Peter Kaiser (1 October 1793 – 23 February 1864) was a historian and statesman from

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (, ; ; ), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( ), is a Landlocked country#Doubly landlocked, doubly landlocked Swiss Standard German, German-speaking microstate in the Central European Alps, between Austria in the east ...

Life

PeterKaiserMemorial-MaurenCemeteryLiechtenstein RomanDeckert25012023

Kaiser was born in

Mauren Mauren (; High Alemannic: ''Muura'') is a municipality in Liechtenstein that is situated in the north of the country. It has a population of 4,401. The Curta mechanical calculator was produced by Contina AG, in Mauren.Feldkirch,

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

and

Freiburg Freiburg im Breisgau or simply Freiburg is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fourth-largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, Mannheim and Karlsruhe. Its built-up area has a population of abou ...

Breisgau The Breisgau () is an area in southwest Germany extending along the Rhine River and enveloping portions of the Black Forest. Part of the state of Baden-Württemberg, it centers on the city of Freiburg im Breisgau. The district of Breisgau-Hoch ...

. Kaiser became known as a proponent of the rights of the common people or

serfs Serfdom was the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism and similar systems. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to and differences from slavery. It developed dur ...

in his home country. In 1820, during the

Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon, Napol ...

, he promoted German unification and rights issues. Due to the unpopularity of this stand in an age of imperialism, he was subsequently forced out of Germany. Kaiser moved to

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

and became a professor in

Hofwil Hofwil is a village in the canton of Bern, Switzerland, part of the municipality of Münchenbuchsee. The village of Hofwil was originally part of the lands owned by the Münchenbuchsee Commandery, a medieval commandery of the Knights Hospitaller i ...

(

Bern Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...

). In 1836, he taught in

Aarau Aarau (, ) is a List of towns in Switzerland, town, a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality, and the capital of the northern Swiss Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Aargau. The List of towns in Switzerland, town is also the capital of the d ...

and then in

Disentis Mustér (, Romansh) or Disentis (German), with its official name Disentis/Mustér is a village and a municipality in the Surselva Region in the Swiss canton of Grisons. The skiing and summer tourism resort high up in the Rhine valley is the si ...

, in the

Grisons The Grisons (; ) or Graubünden (),Names include: * ; *Romansh language, Romansh: ** ** ** ** ** **; * ; * ; * . See also list of European regions with alternative names#G, other names. more formally the Canton of the Grisons or the Canton ...

. In 1843, Kaiser was appointed as a representative to

Prince Alois Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein (Alois Philipp Maria; born 11 June 1968) is the eldest son of Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, and Countess Marie Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau, and the heir apparent to the throne of Liechtens ...

in Vienna. Kaiser published ''History of The Principality of Liechtenstein'' in 1846, which was initially banned in Liechtenstein, but the ban was later lifted by Prince Alois. In 1848, Kaiser was named as the representative of the Principality’s Diet to the Parliament of Frankfurt. During this year, the political climate changed dramatically in Europe, and the citizens of Liechtenstein began demanding a liberalization of their rights under the constitution, including free elections. Initially, Prince Alois promised constitutional reform and a public works program, but this did not abate the revolutionary ferver. Kaiser, who was a member of the local revolutionary committee, sought to avoid violence by appealing directly to the Prince, and due to his standing, was heard. Open violent revolution was thus avoided and genuine changes were enacted. After this success, Kaiser turned from politics back to teaching. On 23 February 1864, Kaiser died in

Chur '' Chur (locally) or ; ; ; ; ; ; or ; , and . is the capital and largest List of towns in Switzerland, town of the Switzerland, Swiss Cantons of Switzerland, canton of the Grisons and lies in the Alpine Rhine, Grisonian Rhine Valley, where ...

, Switzerland. Kaiser is credited with helping to define the "Liechtenstein identity", and a memorial to him was erected in Mauren in 1955.

Bibliography

*''History of The Principality of Liechtenstein'' (1846)

References

External links

Memorial information
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaiser, Peter 1793 births 1864 deaths People from Mauren Historians of Europe 19th-century Liechtenstein politicians