Franz Josef Bucher

Franz Josef Bucher (17 January 1834 – 6 October 1906) was a Swiss business magnate, politician and patron who built his wealth in hotels and railroads. Bucher established the Bürgenstock hotel complex and was the owner and patron of Europe's largest hotel company in the 19th century. At the time of his death, his net worth was estimated at 14 million Swiss Francs (equal to about 160 million Swiss Francs in 2023). Between 1886 and 1896, Bucher served as a member of the Cantonal Council of Obwalden. He was an energetic entrepreneur who attracted anecdotes reflecting his original and direct approach.

Early life and education Bucher was born in Kerns, Obwalden, a small town roughly 22 km (15 miles) south of Lucerne. His father, Sébastien Bucher, was a farmer and local councilor. The boy attended the school in Kerns and then went on to college in the cantonal capital, Sarnen, a short distance further up the valley to the south.

Career After some years working as a herdsman and farmer he teamed up with Joseph Durrer, his future brother in law to form, in 1864, the business "Bucher & Durrer". In 1868, the two of them opened a factory on the edge of Sarnen, at Kägiswil, where they constructed timber flooring, soon moving on to become constructors of timber barns and houses.

The hotelier In 1869/70, "Bucher & Durrer" built their first hotel, the "Sonnenberg-Hotel" in Engelberg. In 1871, Bucher purchased the lakeside "Trittalp" meadow located on a ridge on the Bürgenstock (mountain). Here he built the 220 bed "Grand Hotel Kurhaus", subsequently renamed "Grand Hotel Bürgenstock", which opened in 1873. Bucher oversaw the construction himself. The luxury hotel was a success, which led to expansion. Between 1887 and 1905, the Bürgenstock Hotel grew into a substantial hotel resort-complex. To improve access to the inherently inaccessible mountaintop hotel, a funicular railway, claimed to be the first electric railway in Switzerland,

During the 1880s, the business activities of Bucher and his partner Joseph Durrer diverged, with Durrer focusing on timber based building and construction, while Bucher concentrated on the hotel business. However, it was only in 1895 that the business of "Bucher & Durrer" was formally split. Bucher's portion of the business was renamed "Schweizerische Hotelgesellschaft", which by the start of the twentieth century had become the largest hotels undertaking in the world, as Franz Josef Bucher, supported by his growing family, constructed a succession of luxury hotels in and beyond Europe. Particularly high profile creations included the Hotel Quirinal in Rome and the Hotel Palace Luzern. and the Vevey–Chardonne–Mont-Pèlerin funicular (1900).

Bucher's railway building was not restricted to Switzerland. In Genoa he built the funicular at the Mura delle Chiappe (1896) and an electric tramline, necessary to provide adequate access to his newly purchased hotel in the city. On its completion, he sold the tramline to the municipality for one million Swiss francs, which he insisted on receiving in cash.

Politics Josef Bucher was a local councillor in Kerns, also serving, between 1884 and 1896, on the Cantonal Council. He was an instigator, co-founder and board member of the Cantonal Bank.