Huissier

In French government ministries and Parliament, a huissier is an employee who provides general service to the minister or assembly (transmitting messages, handling ballot boxes, etc.). Traditionally, they wear a chain around the neck, because their original function was to lock and unlock doors.

Before the Revolution, the title could be a court office in the household of royalty, as a type of valet de chambre.

In Switzerland, huissier is the French equivalent of German Weibel (also Amtsweibel), the term for a ceremonial office in Swiss cantonal and federal governments, parliaments, and courts of law. At the federal level, the office is known as Bundesweibel, at the cantonal level as Standesweibel for governments, Ratsweibel for parliaments and Gerichtsweibel for courts of law. Some cities also have office at the communal level (Stadtweibel).

Swiss huissiers in their official capacities wear ceremonial robes with the heraldic colours of the entity they represent, Bundesweibel in red and white, cantonal Weibel in cantonal colours (Standesfarben).

• Aegis
• Huissier de justice
• Necklet
• Chain of office
• Doorman
• Footman
• Usher
• Hospitality
• Protocol (diplomacy)
• Meet and Greet

• André Holenstein: Weibel in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.