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Wilhelm Matthias Naeff

Wilhelm Matthias Naeff (* Altstätten, February 19th, 1802, † January 21st, 1881) was a Swiss politician and one of the seven initial members of the Swiss Federal Council (1848-1875).

Naeff was born into a long-established Rhine-Valley's familiy. 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 interventing in the conflict between liberals and conservatives, which dominated Switzerland at that time. 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 wich, after the Napoleonic occupation era, drafted the 1848 constitution of the Swiss Confederation, which to date still is the effective constitution. He was elected member of the Swiss Federal Council of ministers on November 16th, 1848, as a representative of St. Gallen. He beloned to this board for 27 years, considerably longer than all of his counterparts from that time.

While his long term in office Naeff increasingly lost influence, and he adhered a reputation as "deadhead". He survived various reelections only with thigth majorities. On December 31st, 1875, he finally resigned. Naeff was affiliated with the Free Democratic Party of Switzerland (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 (1854)
• Department of Posts and Construction (1855 - 1859)
• Department of Posts (1860 - 1866)
• Department of Trade and Customs (1867 - 1872)
• Department of Finance (1873)
• Department of Railway and Trade (1873)
• Department of Finance (1874 - 1875)

In 1853, he was President of the Confederation, presiding the council. He resigned on 31 December 1875.