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

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (german: link=no, Fürstentum Liechtenstein), is a German-speaking microstate located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a semi-constitutional monarch ...

. 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 Feldkirch may refer to: Places * Feldkirch, Vorarlberg, a medieval city and capital of an administrative district in Austria ** Feldkirch (district), an administrative division of Vorarlberg, Austria * Feldkirch (Hartheim), a village in the munici ...

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

and

Freiburg Freiburg im Breisgau (; abbreviated as Freiburg i. Br. or Freiburg i. B.; Low Alemannic: ''Friburg im Brisgau''), commonly referred to as Freiburg, is an independent city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With a population of about 230,000 (as o ...

Breisgau The Breisgau () is an area in southwest Germany between the Rhine River and the foothills of the Black Forest. Part of the state of Baden-Württemberg, it centers on the city of Freiburg im Breisgau. The district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, ...

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

, 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 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 in ...

( Bern). In 1836, he taught in Aarau and then in

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

, in the Grisons. In 1843, Kaiser was appointed as a representative to

Prince Alois Alois, Hereditary Prince and Regent of Liechtenstein, Count of Rietberg (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. The heir apparent ...

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 , neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers , twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...

, Switzerland. Kaiser is credited with helping to define the "Liechtenstein identity", and memorial to him still stands in Mauren.

Bibliography

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

Footnotes

References

Memorial information

External links

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