Wilhelm Matthias Naeff (19 February 1802 – 21 January 1881) was a

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...

politician and one of the seven initial members of the Swiss Federal Council (1848–1875). Naeff was born in Altstätten into a long-established Rhine-Valley's family. Already, his father was an influential merchant. Naeff studied law in Heidelberg (Germany), and, after his return to Switzerland, he was elected to the cantonal (state) government of St. Gallen. Naeff is well known for not intervening in the conflict, which dominated Switzerland at that time, between liberals and conservatives. The Rhine Valley was a stronghold of the liberals, which is why Naeff could depend on his supporters. Naeff was a member of the "Siebnergruppe", a group of seven people who, after the Napoleonic occupation, drafted the 1848 constitution of the Swiss Confederation, the basis of the current constitution. He was elected to the Swiss Federal Council of ministers on 16 November 1848, as a representative of St. Gallen. He stayed there for 27 years, considerably longer than all of his counterparts from that time. While, in his long term in office, Naeff increasingly lost influence and adhered a reputation as "deadhead". He was re-elected by only small margins. On 31 December 1875, he finally resigned. Naeff was affiliated with the

Free Democratic Party of Switzerland french: Parti radical-démocratique it, Partito Liberale Radicale rm, Partida liberaldemocrata svizra , logo = Free Democratic Party of Switzerland logo French.png , logo_size = 200px , foundation = , dissolution = ...

(liberal democrats/radicals). During his long tenure, he headed the following departments: * Department of Posts and Construction (1848–1852) * Political Department (1853) *

Department of Trade and Customs The Department of Trade and Customs was an Australian government department that existed between 1901 and 1956. It was one of the inaugural government departments of Australia established at federation. History The department was one of the firs ...

(1854) * Department of Posts and Construction (1855–1859) *

Department of Posts India Post is a government-operated postal system in India, part of the Department of Post under the Ministry of Communications. Generally known as the Post Office, it is the most widely distributed postal system in the world. Warren Hastings ha ...

(1860–1866) *

(1867–1872) *

Department of Railway and Trade Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

(1873) * Department of Finance (1873–1875) In 1853, he was

President of the Confederation The president of the Swiss Confederation, also known as the president of the Confederation or colloquially as the president of Switzerland, is the head of Switzerland's seven-member Federal Council, the country's executive branch. Elected by ...

, presiding the council. He resigned on 31 December 1875.

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* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Naeff, Wilhelm Matthias 1802 births 1881 deaths People from Altstätten Swiss Calvinist and Reformed Christians Free Democratic Party of Switzerland politicians Foreign ministers of Switzerland Finance ministers of Switzerland Members of the Federal Council (Switzerland) Members of the Council of States (Switzerland)