Peter Büchel

Büchel was born on 29 June 1872 in Mauren to the son of Kaspar Büchel and his mother Josefa née Öhri as one of eleven children. He spent his early years as a farmer and attended high school in the town.[1]

Büchel (third from right on the back) with members of the Landtag, 1921.

From 1903 to 1906 Büchel was a member of the Mauren council. From 1916 to 1922 he was a mediator in the council, and from 1925 to 1934 deputy mediator. He was also a temporary member of the finance commission and the state committee as well as secretary.[1]

In 1918 he was elected to the Landtag of Liechtenstein as a member of the Progressive Citizens' Party.[2] He was a member of the party's delegation for the agreement that allowed for the accession of Josef Peer as Governor of Liechtenstein in 1920, an agreement that led to the ratification of the Constitution of Liechtenstein on 5 October 1921.[3][4] From 1922 to January 1926 he was an opposition member in the Landtag.[1]

Büchel (centre-left) with Josef Hoop, Ferdinand Nigg and Joseph Gassner in 1928.

Büchel was a government councillor from 1926 to 1938. In 1928 the government of Gustav Schädler was the subject of an embezzlement scandal involving the National Bank of Liechtenstein.[5] The Christian-Social People's Party tried to charge Büchel for the scandal, in which he immediately demanded an investigation and was acquitted of all allegations.[1][6] Johann II forced Schädler's government to resign as a result.[5]

In the government, Büchel represented rural concerns and advocated for the building of a 23km long inland canal 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.

In March 1938 he opposed the formation of a coalition government between the Progressive Citizens' Party and the Patriotic Union following the Anschluss of Austria, but voluntarily resigned from all government positions to ensure party peace.[1][7][8] Büchel was a staunch opponent of National-socialism and he played a role in thwarting the German National Movement in Liechtenstein (VDBL) when they attempted a coup in 1939.[1]

Büchel died on 24 April 1958, aged 85 years old.[1]

Büchel married Maria Paulina Kaiser (29 January 1881 – 5 June 1966) on 12 May 1907 and they had two sons together.[1]

• Liechtenstein:
  • Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of HSH Prince Johan II (1920).
  • Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Principality of Liechtenstein (1937).[1]