Franz Michael Felder

Franz Michael Felder
Born	May 13, 1839 Schoppernau
Died	April 26, 1869 Schoppernau
Cause of death	tuberculosis
Occupation(s)	Social reformer, writer, farmer
Organization	Vorarlberg'sche Partei der Gleichberechtigung (1867/68)
Spouse	Anna "Nanni" Katherina Moosbrugger
Children	Jakob, Kaspar, Hermann, Martin, Katherina

Franz Michael Felder (May 13, 1839, Schoppernau, Vorarlberg – April 26, 1869, Schoppernau, Vorarlberg) was a social reformer, author and farmer from Austria.

Life

In the 19th century, the majority of the Bregenzerwälder population lived on cheese production. The second half of this century was the time of the Käsegrafen (literally "Earls of cheese") – export and import monopolists who determined the prices as well as bought up and sold milk. In fact, they controlled the market for milk and cheese. During this time, the regressive church supported the powerful Käsegrafen from the 1860s on. One of these "Earls of cheese" was Gallus Moosbrugger. The peasants, on the other hand, lived in poverty, were indebted and highly dependent on the Käsegrafen.

Franz Michael Felder was the necessary counterweight to the oppressive Käsegrafen. In order to reduce the poverty of the cheese farmers, he advocated a fair distribution of taxes and established a cheese trade association and an insurance institution for livestock. His private house became the center for reading newspapers and disputes about the policies of the church. Felder, together with his brother-in-law, founded the "Vorarlberg'sche Partei der Gleichberechtigung" (Vorarlberg party for equality) in 1867/68. They demanded universal and secret voting rights and the establishment of an association for the workforce. Besides the Käsegraf Gallus Moosbrugger and the church, Felder had many other enemies. Thus he was called a heretic, free mason and antichrist by the villagers. In May 1867, he fled from Schoppernau.

In 1869, Felder died of tuberculosis. Several decades after his death, there was an argument about his legacy: the unveiling of his monument in the local cemetery in 1875 caused irritation among many villagers.

Oeuvre

• "Nümmamüllers und das Schwarzokaspale". Lindau: Stettner 1863
• "Sonderlinge". Leipzig: Hirzel 1867
• "Reich und Arm". Leipzig: Hirzel 1868
• "Aus meinem Leben", 1869 (published 1904)

External links

• Website of the Franz Michael Felder association (in German)