Willi Ritschard (sometimes Willy Ritschard; 28 September 1918 – 16 October 1983) was a Swiss politician of the Social Democratic Party (SP). He is remembered as the first and to date only working class member of the Federal Council, the Swiss government. Prior to that, he was also a member of the cantonal government of Solothurn and a member of the National Council.
Early life and education
Willi Ritschard was born on 28 September 1918 as the son of Ernst Emil Ritschard, a shoemaker in Deitingen and Social Democrat and Frieda (née Ryf), in Canton of Solothurn. As a child, he was beaten by his neighbors for being a son of left-wing workers. He lost both parents at the age of sixteen. He made an apprenticeship as a heating engineer
Career in the Workers Union
In 1945 he became the secretary of the Solothurn branch of the Construction and Woodworkers' Association (SBVH).
Political career
In 1947, Ritschard became the president (Gemeindeamman) of Luterbach, a position which he held until 1959. The construction of the nuclear power plant in Gösgen, Solothurn, began in 1972. He observed his election in front of a TV at home. In 1975, as protestors occupied the construction site for the nuclear plant in Kaiseraugst, Ritschard was able to calm the situation offering the occupiers a halt for its construction for the time negotiations would take place. In 1978 he presided over the Federal Council as that year's President of the Swiss Confederation.
From 1980 onwards Ritschard was the head of the Federal Department of Finance. and Rolf Ritschard, the latter becoming a member of the executive council of Solothurn.
Ritschard died on 16 October 1983, during a hike on the Grenchenberg near Grenchen. He was buried in Luterbach, where in 2011 the Executive Council of Luterbach announced that Ritschard would be able to rest in Lautebach's graveyard without restriction, and extended this right to all of Luterbach's honorary citizens.