Rudolf Schwander (23 December 1868 – 25 December 1950) was a German politician and social reformer. He was, among other things, the Mayor of Strasbourg and High Commissioner of Hesse-Nassau.

Life

Born in Alsace, Rudolf Schwander was the son of Anne Barbe Schwander and, according to widespread rumour, the Mayors of Colmar, Camille Schlumberger. After attending elementary school and special school, Schwander first worked as a clerk and office assistant in his native town of

Colmar Colmar (, ; Alsatian: ' ; German during 1871–1918 and 1940–1945: ') is a city and commune in the Haut-Rhin department and Grand Est region of north-eastern France. The third-largest commune in Alsace (after Strasbourg and Mulhouse), it is ...

, but graduated from high school at the same time. Between 1897 and 1901 he studied law and political science in Strasbourg and received his doctorate in political science with a thesis on French Poverty. He entered the city service in 1900 and took over the management of the poor and hospital administration, two years later he also became a deputy of Strasbourg. Influenced by

Friedrich Naumann Friedrich Naumann (25 March 1860 – 24 August 1919) was a German Liberalism in Germany, liberal politician and Protestant parish pastor. In 1896, he founded the National-Social Association that sought to combine liberalism, nationalism and ...

, he subsequently carried out groundbreaking social reforms and established the Strasbourg system in 1905. Local authorities – so-called Poor offices – have been given the task of screening residents for their needs and deciding whether they are entitled to public support unlike under the Elberfeld system where they would receive support from volunteers alone. While female volunteers were responsible for on-site advice and evaluation, full-time male employees were responsible for the assessments in the administrative offices. By abolishing the Elberfield System, Schwander took the first step towards professional social assistance. A year later, Schwander was appointed mayor of Strasbourg. As such, in April 1908 he oversaw the marriage of Elly Knapp, who was born in Strasbourg and whom he had supported earlier, with Naumann's close associate

Theodor Heuss Theodor Heuss (; 31 January 1884 – 12 December 1963) was a German liberal politician who served as the first president of West Germany from 1949 to 1959. His cordial nature – something of a contrast to the stern character of chancellor K ...

. A brief interlude as acting state secretary in the Reich Economics Office in 1917 was followed in June 1918 by his return to Strasbourg City Hall. From 1911, he was a member of the 1st Chamber of the Landtag of Alsace-Lorraine. In October 1918 he became

Reichsstatthalter The ''Reichsstatthalter'' (, ''Imperial lieutenant'') was a title used in the German Empire and later in Nazi Germany. ''Statthalter des Reiches'' (1879–1918) The office of ''Statthalter des Reiches'' (otherwise known as ''Reichsstatthalte ...

in Alsace–Lorraine, but was unable to prevent its subsequent separation from the Reich after the war.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schwander, Rudolf 1950 deaths 1868 births German social reformers Mayors of Strasbourg People from Colmar