Otto Schaedler

Otto Schaedler ( , ; 9 June 1898 – 25 December 1965) was a physician and political figure from Liechtenstein who served in the Landtag of Liechtenstein and was one of the founders of the Patriotic Union party.

Early life Schaedler was born on 9 June 1898 in Balzers as the son of farmer Emilian Adolf and his mother Emerita Gstöhl as one of 16 children.

Career Schaedler was a co-founder of the Liechtenstein Homeland Service in 1933. As the leader of the party, it quickly began to radicalize towards Nazism with a personality cult similar to that of Nazi Germany, with the phrase 'Heil Otto!' being used towards Schaedler within the party. He was an outspoken anti-Semite and was later accused of having sympathies for National socialism by the Liechtensteiner Volksblatt.

This party and the Christian-Social People's Party merged to form the Patriotic Union in 1936 and Schaedler was placed as the party's president, a position in which he held until June 1965. From 1936 to 1945 and again from 1962 to 1965 Schaedler served in the Landtag of Liechtenstein. The majority of the Landtag approved of Hoop's actions, but members of the Patriotic Union called for his resignation over the issue, believing the search to be unconstitutional. Notably, Schaedler along with Alois Vogt in an act in protest against the government publicly rejected the allegations against von Vogelsang. It was decided that two special judges would determine the legal implications of the case. Eventually, in July 1937 it was concluded by both judges that Hoop had not acted unconstitutionally by ordering the search against Vogelsang and was subsequently legally acquitted of any wrong-doing. Schaedler (centre-left) with Alois Vogt, Josef Hoop and Ludwig Marxer. Around 1938. In March 1938 Schaedler and the Patriotic Union participated in the coalition government formed in order to prevent government deadlock and help retain Liechtenstein's neutrality overseen by Franz Joseph II along with Josef Hoop and the Progressive Citizens' Party. He was offered to be the leader of the German National Movement in Liechtenstein (VDBL) but refused and distanced himself from the party. While key politicians in Liechtenstein were charged for their activities shortly after the war, Schaedler himself was never charged.

From 1945 to 1965 Schaedler was a member of the Liechtenstein sanitary commission and was also the state physician. He was a member of the state school board from 1950 to 1960. He is buried at the cemetery of Vaduz, along with his family.

Honours Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Principality of Liechtenstein (1939)