Franz Wigard

Franz Jacob Wigard (31 May 1807 – 25 September 1885) was a German physician who eventually built a career as a liberal politician in the Kingdom of Saxony.

He belonged to the "Freireligiösen" (religious humanist) movement and also championed the use of Shorthand.

Life

Early years Wigard was born in Mannheim in the summer of 1807, during the Napoleonic War. His father's occupation is given as court librarian ("Sekretär hofbibliothek"). He undertook a training in stenography (shorthand) with Franz Xaver Gabelsberger and entered government service. In 1831, he was recorded working as a stenographer in the Bavarian parliament (Landtag). During his Reichstag years he sat as a member of the liberal-leaning Progressive Party.