Karl Schenk
Encyclopedia
Switzerland
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....
pastor, politician and member of the Swiss Federal Council
Swiss Federal Council
The Federal Council is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the federal government of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss collective head of state....
(1863-1895). , he is still the longest-serving member.
Schenk was born in 1823 in Bern, Switzerland
Switzerland
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....
, as the son of Christian Schenk. At the age of eleven, Schenk became an orphan and lived in Korntal (Germany). From 1839 to 1842 he attended school in Bern and then studied theology. He completed his studies at the age of 22. In 1845 he became vicar and later pastor at Schüpfen
Schüpfen
Schüpfen is a municipality in the Seeland administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. Municipality president is Ueli Hunziker.-Geography:...
. In 1848, he married Elise Kähr. The couple had nine children, two of which died at young age.
He was elected to the Federal Council on December 12, 1863 and died in office 31 years later, on July 18, 1895. He was affiliated with the Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
Free Democratic Party of Switzerland
The Free Democratic Party was a classical liberal political party in Switzerland. It was one of the major parties in Switzerland until its merger with the smaller classical liberal Liberal Party, to form FDP.The Liberals on 1 January 2009....
.
During his time in office he held the following departments:
- Department of Home Affairs (1864)
- Political Department (Foreign ministry) as President of the Confederation (1865)
- Department of Home Affairs (1866 - 1870)
- Political Department as President of the Confederation (1871)
- Department of Home Affairs (1872)
- Department of Finance (1872)
- Department of Home Affairs (1873)
- Political Department as President of the Confederation (1874)
- Department of Railway and Trade (1875 - 1877)
- Political Department as President of the Confederation (1878)
- Department of Home Affairs (1879 - 1884)
- Political Department as President of the Confederation (1885)
- Department of Home Affairs (1886 - 1895)
He was President of the Confederation six times in 1865, 1871, 1874, 1878, 1885 and 1893.
Schenk died 1895 in Bern. He was buried at Bremgartenfriedhof in Bern.
The local museum of Langnau im Emmental
Langnau im Emmental
-Sport:Langnau is the home of the SCL Tigers, who plays in the Swiss National League A. They play their home games at the Ilfis Stadium.- External links :* * *...
"Chüechlihus" includes a section on him.