Wilhelm Beck

Wilhelm Beck (, ; 26 March 1885 – 20 January 1936) was a lawyer and politician from Liechtenstein who was the founder of the Christian-Social People's Party and later served as the President of the Landtag of Liechtenstein from 1922 to 1927. He was a member of the Landtag from 1914 to 1928 and again from 1932 to 1935.

Beck is considered one of the most influential politicians in Liechtenstein's modern history.

From 1903 to 1905 he attended the University of St. Gallen, and from 1905 to 1911 he studied law at the University of Zurich and also at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München from 1909, where he received a diploma in 1911. He was a member of the Historical Association for the Principality of Liechtenstein and published various works on topics of Liechtenstein history, such as inheritance law and constitutional history. Beck was a pioneer of Liechtenstein's financial services and fiduciary services. Together with Emil Beck (no relation), he wrote the Liechtenstein Personal and Company law, which came into force in 1926. By 1930, almost half of the country's domiciliary companies were founded by Beck and Ritter. His opposition to the political foundations of Liechtenstein and the economic crisis during World War I often led him to entering fierce debates with Leopold Freiherr von Imhof, the Governor of Liechtenstein. Beck co-founded the Christian-Social People's Party in February 1918 and he was elected into the Landtag in the same year.

By November 1918, Beck along with fellow opposition members Martin Ritter and Fritz Walser, deeply dissatisfied by Imhof's handling of the economy and who wanted a Liechtensteiner head of government, proposed a motion of no confidence against him in the Landtag of Liechtenstein on 7 November. Imhof asked for a vote of confidence and at the same time agreed to submit his resignation. While the Landtag unanimously expressed its confidence in him it was decided, against the constitution and the princely appointed Landtag members, to transfer the power of governor to a Provisional Executive Committee led by Ritter. Johann II accepted Imhof's resignation on 13 November. Beck (top-centre) as part of the Liechtenstein delegation for custom union negotiations with Switzerland, 1920. Beck also served as a government councillor in the government of Prince Karl Aloys of Liechtenstein from 31 December 1918 to 31 August 1919, when he resigned.

Later politics (1920–1936) When Johann II appointed Josef Peer as Governor in 1920, Beck and the Christian-Social People's Party opposed his appointment in contrast to the Progressive Citizens' Party as they believed the role should only be reserved for Liechtensteiners. Eventually it was agreed that Peer could take the position, but only for a 6-month period.

Beck played a key role in Liechtenstein's constitutional revision, where he called for a "total revision" of it. He wrote a draft constitution which limited the power of the prince of Liechtenstein for a constitutional monarchy on a democratic and parliamentary basis. He also served as the chairman of the board of directors of the National Bank of Liechtenstein during this time. Beck was not barred from re-election, but he did not run in the 1928 Liechtenstein general election. He resigned from the Landtag in 1935.

Shortly before his death, the Christian-Social People's Party and Liechtenstein Homeland Service merged to form the Patriotic Union in 1936.

Personal life Beck married Maria Anna Bürke (8 September 1887 – 2 August 1968), a teacher from Wittenbach, on 2 June 1921 and they had four children together.

Beck died on 20 January 1936 in Walenstadt, aged 50 years old.