The Grand Duchy of Baden was a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918.-History:...
regarding the usage of the Rhine for ship transport
Ship transport
Ship transport is watercraft carrying people or goods . Sea transport has been the largest carrier of freight throughout recorded history. Although the importance of sea travel for passengers has decreased due to aviation, it is effective for short trips and pleasure cruises...
and hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
. He presided the Council of States for the 1911/1912 term.
Federal council (1913 - 1920)
When Federal Councillor Adolf DeucherAdolf Deucher
Adolf Deucher was a Swiss politician.He was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on April 10, 1883 and died in office on July 10, 1912. He was affiliated to the Free Democratic Party...
died in 1912, Calonder was one of the candidates for the vacant seat in the Swiss Federal Council
Swiss Federal Council
The Federal Council is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the federal government of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss collective head of state....
. On July 17, 1912, he lost the election to Edmund Schulthess
Edmund Schulthess
Edmund Schulthess was a Swiss politician.He was the son of Edmund Schulthess and wife Cornelia Brigitta Marth ....
in the first vote, partially due to Schulthess's strong support by Catholic Conservatives, farmers' organizations, and the industrial lobby. Disappointed by the result, Grison politicians and media called for a boycott of the Swiss National Day
Swiss National Day
The Swiss National Day is the national holiday of Switzerland, set on 1 August. It is an official national holiday since 1994, although the day had been suggested for the celebration of the foundation of the Swiss Confederacy as early as 1889.-History:...
(August 1) in 1912.
The following year, in May 1913, Federal councillor Louis Perrier
Louis Perrier
Frédéric-François-Louis Perrier was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council . , he is the member with the shortest time in office ....
died, and Calonder's candidacy looked more promising. The Catholic Conservatives now supported him. A few federal politicians were worried about Calonder's bias in promoting the Grisons' interests in the alpine railway, and Calonder's election would make the Romandie lose one of its two councillors it had been providing since 1881. Nevertheless, Calonder won the election in the first round with 151 out of 199 valid votes, and without any noteworthy opposition (Arthur Couchepin received the second-best result with 11 votes). Calonder assumed office in the Swiss Federal Council on June 21, 1913.
For the first four years, Calonder held the Department of Home Affairs. One of the first bills he had to represent before the Federal Assembly concerned the federal decision on creating the only Swiss National Park
Swiss National Park
The Swiss National Park is located in the canton of Graubünden in the east of Switzerland between Zernez, S-chanf, Scuol and the Fuorn Pass in the Engadin valley on the border with Italy....
.
In 1918, Calonder was elected President of the Swiss Confederation and, as was customary for that office at the time, also took over the "Political Department" (foreign relations)
Foreign relations of Switzerland
The foreign relations of Switzerland are the primary responsibility of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs . Some international relations of Switzerland are handled by other departments of the federal administration of Switzerland.-History:...
. In his function as president, he was faced with increased expression of social grievances by the working class and poor, and started meeting with the "Oltener Aktionskomitee" (OAK) in August 1918. The OAK was a committee of Swiss labor unions and Social democrats
Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland is the largest centre-left political party in Switzerland....
, formed to demand and enforce socio-political reforms, and led by Robert Grimm
Robert Grimm
Robert Grimm was the leading Swiss Socialist politician during the first half of the 20th century.As a leading member of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland he opposed the First World War. Grimm was the main organiser of the Zimmerwald Movement and the chairman of the International...
. When the authorities used military force to discontinue the extension of an originally peaceful protest strike in Zurich, on November 10, the committee gave Calonder the ultimatum to either call back the militia or accept the consequences of a nation-wide strike, Calonder declined in the name of the Federal Council, and on November 11, 1918, the committee called for an indefinite strike, now referred to as the Swiss General Strike. Around 400,000 workers went on strike, militia regiments were ordered to counter them, and the railway system was militarized. Three demonstrators were killed by soldiers in Grenchen
Grenchen
Grenchen is a municipality in the district of Lebern in the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland.It is located at the foot of the Jura mountains between Solothurn and Biel. With over 16,000 inhabitants, it is one of the larger towns of the canton of Solothurn...
, and there were violent clashes in Zurich and Biel as well. The OAK recognized the strike's futility, and called for its ending, Calonder informed the Federal Assembly with the words "The nightmare has gone away. Free and proud, Swiss democracy stands with its head raised high."
Calonder was criticized for his actions during the Landesstreik. He had already been mocked by Grimm for "nearly breaking out in tears during negotiations, instead of firmly standing his ground", and the Federal Assembly and media saw his reactions to the strike as ambiguous: On the one hand, Calonder held a speech on November 12, where he promised the Social Democrats a seat in the Federal Council. On the other hand, put under pressure by the army command and centre-right parliamentarians, he signed the Federal Council's ultimatum addressed to the OAK one day later. He never regained the left's support, and after his demission in 1920, the Social Democratic newspaper Volksrecht characterized him as "a rather limited reactionary".
In his final year in the Federal Council, Calonder was a proponent of Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
's idea for a League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
, and appointed historians and legal experts to study questions of international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
in the aftermath of World War I. Instead of "absolute" neutrality
Neutral country
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
, he suggested a "differential" neutrality, which could include carrying out economic sanctions proposed by the League of Nations. With the support of fellow councillors Giuseppe Motta
Giuseppe Motta
Giuseppe Motta was a Swiss politician, member of the Swiss Federal Council and President of the League of Nations .-Commemoration:...
and Gustave Ador
Gustave Ador
Gustave Ador was a Swiss politician.He was elected to the Federal Council of Switzerland on June 26, 1917 and handed over office on December 31, 1919...
, Calonder finally succeeded in passing the bill to join the League of Nations against strong opposition by politicians from German speaking rural and conservative cantons, but also against the majority of Social Democrats. He gained less support for his actions regarding the "Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg
Vorarlberg is the westernmost federal-state of Austria. Although it is the second smallest in terms of area and population , it borders three countries: Germany , Switzerland and Liechtenstein...
question" - on May 11, 1919, 80% of the Vorarlberger had voted that their state should join Switzerland, and Calonder advocated these plans as well. He met fierce opposition within the Federal Council, namely by Schulthess and Motta, and was eventually forced to abandon his advancements in this direction.
His actions during the nation-wide strike, his advancement of membership in the League of Nations, and his weak position in the Vorarlberg question resulted in a meager count of votes for Calonder's reconfirmation by the Federal Assembly in December 1919. He asked for sick leave five days later, and announced his resignation on January 21, 1920.The Federal Assembly officially approved his request on February 12, 1920, and elected Heinrich Häberlin
Heinrich Häberlin
Heinrich Häberlin was a Swiss politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council ....
as his successor.
Later years (1920 - 1952)
After his demission, Calonder was appointed by the League of Nations to mediate in the Åland crisisÅland crisis
The Åland crisis was one of the first issues put up for arbitration by the League of Nations on its formation. The Åland Islands' population's demand for self-determination was not met and sovereignty over the islands was retained by Finland, but international guarantees were given to allow the...
in 1920. In 1921 he led the Geneva conference for regulating conditions in Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
in connection with the Silesian Uprisings
Silesian Uprisings
The Silesian Uprisings were a series of three armed uprisings of the Poles and Polish Silesians of Upper Silesia, from 1919–1921, against German rule; the resistance hoped to break away from Germany in order to join the Second Polish Republic, which had been established in the wake of World War I...
. From 1922 to 1937, he lived in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
where, as president of the mixed German-Polish commission, he supervised the execution of the conference's outcome. In 1937, he moved to Zurich and worked as a legal consultant. Felix Louis Calonder died on June 14, 1952, in Zurich.