Josef Hoop

Hoop was supportive of an independent stamp tax policy separate from Switzerland in order for Liechtenstein to maintain economic sovereignty from them, despite the two countries forming a customs union in 1924.[12][13] Swiss concerns of monetary uniformity with Liechtenstein led to Hoop's government agreeing to withdraw the country's silver coin in 1930 in favour of a state gold coin corresponding to Switzerland.[14][15] Despite this, Hoop had opposed the coins being printed in Swiss francs and personally asked Franz I to veto the proposal under such conditions even with the majority of the Landtag's approval.[16][17]

He had advocated for the building of a 23km long inland canal in order to increase the percentage of arable land within the country and to create job opportunities within the country, which was approved in 1930, started construction in 1931 and then completed in 1943.[18][19] He had also given advice for businesses and industrial start-ups in Liechtenstein in order to bring employment and capital to the country.[20][21]

In January 1937 Liechtensteiner Vaterland editor and founding member of the Liechtenstein Homeland Service Carl Freiherr von Vogelsang publicly denounced Jews living in Liechtenstein and sent numerous letters detailing them to officials in Nazi Germany. As a result, Hoop ordered the offices of the Vaterland to be searched for any letters to be confiscated and Vogelsang promptly left the country.[22][23][24] The majority of the Landtag approved of Hoop's actions, but members of the Patriotic Union called for his resignation over the issue, believing the search to be unconstitutional.[25][26] It was decided that two special judges would determine the legal implications of the case.[27] Eventually, in July 1937 it was concluded by both judges that Hoop had not acted unconstitutionally by ordering the search against Vogelsang and was subsequently legally acquitted of any wrong-doing.[28][29][30]

In 1936, Hoop pioneered an extradition treaty being signed between Liechtenstein and the United States.[31]

Since the rise of Nazi Germany in 1933 and the introduction of anti-Jewish laws in the country Liechtenstein experienced a large rise Jewish emigrants to the country in which Hoop's government had supported the naturalization of the refugees under a new citizenship law.[32] In doing this, Liechtenstein faced attacks from German press and internal sources such as the Liechtenstein Homeland Service bolstered by Franz I's wife, Elisabeth von Gutmann being of Jewish relation.[33][34][35] Hoop personally attempted to temper relations with Germany through the use of private contacts and actively downplayed the threat of National-socialism within Liechtenstein.[36][37]

In the wake of World War II following the Anschluss of Austria, Hoop and the Progressive Citizens' Party participated in the coalition government formed to prevent government deadlock and help retain Liechtenstein's neutrality overseen by Franz Joseph II[lower-alpha 1] along with Patriotic Union led by Otto Schaedler.[38][39][40] Alois Vogt, the party secretary was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister of Liechtenstein and replaced Anton Frommelt.[1][41] Hoop rejected the fascist tendencies of the Liechtenstein Homeland Service of which was one the merger parties of the Patriotic Union.[2][42] The party faced suspicion after the German National Movement in Liechtenstein (VDBL) attempted a coup in 1939.[40]

Hoop considered friendly, non-binding, non-provocative diplomacy to be appropriate towards Nazi Germany, supplemented by courtesy gestures. In March 1939 he along with Franz Joseph II and Otto Schaedler paid an official visit to Berlin where they met Adolf Hitler and Joachim von Ribbentrop where they discussed safeguarding Liechtenstein's independence and neutrality while maintaining good relations.[43][44] Franz Joseph later reminisced on the visit and stated that Hitler showed little interest in them and that it only took place in order to "flatter Hitler's ego".[45] In 1940, during a lecture in Stuttgart, Hoop showed respect for the German armies. At the same time, he tied the country as closely as possible to Switzerland during the war in hopes of retaining Liechtenstein's neutrality.[39] He achieved the de-facto inclusion of Liechtenstein in the Swiss national supply.[2] Hoop did not consider re-forming the Liechtenstein Army to avoid provocation.[39] During the war, he worked closely with Franz Joseph II despite agitation from Otto Schaedler who advocated for a more cooperative-stance towards Nazi Germany.[2][46][47]

Hoop resigned in September 1945, after serving in the premiership for seventeen years. He formally did this due to his worsening heart condition and his desire to move on from the role, but also remarked that Franz Joseph II had pressured him to do so as he believed that the vision of a post-war Liechtenstein required a change in leadership due to the ongoing diplomatic crisis with the pro-axis First Russian National Army and pro-emperor Vladimir White emigres led by General Boris Smyslovsky that had taken refuge in the country a few months prior.[48][49][50] This de-facto dismissal of Hoop angered many within the Progressive Citizens' Party.[2] He was succeeded by Alexander Frick.[1][48]