Elmar Mäder
Encyclopedia
Elmar Theodor Mäder was the thirty-third and former Commandant of the Pontifical Swiss Guards. He held the rank of colonel in the Guards.
, Europe
. He grew up in Zuzwil in the canton of St. Gallen
, one of five children of Theo and Katharina Mäder. He studied at the Hochschule in St. Gallen and at the University of Freiburg
before entering the Swiss Army where he attained the rank of First Lieutenant in the Air Defense Troops. He entered the Papal Swiss Guards in 1998 and was named commandant in 2002, succeeding Pius Segmüller
.
Mäder made headlines when he said that there was no plan to allow women into the Swiss Guards. His reason was that the Guard's quarters were too small and the entry of women would lead to discipline problems.
He was walking along the Popemobile
on June 6, 2007 when a German man jumped over the security cordons and tried to jump into the Popemobile
. Mäder is married to Theresia Blöchliger and they have four children.
Biography
Mäder was born in Niederuzwil, SwitzerlandSwitzerland
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....
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He grew up in Zuzwil in the canton of St. Gallen
St. Gallen
St. Gallen is the capital of the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. It evolved from the hermitage of Saint Gall, founded in the 7th century. Today, it is a large urban agglomeration and represents the center of eastern Switzerland. The town mainly relies on the service sector for its economic...
, one of five children of Theo and Katharina Mäder. He studied at the Hochschule in St. Gallen and at the University of Freiburg
University of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg , sometimes referred to in English as the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The university was founded in 1457 by the Habsburg dynasty as the...
before entering the Swiss Army where he attained the rank of First Lieutenant in the Air Defense Troops. He entered the Papal Swiss Guards in 1998 and was named commandant in 2002, succeeding Pius Segmüller
Pius Segmüller
Pius Segmüller is a Swiss politician and former commander of the Swiss Guard in the Vatican City .Segmüller was appointed Commander of the Swiss Guard following the death of Alois Estermann...
.
Mäder made headlines when he said that there was no plan to allow women into the Swiss Guards. His reason was that the Guard's quarters were too small and the entry of women would lead to discipline problems.
He was walking along the Popemobile
Popemobile
Popemobile is an informal name for the specially designed motor vehicles used by the pope during outdoor public appearances without having to employ the antiquated and often impractical sedia gestatoria. The Popemobile was designed to allow the pope to be more visible when greeting large crowds...
on June 6, 2007 when a German man jumped over the security cordons and tried to jump into the Popemobile
Popemobile
Popemobile is an informal name for the specially designed motor vehicles used by the pope during outdoor public appearances without having to employ the antiquated and often impractical sedia gestatoria. The Popemobile was designed to allow the pope to be more visible when greeting large crowds...
. Mäder is married to Theresia Blöchliger and they have four children.
Honors
- Order of St. Gregory the GreatOrder of St. Gregory the GreatThe Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great , was established on September 1, 1831, by Pope Gregory XVI, seven months after his election.It is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See...
(Commander) - Order of St. SylvesterOrder of St. SylvesterThe Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Sylvester Pope and Martyr , sometimes referred to as the Sylvestrine Order, or the Pontifical Order of Pope St Sylvester, is one of five Orders of Knighthood awarded directly by the Pope as Supreme Pontiff and head of the Catholic Church and as the Head of...
(Commander) - Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint GeorgeSacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint GeorgeThe Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George is a Roman Catholic order of chivalry. It was fictively established by Constantine the Great, though in reality it was founded between 1520 and 1545 by two brothers of the Angeli Comneni family. Members of the Angeli Comneni family remained...
(Knight Grand Cross of Merit) - Sovereign Military Order of Malta (Grand Officer with Swords pro Merito Melitensi)
- Order of Merit of the Italian RepublicItalian orders of meritThere are five orders of knighthood awarded in recognition of service to the Italian Republic. Below these sit a number of other decorations, associated and otherwise, that do not confer knighthoods...
(Commander) - Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of JerusalemOrder of the Holy SepulchreThe Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
(Knight)